Document #1024319
IRB – Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (Author)
No further information on the status of
kung fu in Iran is currently available to the DIRB in Ottawa.
However, an article published in The Washington Post in 1980
mentions that a person named Ebrahim Mirzaei, a physician and an
expert in the kung fu discipline, was running as a candidate in the
25 January 1980 presidential elections (15 Jan. 1980). A 1980
report from Reuters further indicates that this person prescribed
meditation, yoga and karate as a remedy to the nation's ills (11
Jan. 1980). According to another Reuters report, the Islamic
Republic of Iran banned the projection of films showing kung fu and
karate scenes in movie theaters in 1979 (3 July 1979).
As for the current status of martial arts
in Iran, information available to the DIRB in Ottawa does not show
any evidence that these disciplines are currently being curtailed
by the Iranian authorities. According to recent reports, Iran
sponsors judo and tae kwon do teams to perform in international
competitions (BBC Summary 23 Apr. 1992; Xinhua 23 Apr. 1990; Xinhua
23 Mar. 1988; Xinhua 17 Sept. 1986).
For further information on the status of
martial arts in Iran, please refer to the attached documents. No
additional and/or corroborating information is currently available
to the DIRB in Ottawa.
BBC Summary of World Broadcasts. 23
April 1992. "Khamene'i Approves Army Participation in Military
Sports Event in Egypt." (NEXIS)
Reuters. 3 July 1979. PM Cycle. "Having
Banned Sex Earlier this Year, Iran's Government has Now Banned
Violence on Movie Screens." (NEXIS)
. 11 January 1980. AM Cycle. Paul
Taylor. "Minor Candidates for Iran's Presidential Election May Be
Barred from Radio and Television...." (NEXIS)
The Washington Post. 15 January
1980. Final Edition. Michael Weisskopf. "A Cast of Favorites and
'Troublemakers'." (NEXIS)
The Xinhua General Overseas News
Service. 23 April 1990. "Iranians to Train Abroad for Beijing Asian
Games." (NEXIS)
. 23 March 1988. "Asian Taekwondo
Championships Begin in Kathmandu." (NEXIS)
. 17 September 1986. "Taekwondo Gets
More Popular in Asian Countries." (NEXIS)
BBC Summary of World Broadcasts. 23
April 1992. "Khamene'i Approves Army Participation in Military
Sports Event in Egypt." (NEXIS)
Reuters. 3 July 1979. PM Cycle. "Having
Banned Sex Earlier this Year, Iran's Government has Now Banned
Violence on Movie Screens." (NEXIS)
. 11 January 1980. AM Cycle. Paul
Taylor. "Minor Candidates for Iran's Presidential Election May Be
Barred from Radio and Television...." (NEXIS)
The Washington Post. 15 January
1980. Final Edition. Michael Weisskopf. "A Cast of Favorites and
'Troublemakers'." (NEXIS)
The Xinhua General Overseas News
Service. 23 April 1990. "Iranians to Train Abroad for Beijing Asian
Games." (NEXIS)
. 23 March 1988. "Asian Taekwondo
Championships Begin in Kathmandu." (NEXIS)
. 17 September 1986. "Taekwondo Gets
More Popular in Asian Countries." (NEXIS)