Iran on Monday introduced a Muslim dating application to boost marriages in the country and help young people find a partner for themselves.
As per details, the app, Hamdam which means “companion” in the Persian language allows users to “search for and choose their spouse.”
It is the only state-sanctioned platform of its kind in the Islamic republic, according to Iran’s cyberspace police chief, Colonel Ali Mohammad Rajabi.
While dating apps are popular in Iran, Rajabi said that all other platforms except Hamdam are illegal.
Developed by the government’s Tebyan Cultural Institute, Hamdam´s website claims it uses “artificial intelligence” to find matches “only for bachelors looking for permanent marriage and a single spouse.”
Tebyan head, Komeil Khojasteh said family values were endangered by outside forces.
“Family is the devil’s target, and (Iran’s enemies) seek to impose their own ideas” on it, he said, adding that the app helps create “healthy” families.
According to Hamdam’s website, users have to verify their identity and go through a “psychology test” before browsing.
When a match is found for the user, the app “introduces the families together with the presence of service consultants”, who will “accompany” the couple for four years after marriage. The registration is free for the users.
Iran’s authorities, including the supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, have cautioned many times against the country’s rising rate of marriage and declining birth rates.
In March, Iran’s conservative-dominated parliament passed a bill titled “population growth and supporting families.”
It mandates the government to offer significant financial incentives for marriage and to encourage people to have more than two children while limiting access to abortion.
The law awaits approval by the Guardian Council, which is tasked with checking that bills are in accordance with Islamic law and the constitution.
