In Iran, authorities impose a strict Islamic code of conduct that Iranians routinely try to circumvent, especially the country's young population. But a slew of new restrictions and warnings have come from Tehran recently and are seen as part of a wider crackdown on dissent after mass demonstrations broke out following the country's disputed presidential election last year.
Not Cool: 13 Things Recently Frowned Upon In Iran
1
Wild Hair - Authorities occasionally warn Iranians against haircuts considered "Western" and trendy, but they took it to another level in July by issuing a list of Islamically approved haircuts for men. They even named the haircuts after various Iranian cities. Acceptable: short hair. Not acceptable: long hair, mullets, ponytails, spikes, and hair gel.
2
Music - Rock-and-roll, rap, and jazz concerts are a constant in Tehran's underground music scene, but that didn't stop Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, from declaring on August 2 that music was "not compatible" with Islamic values and should not be practiced or taught in the country.
3
Nestle - Iranian President Mahmud Ahmadinejad on June 1 called on Iranians to boycott Nestle and other Western brands that do business with Israel. However, given that Iranians love sweets, they are not expected to rally behind the plan.
4
Loud Laughter - No, seriously, loud laughter at Iran's Shiraz University of Medical Sciences was banned on May 10, as part of the university's new code of conduct. Iran's younger generation, which represents two-thirds of the population, often rebels against the government's attempts to control their private and public lives through their behavior and appearance, including clothing, hairstyles, and make-up.
6
IBM - Why is IBM bad? Well, they do business with Israel. Iranian President Ahmadinejad on June 1 asked Iranians to boycott IBM and other Western brands that do business with the Jewish state.
7
Government Executives Who Smoke - New regulations approved by President Ahmadinejad in July prohibit smokers from taking high-ranking executive jobs in government. The decision is meant to maintain the mental and physical health of executives and comes as part of the government's general antismoking campaign.
8
Coca-Cola - No Coca-Cola? Really? Yes. Ahmadinejad on June 1 asked Iranians to boycott Coca-Cola and other Western brands because -- you guessed it -- the company does business with Israel.
9
George Soros - Apparently financier and philanthropist George Soros is at war with Iran. That's according to Iran’s Intelligence Ministry, which in May issued a list of 60 U.S. and international organizations that it says are involved in a "soft war" against the Islamic Republic.
10
High Heels - Ladies, make sure you're wearing flats for a visit to Shiraz University of Medical Sciences. The university banned high heels on May 10 as part of the university's new code of conduct, which is aimed at enforcing Islamic moral standards.
11
Gmail - The Iranian government is engaging in its own "soft war" against Facebook, Gmail, and various information-sharing websites, largely because they were used to disseminate photos and videos of the authorities' brutal suppression of last year's postelection protests. In recent months, the authorities have increased Internet monitoring and continued to disrupt services and websites.
12
Printing Presses From The U.K. - The United Kingdom and Iran have a particularly strained history -- British occupation did not leave many good memories among Iranians. So on August 1, the government banned all imports of print machinery and tools from the U.K., alleging that the British were actively supporting the mass riots that broke out in Iran last summer after the country's disputed presidential election.
13
Nail Polish - No brightly-colored nails allowed at Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, which banned nail polish in its new code of conduct. The day the university's new code was introduced -- May 10 -- Iran's Interior Minister, Mostafa Mohammad-Najjar, announced that the government is setting aside $1.5 billion to promote “moral conduct," including enforcement of its dress code for women.