Around Iran: Regional Round-up

News from Iran’s provinces: A landmine claims another life in the Lute desert; Iran’s culture minister backs the establishment of Azeri language academies; environmental report warns of severe water shortages; Rouhani urges Kish to embrace “halal tourism”; and TV series meets with protest and outrage. 

Rouhani: Kish Island Must Embrace “Halal Tourism”

During his Newroz family vacation to Kish Island, President Hassan Rouhani addressed members of the press on the subject of expanding the island’s capacity for tourism and the introduction of what he termed “halal tourism”. According to a report published by Anaj, Rouhani said on March 31st that all of Iran’s free trade zones have very specific characteristics and Kish, which is geared for tourism, should market itself to Muslims who vacation in destinations where sharia law is followed. The president also identified the growth and development of the country’s southern islands as a government priority, going on to say that Kish is currently capable of attracting “three million tourists per year” and has the appropriate climate and infrastructure to expand that capacity.

Minister of Culture: Azeri Language Academies are a “Right”

At a ceremony in West Azerbaijan marking the induction of the province’s new head of culture, Minister of Culture Ali Jannati spoke of plans to establish Azeri language academies and institutions of higher learning in the region. The minister referred to Azeri as one of the world’s thriving languages and said, “All state organizations and institutions are required to give this language its necessary respect.”  “Just as Persian academies are active and present throughout the country,” he added, “Azeri academies should be too, as long as they operate within the law” as their Persian counterparts do. The country’s Azeri-speaking minority has a right to such institutions, he said, adding that they had the full support of his ministry. At the same time, he noted that setting up such centers of learning did not fall within the Ministry of Culture’s direct remit.

Landmine Explosion in Kerman Kills One, Injures Three

For the second time in less than three months, an explosion caused by a landmine in the Lut desert in southern Iran has claimed a life. The victim, Hamid Hashemi, was working as a tour guide with a travel agency when he drove his car over a landmine, resulting in his death and causing critical injuries to three tourists who had been traveling with him. Earlier this year, a wildlife researcher was killed after his car hit a landmine in the same area. Authorities confirmed the incidents but as yet have given no explanation for the presence of landmines in the area, which is 200 to 300 kilometers inside Iranian territory. Many speculate that the mines were placed there as part of the government's fight against drug smugglers.

TV Series Stirs Outrage in Mazandaran

More than 50 protesters gathered outside Mazandaran's provincial government building on 27th March to call for the cancellation of the television series Capital. Mehr News reported that the series, which has been condemned by several high profile parliamentarians and religious figures, defames people of the province, propagating false and negative stereotypes about them and mocking their local dialect. Yazdan Jahandar, Friday Prayer leader of the city of Kajvar, said on 28th March that, "in the event that this series is not cancelled, we will pursue legal measures. Officials in Mazandaran must publicly condemn the series and compel the head of state TV to apologize, as they did when the equally insulting Sarzamin Kohan (Ancient Land) series was pulled off the air following protests by ethnic Bakhtiaris." At the time of writing, Capital still appears in its scheduled programming slot, airing every weeknight on state TV’s Channel One.

New Report Warns of Looming Water Crisis

According to a report published by environmental protection agencies on April 2nd, Iran faces a looming water crisis. The report states that half of all wetland ecosystems in Iran have been destroyed, and up to 80 per cent of the country’s 40 remaining lagoons may have dried up. Reservoirs throughout the country, which provide an important source for water for many communities, are reported to have shrunk in volume and many are approaching or have gone beyond levels considered to be critical. The report's forecast for the next several years is also bleak, predicting widespread water shortage and an increase in droughts that will affect many of the country's cities and villages.