Iran bans Barbie, Simpsons dolls

The LA Times: Simpsons dolls banned in Iran as 'promoters of Western culture'

An agency tied to the Iranian government has banned the sale of dolls of the American cartoon characters, an Iranian newspaper reported Monday.

According to Shargh, an independent newspaper, the Simpsons were banned to avoid the promotion of Western culture, putting Bart and Homer alongside Barbie on an Iranian toy blacklist.

It might have been worse, instead of banning the dolls, they could have taken Ken and the whole Simpsons family hostage.