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This is sublime - censorship of 'Western' magazines in good olde' Iran must sure take a while;

A Swede by the name of Jonathan Lundqvist returned from Iran last month with a bundle of National Geographics, Economists, and Wallpapers purchased from a newsstand near Tehran University. Though these and other Western mags are permitted, they're heavily censored -- moreover, they're manually censored, by government readers who go through each copy and cover forbidden ladyparts with white stickers or black ink. Interestingly, news stories that show women with bare arms, knees, or cleavage generally just get a blocky white sticker, while fashion ads (like Uma Thurman above) get ink jobs that keep the clothes unobscured. Some ink gets more artfully applied than others; Uma almost looks like she's wearing a black top of some kind. After the jump, less fortunate girls just get slapped with chastity-protecting boob blobs. Lundqvist noted that the newsstand stocked several mag issues that were quite old (these photos are from Wallpaper, September 2005); one wonders what the turnaround is on hand-censoring. (The newsstand owner was also shocked that Lundqvist declined to purchase some un-censored fashion mags from "under the counter.")

Wow, that's some awesome editing skills, what did they change?

if i had not seen theoriginal pics i wud wonder what a cool layered effect the uma thruman mag oic wud have!!But in the rest the censorship looks quite evident thats really scary i mean maybe if it were nudes they wud be justified to some extenet but like sleeveless clothes and all thats weird.

I find the Kate Moss the strangest one - they've added sleeves for her.

What an odd society to be able to afford someone to sit down and colour in magazines!

Fucking morons.

kateaclysmic maybe you should be a little more sensitive to other cultures- if they want to censor it then let them at least they actually let them be distributed unlike other countries. I somehow find the "Fucking morons." comment a little unneccessary- it shows quite a bit of arrogance.

For most of you it is probably very strange...In fact it is...But I am Iranian, left country when I was little, because we couldnât leave there freely. Anyway...I just want to say that it is pretty surprising for me to see the government of Iran actually let people purchase any westernized magazines, in 10-15 years ago we could not. Now they let you see Uma Thurman or Kate Moss. It is kind of impressing to me. This country has been changed a little. Maybe they realized they couldnât forbid everything or just blind them all. And I believe the reason is the Economy. They need let doors little open so they can do business. For some people who use the expression of morons or using F word, I believe it is the right time to look at yourself in the mirror. Do you have any idea whatâs going on in the world??!!

i completely understand what niquie is saying, coming from a less-than-accepting background. I too was suprised they had those magazines in iran but if they do then its better than it was- i think people jsut forget this when they are living in so-called "western" countries. Just because its how you live does not mean its how everybody else does.

You are dead right ladies...however, it is also only an opinion. :-) Which I don't think was intent on being as rude as it may sound.
I am sure there was no thought put into the comment...and especially not in hurting or harming any feelings inparticular.
We all have to put up with comments that are, at times, unnecessary...but hey, we are all also entitled to our opinion...right or wrong, sexist or racist...that is life...and I just thank god people who make comments like so are not in a power of authority (ok, perhaps there are some!).
God bless the man who decided not to censor our magazines.
xxSoHo Babi

I particularly do not like to make such comments if it is different cultures involved that I am not familiar of. I am a designer and try to stay as close as possible to what I have been thought to Not To be a hater and be respectful to the others...maybe I am kind of protective, excuse me if I seem little too much, And YES I believe in free speech thatâs why I donât live in that country. But I try to remind people to be nice, without fight. Peace!!