Eternal Love; A Display of Love or a Threat to Iranian Families?
WANA (Sep 25) – Imagine a large and luxurious villa somewhere outside Iran, a place where a group of young men and women, all said to be single, gather to find their “eternal love” among one another. At first glance, this may look like a modern love story and an example of foreign reality shows, but the reality is neither so simple nor so romantic.
The Iranian version of the “Eternal Love” show is filmed at the same location as its Turkish version, and from the very beginning, it faced widespread criticism. Why? Because what is being presented is more than just an entertaining program — it is fundamentally at odds with Iran and its culture: completely Western clothing, far removed from Iranian-Islamic culture, free relationships, profanity, use of alcohol, promotion of promiscuity, superficiality, and desire for variety. A collection of behaviors that, according to many, directly target the foundation of the Iranian family.
The host of this program is also Parastoo Salehi, a former Iranian TV actress, who had stated that her reason for emigrating was “vulgarity in Iranian cinema” and “opposition to the country’s managerial and political system.” Now that same person is presented as the host of a program many consider to be the very embodiment of vulgarity.
The host of the Eternal Love program, Parastoo Salehi, a former Iranian TV actress. Social media/ WANA News Agency
On social media, reactions to the show have been widespread. For example, a user named Mohammad on Instagram called the program “scripted” and a tool for destroying the Iranian family. He believes that the “seed of doubt and betrayal” is subconsciously planted in the audience’s mind, the effects of which will become evident in the long run.
The argument that the program might be scripted cannot be dismissed outright, since:
- Many participants already knew each other beforehand.
- Most of them have between 50,000 and 500,000 Instagram followers, and none of them run a simple, private page.
- Most are bloggers, models, or singers for whom gaining fame is highly important.
- The show is filled with arguments, conflicts, and drama — something that usually does not happen on such a scale in a real gathering.
All this has led many to believe that the real aim of the program is to attract an audience and increase the fame of its participants, not to find love.
Alongside these criticisms, Instagram bloggers have also — willingly or not — promoted the program, which has led to a significant increase in the followers of the participants.
But what is the main mechanism of the show? To remain in the program, participants must have a “partner,” and if they are not compatible or if they develop feelings for someone else, they are allowed to get to know others and enter a new relationship.
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This means that in a short period, a person can “date” several people. Some participants even openly stated that if a more attractive person enters the villa, they would likely leave their current partner — showing that the main criterion in these decisions is more about appearance and physical attraction than personality or behavior.
This superficial and competitive view of love raises an important question: if there is always a “better,” “more beautiful,” or “wealthier” option, then what place remains for commitment, loyalty, and shared life? Does such an approach mean anything other than the promotion of betrayal and unfaithfulness? Many social media users have criticized precisely this point.
On the other hand, some supporters of the program argue that such behaviors already exist in part of Iranian society and are merely being shown openly in this program. But the essential question remains: is displaying and normalizing such behaviors — even if they exist — the right thing to do? Doesn’t this, instead of correcting them, actually promote and spread such wrongs?
Reactions to the participants’ comments and behavior have also created another story. In one part of the program, a man asks a woman: “Have you had an ex before?” When she confirms, the girl sarcastically responds: “No, of course not, I was locked up at home with the door shut on me!”
A girl named Fatemeh reacted to this online: “It’s not true that if a girl hasn’t had a relationship and has boundaries for herself, she must have been imprisoned at home. Many have had complete freedom but chose not to enter a relationship. That choice is itself an honor.”
Parts of the Eternal Love show. Social media/ WANA News Agency
Furthermore, the choice of the name “Eternal Love” for the program turned into a kind of bitter irony. A user wrote in criticism: “How can a program that pits love against a $30,000 prize talk about eternal love? This is more like destroying the real concept of love.”
He also added: the point that love is not replaceable, removable, or competitive but rather something to be built with patience and endurance — a point completely violated in this program — suggests that perhaps “Fake Love” would have been a more suitable name than Eternal Love.
Real love is not something built on fleeting instincts, appearances, or money. While this show may appear entertaining on the surface, beneath it, it challenges values such as commitment, loyalty, and family.
The first season of Eternal Love has ended, and its second season is set to begin. However, many of the relationships formed in the program fell apart after its conclusion or continued only as performances to gain more followers.
Perhaps one can say Eternal Love is a clear example of programs that, by promoting shallow relationships, target the cultural and family foundations of Iranian society. And here arises the important question: will Iranian society and cultural authorities allow the concept of love to be reduced to a tool for spectacle and fame-seeking?
