Groundbreaking concert in Iran

This ground-breaking concert was no doubt the result of delicate negotiations. All music performances in Iran have to be approved by the Ministry of Islamic guidance which vets the lyrics and even disapproves sometimes of the style of the music if it's seen as too western or decadent.

Despite those restrictions, over the last few years Iranian pop music has become more and more westernised. In a taxi you'll often hear house or rap music with lyrics in Farsi. There are still no music videos - dancing is completely banned - and western groups are rarely if ever heard on radio or TV.

Chris de Burgh is due to play alongside the Iranian band Arian, one of the first pop groups in Iran to include women in the line-up, though women are still not allowed to perform as solo singers. According to Arian's manager, Chris de Burgh and Arian have already worked together to record a 'song for peace'. The manager said the song was intended to reflect the peace-seeking spirit of the Iranian people to the world.

Jon Leyne, BBC News Teheran

ground-breaking
innovative, pioneering, new

no doubt
certainly

delicate
careful and sensitive (here)

vets
screens, looks closely at

decadent
morally degenerate or questionable

restrictions
limitations

lyrics
words for songs

rarely
seldom, infrequently, not often

due to
scheduled to, going to

line-up
programme, list of artists (here)

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