Iranian Court Shuts Down Tehran Restaurant "Bibi's Kitchen" Over Social Media Post
An Iranian court has ordered the closure of "Bibi's Kitchen," a restaurant in Tehran, following a social media post deemed "criminal content." The restaurant's Instagram page was shut down after it shared a story featuring a popular Iranian dish, kotlet (similar to kebab), with the caption, "There's nothing like Bibi's kotlet." The post was accompanied by the song "Bibi Gol," by Iranian singer Moein.
"Bibi" in Persian is a respectful term for a woman, and "Gol" means flower. However, the song "Bibi Gol" has been adopted by Iranian opposition groups as a song of affection for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, particularly since Israeli actions in Iran and the assassinations of Iranian officials. The restaurant's use of the name and song appears to have drawn the attention of authorities.
This incident echoes a similar event in 2022 when chef Navab Ebrahimi was arrested after posting a recipe for kotlet on Instagram, close to the anniversary of the death of Qasem Soleimani, commander of the IRGC's Quds Force.
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