Nine magazines shut for publishing pictures of ‘corrupt’ foreign film stars

It was not clear why the nine magazines were targeted for closure. They do not deal with politics, focusing on light lifestyle features, family advice, and news of celebrities.They regularly publish photos of Iranian actresses in loose headscarves and stylish clothes, as well as foreign female film stars without head coverings — but nothing more revealing than what is tolerated on some state media.

A recent issue of one of the closed magazines, Sobh-e-Zendegi, or Morning of Life, had photos of Cameron Diaz, Naomi Watts, Mandy Moore and Angelina Jolie.

The ministry said it shut the magazines down for “using photos of artists, especially foreign corrupt film stars, as instruments (to arouse desire), publishing details about their private lives, propagating medicines without authorisation, promoting superstitions.”