Repeated concert cancellations over the past year have turned into a real headache for moderate President Hassan Rouhani, who in his 2013 election campaign pledged that he would address cultural issues.

In August, Mashhad’s ultra-conservative Friday prayer leader, Ahmad Alamolhoda, defied the Rouhani administration as he prevented singers from performing in the holy city. Amid strong opposition from the hard-liners, Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance Ali Jannati folded and stated, “Considering the existence of the [8th Shiite] Imam Reza shrine in Mashhad, the holding of concerts has some opponents, including the dear representative of the supreme leader to [the province of] Khorasan Razavi. We respect his opinion, and despite the fact that the concerts posed no problem, we are dissuaded from holding concerts there.”

This clear retreat sent a signal to hard-liners in other cities that they can also resist and defy the authority of the Rouhani administration. Indeed, the holding of concerts in cities such as Yazd, Shiraz and Zanjan as well as provinces such as Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad has hit obstacles. For instance, Mohammad-Reza Naseri, the Friday prayer leader of Yazd, on Sept. 30 voiced his opposition to concerts, saying, “I’m warning those who are striving and giving speeches regarding the holding of concerts in Yazd that if you don’t stop, we will deal with you in other ways.”

Qom’s turn