Iran bans production of Valentine's Day gifts

Iran has banned the production of Valentine's Day gifts and any promotion of the day celebrating romantic love to combat what it sees as a spread of Western culture, Iranian media reported.
The February 14 celebration named after a Christian saint is not officially banned but hardliners have repeatedly warned about the corruptive spread of Western values. Under Iran's Islamic law, unmarried couples are not allowed to mingle.
The printing works owners' union issued an instruction on the ban, imposed by Iranian authorities, covering gifts such as cards, boxes with the symbols of hearts and red roses.
"Honoring foreign celebrations is the spread of Western culture," said the union's head, Ali Nikou Sokhan, ILNA news agency reported. "Our country has an ancient civilization and various days to honor kindness, love and affection."
Valentine's Day has become increasingly popular among the Iranian youth and is a money-maker for businesses in a country where 70 percent of people are under 30 and have no memory of the 1979 Islamic revolution which toppled the US-backed Shah.
"Printing and producing any products related to Valentine's Day, including posters, brochures, advertising cards, boxes with the symbols of hearts, half-hearts, red roses and any activities promoting this day are banned," read the instruction. "Authorities will take legal action against those who ignore the ban."
Some nationalists have suggested replacing Valentine's Day with "Mehregan," an Iranian festival celebrated since the pre-Islamic era. Mehr means friendship, affection or love.
据伊朗媒体报道，为抵制西方文化在本国传播，伊朗政府已颁布“情人节禁令”，禁止生产节庆礼品、或举办与这一浪漫爱情节日有关的庆祝活动。
尽管伊朗并未明令禁止庆祝情人节，但强硬派已反复警告大家这是西方价值观在伊朗的腐蚀性蔓延。伊朗的伊斯兰法律规定，未婚伴侣不得过分亲密。每年2月14日的情人节（又称圣瓦伦丁节）是以一名基督教徒的名字来命名的。
印刷业主协会公布了一份有关伊朗政府推行情人节禁令的指令，包括禁止生产带有心形或玫瑰图案的贺卡和礼盒等礼品。
据伊朗国家通讯社报道，该协会领袖阿里•尼卡•苏汗表示：“庆祝外国节日是传播西方文化。伊朗有着悠久的文明史，有很多庆祝善良、爱情以及亲情的传统节日。”
情人节在伊朗年轻人中越来越受欢迎，同时也是商家的赚钱良机。伊朗70%的公民都在30岁以下，而且对推翻亲美政权的1979年伊斯兰革命毫无印象。
禁令规定：“不允许印刷或生产任何情人节相关产品，包括印有心形、半心形、红玫瑰图案的海报、宣传册、广告卡、和礼盒等，也不允许举办情人节庆祝活动。如有违反，政府将采取法律措施。”
一些民族主义者建议用“麦赫尔干节”取代情人节，这一节日在前伊斯兰时期就有，象征着友谊、亲情或爱情。