HRANA News Agency – Five Bahai-run businesses in the city of Babolsar, on the Caspian coast in Iran’s Mazandaran Province, were shut down by the local authorities on May 1.
According to the report of Human Rights Activists News Agency in Iran (HRANA), seven other Bahai-run businesses in neighbouring areas were also closed. In Babolsar the Office of Public Places closed five Bahai businesses: an optician’s workshop belonging to Farshid Hekmat Sho`ar, a computer workshop run by Karen Momtazeyan, a tailor’s shop run by Erfan Ma`sumeyan, a tailor’s shop run by Afshin Azadi, and a photography studio run by Shahin Sana`i.
In the district of Bahnamir, a little inland of Babolsar, they closed another two businesses: a bicycle assembly shop belonging to Faizullah Nikunejad and a household appliance workshop run by Ahmad Nikunejad.
In Fereydunkenar, a coastal place near Babolsar, they closed an optician’s workshop belonging to Babak Wada`i. None of these closures have been previously reported on Sen’s Daily.
In Tonekabon, another coastal city 3 hours West of Babolsar, authorities closed five Bahai-run businesses: a security alarm system run by Omid Qaderi, a home appliances shop run by Armin Esma`ilpour, an airconditioning service shop run by Ruhollah Eqani and a refrigerator shop run by Michelle Esma`ilpour.
The recent closure of two other Bahai-run businesses in Tonekabon, both home appliance shops, run by Mr. Mehryar Lotfi and Mr. Soroush Garshasbi, has already been reported here.
In Babol, which lies half an hour inland of Babolsar, authorities closed two Bahai-run businesses: a staionary shop run by Baha’addin Samimi and a security alarm business run by Arash Keyan.
They were given a few days to close their businesses.