Iranian Madness

Here we go again with dress codes. Many have heard that hardliners in Iran have attacked Italian fashion company Benetton (see also here for more information). The excuses are plenty: the company is “Zionist” (a generic label to imply that they are involved somehow with Israel), it has a bad influence on Iranian women and (sic!) it does not use Farsi in its shop signs. Recently, Benetton stores have sprawled in Tehran’s affluent Northern suburbs.

But not too many have heard who’s actually responsible: the mayor of Tehran.

I quote: Italian circles in Tehran consider the quarrel over Benetton after a year of activity as an internal power struggle between ultra- conservatives in parliament and the rather moderate technocrats in the Tehran municipal administration.

Now since Italian circles are very well connected, you’ll have guessed that this has very little to do with clothes. As usual here in Iran, when the fuss is on things like dress codes, alcohol, or generic “westernized habits”, it only serve as a cover for some big political fight. And the fight is for the next presidential elections, where current Tehran mayor Qalibaf is rumoured to be president Ahmadinejad’s main opponent.

See how Qalibaf’s point of view is a tad different than our beloved mad Ahmad’s. He even goes as far as praising foreign companies for their ideas.

Another very interesting battle has just begun.