Iran Bans Barbie: 'Meet Dara and Sara'

In a searing response to Western sanctions, Iran today has banned the famous toy dolls Barbie and Ken !!

Is this the straw that breaks the camels back ?

This clearly shows it's not all about oil !

( quote Iranian toy seller Masoumeh Rahimi )

[color=gold]"I think every Barbie doll is more harmful than an American missile," Rahimi was quoted as saying.

First Publish: 1/17/2012, 1:12 AM -- Arutz Sheva Israel National News

The Iranian morality police has activated an official ban on the sale of Barbie and Ken. Meet Dara and Sara.

This certainly appears to be a direct attack on the Mattel Corporation, manufacturer of the well instituted dolls.

this is not the first attck however,

Muslim clerics had already succeeded in banning the curvaceous cutie in Saudi Arabia in 2003, outlawing Barbie altogether by declaring her "offensive to Islam."

And Now....

Now, Iranians are being introduced to a new couple, albeit chaste siblings, to replace Barbie and her friend Ken. Meet Dara and Sara.

According to a release published Monday on the Iranian Islam for Today website, "The Muslim dolls have been developed by a government agency to promote traditional values, with their modest clothing and pro-family backgrounds. They are widely seen as an effort to counter the American dolls and accessories that have flooded the Iranian market."

The report goes on to quote Iranian toy seller Masoumeh Rahimi who allegedly welcomed the dolls, saying Barbie was "foreign to Iran's culture" because "some of the buxom, blonde dolls have revealing clothing." The toy seller allegedly said young girls who play with Barbie, a doll 'she sees as wanton,' could grow into women who reject Iranian values.

Iran Bans Barbie


A Little Competition Never Hurts I Guess!

According to the report, some 100,000 dolls have been manufactured - in China - and each will sell for 125,000 rials ($15) compared with 332,000 rials for a "genuine" Barbie and 25,000 rials for a copy, the report added.

Well if we weren't going to war with them before, we definitely are now!

Mattel's lobbyists are going to be all over the place advocating mass bombings and Barbie relief packages as soon as possible.

ETA: Hey! I don't see a burqa on their state sponsored doll!

"I think every Barbie doll is more harmful than an American missile," Rahimi was quoted as saying.

Im sure his view will change when missiles are flying in iran. He will wish they were barbies flying towards him

Originally posted by Openeye
Well if we weren't going to war with them before, we definitely are now!

Mattel's lobbyists are going to be all over the place advocating mass bombings and Barbie relief packages as soon as possible.

Maybe NATO needs to drop Barbie and Ken paratroopers.

That should make the message clear.

IMO,

This could be a plot conspired by the Iran/Israel smuggling cartels.

I wonder if any Middle Eastern toy distributors are in on this.

The value of a genuine Barbie and Ken doll set just increased ten-fold !

reply to post by Openeye

Hey! I don't see a burqa on their state sponsored doll!

They actually thought of that !

The release points out that each of the dolls is supposed to be eight years old, "young enough under Islamic law for Sara to appear in public without a head scarf. But each of the four models of Sara comes with a white scarf to cover her brown or black hair."

But the picture IS misleading !

Are there any blondes in Iran ?

Send in the calvary of Smurfs riding my little ponys

Is this new?

I thought Barbie was banned a long time ago.

Even the specially designed Barbie for Muslim girls.

There is another doll line they favor.

reply to post by Annee


Apparently it is a new ban in Iran.

Saudi Arabia banned them years ago.

It's all in the article.

She still looks hot

Originally posted by flipflops
Send in the calvary of Smurfs riding my little ponys

I just got through reading your post...and I laughed so hard...I almost fell off my chair! Thank you for bringing humor and laughter to me this day.

People's responses are so funny in this thread. I am glad to know many here truly do have a witty sense of humor.

I actually work with some eating disorder charities that use Barbie as the quenticential symbol of the Western objectification of women and believe whole-heartedly that she and the likes of Cosmo present an unattainable image leading to low self esteem and negative self image. Google her realistic size, look into what kind of articles they post. Respect Iran's culture I say. Its thier land & society. Focus on other things that matter.

Originally posted by xuenchen
reply to post by Annee

 

Apparently it is a new ban in Iran.

Saudi Arabia banned them years ago.

It's all in the article.

Oh OK. I knew I'd heard it had been banned in a Muslim area somewhere.

Tried to read full article - - but have a 4 year old jumping on me

Here is an interesting comment by a Jewish person beneath the article...

truth is where you find it -- even in Iran

How right they are. Yet there is no need to go so far to find these truths; they are in our own Torah tradition. It makes you wonder if this may be a clue as to the spiritual merit (z'khuth) the Persians have to have grown so strong, that the world is afraid to stand up to them. We might ourselves consider returning to the modesty legislated in the Torah, so that we have a chance at defeating these enemies before they defeat us -- surrounded as we are.

Torah-observant Jew, Israel (17/1/12)

He does not appear to be of the Zionist-type. Just an humble person of the Jewish faith living in Israel.

The United States bans many toys that are deemed "too controversial" or "unsafe". They outright deny them or force the company to go back to the drawing board and change it.

If I had a daughter, I would not let her use a "Barbie", either. It represents an ugly amount of materialism that I'm not comfortable with, and I'm not fond of the doll's history.

Originally posted by Ixtab
You'll probably find Iran is actually placing embargo's on U.S companys that export to Iran. This company in particular might just happen to ship barbie dolls.

I dunno, but that makes more sense, Iran is a pretty chilled out place. Parts of Tehran make Beverly Hills look like a U.S tent city.

This is more than likely what's "really" happening.

Originally posted by xuenchen
Maybe NATO needs to drop Barbie and Ken paratroopers.
That should make the message clear.

Drop them naked. That would really tick off those moronic 'morality police'. They can't even handle a woman going around with bare feet in sandals (the poor women get thrown in jail and beaten for it). I say .... if you are going to drop kids toys into Iran, drop them in naked !