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Speaking of Iran

Persian Music Master Shajarian who Backed Iran Protests Dies at 80

October 4, 2020
1 min read
Persian Music Master Shajarian who Backed Iran Protests Dies at 80

The nation's famous singer Mohammad Reza Shajarian has died of cancer at the age of 80. Nasser Karimi of Associated Press reports on the remarkable life of the Persian music master.

 

Mohammad Reza Shajarian, whose distinctive voice quavered to traditional Persian music on state radio for years before supporting protesters following Iran’s contested 2009 election, has died, state TV reported Thursday [October 8]. He was 80.

Shajarian enlivened Iran’s traditional music with his singing style, which soared, swooped and trilled over long-known poetry set to song. But the later years of his life saw him forced to only perform abroad, after he backed those who challenged the disputed re-election of hard-line President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad by telling state radio to stop using his songs.

“After what happened, I said ‘no way’ and threatened to file a complaint against them if they continued to use my music,” Shajarian told The Associated Press in 2009.

The TV report said he died on Thursday, following a long battle with cancer. Shajarian's son, Homayoun, tweeted that his father “flew” to meet the heavens.

Within hours, Shajarian’s fans began gathering outside the Jam Hospital in Tehran where the singer passed. One man sat on the pavement, weeping. A teacher, 34-year-old Hasti Amini, said she was deeply saddened, describing Shajarian as “the people’s voice in difficult times".

Read the full article, as published by ABC News.

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