Since Iran is one of those countries in which life always raises a lot of questions, I thought that it would probably be more interesting to talk about it at first, and only then move on to a description of all the places that we visited there during the two weeks of our travels. Of course, my story cannot claim to be absolutely objective, because it is based on personal observations, reading various historical essays and answers to our questions by the Iranians themselves - those with whom we lived as guests, those we met on the way, those who they themselves wanted to talk to us, and in the meantime they talked about how they live, or even invited them to visit them.
So, having thrown a scarf over my head according to local canons, I got off the plane. We got through border control very quickly. There were no queues on it, and we didn’t have to fill out a migration card - we were allowed into Iran like that. And when we got off the escalator right there at the airport, the girl handed us a live rose. Along with some advertising. This is how Iran greeted us.
In general, if we talk about the people of Iran, then, in my opinion, they are the most advanced and educated in comparison with citizens of other countries of the Middle East and Central Asia that I have visited so far (Jordan, Syria, Tunisia, Egypt, Yemen). And if it is interesting to just chat with the majority of people from the states listed in brackets in order to find out what they breathe in their everyday life, then with the Iranians everything is a level higher. It is interesting to discuss problems with them (of course, with those who know English), they love and know their history, moreover, they can tell a lot of new and interesting things. For example, once during a walk through the botanical garden in Isfahan, several Iranian guys, students by age, came up to us to get acquainted. I'm still a little surprised, because one of the questions these guys asked us was this: "What do you think about those many historical wars that were between Iran and Russia?" To be honest, I didn’t even hear about all of them, and they bombarded us with details. And those guys were not historians, just some students.
2.
In general, of course, if we talk about the history of Persia, then it is impressive, because it is many times longer than ours. Not a lot, but a LOT!!! When there was already a completely civilized and developed state, our ancestors still ran after mammoths with spears. Yes Yes! In Tehran we visited the National Museum of Iran. And they saw there pots and plates found in the 8th millennium BC. And look what beauty people did 3-7 thousand years ago. It looks like it's just from the store, right?
3.
4.
I want this home. :)
5.
6.
This bowl was made in the 3rd millennium BC. Do you know what is on it? Pictures of the first cartoon! If you twist the bowl, it will seem that the doe is running! Can you imagine? Third millennium BC!!!
7.
Here is the picture!
8.
But let's get back to modern Iranian life. In 1979, the Islamic Revolution took place here. I cannot say how necessary it was for the people at that moment, but the fact remains. In addition, the Shah's power, which was before, is also already tired of everyone. According to the descriptions, the shah was a tough tyrant, his rule was corrupt and, apparently, something had to be done. After the revolution, much has changed in the country. And, frankly, I somehow do not like what happened there. The dress code for women and the obsession with religions that they began to introduce there are not so bad. But you probably know that in 1980 Iraq attacked Iran under the guise of wanting to win back some territories. As a result, the war lasted eight years. The first year it was open hostilities and bombardments. But then the UN proposed to sign a truce, which is very beneficial for Iran - according to it, he did not lose any of his lands. However, the ayatollah, the Iranian spiritual leader, who is even higher in rank than the President of the Republic, did not agree to this. And then another seven years the war went on on the border of Iran and Iraq. During it, 1 million 100 thousand inhabitants died on the Iranian side. At the same time, the war gave the country absolutely nothing, with the exception of raising the rating of local authorities. The propaganda for unity and revenge on the Iraqis was so strong and, sadly, competent that even 13-14 year old children went to fight. Purely formally, their parents signed papers that they did not mind this, but at that time they were brainwashed with religion so much that they signed them without a sound, and even rejoiced at what a cool ayatollah they had. People for the most part - it's a herd! :(Children were mainly used in auxiliary work, in the kitchen, digging trenches, etc. But still, many actually participated in the battles, were blown up by mines and died. The average age of those who died in that war is now estimated at 21 years ...
9.
Now, of course, many Iranians are very critical of those events. Most people, especially people with higher education, of which there are many, Islamic methods of governing the country are already in the throat, when religion directly interferes in the policy of the state and in the daily life of citizens. More and more people are in favor of democratic government, but it seems to me that it is still far from its accession in Iran.
