Teheran, Sunglasses Prohibited

Producers of sunglasses won't be looking to Iran as the market of the future. The authorities in Teheran don't seem to be receptive to fashion considerations or the need to protect the eyes from UV rays. According to reports in the reformist daily Yas-e Now, the police have forbidden clothing stores to sell certain products, especially those aimed at young people, and that includes sunglasses.

The aim is to protect the morals of the inhabitants based on the Ayatollahs' rigid interpretation of the Koran. Stiff fines will be doled out to anyone disobeying the ban. Some items of clothing are also forbidden, especially the colored and close-fitting overcoats women had started wearing with the arrival of spring.