Valentine's Day in Iran

The elite of Iran first became exposed to the concept of Valentine's Day in the mid-1980s with the opening of global communication channels, and it has become increasingly popular in Iran, especially among young people, since the mid-2000s.[1][2] Conservatives in Iran, however, have harshly criticised the holiday, named after a Christian saint, as part of the encroachment of Western culture.[3] In the run-up to Valetine's Day in 2011, authorities banned the production or distribution of gifts celebrating the holiday, such as teddy bears and items emblazoned with hearts or red roses,[4][5] although enforcement was left to the discretion of individual police officers.[6] Officially, goods related to Valentine's Day are banned as of 2016,[7] while coffee shops and ice cream parlours have been informed by police that promoting "decadent Western culture through Valentine's Day rituals" will be considered a crime.[8]

Experts have argued that attempts to ban Valentine's Day are likely to encourage young people to participate.[7] As of 2018, the holiday remains popular despite restrictions.[9]

Sepandarmazgan, or Esfandegan, is an ancient Persian festival honouring women and dedicated to Spenta Armaiti, a divine entity in Zoroastrianism associated with earth.[10] Celebrated in late February or early March, it is also known as the Iranian Day of Love and marked by a feast and the exchanging of gifts between men and women.[10][11][12] Since the 2000s, a desire to counteract the Western import of Valentine's Day has led to a renewed push to celebrate the holiday.[11][12][13] Others have suggested attempting to replace Valentine's Day with Mehregan, another ancient festival, in early October.[3]

In 2016, anthropologist Jabbar Rahmani said that efforts to replace Valentine's Day with Sepandarmazgan had been "unsuccessful" so far.[7]