Iranian official arrested for 'mixed-sex dance video'

Iran has arrested a senior official after a video posted online showed young boys and girls dancing in public in the northeastern holy city of Mashhad.

"The head of the ministry of culture and Islamic guidance in Mashhad was arrested for undermining public decency and disrespecting the laws," the judiciary's Mizan Online news agency reported.

The report, which quoting a deputy prosecutor, failed to name the arrested official.

Public dancing is prohibited in Iran under its strict interpretation of Islamic law.

The video shared on social networks showed young boys and girls dancing at an event this week at a shopping mall, where a singer was performing for a huge crowd.

Mohsen Afshar, a spokesman for the shopping centre, told local media that a monthly draw is organised and a car given away to the lucky winner to attract customers.

According to Afshar the singer had the necessary "official permits to perform".

The performance can attract 10,000-12,000 people, he said, including "some individuals whose behaviour is contrary to the norms of the Islamic republic".

The Tasnim news agency reported that the mall was not authorised to organise such events.

Mashhad is a holy and conservative city where in 2016 concerts were banned by the Friday prayer leader, Ayatollah Ahmad Allamolhoda, who also told music-lovers to "Go somewhere else".

Thursday's arrest comes days after Tehran's reformist mayor, Mohammad Ali Najafi, resigned after claims he was threatened with arrest.

Najafi had attracted criticism from hardliners last month after attending in March a show at City Hall for Iranian Women's Day in which schoolgirls performed a traditional dance.

Separately on Thursday, Iran ordered an investigation after a video surfaced showing police pushing and pulling a young woman who was resisting arrest for not adhering to the Islamic dress code.

The video, circulated on social media, shows several police, including policewomen, trying to forcibly escort the woman from a public park.

Under Iranian law, women must wear long, loose garments and cover their hair in public.