The sale of ties was banned in Iran after the 1979 Islamic revolution but the ruling is often ignored

When the French first embraced the knotted neckerchiefs worn by seventeenth century Croatian mercenaries, few would have guessed its descendant - the tie - would one day be worn as standard business attire the world over.

Everywhere, that is, except the clerical establishment of Iran, which banned the sale of the garment after the 1979 Islamic revolution after deeming ita symbol of western decadence and has this week moved again to reassert its sartorial will.

Ties had returned to boutiques and shops in the major cities under the reformist former president Mohammad Khatami, who relaxed many old restrictions. However, according to the semi-official Isna news agency, the religious police are now to enforce the often ignored ban.

"Shops were banned from selling ties after the victory of the Islamic revolution but in recent years some vendors have once again started to sell them despite warnings by the responsible authorities in the police," Isna said. "The ban has never been pursued seriously and that's why ties sales have increased significantly in the clothes shops."

Despite the ban on selling ties, wearing them is not an offence. While it is not considered acceptable for government employees to wear the garment an increasing number of people dress with ties when working for private sector companies or going to formal parties. Some universities allow students to wear them and bridegrooms, including men who have never worn one in the past, will often wear a tie for their wedding. Unlike Iran's current clerically-influenced dresscode, ties were popular before the Islamic revolution.

A seller told Isna that all shops have been notified by the police to take their ties off display and that those who break the ban risk having their shops closed down. Javad Doroodian, the head of Iran's clothes's sellers and weavers union, told Isna it had been asked to change its logo because it contained an image of a tie.

The tie may even have Iranian origins. Although there are many theories, the Netherlands-based Radiozamaneh cited the British historian Noel Malcolm who said the knotted neckerchief was first imported to Europe, and the Croatian mercenaries, from Iran during the Sassanid Empire.

Each summer, as the heat bears down and makes it difficult for women and men in Iran to stick to their forced Islamic dresscode, the religious police go out onto the streets to crack down on people with loose hijabs, inappropriate dress or hairstyles.