TEHRAN, Dec. 17 (UPI) -- Irish pop singer Chris de Burgh is to play a historic gig in Tehran, marking the first time a Western artist will perform in Iran in nearly 30 years.
Best-known for his song "The Lady in Red," de Burgh is popular in Iran, a country that has been off limits to Western entertainers since the Islamic revolution of 1979, the Daily Telegraph reported.
De Burgh planned to headline several concerts in Iran next summer as part of a collaboration with the Iranian rock group Arian, the band's manager said.
Arian is the first rock group in Iran officially sanctioned to perform, the Daily Telegraph said.
De Burgh recently recorded the song "The Words I Love You" with Arian.
"This is an exciting project as it is the first collaboration between Western and Iranian artists," a message on de Burgh's official Web site said about the song.
The site doesn't, however, mention the singer's upcoming tour of Iran.
