The IRGC-linked Fars News on Monday urged authorities to shut down pet supply stores, calling for a halt to the expansion of shops selling clothing and accessories for pets, including dogs and cats.

Fars reported that a group of its readers launched a petition saying these stores promote pet ownership, which they argue poses health risks, although they did not specify what those risks are.

Iranian authorities view pet ownership, especially of dogs, as a sign of Western influence that threatens traditional values and should be prohibited.

Dogs are generally considered 'najis' or 'impure' in Islam and banned in public places by some majority-Muslim countries including Saudi Arabia.

Iranian parliamentarians proposed a bill in 2021 banning selling and keeping of pets, claiming that the ban was meant to protect public health.

While working dogs have always been common in Iran’s rural areas and on farms, keeping pets has only recently become fashionable in urban areas despite occasional police crackdowns.