Iran – Sexual Conduct Laws & Punishments

Legal Framework

Iran’s sexual conduct laws are rooted in the Islamic Penal Code (IPC), which is based on Sharia. All sexual activity outside a legal marriage is prohibited. This includes adultery (zina), fornication, homosexual acts, and certain forms of public intimacy.

Article 221 – IPC (2013): “Zina is the act of a man and a woman having sexual intercourse without being married to each other.”

Charges are handled under hodud (fixed) punishments if proven by confession or the testimony of four just male witnesses (or a combination of male and female witnesses under specific rules).

Article 172 – IPC: “Confession is valid only if it is made before the judge four times in cases of zina punishable by stoning or death.”

Current Punishments

• Adultery (Zina): Married offenders may face death by stoning (rajm) or hanging; unmarried offenders can be sentenced to 100 lashes.

Article 225 – IPC: “The hadd punishment for zina of a married person is stoning. If it is not possible to carry out stoning, upon the proposal of the court and the approval of the Head of Judiciary, the punishment shall be executed by hanging.”

• Same-Sex Relations: For men, penalties can include the death penalty for certain acts; for women, up to 100 lashes.

Article 234 – IPC: “The hadd punishment for liwat [anal intercourse between men] is the death penalty for the passive party, regardless of age or consent.”

• Fornication: 100 lashes for each participant if unmarried.
• Public Indecency: Arrest, fines, and flogging for kissing, touching, or improper dress in public.
• Production or possession of sexual media: Prison sentences and flogging; in severe cases, capital punishment if linked to “corruption on earth.”

Historical & Rarely Applied Punishments

Stoning for adultery remains in the penal code, though Iran has faced international pressure to curtail its use. Documented executions by stoning have occurred in the 21st century, though officials sometimes claim the practice is suspended.

Flogging is still publicly or semi-publicly carried out for zina, indecency, and alcohol-related offenses. This punishment has been applied to both men and women, including foreigners.

Article 225 – IPC: “The stoning shall be performed in such a way that the person does not die by the first stones, and continues to receive stones until death.”

Social & Cultural Context

Law enforcement is supported by the morality police (Gasht-e Ershad), who enforce dress codes and public conduct rules. Women must wear the hijab in public. Romantic relationships are expected to be discreet, and even private gatherings can be subject to raids.

Western visitors are advised to avoid any sexual contact outside marriage and to exercise extreme caution with social media or messaging that could be construed as romantic or sexual.

Insider Notes & Quotable Voices

“In Iran, private is never fully private—walls can be thin, and neighbors quick to inform.” — former Tehran resident

“Even consensual relationships can lead to prison if reported.” — human rights lawyer