TEHRAN, Aug. 26 (Mehr News Agency) -- The secretary of the High Council of the Cultural Revolution (HCCR) issued a press release on Thursday announcing that the High Council of Public Culture (HCPC) has not approved the proposal to establish a national music day in Iran (see report: October First Designated Iran's National Music Day).

"According to the article approved in the 295th session of the High Council of the Cultural Revolution on December 1, 1992, the registration of a special day must first be ratified by the High Council of Public Culture and then it must be approved by the HCCR. The process of registration is as follows: First, a high-ranking official of a government organization or institute which wants to sponsor a program for a special day must propose the registration of the day to the HCPC. The proposal will be examined by the HCPC after expert-level feasibility studies by the Commission for the Registration of Special Days; then the suggestion must be submitted to the HCCR for final approval. Due to the fact that the proposal for a national music day has not gone through the process, the news which was reported by some newspapers last week is rejected," a part of the press release read.

Last week, a number of Iranian newspapers and news agencies, quoting Music House spokesman Mohammad Sarir, reported that the ninth day of the month of Mehr in the Iranian calendar (October 1), which is the birthday of Iranian musician and philosopher Abu Nasr Farabi (870–950 CE), had been registered as Iran's National Music Day.

"Two months ago, the High Council of Public Culture agreed with the proposal of the Music House, and fortunately all Iranian academic and music centers were of the same mind in an opinion poll," Sarir said.

Sarir also stated that the Music House was planning to arrange musical programs for the day at Tehran's Vahdat Hall.