Iranian-born British singer Sami Yousuf has been banned from state television in Iran after a performance in Nazareth during Ramadan.
Entekhab, a Persian-language publication, reported on Monday that Yousuf’s trip to Israel was the reason behind the broadcasting ban.
Yousuf addressed the situation in an Instagram post titled “Banned by My Very Own”.
“I was very surprised to hear that the official state TV and Radio for the Islamic Republic of Iran has banned my music and likeness due to my recent performance in Nazareth,” he wrote.
“I was not aware that bringing smiles to the faces of my beloved Palestinian brothers and sisters could cause such offence to the government of Iran. I am sorry that my precious listeners in Iran will be denied my music for sometime, but I will not apologise for performing in Palestine.
“Music is permeable and was never meant to be confined to borders nor used for political ends, rather, it was meant to echo freely throughout space and time. May we one day see a Free Palestine.”
