Tehran: An Iranian newspaper reports a government-affiliated agency has added dolls of the Simpsons cartoon characters to a list of banned toys in the country.
The Monday report by the independent Shargh daily says the Institute for the Intellectual Development of Children and Young Adults took the decision to block the promotion of Western culture.
The report quoting the institute's Mohammad Hossein Farjoo did not specify why the Simpsons made the blacklist.
But he notes that any doll on which genitals are distinguishable, as well as dolls of adults, are banned.
In January, police said they closed down dozens of toy shops for selling Barbie dolls.
Since the 1979 Islamic revolution that ousted a pro-Western monarchy, Iran has tried to fight Western cultural influence.
Bureau Report
First Published: Monday, February 06, 2012, 13:36