Tehran tries to inspire residents to follow 'Islamic lifestyle' via comics

Tehran tries to inspire residents to follow 'Islamic lifestyle' via comics

• photo
 
• Iran

An ad in a Tehran bus. The man on the right says, “Why are you staring at my wife? She’s just wearing a tight manto [an Iranian coat], and her hair is peaking out of her scarf, and she’s wearing a little makeup! That doesn’t mean you can stare at her!” The man on the left answers, “Sir, I swear to God that I’m blind! But the way you described her, it’s normal that everyone stares at her!”

This week, the city of Tehran has rolled out an advertising campaign aimed at getting people to adhere to what its leaders consider a proper Islamic lifestyle. The comics, which have been put up in buses across the city, have amused some of our Observers and angered others, but either way, they’ve missed their mark.

The adverts are mainly aimed at getting women: to cover up, to ask their husbands permission to leave the house, to spend thriftily, and not to ask their husbands for too much money.

In Iran, the government has two main ways of enforcing Islamic rules, in particular women wearing the hijab. There is the morality police, which employs both full-time officers and volunteers; under a new bill, these volunteers could soon be given expanded powers. Then there’s the softer manner, through the form of advertisements. Such ads have existed since the Islamic revolution be they in newspapers or billboards. However, these are usually done by state religious organizations; this is the first time the city of Tehran has launched such a campaign. The comic format is a new twist, too, and seems to be aimed specifically at Iran’s younger generations.

These are the hardest citizens to reach: Iranian politicians and clerics have repeatedly warned that the youth is living in increasingly “Westernised” ways.

An ad promoting "Islamic lifestyle" on a Tehran bus. 

“These ads are extremely amateurish”

Sahar is a student in Tehran.

This campaign is so silly. These ads are extremely amateurish and cliché. They immediately put people on the defence instead of trying to subtly convince them. This anger has spread to all the comics in this series, including some that had positive messages, like encouraging people to read more instead of wasting time on social media. That’s really too bad!

The man on the left, reading a tablet, thinks: “They’re going to get married? No way!” (Implying he’s on Facebook). The man on the right, who is reading a book, reads in his head: “The best way to create a good business is to know the customers’ needs”. 

“Both men and women are joking about this”

Akaram is a housewife who describes herself as an observant Muslim.

I was really amused when I first saw these ads on the bus a few days ago. Everybody was making fun of them, especially the one that suggests a woman needs a man’s permission to leave the house. Both men and women were joking about this! Some people just ignored the ads entirely.

“Tehran’s mayor is getting increasingly conservative”

Simin is a journalist in Tehran.

The reason the city has put up these comics is because its mayor, Mr Mohammad Qalibaf, has become increasingly conservative. He’s run for president three times, and failed three times. He is conservative, but during the races he tried to present himself as more centrist. This plot failed: he lost the conservative vote, and the reformists didn’t believe he was really centrist. So now he’s trying to win back support from hardliners becoming increasingly conservative. He’s put these ultra-conservative ads up in buses, but he’s also put anti-USA billboards on the streets, and proposed that male and female workers be segregated in city offices!

In this ad, a woman gives her husband a modest gift on their anniversary: “It’s nothing much, it’s not expensive”, she says. This ad is supposed to promote thrift. 

http://observers.france24.com/content/20141028-tehran-islamic-lifestyle-comics-iran