The Country

The Islamic Republic of Iran, or more commonly known as Iran, is a theocratic republic located in Middle East. Formerly known as Persia (or Farsi), the country can trace back its roots as far back as 6000 years ago, a contemporary of the Mesopotamian and Grecian civilization.

The Supreme Leader, aided by a twelve member Council of Guardians and an elected President, effectively rule the country of 75 million. The national religion is Shia Islam and the official language is Persian.

Relationship With An Iranian Woman

The women of Iran, thought to be amongst the most beautiful in the world, have largely Caucasoid features, with fair skin, large eyes and a symmetrical bone structure. It comes as no surprise then that there are numerous instances of Western man falling heads over heal with these beauties.

However, in this strict Islamic nation, non-marital relationships between a man and a woman, even platonic ones, are generally frowned upon by the orthodox Iranian society, even in the somewhat cosmopolitan capital of Teheran. The concept of dating or chaperoned outings is alien and looked upon with disdain; purity, chastity and good breeding are paramount in the eyes of the society.

Marriage

Iranian marriage traditions are a mixture of ancient Zoroastrianism customs and Islamic scriptures, leading to a colorful yet dogmatic ceremony.

The process is initiated when a member of the prospective groom family approaches the bride’s family for their consent of marriage. Prior to the visit, an intermediary would have been tasked to inform the bride’s family of the impending visit to give them an opportunity to investigate the background of the groom to ascertain his social and economic standings. If the bride’s family indicates consent to the request, the next step would be for the groom and his family to make a formal visit.

The visit is primarily to solemnize the intent of marriage between the two families. The visitors will bring a plain engagement ring, placed on a tray with intricate floral designs filled with candies and other sweets. The bride is brought forward to the presence of the groom (in the off chance yours is an arranged marriage, this will be your only preview of the bride) and his family. After negotiating the financial aspects of the marriage involving the reception, banquet and the mahr (the financial compensation or as some prefer, the dowry) – which are expected to be borne by the groom, the date is then set. The successful negotiation are then sealed with a sekanjebin (a vinegary drink) and smoking of shisha (water pipes).

The days before the wedding are extremely busy for the bride. She will have the partake in a number of rituals, such as the removing of bodily hair which signifies their ascent to womanhood, the kissekeshi (or bathing scrub) to scour away all external imperfections and application of intricate hennas on the hands and feet.

On the wedding day, the groom and his male relatives, accompanied by a musical band, arrives at the bride’s place where weddings are traditionally held. The bride and the groom, both dressed in white, are then led to the wedding room, which by then, would have been decorated by flowers, mirrors and candelabras, all ancient Zoroastrianism symbolisms.

The ceremony would be notarized by an Islamic department official who will commence the rite with recitals from the Quran. He will then seek the acquiescence from both the bride and the groom for the marriage. Upon receiving their confirmation, the legal documents are signed and the wedding rings are exchanged. The couple is then pronounced as husband and wife.

The ensuing wedding feast has been known to last over a period of seven days, and close relatives sometimes organizes feasts of their own, known as ‘paghosah’ to formalize the entry of a new member into the family.

It is worth noting that no alcohols are served during Iranian weddings and guests are normally segregated according to sex.

Regulation

Marriage to an Iranian woman requires the approval of the Iranian Ministry Of Foreign Affairs. An application for the registration of marriage must be made prior to the marriage. The application requires, among others, for the prospective husband to take a health examination by a qualified local physician. Marrying a Muslim woman entails that the man converts to Islam, as required by law. The groom to be must also furnish the Ministry with a certificate of good conduct from their home country as well as an employment confirmation letter.