The narrowing circle

Yet another example of Iran’s Mahmoud Ahmadinejad taking his country in the wrong direction:

Iran’s most important women’s magazine, Zanan, (Women) has been forced to close after 16 years of publication, after being accused of painting a “dark picture” of Iran.

Zanan’s founder Shahla Sherkat is considered a prime example of Islamic Iranian feminism.

She has been accused of “offering a dark picture of the Islamic Republic through the pages of Zanan” and of “compromising the psyche and the mental health” of its readers by providing them with “morally questionable information.”

The magazine, has for years been considered a place where controversial topics in Iranian society have been discussed, ranging from domestic violence, to cosmetic surgery and relationships.

It has been at the forefront in the fight for fundamental women’s rights in Iran.

The magazine has also used very subtle and creative language in order to avoid being shut down.

Text and images ©2024 Antony Loewenstein. All rights reserved.

Site by Common