This year, Valentine’s Day fell on the day the Green Movement had called for a major demonstration in the streets. That may have distracted some from the day’s love orientation, but a check of shopkeepers by Agence France Presse found no complaints from merchants.
Witnesses said several Tehran shops were packed with customers buying red and purple hearts, teddy bears, chocolates and boxes of all colors embossed or printed with the word “Love” in English.
The steady flow of purchases in some of Tehran’s affluent neighborhoods came despite the printers’ union banning the sale of Valentine’s cards and printed Valentine’s items. That was the innovation this year in the regime’s assault on the Valentine holiday, dismissed for a decade as a disgusting example of Western decadence.
Shopkeepers avoided openly displaying cards and other presents emblazoned with hearts or half-hearts and red roses, but were doing steady business in meeting the demand of both men and women customers.
The authorities had said the sales ban on such items was part of the fight against the spread of “corruptive Western culture.”
“Selling Valentine cards is now a crime. But everything else is selling. We’ve got red teddy bears, purple and red hearts” and other items, said one shopkeeper who declined to give his name.
“I fear if we carry Valentine signs our licenses will be revoked,” he said before rushing off to attend to several young men and women seeking presents for their Valentines.
Over the past three decades, Iran’s Islamic regime has sought to prevent the spread of Western culture among its overwhelmingly young population.
Such efforts, carried out in the name of Islamic Sharia law, include bans on unmarried couples socializing and, since last week, a ban on broadcasting television cookery shows that include foreign cuisine.
“Today is the day of love and I don’t care what they say,” said 50-year-old Jamshid, dressed in a smart suit and tie as he left one store clutching a big red box.
Lina, 24, said Feb.14 was the day to express love. “One way to express love is through actions, and on Valen-tine’s Day you can show what that special someone means to you,” she said. “But in Iran, you have to do it without the cards,” she said, holding a large red teddy bear.