Iran - January 22th, 2007: Iranian supreme leader Sayyid Al Khameini, which is the most important political and religious figure in the country, has recently posted a message in his website talking about masturbation.

He was asked in the same website if someone performs masturbation during the month of Ramadan, but without ejaculating, it is considered a sexual fast breaking. Actually, Khameini answers that the fasting is correct if the person didn’t intend masturbating or ejaculating and since there was no ejaculation at all. In this case, Khameini considers masturbation as just a “haram” (forbidden act). However, he points out that if masturbation is intentional and ejaculation desired it’s an intentional fast breaking.

In Iran, due to religious matters, people should fast and abstain from sex completely, otherwise it can be considered a severe religious fault. Khameini also states that if a man knows that he “usually” discharges semen by this process (masturbation), the act it’s full intentional and considered a haram.