No more Mr Naked Guy, as Iran clamps down on TV rules

As part of its conservative crackdown, Iran has banned TV programs showing “half-naked” men and “love triangles”.

Citing a TV management directive, the semi-official Fars news agency said scenes that depict complicated love stories, and are therefore “provocative”, are unacceptable viewing fodder.

Based on a new instruction, the broadcasting of programs that show tempting love triangles is strictly banned.

The directive, which was send to programming directors, stipulated that “unnecessary mingling” of men and women in scenes including weddings, family parties, work situations and celebrations must also be “strictly avoided”, reported Bloomberg.

The statement did not say how the restrictions on partially-clothed men would affect Iran TV's sports coverage.

According to Bloomberg, since the 1979 revolution that toppled the monarchy, “women in Iran have been required by the government to cover their hair and bodies in line with Islamic values and men usually avoid wearing shorts in public”.

While it was not clear what prompted the ban, Reuters reported that a few years back, a local soap opera called Forbidden Fruit was aired, which told the tale of an old man who left his wife after falling in love with a young girl.

In the past, many Iranians have used illegal satellite channels to access Western content and international news.

But Iran prohibited satellite dishes in the mid-1990s to stop the corruption of Iranian people through the spread of immoral programs.