| OPh, look! It's juche, only with turbans... |
Iran's parliament has taken initial steps to pass a bill which bans advertisement of imported products as part of a campaign against Western cultural influence, newspapers said on Thursday. Passed by parliament's cultural commission, the bill prohibits advertisement of imported goods on television, public places and public transport. It will become law after being passed by parliament and ratified by the Guardian Council, Iran's legislative watchdog. "According to the bill, the advertisement of foreign goods are banned in public places, on state media and buses," the semi-official Iran newspaper said. The ban also targets posters, billboards and public signs. Cultural commission members were not immediately available for comment. Since the 1979 Islamic revolution, conservatives have tried unsuccessfully to ban the sale of icons of Western culture such as Barbie dolls and Coca-Cola. Colourful advertisements promoting everything from motor oils to luxury brand watches and perfumes have mushroomed in most major cities on billboards and buses.