TEHRAN. – The Supreme Leader of Iran Ayatollah Ali Khameini suggests that reading of some books cause damage, Interfax informs quoting Daily Telegraph.

“Not all books are good, some of them are harmful,” he said at the meeting with Iranian publishers and librarians and added that reading the books should be encouraged.

However, he does not approve reading books with hidden political context. Khameini compared harmful books with drugs. He believes that people should read good and useful books, but did not tell which books are harmful.

Iranian Ministry of Culture checks all books before being published. Iran prohibits publishing books of such authors as James Joyce, Gabriel Garcia Marques, Kurt Vonnegut and Paulo Coelho.