Iranian blind dates under pressure: protests against clerical control!

Iranian blind dates under pressure: protests against clerical control!

Iran - An Iranian dating show has triggered massive excitement in the country in the past few days and has attracted the anger of the conservative circles. As krone.at reported, the show revolves around blind dates, in which two strangers are brought together by personal questions. At the end of each episode, the participants may evaluate each other. The generation of young Iranians increasingly criticizes the clerical influence in their country and demands more freedom. This show, which is distributed on Instagram under the "Vinyvidz" account with over 1.2 million followers, is under strong pressure, since Instagram and YouTube are officially banned on Iran and are only accessible via VPN services. This led to identifications and arrests of a total of 15 responsible persons who were involved in production.

The appearance of this show falls in a time of grown tensions in Iran, especially after the nationwide protests in autumn 2022. Triggered by the death of a young Kurdin in police custody, people under the motto "Woman, Life, Freedom" raised their voice against the prevailing restrictions. According to pro-medienmagazin.de , Iranian society is characterized by a deep contradiction: While the state claims to be a Shiite nation, only a third of the population identify with this Religion. The percentages of the mosque visitors have dropped drastically, many seem to identify with their Persian roots. Iran also experiences an explosive growth of underground churches, while more and more people take on Christian faith - a dangerous step that can be punished under the regime with draconian punishments.

a split land

In the middle of this social upheavals, the integration with international politics breaks the foreground. Iran is considered a powerful player in the Middle East who pursues an aggressive foreign policy and provides military support to groups such as the Hisbollah and Hamas. These aggressive developments are increasingly disapproved by the population and the support for the regime disappears, while the economic conditions in the country are deteriorating. High unemployment and inflation, many Iranians drive into despair and lead to a gap between the rulers and the population, which is becoming increasingly clear. However, the continuing protests and the resistance of a young generation that stands for their freedom seem to shake the heart of the regime and could possibly lead to a fundamental turn in the history of Iran.