In 1996, the head of an Iranian-backed children’s agency called Barbie a “Trojan horse” sneaking in Western influences such as makeup and revealing clothes. And now in 2007, a top Iranian judiciary official has warned against the “destructive” cultural and social consequences of importing Barbie dolls and other Western toys.

“The irregular importation of such toys, which unfortunately arrive through unofficial sources and smuggling, is destructive culturally and a social danger.”

While importing the toys is not necessarily illegal, it is discouraged by a government that seeks to protect Iranians from what it calls the negative effects of Western culture.

The Iranian government has been trying to crack down on the smuggling networks that have been able to saturate the Iranian markets in the past. Which has lead them to believe that there is one group in particular that is operating with little consequence.

Known as “Pezbollah,” the notorious underground smuggling ring has been infiltrating Iranian markets with Western toys since the early 70’s.  Founder of the organization, Eduard Haas III, also inventor of PEZ candy, decided he wanted to make a difference in the Middle East when he was exiled from his home country of Germany for being to sweet.

Shortly after Haas III landed in Lebanon in 1971, he was approached by one of his former toy distributors. This man explained to Haas III that the Islamic regimes of the Middle East were trying to destroy the future of all toys, and that he had been working on a plan to send toys to Iran.

Haas III, eager to make a difference, immediately started getting in touch with his contacts and within a few months the first shipment was sent over the Iranian border. The shipment included a variety of Western culture toys that were overwhelmingly accepted by the Iranian consumers.

Word soon got out that Pezbollah’s reach and influence was expanding among the middle and lower class populations in the Middle East. This quick rise in popularity forced Haas III into hiding, and he now operates out of the Tora Bora area.

Although the tales of Pezbollah don’t grab the media’s attention like the terrorist actions of Hezbollah and Al Queda. We here at Don’t Pry make monthly contributions to Pezbollah and hope that one day there movement will change the face of Middle Eastern’s acceptence of Western culture.

I mean if Trojan horses can topple elite armies, then surely the curves of a blonde doll can stir up change in repressive regimes. Plus I firmly believe that Iranian boys should be able to see what woman look like underneath their clothes before they have to marry them.

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