10.
There are democratic parties in Iran, but they are underground, as they are officially banned. Many believe that if there is a sudden change of power in Iran, then there is a chance that the Democratic Party will be able to take over, but it will be a big bloody war with many casualties. Now there are two armies in the country: Islamic and national. The Islamic army, formed under the National Council of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards, is very powerful and economically secure, under it is the entire oil and gas industry, the weapons complex and many other profitable industries in Iran. Now about ten percent of the entire population of the country is connected in one way or another with the Islamic army, that is, seven million people - the people who serve in it, members of their families, etc. etc. And all these people, in the event of a coup, will desperately resist the coming of a new government, and since they have weapons, money, etc., then ...
Of course, with the advent of the new president, the Iranians are very hopeful for improvements. The policy of the previous president, in the opinion of many, was so illiterate that it led to a sharp drop in the economy in the country. Prices have risen, unemployment has risen, there has been a discord in economic relations with many countries of the world, and people are very annoyed by this. Now there are about 2.5 million unemployed people with higher education in Iran. Although the government pays them benefits for two years, although it helps them find work, it is often very difficult.
11.
By the way, since we are talking about unemployment and work, I will write about salaries. The lowest salaries in Iran are about 180-190 dollars. The salary of a teacher at school is about 220-230 dollars. An engineer in a good position gets about $1,000. And it’s also interesting, no matter what city you are in, all state budget salaries in Iran will be fixed, and not like ours, that in Moscow there are more, and in other cities less.
Many Iranians have already emigrated or are about to emigrate from the country. Moreover, what is most interesting is that in the first place they go for permanent residence in the United States (yes, despite the fact that Iran and the United States are now in conflict), Australia is in second place, followed by Canada and European countries. However, they can safely travel abroad for the purpose of tourism or business, there is no iron curtain here. We were told that they do not need visas for Iraq, Turkey, Saudi Arabia and the UAE, other countries, for example, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, issue visas to Iranians at the border, but, for Europe and the United States, visas must be issued in advance, but, judging by the description, getting them is not much more difficult than getting Schengen ones for us.
As for religion and all that follow from it, in Iran everything is really difficult and strict. I don't know how things are in other Muslim countries, but in Iran, for example, one cannot change one's faith during one's life. If you were born here, if your parents are Muslims, then by default you will be a Muslim, moreover, for the rest of your life. If a Muslim tries to officially change his religious affiliation, then any kind of sanctions may be imposed on him, including, as we were told, up to murder (to be honest, I myself do not know how true this is). Religion and faith are strong here. For example, in the same Tehran, in Isfahan and in other cities, we saw posters hung in the streets with quotations from the Koran in two languages - Farsi and in English.
12.
13.
Religion also extends into the daily life of Iranians. In my previous post, I talked about the women's dress code, which must be observed not only by local residents, but also by tourists. Handkerchiefs or scarves, trousers and elongated sweaters with long sleeves, or floor-length skirts - all this must be worn.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
If a woman does not follow the dress code, then she can be fined. But usually everyone observes it, and not because of fear of being fined, but simply because it is customary for them.
19.
True, not so long ago, a community appeared on Facebook in which Iranian women advocate for the abolition of wearing headscarves, and the number of likes in that community already exceeds several tens of thousands. But we must take into account that everyone put likes there. Anton, for example, also set. :)
Please note that one woman is wearing a T-shirt! We saw something like this in Iran only once!
20.
By the way, with regard to the dress code, it has recently introduced strong concessions. Now it’s enough just to throw a scarf on your head, and if a bang sticks out from under it or, in general, half a head is visible, then no one really cares. Doing makeup, manicures, pedicures, wearing shoes with heels is also not forbidden. And at home you can walk around completely as you like: both Amir's mother and Bahram's wife, with whom we lived, did not wear any scarves and long sweaters at home.
21.
22.
