History of Iran Narrated by Setar

History of Iran Narrated by Setar is an unreleased studio album by Iranian musician Mehdi Rajabian, in which he interprets his nation's history using the traditional Persian stringed instrument called a setar. Rajabian researched the sounds of different parts of Iran in order to record the album. He began recording songs for the project in 2011, but in 2013, he was arrested, and his studio hard drives were confiscated.

Confiscation and arrest

On 5 October 2013, the security forces of Iran shut down Rajabian's recording studio and confiscated the hard drives containing material he had recorded. The artist was subsequently arrested, together with his brother and the studio's manager, and imprisoned. Rajabian was eventually charged with producing and distributing unlicensed music and "spreading propaganda against the regime".