Well, it looks like someone else agrees with Iran. What? It could happen.

The Uzbeks have banned Valentine’s Day. The Associated Press reports that Uzbekistan has canceled concerts and other activities associated with the holiday, saying that it is the work of “forces with evil goals bent on putting an end to national values.” Well, we dunno if Hershey and Hallmark are exactly evil, but finally people who dislike Valentine’s Day can know there are a couple countries where they can go to be free of chalky candies, heart-shaped boxes and the rest of the day’s lovey-dovey props. Instead “residents in the capital of Tashkent can enjoy readings of poems by Mughal emperor Babur, who died in the 16th century.”

No slight to Babur intended but if we have to make the choice between a poetry reading and the regular Valentine’s Day schlock….wait, those can’t be our only choices can they?

The AP also notes that though most people in the area are Muslim “many enjoy celebrating what is nominally a Christian feast.” Seriously, we’d entirely forgotten there was a “Saint” attached to “Valentine’s Day,” (though the Huffington Post says it’s unclear who he actually was). He’d just become one of those one-name luminaries like Prince or Lassie.