Jun 7, 2016

Since he expressed support for the 2009 Green Movement protests, the voice of Iranian master Mohammad Reza Shajarian reciting Rabanna has not aired on Iranian television during the holy month of Ramadan. The famous version of the prayer by arguably Iran's greatest classical singer, who began his career as a Quran reciter, would signal to Iranians it was time to break their fast. This year, after a seven-year absence and despite much media speculation about his return, Shajarian's voice did not return to Iranian homes for the first night of Ramadan, according to Iranian media outlets.

The possibility of Shajarian's return in the last few days had sparked a number of controversies revealing political trends and showing that the country is still not healed from the post-presidential election protests that rocked it in 2009.

Kayhan newspaper, one of the most prominent hard-line newspapers that often sets the talking points for conservatives, lamented that Shajarian is receiving attention despite his public support for the 2009 protests, which hard-liners refer to as the "2009 sedition." Kayhan's top June 7 story complained that officials from the administration act as if unemployment and plunging marriage rates are no longer a problem and "hearing someone's voice is the top issue of Asia and even the world."

Shajarian, who announced publicly during a May 2015 ceremony in honor of Persian poet Hafez that he was essentially banned from performing, was featured in the top story of Iran newspaper, which operates under the administration. A smiling picture of Shajarian resting his hands behind his head accompanied the June 6 front page of the interview, in which Shajarian said of the 1979 recording of Rabanna, "[It] does not belong to me, it belongs to the people. It's a part of the people's lives and affections, and no one has a right to take that away from the people."

On the politicization of the airing of Rabanna, he said, "If it is a political demand that my voice not be aired, it is up to them. But they should not lie and say that I did not give permission for Rabanna to be aired." Shajarian also clarified that criticizing a government official when they do something wrong is not opposition to the Islamic Republic of Iran.