TEHRAN – Exir Novin, an Iranian agency that is the organizer of Ilyas Yalcintas’s concerts in Iran, said on Sunday that the Turkish pop singer has the necessary permission from the Kish Free Zone Organization to perform on Kish Island.

The agency made the remarks in response to an announcement from the Music Office of Iran’s Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance that Yalcintas doesn’t have the office’s permission to perform on the Iranian island.

It also said that musicians do not need to obtain permission from the Music Office for their performances in free zones and Yalcintas concerts will be held as planned.

However, the Music Office on Saturday denied Yalcintas permission to perform any concerts on Kish Island, declaring the concert program is not compatible with the cultural standards of the country.

Yalcintas in a post published on his Facebook in late May announced that he has obtained permission from the Iranian government to perform concerts on the southern Iranian island on July 4 and 5. 

Yalcintas is popular in Iran for songs like “Icimdeki Duman”, “Yagmur” and “Gel Be Gökyüzüm”.

Photo: Turkish pop singer Ilyas Yalcintas performs in an undated photo.

RM/MMS/YAW