TEHRAN, April 29 Barbers in Iran now risk being put out of business by the police if they wait on customers wearing neckties or bow ties.
The tie is seen as a symbol of western decadence or "bad hijab," which means clothing unfit for a Muslim, the BBC reported Sunday. Rules against bad hijab had been focused on women's headscarves and Islamic covering. Now, men are being warned not to wear short-sleeve shirts and boys with spiked hairstyles forcibly have had a stripe shaved down the middle of their head, the BBC said.
The ban on neckties was detailed in a police notice sent to barber shops telling them they could be closed or even lose their licenses if they served customers with ties. In addition, the police have banned any form of makeup for men, which is sometimes used by grooms on their wedding day.
Copyright 2007 by UPI
