While the US and Europe jump up and down over Iran's alleged nuclear weapons programme, spare a thought for its (single) workers.
Employees at a major state-owned company have been told to marry by September or face being fired .
The Pars Special Economic EnergyZone Company employs thousands of people, mostly young men, on Iran's Gulf coast. It controls Iran's large network of gas and petrochemical facilities around the coastal city of Assalouyeh on the Gulf coast.
Being married is a job requirement, a directive from the company is reported as saying. Its directive, according to the Etemad newspaper, says that despite requests "some of our colleagues did not fulfil their commitments and are still single".
It seems that the directive is an attempt to reduce the number of prostitutes working in the area.
It continues: "As being married is one of the criteria of employment, we are announcing for the last time that all the female and male colleagues have until September 21 to go ahead with this important and moral religious duty."
