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Society & Culture

In the Provinces This Week: Divorce Ceremonies, A Growing Phenomenon in Tehran

September 12, 2013
Shawn Amoei
3 min read
In the Provinces This Week: Divorce Ceremonies, A Growing Phenomenon in Tehran
In the Provinces This Week: Divorce Ceremonies, A Growing Phenomenon in Tehran

In the Provinces This Week: Divorce Ceremonies, A Growing Phenomenon in Tehran

This week in Iran, a planned construction project meets opposition in Khuzestan, xenophobia rears its head in Yazd, a bus collision leaves scores dead, an anti-Baha’i gathering takes place in Alborz, and ‘divorce ceremonies’ become the latest trend in Tehran.

Bus Collision Leaves 43 Dead, Chinese Imports Blamed

According to Qom Online, at least 43 people have died and 44 are seriously injured after two buses collided in a provincial highway in Qom Province. Both buses were set ablaze upon impact and due to the intensity of fire, bodies have undergone special autopsy to identify the deceased individuals. The collision was seemingly caused by one bus losing control and crossing the separation barrier into the other side of the highway. A number of experts and officials have brought attention to a torn tire, which they say caused this and other similar bus accidents in recent months. Tasnim reports, "Even though officials have been warned since the beginning of this year about large imports of low-quality Chinese tires and the need to disuse them in favor of domestically made tires, the warnings have remained unheeded and once again another incident has occurred."

Overt Racism on Display in Yazd School District

A group of residents in Yazd Province have protested the presence of 12 Afghan children in their local school district. A large banner positioned on the entrance of the school reads "We are under no circumstance content with foreigners (Afghans) signing up at this school." Afghan refugees are prohibited from settlement in a number of Iranian cities and often find themselves targets of discrimination.

Divorce Ceremonies, A Growing Phenomenon In Tehran

A significant rise in divorce rates in Tehran Province has been accompanied by a growing phenomenon known as the "divorce ceremony." In a report criticizing the trend, Shabake Iran writes, "While wedding ceremonies have become difficult, we are witnessing elaborate, overblown ceremonies of another kind." Participants are described as "self-professed intellectuals," according to the site. Invitation cards are reportedly sent out, and a special 'divorce cake' is prepared for the celebration. A hammer, decorated with flowers, is used to destroy the wedding ring. The author of the report attended one such ceremony and spoke to the father of a woman celebrating her recent divorce. The father explained he was attending to celebrate his daughter's "freedom" and "raise her self-esteem."

Anti-Baha’i Gathering in Alborz Province

A gathering to "raise awareness" about the Baha'i religion took place in the town of Fardis in Alborz Province this week. The official event featured two converts it claimed were among those "rescued from the Baha'i organization" who said the religion was founded with strictly political motives and should be recognized as a political organization. The speakers also claimed that no Baha'is have ever been arrested in Iran for their beliefs, but rather for unlawful activity. The topics discussed were the "presence of Baha'is in the 2009 Ashura protests" and the reasons why allegedly no Baha'is participated in defending the country during the Iran-Iraq War.

Construction in Protected Forest Reserve Meets Opposition

Plans to construct a road through a protected forest reserve in Khuzestan Province met with protest this week. Environmental protection groups have voiced strong opposition to the proposed plan which they say would seriously threaten important natural, historical, and cultural sites officially classified as protected spots by the government. The 54-kilometer road passes by the historic fort of Ghal'e Madrese before cutting into protected forest reserves. Parvaneh Masoumi, head of the Cultural Heritage Society, says the proposed plan is a "cost cutting" measure intended as an alternative to repairing existing roads and bridges that bypass the area. The site of the project, Izeh, was founded by Elamites in the 5th millennium BC and ranks among the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. 

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