Another thing, as I said earlier, is different especially prayer places. There, a chador is obligatory for women, but if she suddenly forgot it at home, then it will easily be given out at the entrance - just like skirts and scarves in our monasteries. And, by the way, it was in these very places that we often met such security guards - as a rule, middle-aged and elderly men, dressed in a special way, with a ribbon over their shoulders and with whisks in their hands, quite ordinary whisks - they sweep dust from furniture with us . If someone behaves inappropriately, they tap on the shoulder or back of this person, be it a woman or a man, with these whisks, make remarks or expel them from the mosque. Bahram explained to us that panicles are used because touching a hand, especially a woman, is considered disrespectful. Yeah, and a broom just right!
23.
Well, to finish the theme of the dress code, I will also note such a moment that, be that as it may, but so far Iranian women in clothes still for some reason prefer black. Despite the fact that scarves, dresses, sweaters, coats, raincoats can be worn in absolutely any color, black is worn most often. In chadors, again black, many also go.
24.
At the same time, in the same Tehran, we did not even see where this black is sold. Bright scarves, coats, shirts, sweaters, etc. are everywhere. We met market rows with black only in Isfahan, and even then in the local bazaar such clothes occupied only a few counters. Mysterious, yes!
25.
By the way, bazaars in Iran are the main places where Iranians buy goods.
26.
There are, of course, shops, but there, although the quality of goods is higher, the prices are also much higher, and therefore the majority buys everything in the bazaars.
Shopping center with men's shops in Tehran.
27.
Bazaar in Shiraz.
28.
And you can buy absolutely everything there, from all kinds of products, spices, spices, vegetables and fruits, and ending with clothes, shoes, household items and even gold jewelry. There are bazaars in every city, and in many there are even several of them!
29.
30.
31.
32.
33.
Saddles, however. :)
34.
And the spices won me over.
It's curry!
35.
36.
37.
38.
Gold diamonds. :)
39.
By the way, as for all kinds of jewelry, Iranian girls love them very much, probably, like any girls in general. And in general, they are very, very careful about their own beauty. For example, we very often met girls on the streets, and sometimes young people with their noses covered with a white plaster. Long puzzled, what would it mean? But it turned out that in Iran, noses with a hump are considered ugly, and local women of fashion and fashionistas specially go to the United Arab Emirates and do plastic surgery there to straighten them! Frankly, we have not seen Iranians with crooked noses at all. So, I don’t know what kind of operations these are and why they need them. :)
And now let's tell you about the public rules of conduct for men and women. For example, we have such a stereotype about Muslim countries that girls and young people cannot show any feelings for each other on the streets. It turns out that this is not entirely true. In public in Iran, you can only kiss, but just walk holding hands, it’s very possible. Moreover, we have seen such couples more than once, and absolutely different ages, and also saw how young people hugged their girls by the waist.
40.
By the way, as for weddings, even 20 years ago, parents could choose and advise their son-daughter the bride-groom. But even then no one really insisted on this choice, it was purely advisory. And now that is in the past. Young people choose for themselves - after all, they often study together, or they just live nearby and see each other often.
Weddings are celebrated in restaurants. There are no ceremonies in the mosque, and the mullah immediately comes to the restaurant and conducts his ceremony there. All guests celebrate the wedding at the same time, such that men on one day and women on the other, no, but they sit in different halls of the restaurant. The bride and groom hang out with women, however, the groom also visits men from time to time. However, in Lately mixed weddings are increasingly being held, where all the guests celebrate together. Bahram and Hamide, with whom we stayed in Qazvin, said that they met at some kind of family event, to which both were invited, as they are some kind of distant relatives to each other. And when he saw her there (this was the first time), he asked his closer relative to introduce them. Then they dated for five years and got married.
But in general, in Iran a lot is devoted to ensuring that between unknown men and women somewhere in public places did not happen, let's say, misunderstandings, and that women there always felt calm and relaxed. For example, in the same Tehran there is such a thing as a Women's Taxi. That is, driving in such taxis is always exclusively women, and their passengers are also women or married couples, but in no way, not men. Basically, there is something in it. After all, even in our country, not all girls are ready to travel by taxi alone with male drivers. Boyatso!
As for public transport, everything is fine there too. In city buses, women tend to sit in the back, while men ride in the front, and in the subway, in general, there are special carriages for women. Even at the stations there are signs "Only women" in those places where these women's cars stop.
41.
42.
