'KFC' In Iran Shuts Down A Day After Opening

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There is confusion in Iran after a Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) shop was shut down by the authorities a day after opening its doors.

The Iranian authorities had thought that it was linked to the famous American fried chicken chain created by Colonel Sanders from Louisville, U.S.A who was commissioned in 1935 by Kentucky governor Ruby Laffoon. Colonel Sanders went on to invent the recipe for his ‘finger lickin good’ fried chickens. While many foreign companies have their eyes set on doing business with Iran after the lifting of the sanctions, the hard-line view from Tehran does not bode well for western brands intending to influence Iranian taste buds.

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The BBC reports:

Police justified the decision saying it was operating under a false license.

The closure comes amid concerns amongst hardliners about growing Western influence in Iran as relations with a number of countries improve.

“The shutting down of Halal KFC was due to a misunderstanding,” Abbas Pazuki, the manager of Halal KFC, told the Tasnim News Agency.

Halal KFC resembles the real deal and was shut down

He said police had thought the restaurant was a branch of the American KFC.

“We are part of a brand known as Halal KFC, which comes from Turkey. It belongs to Muslims and its target market is Muslim nations,” said Pazuki.

He said the Turkish brand was a “rival of the American KFC”.

Earlier reports suggested the authorities closed down the first branch in Teheran of the better known KFC.

Ali Fazeli, head of the Iranian chamber of commerce, confirmed that the Iranian KFC has no connection with KFC in the US, according to ILNA press agency.

“In accordance with orders from the Supreme Leader, we do not give any authorisation to Western brands” in the fast food sector, Fazeli said.