Chilling Discovery: Iranian State-Licensed Website Allows Parents to Profile Girls as Young as 13 for Marriage

A recent investigation by the reformist daily Shargh has revealed that a state-sanctioned Iranian matchmaking website, "Adam and Hava," is actively enabling parents to create full marriage profiles for children as young as 13 years old. The site operates without age filters or essential safeguards, essentially functioning as a digital platform for promoting child marriage in line with Iranian legal statutes.

Profiles reviewed by the paper showed a concentration of users under the age of 18, particularly in the country's impoverished regions where the practice of early marriage remains entrenched. Girls were most frequently profiled between the ages of 13 and 16, while boys clustered between 16 and 18.

Legal Loophole and State Endorsement

The executive manager of the platform, Mohammad-Hossein Asghari, defended the website’s practices by stating it adheres strictly to Iranian law, which sets the minimum marriage age at 13 for girls and 15 for boys. Asghari noted the site’s substantial reach, reporting that approximately 300,000 people have attempted to register, with 70,000 active profiles remaining after identity checks and psychological screening.

The platform requires a parent to complete the registration form for minors under 15, and staff reportedly conduct a conversation with the child before approving the account. However, critics argue this screening process is inadequate and merely legitimizes the practice.

Marketing Vulnerability and National Policy

Advocates are sounding the alarm, warning that the website is effectively "marketing child marriage." They stress that children who marry between the ages of 10 and 16 lack the emotional and social maturity necessary for a healthy partnership or for responsible parenting. Furthermore, early marriage significantly increases a child's risk of facing heightened violence, abuse, and long-term psychological trauma.

The site’s detailed registration questionnaire focuses on adherence to traditional values, covering religious observance, defined gender roles, and political attitudes. Notably, it does not include any questions related to personal consent, emotional readiness, or social maturity.

This digital platform aligns with the national demographic policies championed by Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, who continues to push for initiatives encouraging earlier marriage and higher birth rates to achieve a population target of 150 million.

In 2021, the Iranian parliament solidified this agenda by passing the Rejuvenation of the Population and Protection of the Family law, which imposes penalties on actions perceived as discouraging childbirth or delaying marriage. Iran’s Statistical Center recorded nearly 26,000 marriages of girls under the age of 15 in 2024, a slight decline from an estimated 32,000 the previous year, highlighting the continued prevalence of the practice.