Iran authorities expand dog walking ban
TEHRAN: Iranian authorities have expanded a ban on walking dogs in public to multiple cities nationwide, citing public health, social order and safety concerns, domestic media reported on Sunday (Jun 8).
The ban – which echoes a 2019 police directive that barred walking dogs in Tehran – was expanded to Ilam city in the west on Sunday, according to reports.
At least 17 other cities introduced similar bans in recent days, including Isfahan in the centre and Kerman in the south.
Owning and walking dogs has been a contentious topic since the 1979 Islamic revolution in Iran, though there is no law outrightly banning dog ownership.
Many religious scholars however consider petting dogs or coming into contact with their saliva as "najis" or ritually impure, while some officials view them as a symbol of Western cultural influence.
Local authorities have periodically introduced bans on walking dogs in public spaces or carrying them in vehicles as part of a wider campaign to discourage their ownership.
Enforcing the restrictions has been largely inconsistent, as many owners continue to walk their dogs in Tehran and elsewhere across Iran.
On Sunday, the reformist Etemad newspaper quoted an official from Ilam city as saying that "legal action will be taken against violators", without elaborating.
On Saturday, the state newspaper Iran said the latest measures are aimed at "maintaining public order, ensuring safety and protecting public health".
"Dog walking is a threat to public health, peace and comfort," said Abbas Najafi, prosecutor of the western city of Hamedan, as quoted by Iran newspaper.
In 2021, some 75 lawmakers condemned pet ownership as a "destructive social problem", saying it could "gradually change the Iranian and Islamic way of life".
In 2017, Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said that "keeping dogs for reasons other than herding, hunting and guard dogs is considered reprehensible".
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Straits Times
9 hours ago
- Straits Times
Iran authorities expand dog walking ban to multiple cities
The ban echoes a 2019 police directive that barred walking dogs in Tehran. PHOTO: REUTERS TEHRAN - Iranian authorities have expanded a ban on walking dogs in public to multiple cities nationwide, citing public health, social order and safety concerns, domestic media reported on June 8 . The ban – which echoes a 2019 police directive that barred walking dogs in Tehran – was expanded to Ilam city in the west on J une 8 , according to reports. At least 17 other cities introduced similar bans in recent days, including Isfahan in the centre and Kerman in the south. Owning and walking dogs has been a contentious topic since the 1979 Islamic revolution in Iran, though there is no law outrightly banning dog ownership. Many religious scholars however consider petting dogs or coming into contact with their saliva as 'najis' or ritually impure, while some officials view them as a symbol of Western cultural influence. Local authorities have periodically introduced bans on walking dogs in public spaces or carrying them in vehicles as part of a wider campaign to discourage their ownership. Enforcing the restrictions has been largely inconsistent, as many owners continue to walk their dogs in Tehran and elsewhere across Iran. On June 8 , the reformist Etemad newspaper quoted an official from Ilam city as saying that 'legal action will be taken against violators', without elaborating. On June 7 , the state newspaper Iran said the latest measures are aimed at 'maintaining public order, ensuring safety and protecting public health'. 'Dog walking is a threat to public health, peace and comfort,' said Mr Abbas Najafi, prosecutor of the western city of Hamedan, as quoted by Iran newspaper. In 2021, some 75 lawmakers condemned pet ownership as a 'destructive social problem', saying it could 'gradually change the Iranian and Islamic way of life'. In 2017, Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said that 'keeping dogs for reasons other than herding, hunting and guard dogs is considered reprehensible'. 'If this practise resembles that of non-Muslims, promotes their culture or causes harm and disturbance to neighbours, it is deemed forbidden,' he added, according to Tasnim news agency. AFP Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
CNA
9 hours ago
- CNA
Iran authorities expand dog walking ban
TEHRAN: Iranian authorities have expanded a ban on walking dogs in public to multiple cities nationwide, citing public health, social order and safety concerns, domestic media reported on Sunday (Jun 8). The ban – which echoes a 2019 police directive that barred walking dogs in Tehran – was expanded to Ilam city in the west on Sunday, according to reports. At least 17 other cities introduced similar bans in recent days, including Isfahan in the centre and Kerman in the south. Owning and walking dogs has been a contentious topic since the 1979 Islamic revolution in Iran, though there is no law outrightly banning dog ownership. Many religious scholars however consider petting dogs or coming into contact with their saliva as "najis" or ritually impure, while some officials view them as a symbol of Western cultural influence. Local authorities have periodically introduced bans on walking dogs in public spaces or carrying them in vehicles as part of a wider campaign to discourage their ownership. Enforcing the restrictions has been largely inconsistent, as many owners continue to walk their dogs in Tehran and elsewhere across Iran. On Sunday, the reformist Etemad newspaper quoted an official from Ilam city as saying that "legal action will be taken against violators", without elaborating. On Saturday, the state newspaper Iran said the latest measures are aimed at "maintaining public order, ensuring safety and protecting public health". "Dog walking is a threat to public health, peace and comfort," said Abbas Najafi, prosecutor of the western city of Hamedan, as quoted by Iran newspaper. In 2021, some 75 lawmakers condemned pet ownership as a "destructive social problem", saying it could "gradually change the Iranian and Islamic way of life". In 2017, Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said that "keeping dogs for reasons other than herding, hunting and guard dogs is considered reprehensible".
CNA
2 days ago
- CNA
Iran says US travel ban reflects 'racist mentality'
TEHRAN: Tehran denounced on Saturday (Jun 7) the US travel ban on Iranians and citizens of 11 other mostly Middle Eastern and African countries, saying Washington's decision was a sign of a "racist mentality". US President Donald Trump signed on Wednesday an executive order reviving sweeping restrictions that echo his first-term travel ban, justified on national security grounds following a firebomb attack at a pro-Israel rally in Colorado. Alireza Hashemi-Raja, the foreign ministry's director general for the affairs of Iranians abroad, called the measure, which takes effect on Jun 9, "a clear sign of the dominance of a supremacist and racist mentality among American policymakers". The decision "indicates the deep hostility of American decision-makers towards the Iranian and Muslim people", he added in a statement released by the ministry. Apart from Iran, the US ban targets nationals of Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, Congo-Brazzaville, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen. A partial ban was also imposed on travellers from seven other countries, including Laos. Hashemi-Raja said the policy "violates fundamental principles of international law" and deprives "hundreds of millions of people of the right to travel based solely on their nationality or religion". The foreign ministry official said that the ban was discriminatory and would "entail international responsibility for the US government", without elaborating. Iran and the US severed diplomatic ties shortly after the 1979 Islamic Revolution, and relations have remained deeply strained since. The US is home to the largest Iranian community outside Iran. According to figures from Tehran's foreign ministry, in 2020 there were some 1.5 million Iranians in the US. Trump's executive order came days after Sunday's attack at the Colorado rally, in which authorities said more than a dozen people were hurt. The suspect is an Egyptian man who had overstayed a tourist visa.
