Forty young people have been detained at a mixed-gender “night party” in Birjand, the capital city of South Khorasan province, the local Prosecutor General has disclosed.

The detainees are 20-30-year old, the Islamic Republic’s official News Agency, IRNA, cited the Prosecutor as saying.

“The detainees, sixteen males and 24 females, were arrested and charged with drinking and storing alcoholic beverages, as well as other social misconduct”, said Ahmad Reza A’rab Sheibanei.

According to authorities, this was not the first time a party was held at that location. In January, the Commander of the South Khorasan State Security Forces had said that 55 men and women were arrested in a mixed gender party after “decisive and timely action” by his personnel.

Attacking and breaking up parties were quite rife after the 1979 Islamic Revolution in Iran, but it gradually died down.

However, in past three years, after the Islamic Republic’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's warning against “social harms”, even family parties, including wedding and birthday parties have not been immune from police and security forces intrusions.

As a rule, the judiciary describes the detainees as elements of corruption, prostitution, illegal sexual relations, perversion and alcohol consumption.