In most countries of the world, a tie is considered an integral part of business attire, official meetings, and diplomatic protocol. Heads of state, ministers, deputies, and diplomats usually complete their suits with a tie. In Iran, Azerbaijan's southern neighbor, it is common to see high-ranking officials without ties.
Iranian president, foreign minister, parliamentary leadership, and other high-ranking officials wear suits at international events, but they do not wear ties. It is interesting why the tie, which is considered a common clothing accessory in many countries of the world, is considered undesirable in Iran? Is it related to religion, politics, or historical events?
According to Modern.az's research, the roots of the current clothing tradition in Iran go back to the Islamic Revolution in 1979.
Ties were in fashion during the Shah's era
In fact, the tie is not an alien clothing element to Iranian society. On the contrary, the country has long been under the influence of European clothing culture.
The "Encyclopaedia Iranica" publication's research on the history of clothing in Iran during the Pahlavi and post-Pahlavi periods notes that as early as 1906-1909, after the Constitutional Revolution, Iranian men who studied and traveled abroad began to adopt European clothing, including suits, ties, and bow ties.
This style of dress was especially common among the educated, affluent class living in Tehran and large cities of the country.
During the reign of the Pahlavi dynasty, especially during the reign of Mohammad Reza Shah from 1941-1979, the Western lifestyle was more widely accepted. Increased oil revenues, expanded relations with foreign countries, and urbanization strengthened interest in European fashion.
During that period, the tie was one of the indicators of modernity, urban culture, and European lifestyle in Iran.
However, the 1979 revolution fundamentally changed this picture.
Why did the Ayatollahs target the tie?
After the overthrow of the Shah's regime in 1979 and the establishment of the Islamic Republic under the leadership of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, changes began in many areas of political and social life in the country.
The new government made reducing the influence of Western culture one of its ideological priorities. A number of clothing elements associated with Westernization and the lifestyle of the Shah's era began to be criticized.
In this process, the tie also became a target.
According to "Encyclopaedia Iranica", in the first phase of the revolution, some of the forces that came to power even considered neat and fashionable dressing as a sign of Western extravagance. The tie, on the other hand, was perceived as a symbol of religious indifference and Western influence.
Some religious circles also objected to the tie because they likened it to a Christian cross. According to their approach, this accessory was not in line with the clothing traditions of Islamic society.
As a result, after the Islamic Revolution, the tie ceased to be a clothing detail in Iran and became an indicator of political-ideological position.
Those who wore ties faced pressure even on the street
In the first years after the revolution, the attitude towards men dressed in Western style was not unambiguous.
"Encyclopaedia Iranica" writes that some members of the revolutionary forces exerted pressure on men dressed in European style on the streets. Gradually, suits without ties became the accepted look of the new political environment.
Britain's "The Guardian" also published interesting material on this issue.
According to the publication, after the Islamic Revolution, the sale of ties was banned in Iran, but this restriction was not always strictly observed. At various times, stores were warned to remove ties from their display windows.
Even the Iranian union of clothing sellers and weavers was asked to change the tie image in its logo.
Ties reappeared during Khatami's era
The fate of the tie in Iran also depended on political changes.
During the reign of reformist Mohammad Khatami, who was president from 1997-2005, some public restrictions were eased. Ties reappeared in the display windows of some stores.
However, this did not mean that the tie was accepted at the state level.
In 2012, Iranian police again tried to take measures against the sale of ties in stores. This was reported by the country's semi-official ISNA agency.
Conservative circles, who consider the tie a symbol of Western influence, oppose its use by all means.
Today's Iranian officials also do not wear ties
Today, a certain style has been formed in the clothing of Iranian state officials.
The president, ministers, parliamentary leadership, and high-ranking civil servants wear suits, but usually do not use ties. They prefer button-down, open-collar, or Mao-collar shirts.
This scene can also be seen at international events. Although Iranian officials participate in the same diplomatic protocol as representatives of other countries, they remain faithful to their country's established political and cultural tradition in their choice of clothing.
Is wearing a tie really forbidden?
There is an interesting point here: it would not be correct to say that there is a general legal ban on wearing a tie in Iran, which is intended for everyone and creates separate criminal liability.
In a report published by "Agence France-Presse" (AFP), Iranian lawyer Masoud Mollapanah stated that wearing a tie is not considered a crime under either the Constitution or Sharia law. However, clothing restrictions exist in certain places, such as television.
This means that the issue is more related to the clothing rules, public attitude, and ideological approach formed in state institutions.
Young people are showing renewed interest in ties
In recent years, certain changes have also been observed in the fate of the tie in Iran.
In an AFP report from Tehran in 2023, it was stated that tie sales continued in one of the stores in the north of the capital.
Mohammad Arjmand, a representative of the store, said that they sell approximately 100 ties a month, the products are mainly imported from Turkey, and some of them are produced in Iran.
The report also included interesting opinions from 27-year-old dentist Mohammad Javad. He was talking to a journalist when he came to buy a tie to look better for his first meeting with his future wife's family.
The young Iranian said in his interview that people who wear ties are still viewed differently in society, but in his opinion, a man looks more tasteful with a tie.
The report noted that in some expensive restaurants and cafes in Tehran, the service staff's attire includes a tie or bow tie. Iranians working in foreign companies and embassies can also wear ties at work. However, some of them prefer to take off their ties when going out on the street.
A.Gorkhmaz
