Buddha statue taboo in Iran

The Buddha statue has become a banned item in Iran and the Iranian authorities are confiscating Buddha statues from shops in Tehran, to stop the promotion of Buddhism in the country, foreign media reported quoting Iranian’s independent Arman daily.

Buddha statues have been labelled as symbols of “cultural invasion,” an official for the protection of Iran’s cultural heritage, Saeed Jaberi Ansari, was quoted in the independent Iran-based Arman daily as saying.

Meanwhile, Saeed Jaberi Ansari reportedly confirmed on Sunday that the “cleansing” would continue and authorities would not permit a specific belief to be promoted through such items. He did not say, however, how many Buddha statues had already been seized, Al Arabia reported.

Some Iranians buy Buddha statues to decorate their homes and cars. Most are made in China and come from Iranian free-trade zones in the Gulf, reports stated.

Under Iran’s constitution, Christian and Jewish beliefs as well as Zoroastrianism are recognized alongside Islam, the official religion. The law says that in general the rights of all non-Muslims should be observed.

Courtesy: DM Online