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Open kitchens are the latest addition to the list of supposedly un-Islamic items and behaviors in the Islamic Republic of Iran.

According to conservative cleric Ayatollah Javadi Amoli, open kitchens don't allow homeowners to be protected from the eyes of their guests.

"Women should be allowed to do their work while they have guests without being watched by others," Amoli was quoted as saying in a meeting in the holy city of Qom, where he is based.

Every now and then, Iran's clerics and officials come up with new things they designate as "un-Islamic."

There are obvious un-Islamic items and behaviors, such as the consumption of alcohol, which is banned in Islam. But other things, such as open kitchens, may strike some as more odd, or at least out of touch.

Owning dogs is considered un-Islamic, even though some Iranians own them. Some people also wear tight or colorful clothes and makeup in public, all of which are officially no-no's. So are trendy hairstyles, but that doesn't stop some young men from sporting them.

Other actions and activities that have been deemed un-Islamic -- with varying degrees of correspondence to what actual people do -- include Western music, ties, the mingling of individuals of opposite sexes, women entering sports stadiums to watch soccer games, and advertising for banks.