Iran bars Barenboim, thwarting Tehran concert plan
Source: YourMiddleEast
Iran has barred famed conductor Daniel Barenboim from entering the Islamic republic because of his Israeli citizenship, thwarting his plan to lead a performance in Tehran, media reported Sunday.
Barenboim, the 72-year-old general music director of the Berlin State Opera House, said Thursday he was in talks with Iran about a concert, in what would have been a major example of cultural diplomacy.
But an Iranian culture ministry spokesman, Hossein Noushabadi, said an investigation meant Barenboim could not enter the country for "security reasons", though the Berlin orchestra was welcome.
"We have no problem with the German orchestra coming to Iran, but we are opposed to the person leading that group," Noushabadi said, quoted by news agency ISNA.
"He has multiple nationalities and one of them is Israeli. For security reasons and to prevent issues following the entry of certain people into Iran, we stopped it."
Barenboim also holds Argentinian and Palestinian citizenship.
Read more: http://www.yourmiddleeast.com/news/iran-bars-barenboim-thwarting-tehran-concert-plan_34601
The irony is that Barenboim has been an outspoken critic of Israeli policies in the occupied territories that he was even awarded an honorary Palestinian citizenship. He also organized multinationals concert in Gaza City and in Ramallah in the West Bank.
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