"Halal" Massage Parlors in Iran

Against a pink background, a large title on the website reads: “Female masseuses for men.” The small print clarifies the massages take place within “the framework of a temporary marriage.” I continue reading, including the most recent post published by the site’s managers, which apologizes for “services” being postponed during Nowruz, and explains that work will commence as normal on Farvardin 15 [April 3].

Reading on, I discover these centers, which offer massage services for men, are located in Tehran and Karaj. Some customers opt to come to the center, while others request the service in the privacy of their own homes. In a foreword that introduces the services available, the site reads, “This website is designed for men who want a massage performed by a woman, and who do not wish to go against religious norms and want to avoid committing sin.” It then advises people to “please avoid contacting us if you object to the principles of temporary marriages.”

The site administrators continue to describe how their services fall within temporary marriage regulations and promise male customers that they have nothing to worry about. Readers are also told that “massages are carried out exclusively by hand” and that “the female masseuse keeps her clothes on at all times when massaging.” In the contact section, it says that anonymous calls and messages will not be considered.

The cost of the massage depends on the duration of the service, whether it is carried out in the center or at the customer’s home, and which center a person goes to (three different addresses are provided). The price varies from 120,000 to 180,000  tomans per hour ($42-64).

I pictured a female masseuse dressed in full hejab waiting for the temporary marriage contract to be read and signed, so she could begin the massage —ultimately finished off with a so-called “happy ending.”

This particular website may be unimportant, or simply altogether fake. But it might also be a useful reference to ascertain the number of people who request these services and are willing to go through with a temporary marriage in order to get a pattaya (Thai-style) massage at the hands of a female masseuse.

Just a few years ago, a man approached me in the Tajrish neighborhood of Tehran. He gave my friends and me his card, which advertised the exact opposite of what the site I visited recently offers – in this case, men offered women massages. The business card featured a photograph of a young, tanned, scantily clad muscular man sporting a six-pack, about 35 years in age, smiling at the camera.

A quick further search online reveals that the website is just one of tens of blogs and sites that advertise massages for men by women and vice versa. They all offer a temporary marriage arrangement as part of the service — most of them state that they have permission from authorities to conduct the marriage ceremony — so it is obvious that this is the primary way around legal restrictions and social taboos. The sites provide a range of information, including about how temporary marriages work. Visitors to the site also offer their comments on the services offered, describing how pleasurable their experiences were.

Interestingly, the posts and comments on these blogs provide less information about the massage techniques available than details about the possible sexual attractions. Sentences, such as “Massage by Chinese or Thai women in Tehran,” “Massage at your home, by a man or woman, on any part of the body,” and “Massage at home by a young guy, 27” suggest a person will experience more than just a regular massage.

This begs the question of what precisely the difference is between these “massage centers” and other residencies operating as brothels. Following the 1979 Islamic Revolution, authorities launched a brutal retaliation against prostitution, burning down large numbers of houses in the Ghale district of Tehran, which was known for prostitution, and ordering a number of arrests — and even executions. At today’s massage centers, it is undeniable that similar illegal activities take place, and that abuse takes place there too, all behind the façade of legal business practice.

In most cases, it is obvious these places do not really offer massage. The people working in them are certainly not masseuses. Instead, these premises are hubs of illegal sexual activity and prostitution, where the religious justification of temporary marriage is exploited to ensure business continues. The only way to put an end to these clandestine and undercover activities, as well as the violence and exploitation of women, is to confront and radically change prevailing viewpoints about sexuality and gender relations in Iran. Until this happens, the abuse will continue. 

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