Police: 700 Marriage Websites Blocked

Kamal Hadianfar, head of Iran's Cyber Police (FATA), has reported the "blocking of over 700 marriage websites" and the "referral of the operators of these sites to judicial authorities." Mr. Hadianfar denied the claim of "endorsement by religious authorities for the operation of marriage websites" in Iran, stating that only the Ministry of Sports and Youth can issue permits for these sites. The head of FATA mentioned that "the formation of numerous fraud and defamation cases related to registration on marriage websites in FATA is evidence of the illegality of these activities and the motives behind the activation of such sites." Meanwhile, in April of this year, the head of the "Social Capital, Cultural Affairs, and Lifestyle" department of the Ministry of Interior announced the ministry's readiness to grant permits to marriage websites in Iran. Ismail Kuchakian made these statements at a "brainstorming session for matchmaking websites." Mr. Kuchakian stated that "we should not hinder the activities of marriage websites" and that they should be defined "within the realm of NGOs" and that "we should provide them with the necessary expertise." Hossein Bozorgmanesh, a representative of the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance, also announced at this meeting that the ministry receives an average of two or three requests per week for permits for marriage websites. Last year, the cultural and religious group "Tebyan" in Qom announced that it had established a matchmaking website called "Homogeneous Selection System" to fill the "gap in family formation and marriage" in society. The head of Iran's FATA stated that this site is the "only" marriage website that has received a permit from the Ministry of Sports and Youth with a "specific approach to facilitate the marriage of young people." Mr. Hadianfar explained that the operation of this site does not involve introducing girls and boys to each other but rather marriage intermediaries, who are trusted individuals by the public and families, work on this site; these individuals share the information provided by girls and boys for matchmaking purposes.