Tehran bans advertisements for global brands linked to Israel

Tehran’s city council has voted to prohibit advertisements for global brands associated with Israeli companies such as Coca-Cola and Nestle, expanding the ban to sales in municipal markets and purchases by the city municipality.

Mehdi Babaei, head of the council’s safety committee, said the decision aligns with broader policies.

“Beyond banning advertisements, the sale of such goods in municipality chain stores and fruit and vegetable markets, as well as their procurement by the municipality, is now prohibited,” he said.

The measure explicitly targets brands identified as having Israeli ties, such as Coca-Cola and Nestlé, barring them from using the city’s advertising infrastructure, including billboards and urban media networks.

The council framed the move as a response to directives from Iran’s leadership, citing support for the Palestinian cause and efforts to restrict the economic influence of companies it considers linked to Israel.

The municipality is now tasked with implementing the policy across all advertising spaces under its control, ensuring that no municipality-affiliated stores or markets distribute the affected goods.

Officials say enforcement mechanisms will be detailed in the coming weeks, though past restrictions on Israeli-linked businesses in Iran have often relied on broader national trade policies rather than municipal oversight.

Last year, the Islamic Republic's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei called on Muslim countries to isolate Israel.

He said Iran “has the definite expectation and suggestion” that Islamic countries sever political and economic ties with Israel, at least until Israel stops its war on Hamas, triggered by the Iran-backed group's assault on Israel on October 7, 2023.