TEHRAN — Iranian authorities organized large-scale public wedding ceremonies in Tehran as part of a state-sponsored initiative aimed at bolstering morale amid ongoing conflict with the United States and Israel. The mass weddings took place in several prominent locations throughout the capital, including Imam Hossein Square, where more than 100 couples participated, according to Iranian media reports.

The events were held on May 19, with the ceremonies broadcast live on state television. Officials presented these gatherings as demonstrations of both personal commitment and national resilience in the face of a precarious ceasefire that halted hostilities which began on February 28. The ceasefire has remained fragile, complicated by repeated threats from U.S. President Donald Trump of renewed military action against Iran.

Couples involved in the weddings had joined a government-backed “self-sacrifice” program, which encourages citizens to pledge their willingness to risk their lives in the ongoing conflict. Participants support the war effort through acts such as forming human chains around critical infrastructure, including power stations. The scheme has reportedly attracted millions of individuals nationwide, among them prominent political figures such as Speaker of Parliament Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf and President Masoud Pezeshkian.

The wedding venues were decorated with balloons and prominently displayed a large portrait of Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei. Mojtaba Khamenei assumed the position recently, succeeding his father Ali Khamenei, who was killed on the conflict’s opening day.

In footage released by the Mehr news agency, a young bride dressed in traditional Islamic wedding attire expressed her sentiments about marrying under wartime conditions, stating, “Certainly, the country is at war, but young people also have the right to marry.” The agency confirmed that the Imam Hossein Square ceremony featured 110 couples.

The government’s decision to publicize these weddings reflects an effort to reinforce a sense of unity and resolve within society amid ongoing tensions and the threat of renewed hostilities.