Cancellation of Sirvan’s concert at Niavaran Palace; Ministry of Heritage Pressure or Resident Protest?

Niavaran residents’ protest against the voice of Sirvan Khosravi’s concert with petitions and numerous letters to official authorities eventually canceled the performance. It is said that after the concert was controversial, there have been pressure from the Ministry of Heritage to cancel the performances.

Babak Rezaei, Director General of the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance, explained the reasons for the cancellation of the concert:

From the beginning, the Niavaran Palace’s outdoor license was issued after the necessary inquiries and approved by the relevant agencies, and there was no problem to start the implementation. But after the first few nights, locals protested the program.

According to Rezai, residents of the area in the form of numerous petitions and correspondence have expressed concerns about problems such as traffic, voice and crowds to the Music Bureau, the Tehran Guidance Office, the Art Department and other authorities.

He added:

In the first two or three nights, we tried to satisfy the residents by reducing the volume of sound and changing the holding time to continue the concert according to the tickets sold by October 3rd; But in the end we failed to satisfy the residents.

Rezai emphasized at the end:

Due to the problems caused by Niavaran residents, the license will not be issued in the same area from the same extent. People’s comfort and comfort for the music office is a priority.