AdvertisementEast AsiaA man and his dog walk in the outskirts of the town of Hashtgerd, some 70 kms west of the capital Tehran on Jun 30, 2011. (File photo: AFP/Behrouz Mehri)08 Jun 2025 05:24PM Bookmark Bookmark WhatsApp Telegram Facebook Twitter Email LinkedInRead a summary of this article on FAST.Get bite-sized news via a newcards interface. Give it a try.Click here to return to FAST Tap here to return to FASTFAST TEHRAN: Iranian authorities have expanded a ban on walking dogs in public to multiple cities nationwide, citing public health, social order and safety concerns, domestic media reported on Sunday (Jun 8).The ban – which echoes a 2019 police directive that barred walking dogs in Tehran – was expanded to Ilam city in the west on Sunday, according to reports.At least 17 other cities introduced similar bans in recent days, including Isfahan in the centre and Kerman in the south.Owning and walking dogs has been a contentious topic since the 1979 Islamic revolution in Iran, though there is no law outrightly banning dog ownership.Many religious scholars however consider petting dogs or coming into contact with their saliva as "najis" or ritually impure, while some officials view them as a symbol of Western cultural influence.Local authorities have periodically introduced bans on walking dogs in public spaces or carrying them in vehicles as part of a wider campaign to discourage their ownership.Enforcing the restrictions has been largely inconsistent, as many owners continue to walk their dogs in Tehran and elsewhere across Iran.Iran says US travel ban reflects 'racist mentality'On Sunday, the reformist Etemad newspaper quoted an official from Ilam city as saying that "legal action will be taken against violators", without elaborating.On Saturday, the state newspaper Iran said the latest measures are aimed at "maintaining public order, ensuring safety and protecting public health"."Dog walking is a threat to public health, peace and comfort," said Abbas Najafi, prosecutor of the western city of Hamedan, as quoted by Iran newspaper.In 2021, some 75 lawmakers condemned pet ownership as a "destructive social problem", saying it could "gradually change the Iranian and Islamic way of life".In 2017, Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said that "keeping dogs for reasons other than herding, hunting and guard dogs is considered reprehensible"."If this practise resembles that of non-Muslims, promotes their culture or causes harm and disturbance to neighbours, it is deemed forbidden," he added, according to Tasnim news agency.Source: AFP/lhNewsletterWeek in ReviewSubscribe to our Chief Editor’s Week in ReviewOur chief editor shares analysis and picks of the week's biggest news every Saturday.Sign up for our newslettersGet our pick of top stories and thought-provoking articles in your inboxSubscribe hereGet the CNA appStay updated with notifications for breaking news and our best storiesDownload hereGet WhatsApp alertsJoin our channel for the top reads for the day on your preferred chat appJoin hereAlso worth readingContent is loading...