Iranian police announced on Friday that they had arrested more than 250 people, including three foreigners, for promoting Satanism west of the capital Tehran, Iranian state media reported.
“The Police Information Center has announced the identification, elimination and widespread arrest of members of the satanic network,” state news agency Irna reported, citing a police statement.
The statement said police arrested “146 men and 115 women” who were “in an inappropriate and indecent condition with satanic marks and symbols on their clothes, head, face and hair.”
“Three European citizens” were also arrested during a police operation in the city of Shahryar, west of Tehran, on Thursday night. Police added in the statement that 73 vehicles were seized during the raid, along with demonic symbols, alcoholic beverages and other narcotics. The material was also seized.
Such raids on gatherings known as “satanist” gatherings are not uncommon in the ultra-conservative country. These raids often target parties or concerts with alcohol, which are largely banned in Iran.
In July 2009, police arrested three people in the northwestern province of Ardabil on charges of “Satan worship”. In May of that year, media in the Islamic Republic reported that 104 “Satan worshipers” were arrested during a raid on a concert in the southern city of Shiraz where people were allegedly drinking alcohol and blood. In 2007, police near Tehran An illegal rock concert in a garden was raided and 230 people were arrested. Authorities in Iran have in the past labeled rock and heavy metal music as satanic gatherings.
