Iranian authorities have shut down a restaurant in the city of Mahshahr after a female singer performed there, signaling a crackdown on events the authorities deem contrary to Islamic values continues.
The latest incident was sparked by a video published on social media showing a female singer performing at the opening ceremony of a new restaurant in Mahshahr, in the southwestern province of Khuzestan.
After the video went viral and was praised by Iranian social-media users, Farshad Kazemi, the police chief in Mahshahr, announced the restaurant had been sealed shut because of the performance.
Kazemi also added that a legal case had been filed against the owner.
Female singers are not allowed to perform in Iran, and musical concerts face many obstacles since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
In recent weeks, numerous reports have been published about the sealing of businesses, restaurants, cafes, and in some cases even pharmacies, for not observing Islamic laws and mandatory hijab rules.
The wave of business closings comes amid the monthslong public anger that erupted after 22-year-old Mahsa Amini died in September while in custody after being detained by morality police in Tehran for "improperly" wearing a head scarf.
Since Amini's death, Iranians have flooded into the streets across the country to protest against a lack of rights, with women and schoolgirls making unprecedented shows of support in the biggest threat to the Islamic government since the 1979 revolution.
In response, the authorities have launched a brutal crackdown on dissent, detaining thousands and handing down stiff sentences, including the death penalty, to protesters.