But, in principle, if an aunt is traveling with a man, then she does not have to stomp to board such a car. For example, we often came across carriages separated in the middle by a special transparent partition, where a man rode on one side, and women on the other. Moreover, we saw how sometimes women traveled safely in men's carriages, while men in women's - only as exceptions: for all the times I met there only a boy of about twelve, some strange grandfather and uncle who sold tablecloths. By the way, trade in the metro in Tehran is flourishing. They carry whatever they want on the wagons. One aunt even wore bras. And the tablecloths at the uncle just went with a bang!
As you probably already guessed, I also traveled in women's carriages in the Tehran metro. And you know, what struck me most of all was not their presence, as such (after all, they also exist in Cairo, and not only there), but how women behave in them. As I wrote above, the level of intelligence of the Iranians is far from being low, that is, they are, for the most part, cultured, educated and interesting people. But women's carriages are an exception to all the rules. Chicken coop!!! Here's an example for you. Rush hour, people, like a herring in a barrel, we're going. We approach the station, the doors open. And what do you think! Despite the fact that a good half of the car was about to leave, the women from the platform were the first to burst into the car. As a result, there is a crush at the door! Moreover, this is not an exceptional case, I observed this all the time during rush hour, at each station. Another feature - at the entrance to the station, no one asks each other: “Get out?”, None of them let each other go ahead. But then, as soon as the train stops, everyone starts to climb over their heads! Amazing thing!
43.
But, as for intercity buses, it is still more twisted there. There is no separation between the women's and men's area in the cabin. But, of course, if a man and a woman are not relatives, then they have no right to sit next to each other. And it was always very funny for us to watch how the driver shuffles all the passengers in order to seat aunts with aunts, and uncles with uncles. Sometimes he had to lift almost the entire bus in general in order to properly seat everyone. By the way, Iranians have exactly the same troubles when photographing. They love to be photographed. Moreover, they often asked to be photographed with us. The record was broken in Masoul, where, at the request of the Iranians we met, we took pictures with them five or seven times in just a few hours.
44.
45.
At the same time, men asked permission for this exclusively from Anton, and women exclusively from me. But not the point. The funny thing is how everyone got up. We usually stood in the center, and the Iranians stood around: the aunts were clearly on my side, and the men on Anton's side. And God forbid if someone confuses something. Oooooh! Sometimes, if we got up, in their opinion, somehow wrong, we were rearranged. And if there were only men or only women among those who wanted to take a picture, then they took pictures with only one of us: again, choosing purely by gender. A couple of funny cases happened to us when Anton asked local men to take a picture with me. The first was a policeman in full dress in Isfahan, and the second was an artist, a potter who sold stunningly beautiful dishes in Masoul. Both at first fell into confusion, then slowly agreed (they like to be photographed), and then they stood at me, well, at a very respectful distance, and only then they ventured. :))
46.
47.
By the way, yes, everyone loves to be photographed. But if we are not talking about taking a picture with us, then the girls are often shy and do not allow them to be photographed. Men, on the other hand, ask for it themselves.
Ticket seller in the Tehran metro.
48.
The hot dog vendor is there.
49.
Train conductor from Andmeshk to Dorud.
50.
Hookah smoker in Iza.
51.
And the kids are, in general, delighted - since they don’t know how it will be in English, they run up and demand “chik-chik”! :)
52.
53.
In general, Iranians are very sociable. Of course, such as in the same Egypt or Ethiopia, when everyone you meet considers it his duty to shout to a foreigner: “Hello! Howareyou?” is not there. But, if possible, the Iranians will definitely come up to exchange a few words, and if necessary, they will never refuse to help.
The funniest thing happened to us at the National Museum of Iran in Tehran. Schoolgirls from some gymnasium came there at the same time as us, all in gray dresses, white kerchiefs, laughing, giggling - well, you understand, we ourselves were also once 13-15 years old. In general, there were about a hundred of them, no less. They walked with us through the halls for a long time, looking at us and giggling, some of them greeted us, but things did not go beyond this, apparently, the teachers inspired them that they should be quiet in the museum.
54.
By the way, this exhibit - an ancient man found in salt deposits, interested them the most.
55.
56.
