Hundreds of Tehran restaurants shut for breaking 'Islamic principles'

The infractions included 'unconventional advertising in cyberspace, playing illegal music and debauchery'

epa07458427 An Iranian worker works in an old traditional restaurant which has more than 50 years old antiquity in an old bazaar during the Persian New Year holidays in Tonekabon, Mazandaran province, northern Iran, 23 March 2019. As Iran facing economic crises after US withdrawal from nuclear deal and re-imposing sanctions against the country, Iranian government still trying to keep the deal with European countries and working with European on a special channel for trade and business called INSTEX (Instrument in Support of Trade Exchanges) which is a mechanism, created to facilitate non-dollar trade with Iran, allowing European companies to trade with the Islamic Republic without being hit by the sanctions. EPA/ABEDIN TAHERKENAREH

A man works in a 50-year old restaurant in the old bazaar of Tonekabon in northern Iran. EPA

Jun 09, 2019

Iranian police have shut down 547 restaurants and cafes in Tehran for not observing "Islamic principles", the capital's police chief said Saturday.

"The owners of restaurants and cafes in which Islamic principles were not observed were confronted, and during this operation 547 businesses were closed and 11 offenders arrested," Hossein Rahimi said, quoted on the police's website.

Fars news agency said the operation was carried out over the past 10 days.

The infractions included "unconventional advertising in cyberspace, playing illegal music and debauchery", Fars reported.

"Observing Islamic principles is... one of the police's main missions and responsibilities," the police chief said.

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Also on Saturday, the head of Tehran's guidance court, which deals with "cultural crimes and social and moral corruption", called on Tehran citizens to report cases of "immoral behaviour" by texting a designated phone number.

"People would like to report those breaking the norms but they don't know how... We decided to accelerate dealing with instances of public immoral acts," Mohammad Mehdi Hajmohammadi told the judiciary's Mizan Online.

Citizens can report instances of those removing their "hijab in cars", "hosting mixed dance parties" or posting "immoral content on Instagram", he said.

Under the Islamic dress code of Iran, where alcohol is banned, women can only show their face, hands and feet in public, and they are supposed to wear modest colours.