Iran
IRAN a Middle Eastern country near the Persian Gulf.
Contents
Population
When Doctor Who screened in Iran in 1968/69, the population was 22.5 million, and licensed TV sets numbered only 100,250 (per WRTH, 1966).
TV & system
Iran began its television service in 1958.
There is just one television station: National Iranian Radio & Television (NIRTV), a government-owned commercial broadcaster.
Colour transmissions began in 1973 using the SECAM colour broadcast system.
Language/s
The main language of Iran is Farsi. English is also recognised as a secondary language. All television is dubbed into Farsi. (It is a possibility that some programming was simulcast in English.)
DOCTOR WHO IN IRAN
Iran was the 28th country to screen Doctor Who (see Selling Doctor Who).
BBC Records
On 20 October 1967, the NZBC (New Zealand) sent episodes one and two of Marco Polo to Iran. These must have been supplied as "audition" print (see selling Doctor Who). Although Marco Polo was not included in the package of William Hartnell stories offered to non-English language countries (e.g. Arabic, Spanish), Iran must have considered Doctor Who a worthy purchase...
The Seventies records a sale of 7 stories by 28 February 1977. The Handbook identifies these as being: C, F, G, J, N, Q and R.
In DWM, Iran is identified in 8 story Archives: the same as above, plus L.
Stories bought and broadcast
WILLIAM HARTNELL
Iran appears to have purchased the standard package of twelve stories, 56 episodes that were packaged for non-English speaking countries:
| A | An Unearthly Child | 4 |
| B | The Daleks | 7 |
| C | Inside the Spaceship | 2 |
| E | The Keys of Marinus | 6 |
| F | The Aztecs | 4 |
| G | The Sensorites | 6 |
| J | Planet of Giants | 3 |
| K | The Dalek Invasion of Earth | 6 |
| N | The Web Planet | 6 |
| P | The Crusade | 4 |
| Q | The Space Museum | 4 |
| R | The Chase | 6 |
Iran therefore bought GROUP A, B, C, D and E (minus four historicals) of the standard package of William Hartnell stories.
The programme was supplied as 16mm black and white film prints.
There is no record that Iran screened Doctor Who again, even after the switch to colour in 1973.
Transmission
WILLIAM HARTNELL
Doctor Who aired on channel 3.
Only 21 listings for Doctor Who have been identified between 27 May and 21 October 1969 (no episode on 5 August due to it being Constitutional Revolution Day).
The start time was variable, with the first six (recorded) episodes at 9.00pm, then 7.30pm for the remaining 15.
It's not known whether this run of 15 is the beginning, the middle or the end of the series. However, the only combinations of consecutive stories that could make up 21 is: F, G, J, K, and L, or J, K, L, N, Q; that is assuming, of course, that stories aired in correct order!
TV listings
TV listings have been obtained from the English newspaper The Kayhan (International Edition) and Tehran Journal. Most of the Journal's listings for the Doctor Who timeslot say "FILM".
Listings initially gave the series name as Dr Who, ???????????
Fate of the Prints
Since Iran dubbed its programming into Farsi, it could have been supplied with prints in English, Arabic or Spanish, which means the NIRTV may have sent the prints to Jordan, which was the next Middle Eastern country to buy the series.
See Radio Times 14-20 Nov 1992; article on colour restoration of The Daemons: Ian Levine mentions ringing Iran: "In the name of Allah what are you talking about" (see last pages season 25/26 scrapbook). Also see DWB 17/18 (Dec 84/ Jan 85) which also mentions the "in the name of Allah what are you talking about" response.
Iran in Doctor Who
There are no instances where Iran is mentioned in the series.
References