But, as soon as we went outside, ooooh! They surrounded us with a crowd, roared, bombarded us with questions, shouted something at each other. As a result, the teacher even intervened and in a strict voice ordered to calm down. :))
57.
Well, and a few more characteristic cases that speak about the mores of the Iranians:
In Shiraz, they decided to spontaneously find the mausoleum of the Persian poet Saadi, met the first elderly Iranian they came across and asked where he was. The man turned out to be English-speaking and began to explain to us. At this time, another man passed by with a daughter of three years old. He did not speak English, but he became interested in what we were talking about. I asked the one with whom we talked, and he answered him - everything is in Farsi. He thought a little, waved his hand: "Let me take them!" - and called us to his car. And really delivered. True, he didn’t need to go there at all, he just went for the company and walked there in the vicinity with his daughter. And while we were driving (it turned out to be far away), I told my daughter to treat us with tangerines and some green berries - she just ate them.
Second similar case. Again, in Shiraz, they were tired of looking for the mausoleum of Shah-e Cheragh. There was a construction site all around, everything was dug up, all the passages were blocked. They popped into different places - no way. As a result, they asked some uncle who was walking with a shopping bag on some business. And he took us and escorted us to the very mausoleum, and then turned around and went back - to where he really needed to.
At the bazaar in Shiraz they bought from young man pistachios. He weighed them for us, put them in a bag, we paid and got ready to leave. And then he called us and poured another handful for free.
In Isfahan in the evening we went to see the bridges. When it got dark, two girls came up to us. One of them immediately said that her husband has an e-mail, and she wants Anton to write him a letter. Why she needed this, she did not specify, but since she spoke English very poorly, we could not find out from her either.
In Desfull they walked down the street. Suddenly a car stopped next to us. This is a common thing in Iran - so the drivers often offered to give us a lift, and we did not pay attention. But the driver did not lag behind, and although he did not speak English, he obviously wanted to say something. We stopped. The driver immediately began to get out of the glove box and show us photos where he was captured with the athletes of some local football team. Then he took out his badge from some football match, gestured that there would be a match tomorrow, invited us, left a business card and left. :)
58.
But, probably, we met the most charismatic Iranian in Borujerd. We were waiting for the bus and went into a small eatery near the bus station. We ordered kebabs and ate. There was still a lot of time before the departure of the bus, and the owner of this establishment, a guy of 22-25 years old, approached us to get acquainted. Again, he did not speak English, and Anton took out a mobile phone and began to learn Farsi using an electronic phrase book. He spoke the words, and the guy corrected him and spoke the right way. But then things took a new turn - the owner of the cafe began to depict with gestures the objects that Anton called. Apple, banana, cucumber! And as a result, he was so dispersed, and so coolly depicted a horse, and then a donkey, that we regretted that he wasted his time in an eatery - he would have to perform in a circus! In the end, he sang to us. :)
Now let's change the subject a little. Let me tell you about road transport. In general, as I read in one blog, "the Iranian auto industry is the most auto industry in the Middle East." And I completely agree with this saying. :)
59.
Iran Khodro is the largest Iranian automobile company. They assemble various Peugeots, buses, licensed trucks and their own cars. Until the 2000s, the Paykan, also created on the basis of Peugeot, was considered a people's car.
60.
But either they collected it crookedly, or they added something of their own, but they forgot to think about systems to reduce fuel consumption (gasoline costs a penny - our money is only five rubles per liter). As a result, the smoky Paykans filled the Iranian roads, and monstrous air pollution came with them to the big cities. It remains to this day, however, the people began to slowly replace the ancient Paykans with more advanced machines. But in Tehran, alas, there is still nothing to breathe.
61.
As for driving, Iranian drivers are something with something! Somehow, a couple of years ago, the devil pulled me to cross Volokolamka not along a pedestrian crossing. It's amazing that I survived then. So, if you decide to cross the street in any major city in Iran, it will be akin to crossing Volokolamka. Moreover, they have pedestrian crossings, zebras, traffic lights, but absolutely no one pays attention to them. And even if you, following all the rules, step on the same zebra, then even purely symbolically, none of the drivers in front of you will slow down, but will rush at you with absolutely the same frantic speed as they drove before. So, crossing the road is exclusively the problem of the pedestrian himself!
