Iran's High Council for Art has announced a National Music Act that marks a significant shift in the country's approach to musical performances on state television. The new act requires all stage props and musical instruments to be fully visible during broadcasts, ending a decades-long practice of concealment.

Since the establishment of the Islamic Republic in 1979, Iranian state television has routinely avoided displaying musical instruments, often hiding them behind objects such as flower baskets during performances. The origin of this unwritten rule remains obscure, and it has long been a source of public amusement and bafflement.

While music, in general, has been subject to strict laws in Iran since the Islamic Revolution, regulations have gradually relaxed over time. People can now sing various musical genres beyond traditional and folk, form bands, release albums, and hold concerts. However, the peculiar practice of concealing instruments on television persisted despite lacking any legal foundation.

Interestingly, Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei's fatwa (religious order) actually permits both the display and trade of musical instruments. He once stated, "Those musical instruments that are commonly used and can be utilised for Halal (permissible) music are allowed to be bought, sold, and used for Halal benefit," adding that "there is no difference between television and other places in this regard."

Mohammad Hossein Imani, secretary of the High Council for Art, recently clarified that under the new National Music Act, state television "cannot put flowers in front of musical instruments" to hide them. Moreover, the act stipulates that no organisation has the right to cancel a concert after the Ministry of Culture has granted a permit.

Despite the common occurrence of concerts in Iran, musicians have faced challenges when attempting to tour different provinces. Performances have sometimes been cancelled by local authorities, even after obtaining necessary permits. For instance, in Khorasan province, home to the religious city of Mashhad, Friday prayer leader Ahmad Alamolhoda has long prohibited concerts, arguing they contradict the city's religious character.

In recent years, several high-profile cancellations of licensed concerts have occurred in various provinces. In Isfahan, a performance by traditional singer Alireza Qorbani was reportedly cancelled due to the presence of female musicians in the band. Similarly, pop singer Sirvan Khosravi's concert in Ahvaz was called off by the local security council, despite having a ministry permit.

Imani has promised that the National Music Act will prevent such incidents from occurring in the future. The act was approved by the High Council of the Cultural Revolution in February 2024 and communicated to relevant organisations a month later.

Whilst the enforceability of the law remains somewhat unclear, Imani noted that it comprises the "approved regulations for music and video, which should be followed by the state television".

This new legislation potentially heralds a more consistent and open approach to musical performances across Iran, aligning broadcast practices with the gradual liberalisation of music regulations in the country and part of the promise of President Masoud Pezeshkian to lessen the strict rules on living in the country.