With a presence in nearly every city and town across Iran, the paramilitary Basij volunteer corps has an ever-increasing influence on life in the Islamic Republic. Authorities created the Basij, which means mobilization in Persian, just after the country's 1979 Islamic Republic. It is part of Iran's powerful Revolutionary Guard. Photo: In this Thursday, August 22, 2013 photo, a female member of the Basij paramilitary militia aims a rifle as a trainer looks over her shoulder in Tehran, Iran. (Photo by Ebrahim Noroozi/AP Photo)

Aymara dolls are seen during the “Alasitas” fair, where people buy miniature versions of goods they hope to acquire in real life, in La Paz, Bolivia, January 24, 2017. Shoppers fill their baskets with miniature versions of things they desire – everything from cars, houses computers – to give to Ekeko the God of abundance, in the hope he will being therm good fortune. (Photo by David Mercado/Reuters)

In spring sunsunshine the “Out of Sync” art installation is unveiled on a grass meadow at Somerset House on March 15, 2012 in London, England. Chilean artist Fernando Casasempere hand crafted the 10,000 clay flowers that dominate the Edmond J. Safra Fountain Court. The installation is open to the public at Somerset House from March 16th to April 27th 2012. (Photo by Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images for Somerset House Trust)

People in traditional costumes prepare before competing in the 55th Verdiales music contest in Malaga, southern Spain December 28, 2016. Verdiales is a form of traditional Flamenco music, which is common in the province of Malaga. Members of singing groups, known as “pandas”, wear traditional costumes decked with flowers and other accessories as they perform in the contest, which is held annually on December 28. (Photo by Jon Nazca/Reuters)

A burning flame and a broad expanse of water are among the few things which do not tire us with their beauty. However, while we have many sources of water around us, it is quite hard to marvel at a burning flame on a daily basis. Melissa Crisp is one of the few people who were able to subdue the element of fire. She is the person who is behind the design of the uniquely-shaped fire pits, which feature mystifying themes, including a pair of lovers, a fire on the rodeo arena, a forest fire, a fiery flower, and a number of others. Each of the fire pits entrances you, and it almost seems like the characters are alive, as the hot fire burns deep within the spheres, casting dancing shadows all around. (Photo by Melissa Crisp)

In this Wednesday, August 21, 1991 file photo, appreciative muscovites hand bread, sausages and flowers to a Soviet tank's driver who helped stop the failed hardline coup in Moscow, Russia. When a group of top Communist officials ousted Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev 30 years ago and flooded Moscow with tanks, the world held its breath, fearing a rollback on liberal reforms and a return to the Cold War confrontation. But the August 1991 coup collapsed in just three days, precipitating the breakup of the Soviet Union that plotters said they were trying to prevent. (Photo by Czarek Sokolowski/AP Photo/File)

Girls of the Long Horn Miao ethnic minority group wear headdresses as they prepare gather for Tiaohua or Flower Festival as part of the Lunar New Year on February 6, 2017 in Longga village, Guizhou province, southern China. (Photo by Kevin Frayer/Getty Images)

Ukrainians jump over a bonfire in Kiev, Ukraine, 06 July 2019, as they celebrate the traditional pagan holiday of Ivana Kupala. Ivana Kupala is celebrated, during the summer solstice, on the shortest night of the year, marking the beginning of summer and is celebrated in Ukraine, Belarus, Poland and Russia. People sing and dance around bonfires, play games and perform traditional rituals. Young people jump over bonfires in order to test their bravery. Couples holding hands jump over the flames to test their love. If the couple does not succeed it is predicted to split up. Traditionally, children and young unmarried women wear wreaths of wild flowers on their heads to symbolize purity. (Photo by Sergey Dolzhenko/EPA/EFE)