“Celebrity” is a title that is used today for many artists and generally prominent and well-known individuals. These are people who are sometimes known and recognized in society for their talent and art, and due to their artistic and literary activities and presence in both physical and virtual spaces, they have a considerable number of fans and attract the attention of many people in various parts of the world.

Unfortunately, the fate of this group in the Islamic Republic has also fallen into a dark and insecure curtain due to the special and ideological views of the rulers and authorities towards the issue of art and artists over the years, especially in today’s world. These days, what artists face are constant pressures and restrictions that surround them from all sides, becoming tighter and tighter each day. It is a movement that reminds us of the bitter repetition of the same religious and political views of the rulers of the Islamic Republic towards artists when the Islamic Republic first came into power. This led to a large group of artists and intellectuals being targeted and punished solely for their past activities, and most of them were left feeling hopeless and deprived, confined to their homes and unable to work.

It should not be forgotten that the fate of our poets, artists, and writers in the history of our country has largely been a tragic story, but their suffering has taken a more bitter and painful form this time. The heartbreaking and devastating story that has befallen the people of art and writing in recent years has been so difficult and heavy on them in terms of their spiritual, mental, and livelihood that unfortunately, it has led to the suicide of some of them. Perhaps the suicide of the late Kioumarth Pourahmad in April of this year – who apparently hanged himself – can be considered one of the most obvious examples.

In recent years, celebrities have faced intense and all-encompassing pressures from government institutions such as the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance, as well as from security institutions and individuals who, with their own political and ideological perspectives, use forceful and illogical language to control celebrities. This has not only deprived them of the ability to work and be creative, but also recently, with the intensification of these pressures, has taken away their livelihoods. Those artists who do not want to sacrifice their ideas and ideals to the dictates of the ruling powers, and who do not want to compromise their independence and professional dignity for their livelihoods, are constantly facing anger and wrath from the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance on one side and from the media on the other, and have become unemployed. Following these pressures, the Islamic Consultative Assembly is currently considering a bill that would subject celebrities to all-encompassing surveillance, and they would be held accountable for even the slightest of their words and actions. If

The current situation of artists and intellectuals in Iranian Islamic society is a story full of anxiety, denial, and persecution. It is a bitter and painful tale, like the mythical seven-headed dragon, lurking behind the curtains of corruption, politics, rent-seeking, monopolies, and other such issues that do not want the current generation of artists to continue their work and activities. The Islamic Republic’s mindset is to monopolize and control all aspects of society, including art and literature, and impose its own Islamic ideology and thinking, silencing any voice other than religious and sectarian ones. Naturally, in order to achieve this goal, the first step is to remove the current artists from their positions and replace them with their desired elements. This means that we should expect a large number of artists to be dismissed and unemployed, and possibly even arrested, imprisoned, and fined. In the Islamic Republic, there is an organization called “Ouj Organization” – also known as “Islamic Hollywood” – which is under the

With all of this, nowadays it cannot be ignored that following recent events in the country and the rise of the “Women’s Freedom” movement, many celebrities had a significant impact on this movement with their own positions and support; something that has not been to the liking of the security forces and officials of the Islamic Republic and has resulted in summoning, arrest, banning from work, and condemnation of many of them. In fact, this mindset has been strengthened in the officials of the system and security forces, who are mostly opposed to the thoughts and actions of these celebrities and as a result, the pressures from the security forces and the judicial system on this group have increased more than ever before. The recent outrageous sentences for some celebrities and forcing them to see a psychologist as punishment are among these pressures.