Popular singer Shajarian cancels Europe tour amid protest mood in Iran

Acclaimed Iranian singer and vocalist Homayoun Shajarian says he has cancelled his tour of concerts in Europe, despite the removal of a temporary travel ban earlier placed on him.

“I decided to annul the programs due to our unhappy mood these days, although obstacles to traveling and holding concerts were removed,” Shajarian announced in a tweet on Wednesday, saying it was a “personal decision.”

He offered an apology to those who had bought tickets to the concerts, which were scheduled to be held in different European cities later this month.

Shajarian’s passport was seized briefly after his return from a foreign concert earlier in October.

The confiscation reportedly had to do with Shajarian’s support for protests in Iran over the death of an Iranian woman in police custody on September 16 following her arrest for breaching the Islamic dress code in Tehran.

During a recent concert in Australia, Shajarian used a large picture of the 22-year woman, Mahsa Amini, as a stage backdrop and sang a song in support of the protesters.

Iranian officials say the unrest and deadly riots following Mahsa Amini’s death have been orchestrated from abroad targeting the country’s security.

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