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The treatment of the “martyrdom”, and the corpses still being found in the places which used to be the front line of the war with the “infidel Baathi Iraqis”, is a key issue in the ideology of the Islamic Republic (see Corpse Parade). Once every while, the national television announces the funeral of anonymous soldiers found on the front. Many of these corpses, or rather pieces of stone, end up being buried in public places, “to cause awareness”. One of the latest ones was the “Martyrdom Cave”, established in the northern part of Tehran, at the heart of the wealthiest parts of the capital city (see Ayatollah Left the Cave). To see more pictures of the cave and the burial ceremony see the photoblog.

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Even an ultra-religious event does not justify Basij members of opposite sex holding hands. That does not mean they will not invent a method to pull the girls uphill without any sinful touch.