Drivers also do not behave well with each other: they cut, go into oncoming lanes, turn around where it is difficult to even guess about such maneuvers, etc. etc. As a result, car accidents happen frequently. I saw with my own eyes how two cars collided - without casualties, however, but the wings crushed each other notably. Another time we saw an ambulance that had already arrived and a pool of blood at the scene of an accident...
Once, (when I was still naive and looked at the people of Iran in pink glasses), on the plane I met a very charming Ukrainian Ksyusha. Three hours of flight we exchanged impressions about Iran. The only difference between us was that she married an Iranian and they lived in Tehran for more than 5 years, and I was still "green", I just mastered the Persian expanses.
I told her about how much I admire Iran and the Iranians, how friendly, hospitable they are, ready to give their last shirt. Of course, I gave Ksyusha a hundred thousand examples of how strangers invited us to their home for lunch or dinner.
Ksyusha listened to everything, smiled and said. They are the ones who “studded” you so much because you are a tourist, and when you start living there, then for them you will cease to be an idealized object. They think that outside of Iran, all foreigners are somehow special, and we are the same people as they are.
Then she spoke about her work and about the women's team in which she works. Of course, as elsewhere, when there are not even a large number of female girls in one room, this turns into a snake terrarium, and if they are Iranians, then multiply this by two. All these words caused me a certain shock, and at first I even refused to believe it. As if we are not only speaking different languages, but also different countries.
I listened to all the stories of Ksyusha, we exchanged contacts, but for two years we never saw each other, although once every few months we wrote to each other and found out how each other was doing.
After a while, I began to understand and realize the words of my fellow traveler.
I will give short examples
Iran is indeed a very hospitable country, and if you find yourself in any new place, be it a store, a gym or a restaurant, you will immediately be asked the standard series of questions - where are you from? how long are you in iran? do you like it here?. It does not matter what country you are from, the main thing is that you are KHAREJI (foreigner), which elevates you to the category of special guests. But when you are already bored with the look, then less attention will already be paid to you. But the main problem of the Iranians is the female gender.
For the first time, when I was in the gym, where my neighbor invited me, I thought that everyone would come to see me - visitors and coaches. There was a feeling that I would grow a second head. I want to remind you that only girls can be in the gym.
Each time my appearance in the hall reacted ambiguously. Some constantly looked at what clothes and shoes I wear, what I do with my hair, how I walk, what I drink from. And all because, as I said, they are absolutely sure that we are DIFFERENT.
And the main problem of the Iranians is the constant rivalry. They just need to show you and the whole world their financial situation, show off and put on a new T-shirt or sports dress every time they go to the gym, change shoes at least 2-3 times a week. And to appear in front of other girls without makeup - yes, it's just indecent. By the way, even in the gym, Iranians do not forget to do almost evening makeup.
And the main questions that they ask each other when they meet is where you live. It seems to be a normal question, you might think. But even in this question there is so much meaning that I had not even thought about before. The question where you live means the area, and the area in Tehran or whether it is another city in Iran means your financial situation. There are expensive areas, and there are very simple, miserable ones. The next question is - are you married?, if so, they are interested in the amount of your mehriye (the groom sets a fee for the bride before the wedding. The amounts can be just crazy. Most often this is done to show all guests invited to the wedding that the bride is super duper expensive. But there is one thing, grooms sometimes in complete delirium name the amount for the bride in order to please the future wife or the wife's family, but they forget that they need to pay this amount at any mention of the bride.For example, you got married, six months have passed since the wedding, for which, by the way, in most cases, the groom pays and then your missus wanted a car or a new gold jewelry to show off in front of her friends, so she gets out of bed in the morning and says, dear, I want my fur. , which he indicated for his wife. At the same time, the wife has the right to sue her husband, since at the first stuttering about mehriya, the husband is obliged to pay it. If not, he can send without a single right go to jail. That's how insidious Iranians can be to send their insolvent spouse to jail. That is why, according to religious canons, mehriya is the amount that the groom CAN afford to pay, the amount that he has. But today, for many, mehriye has become something other than a competitive aspect.
