Tehran International Book Fair and Press Festival is held annually in early May. It is one of the most important cultural events in Iran and the single most important venue for publishers and the media to present their works every year. With one more week of the Book Fair and one more month of the presidency of Ahmadinejad, this year will be the fourth fair administered by the Ministry of Culture in his government. During the four years of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s presidency, both the Book Fair and the Press Festival have changed significantly which is a reflection of the events in the bigger cultural scene of the country. Shutting down reformist newspapers (namely the popular “Shargh” shown here in photos), banning certain publishers from attending the annual book fair, arresting journalists and weblogers, banning books and films, have all been frequent happenings in the Iranian cultural scene during the past four years. 12 next › last » 
