An Iranian bookstore in Westwood closes after 36 years

by Agatha French, Los Angeles Tiimes

Westwood’s Iranian bookstore Ketab Corp. closed its doors last week after 36 years in business.

The shop on Westwood Boulevard held roughly 85% Persian titles as well as books in English about Iran, said owner Bijan Khalili, who in a phone call described his customer base as “Persians and those Americans that are interested in Persian culture” in a phone call.

Ketab Corp. proudly stocked censored titles on a shelf marked “books prohibited in Iran,” such as those by celebrated Iranian poet Forugh Farrokhzad.

“Reading books is a human right,” Khalili told Public Radio International in an August interview.

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