The Iranian population has soared since the 1979 revolution and in 2005, over 70% of Iranians were under 30 years old. Like counterparts in other countries, this generation of young Iranian adults has been exposed to the Internet, satellite TV and all the gadgets and know-how that make the world a smaller place in the 21st Century.
I found a great PBS article, featuring a journal written by an Iranian woman in 2005 when internet dating surged in Iran. She was surprised by the amount of potential dates that flood in to her computer via her IM service. The author first assumed the chats are coming in from Iranians in LA, but was intrigued to learn her would-be cyberdates are actually based in Tehran: She decided to investigate further.
How Don’t You Do?
Even the most seemingly harmless forms of dating are forbidden in Iran, where authorities patrol the streets to ensure that modesty and chastity are upheld. With modern technology and the influx of influence from the worldwide whatever, the government is having a hard time controlling where young Iranians see and be seen in cyberspace: especially when it comes to love, dating and sex.
Even in the most religious parts of the Islamic Republic, young Iranians log from the safety of their homes, and as the author asserts: “flirt away to their hearts’ content, even arranging secret rendezvous with someone who may turn out to be a neighbor.”
She goes on to name a few of the most popular sites such as HotIranians.com, where members, some of whom are from Iran’s most holiest cities post pictures of themselves and are rated by visitors.
The Cyber Sweetheart…
Our intrepid investigator substantiates her suspicions in a telephone interviews with a cyber dater and another with the CEO of a popular Iranian dating site.
40 something year old lawyer Mehran, who travels frequently between New York and Tehran, having officially left Iran in 1979 and having made a point of dating non-Iranians in his new home, the United States. Now he’s more open to women from his homeland:
“The Internet has opened up everyone’s mind.” – he says.
Mehran uses Iranianpersonals.com, to set up dates for when he returns to Iran on a long visit each year. “I’ve met great women,” he said.
…and the CEO
Four years after launching Iranianpersonals.com in 2001, Said Amin, CEO and founder of WorldSingles.com, said his site had soared.
“..it’s out of control how many in Iran sign up,” he said, adding that around 35% of the 110,000 Iranianpersonals.com profiles present in ‘05 were posted by Iranians based in Iran..
“Iranians don’t date,” said Amin, “or at least not in the open. They get engaged, then say they are dating.”
Amin’s friends and family in the US didn’t share his vision at first, and the Iranian government didn’t welcome it or other sites like it.
Islamic officials seek to block access to such sites. In 2005 Amin started receiving e-mail messages about visitors being unable to access his site. Undeterred, he had faith that young Iranians “are so computer savvy that they are finding ways around that too.”
Amin got the inspiration for Iranianpersonals.com from the cyber landmark Iranian.com. Iranian.com published its first issue in September 1995, and long before the first blog came to life as a communal bulletin of ideas for young Iranians across the globe.