Cultural organizations should coordinate with intelligence and security institutions to hold concerts, said Hussein Nooshabadi, in his first press conference as the newly appointed spokesman of the ministry of culture and Islamic guidance, on Tuesday (Nov 11).
He was replying to a question on the reason for cancellation of concerts in some provinces earlier.
Concert cancellations, symphonic and national orchestras, Ali Moradkhani’s trip to the US, and intellectual property were among the issues Nooshabadi discussed with the media.
Expressing disapproval of the concert cancellations, he noted that the provincial cultural officials had been told to coordinate with other organizations before issuing permits for any concerts, ISNA reported.
Financial Constraints
Responding to the question on the delay in revitalizing the symphonic and national orchestras in the country in spite of the presidential directive, he said, this was due to financial constraints. He asserted that it is a matter of time and “money matters cannot halt the process” of resuming the work of the two orchestras.
He also clarified on the trip undertaken by the ministry’s art deputy Ali Moradkhani to the US last week. “It was an informal and non-governmental program which was organized by the private sector in the field of art and culture outside the country. This is an annual conference in the Pennsylvania state of the US, where Americans and Israelis have always opposed the presence of any delegation from Iran,” he maintained. He said there were no official or even unofficial meetings between Moradkhani and the American representatives there.
Intellectual Property
The comprehensive system of intellectual property was another topic touched upon by the official. “After months of diligently following up on the issue by the ministry in the government’s sub-committees, the intellectual property bill was approved and submitted to the parliament.” He hoped that the MPs would expedite consideration of the bill so that by the end of this year “it could be dedicated to the family of art and culture in Iran.”
On his new tasks, Nooshabadi, who is also the vice president of legal, parliamentary, and provincial affairs in the ministry, said that from now on “he is responsible for announcing the ministry’s activities as lucidly as possible to avoid creating misunderstandings.”
Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance Ali Jannati appointed Nooshabadi as the spokesman last week so that the media and public could have easy access to official news related to the ministry.
