Controversy has arisen over an organisation that has registered with Iran’s Ministry of Islamic Guidance as one that will introduce widows and divorcees to men seeking temporary marriage.

Minutes after the centre launched its website, thousands of Iranian bloggers and Facebook users used phrases such as ‘running a brothel’ or ‘pimping with a touch of class’ to describe the situation. Others said the centre was trying to find lovers for women who had undergone the menopause, or was turning Iran into an Islamic sex resort.
“Once we were told that the Islamic Revolution would turn Iran into an Islamic Japan. Instead it’s turning it into an Islamic Thailand”, was one comment.

According to the organisation’s website: “The Ministry of Guidance has authorised this site to arrange temporary marriages. Those who wish to use our services can rest assured that their identity and details will remain confidential and will not be shared with any government agency. All ladies offering temporary marriage on this site are divorcees or widows.”

In a telephone interview with the Ghanoon website, the organisation’s director said that his only intention was to seek the blessing of Allah, and had no regrets.

Meanwhile the ISNA news agency reported that the vice squad’s cyber affairs department suspect another temporary marriage organisation of being behind the website, and are condemning the ministry for licensing it.