Source: Iran Times

The Music Office of Iran's Ministry of Culture has denied giving its approval for Irish singer Chris de Burgh to perform a scheduled concert in Tehran. According to a report issued by the official Islamic Republic News Agency (ISNA), no official request has been submitted to the Music Office and therefore no permit has been issued.

But last month, music producer Majid Roqani said the concert-scheduled to be performed with the pop band Arian-would be held in the last week of November at Tehran's Azadi stadium.  According to Roqani, who heads the Iranian record production company Taraneh Sharqi (Oriental Melody), de Burgh was set to give a 40-minute concert of his own songs and another 30-minute show together with Arian.

Together de Burgh, 59, and Arian have recorded a song called, "The Words I Love You" in a fusion of English and Persian.

Agence France Presse reported that Mohsen Rajabpour, the manager of Taraneh Sharqi, said last month he had already been given  oral approval for the planned concerts.

According to The Guardian of the U.K., a spokesman for de Burgh told the BBC, "We have been looking into a concert and have been working on it for awhile.  Permission has not yet been granted but we have also not yet been denied."

Arian in 1999 was the first Iranian pop band after the revolution to receive a permit to perform in public.

De Burgh, who grew up in Ireland but was born in Argentina to British parents, has produced 18 albums that have sold more than 40 million copies.  His hit song is "Lady in Red."

De Burgh, who is known for touring in countries with controversial regimes, including South Africa during apartheid, said, "If we refused to play in all the counties whose policies we disagreed with, we'd probably find ourselves living at home."

About Iran Times: The Iran Times is an independent newspaper with no affiliation with any political party or faction The Iran Times corporation was founded in Washington D.C. in 1970, in accordance with U.S. federal and local regulations: www.iran-times.com

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