TEHRAN – Iran’s state-run television has been banned from screening cooking shows that promote foreign cuisine as conservatives seek to fight Western influence in the Iranian culture, media reported on Sunday. “From now on teaching how to cook non-Iranian dishes is banned,” deputy head of Iran’s state broadcaster Ali Darabi was quoted as saying by Aftabnews, a moderate website.
Iran boasts a rich cuisine and cooking shows are very popular, with chefs teaching a variety of Iranian and foreign recipes on daytime television. Italian, Chinese and Indian dishes are also favoured by many Iranians, while officials warn against the increasing consumption of unhealthy fast food. Private broadcasters and satellite television are banned in Iran but rooftops are dotted with satellite dishes and dozens of Persian-language channels beam a daily dose of politics and entertainment into the country.
