December 31, 2007	Monday	Zilhaj 20, 1428

TEHRAN: Around 100 Iranian teahouse owners staged a rally on Sunday in protest at a ban on water pipes which they said has put their businesses in jeopardy, IRNA reported.

“The protesters gathered in front of their union offices in Tehran and urged the authorities to help them with their financial problems after the ban on water pipes,” IRNA said, quoting a teahouse union leader. “As the water pipe accounts for more than 90 per cent of income in this business, the ban in recent weeks has made many shops only semi-active,” said the union leader, identified only by his last name of Alaee.

Iran is enforcing a long-standing law banning smoking in public places. As well as cigarette smoking, the authorities are also cracking down on the use of water pipes, known in Iran as “ghalian” and in other Arab countries as “shisha.” The authorities have shut down about 20 coffee shops in the capital for offering water pipes, Alaee added.

Traditional teahouses — known in Persian as “ghahve khaneh” (coffeehouse) but which in reality only serve tea — are a familiar element of Iranian life.—AFP