Iranian police have detained over 260 individuals, including three European nationals, on allegations of promoting satanism, according to a report by the state-operated IRNA news agency on Friday.
The report detailed that these arrests occurred on Thursday night in Shahryar County, situated to the west of Tehran. The charges involve “spreading the culture of satanism and nudity,” though further specifics were not provided.
The circumstances leading to the mass arrest remain unclear—whether the individuals were apprehended at a single venue, event, or otherwise is not specified.
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In Iran, gatherings where unrelated men and women are present together are prohibited and deemed sinful under Islamic law.
According to the IRNA report, those detained comprised 146 men, 115 women, and three European nationals, whose nationalities were not disclosed. The report noted that the individuals were found in “undesirable and obscene conditions,” adorned with satanic symbols on their attire and bodies.
These symbols, often found in piercings, earrings, or tattoos, are banned in Iran. Additionally, drugs and alcohol were reportedly seized from the suspects.
Iranian authorities periodically conduct raids on mixed-gender parties and for the consumption of alcohol.
The consumption of alcohol is illegal, and Muslim men and women who are not related are forbidden from mingling or dancing together in public.
