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. [1] [2] [3] Since the 2000s, a desire to counteract the Western import of Valentine's Day has led to a renewed push to celebrate the holiday. Valentine’s Day in Iran. Many in Western countries might wonder if Iranians celebrate Valentine’s Day, considering the East as a distant world. However, the reality is that people increasingly share universal human experiences day by day. Social networks have made it easier to access diverse cultures and customs. Iran. Valentine's Day celebration was officially banned in Iran in 2010. The government said it is a decadent celebration of love meant to champion degenerated Western culture and illegitimate relationships. The Islamic country also prohibited the production of Valentine's Day gifts and items, as it is illegal for people who are not married to What countries don’t celebrate Valentine’s Day? Uzbekistan – interestingly enough, Valentine’s Day was celebrated in Uzbekistan until 2021, when it was banned with an official decree, Iran – Iran has also banned Valentine’s Day quite recently, believing the holiday to be a bad Western custom, It is considered a day when couples celebrate their love and partnership. We may also think that there is nothing wrong with Valentine’s Day and finding a reason to be happy. Whereas in Iran, the government suppresses Valentine’s Day as a sign of cultural invasion and westernization. Yet, Iranians celebrate it every year. Iran is remote from the West because of this. But people, pay heed. Valentine’s Day in Iran is so ordinary that it barely deviates from the holiday’s western counterpart. Since a few years ago, Valentine’s Day has been observed in Iran, where it is widely celebrated among couples. For long, the 5th day of Spandarmad was the day of "Jashn-e Barzegaran", the Farmers' Festival: the earth goddess Sepandarmaz was worshipped by planting trees, with the hope that she consents to bring good harvests. Sepandarmazgan, the purest tradition to celebrate love among Iranians, Amin Karimi | TasteIran The Iranian Valentine's Day Iranians Celebrate Valentine's Day, Despite Its Being Banned February 14, 2018 9:37 AM By Associated Press; has become popular in recent years in Iran and other Middle East countries. "Valentine's Day in Iran barely existed before twenty years ago," says a sociologist living in Tehran, speaking about the remarkable acceptance of events such as Valentine's Day despite being denounced by the government as symbol of Western culture. "Although this is not long, it has a longer history than Christmas, Thanksgiving, and Halloween. Iran offers a wide range of Valentine’s Day presents, from inexpensive items like jewelry and luxury automobiles to more expensive items like flowers and chocolate. But many also like giving Teddy Bears as gifts. It may be a tiny stuffed animal or an enormous toy. The young people of contemporary Iran like being current on world affairs. Most Iran celebrates love differently. Instead of Valentine’s Day, they observe Sepandarmazgan, an ancient Zoroastrian tradition celebrating love and Earth. This festival, held on February 29th in the Iranian calendar, honors love, friendship, and mother earth – proving that you don’t need Hallmark to celebrate matters of the heart. As the popularity of Valentine’s Day grew, mostly among the younger population, ultra-religious parties started anti-Valentine’s rallies and, finally, a private citizen by the name of Abdul Waheed filed a petition to the High Court in Islamabad to ban the day on the grounds that it is a Western cultural import that went against the Iran does not celebrate Valentine's Day. Iran is one of the countries where the celebration of Valentine's Day is considered immoral and even illegal. In Iran, authorities have variously categorised the one-day romance event as a 'decadent Western culture' and warned people against observing it. Overall, the reasons for not celebrating Valentine’s Day can be complex and multifaceted, influenced by cultural, religious, historical, and personal factors. Find the list of 10 countries where The Islamic Republic’s inability to push back against Western influences is particularly evident when parts of Iran’s religious constituency themselves celebrate Valentine’s Day. Indeed, every Feb. 14 Iranians seem to catch a bad case of the love bug, and the hardline Islamists blame the internet for the contagion. In Denmark, lovers celebrate Valentine’s Day by exchanging white flowers that they call "snowdrops". There is a rather creative side to their traditions as well, as there are two kinds of cards a person can give to a loved one. The first is the Lover’s Card, which is rather like the traditional Valentine’s Day card. Technically, Russia does celebrate a type of Valentine’s Day, but it is very different from the traditional holiday. On March 8, Russians celebrate International Women’s Day in much the same way that Western cultures celebrate Valentine’s Day. Argentina. Although not as big as in western countries, Argentina celebrates the Dia de Los Enamorados or Valentine's day. It is an interesting case study, as many have criticized Valentine's day as being run by corporate greed as a way to encourage spending on candy, flowers, and other gifts to show your love for one another. In this article, we take a look at the various historical and cultural influences that have shaped Valentine’s Day. From the mysterious figure of Saint Valentine and the ancient Roman festival of Lupercalia to the medieval traditions of courtly love and the commercialization of the holiday in the modern era, we explore how February 14th became the day to celebrate love. As with balloons, flowers (especially roses) are sold year-round by street vendors and this is especially true around Valentine’s Day.We all know it’s a marketing ploy, but roses and February 14 are so intrinsically linked that it would be impossible to not buy into it at least once in your lifetime.
Articles and news, personal stories, interviews with experts.
Photos from events, contest for the best costume, videos from master classes.
![]() | ![]() |
![]() | ![]() |
![]() | ![]() |
![]() | ![]() |
![]() | ![]() |
![]() | ![]() |