NCRI – October 25, 2013 – The spokesman for Iran’s House of Music has been sacked for calling for an end to the 34-year ban on women singing in the regime.
Dariush Pir-Niakan was fired on October 22 after saying: “The main demand of the House of Music is for women’s voices to be broadcast. For 34 years now, this has been missing from the musical arena. Music is still considered taboo here.”
Following his comments, Hassan Rouhani cabinet’s Minister of Guidance Ali Jannati said: “If the voice of solo women singers does not lead to vice, it is OK. But there is problem with women’s voice on certain occasions.”
More than 50 per cent of Iranian musicians are women, but they are not permitted to sing and for the past 34 years, singing by women has been considered a crime.