FORTY-nine people are reported to have been arrested this week in Iran for wearing ‘satanic’ gear.
Mahmoud Rahmani, head of police in the northern city of Qaemshahr, where the arrests took place, denounced Iranians who wore western-style clothes and haircuts.
A tearful young Iranian woman falls foul of Iranian 'fashion police'
Police confronted rascals and thugs who appeared in public wearing satanic fashions and unsuitable clothing.
He added that five local barber shops were closed and 20 more warned for “promoting western hairstyles”. These are believed to include spiky haircuts.
Some individuals, not knowing what culture they are imitating, put on clothing that was designed by the enemies of this country. The enemies … are trying to divert our youth and breed them the way they want and deprive them of a healthy life.
Periodic crackdowns on western styles have been a feature of Iran since the Islamic revolution brought the ayatollahs to power in 1979.
Western businessmen were regularly targeted and had their ties clipped by zealous revolutionary guards because neckties were viewed as decadent.
But, according to this report, while crackdowns normally last only a few months, the current one has been going on for well over a year.
Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has in the past suggested Iran’s enemies may try to stage a “soft” or “velvet” revolution by sneaking corrupt culture or ideas into the country.
Meanwhile, in another example of reactionary forces at work in Iran, the country’s supreme court has confirmed a sentence of death by stoning for a woman convicted of adultery.
And last week twelve Iranians were reported to have died after being poisoned by toxic levels of methane in home-made alcohol. Alcohol consumption is strictly banned in Iran by the Islamic authorities.
The Freethinker was founded in 1881 by GW Foote, an outspoken critic of religion. After the publication of 
December 5th, 2008 at 9:49 am
You can see where the guy in uniform gets his rocks off. By the way isn’t the uniform a bit too ‘American looking’ for the thugs/perverts running Iran?
December 5th, 2008 at 9:53 am
Newspanird: very true. I find it disgusting that the ‘religion of peace’ has so many members who obviously hate women.
December 5th, 2008 at 10:12 am
Why is George Michael there?
December 5th, 2008 at 1:52 pm
What a shabby little regime. To think a once-great nation like Persia is run by a corrupt theocracy of joyless, bearded loons and terrorised by religious goon squads. No wonder so many young Iranians emigrate.
December 5th, 2008 at 7:56 pm
Lets just hope that one day these young Iranians take a stand against the zealots in charge of Iran and take the freedom they so rightly deserve.
December 5th, 2008 at 10:34 pm
Why is George Michael there?
Obviously that girl is much too funky for him.
December 5th, 2008 at 11:41 pm
That’s George Michael –and the next thing we will hear from Ahmadinejad is that Iran has no public toilets
March 3rd, 2009 at 9:05 pm
What a sick country ! The poor women was just minding her business and that those policemen have to go and pick on her just cause shes showing a little bit of hair . What is this world coming to ? Why do they over in Iran wast so much time in arresting women ove the matter oc clothing ? I don’t get it at all . What one wears is their own right to express them selfs and no one should tell one how to express them selfs in any form .
September 23rd, 2009 at 4:54 pm
Corrupt society who love women right, only want to give a women thought that heaving sex with every one should not be a problem, Sick as Pig.