Several times I came across headlines in the newspaper that a man was drugged by the charm of an Iranian lady. And, believe me, they can speak very sweetly. And what does a man actually need to be happy, to feel like the most extraordinary on the planet? So, the lady was able to marry him to herself, and he in the mehriya indicated everything that he had and an eye in addition. What this man was thinking about, I can’t even imagine, but why the eye? Why does his wife need an eye? Maybe she certainly collects and of course she knows better. But voila, after a few years of marriage, they get divorced. According to the law, what is written in the mehriya belongs to the wife, of course the wife decided to leave her husband’s eye as a keepsake, but she took everything else without remorse, leaving her beloved husband without a penny in his pocket.
But these are not all the maneuvers that the Iranians go for.
I must immediately agree that there are a lot of such girls in Iran, but this does not mean that they are all like that. There are, of course, decent girls who don't need anything. But we are talking about a trend that strikes like a virus a huge number of girls in Iran.
In addition, Iranians are very fond of flirting. Sometimes I think it's in their blood. Here, imagine the situation.
An adult couple, in their 50s, in a car. The husband is driving, the wife is nearby. A girl passes by the car, I think she is under 30. Without thinking twice, she begins to smile at the man who is driving, while it is hard not to notice that the man is in the car with his wife, but apparently this does not bother the girl, she goes to the window where she sits a man and throws him a note with a phone number. The smart woman sitting next to the man reacted absolutely calmly, saying that the girl was out of her mind.
But even this is not the limit of Iranian culture. You think if you come to visit your relatives, let it be your grandmother, who invited her children and grandchildren to visit her. Even so, each of the grandchildren will try to dress the best that is in his wardrobe for today.
When we first went to visit my husband's aunt, my mother-in-law said, dress Nice dress. To which I goggled my eyes and said why would it? I want jeans and a shirt. What is my mother-in-law, a person who absolutely does not tolerate all this Iranian game of showing that you have the best, but she has to put me on the right path, because if you do not match their level of play, they will discuss you behind your back, and so my husband's reputation may suffer. Like, look what he found in Ukraine, a girl who can not stand jewelry, dresses and go to spa salons.
That's why I like it or not, I put on a dress and set the "smile" mode for the whole evening, even if I'm completely bored. But I really like to watch how the Iranians flatter each other; this can make my evening successful.
For example, one of the cousins may say to another, my God, where did you buy these charming shoes, although the shoes are clearly from the category, "God, where does this ugliness come from." To which he will begin to say that they are insanely expensive and there was a queue for them in the store. And if someone really put on something beautiful, stylish and very cute, the girls from envy will pretend that they did not notice. And in their hearts they will curse everything in the world, but at the next meeting they will try to surpass the outfit. There is also a culinary competition. For example, guests came to you, you cooked traditional rice, with chicken, salad, and for a change, some other hot dish. That is, there will be two hot dishes and a salad on the table. Be absolutely sure that your guest will invite you to visit within two to three weeks and there will already be at least 3 hot dishes and two types of salad on the table.
Guys, we put our soul into the site. Thanks for that
for discovering this beauty. Thanks for the inspiration and goosebumps.
Join us at Facebook and In contact with
Hey! My name is Christina, I am 25 years old. 5 years ago I met an Iranian, we fell in love, and now I live in one of the most mysterious countries in the world - Iran. The life of this country is shrouded in many fears, myths and prejudices. I'll tell you how things really happen here.
Myth 1: Iranian women wrap themselves in black from head to toe.
After the Islamic Revolution of 1979, a dress code for women was really introduced in Iran: you can’t open your bare legs, the sleeve must be at least 3/4, you can’t wear tight clothes, show your bust. And most importantly, every woman should wear a headscarf.
I have never seen women in Iran wearing a veil (this robe completely covers the body, leaving only the eyes open). Religious Iranian women, mostly of the older generation, can be seen wearing a chador, a black garment that hides the body but leaves the face uncovered.
A headscarf and a dress code are the law, while not all Iranian youth are so religious. Jeans, sandals, heels and fashion styles within allowable norms are not prohibited, so the Iranians look very stylish and fashionable. The headscarf is most often used as a fashion accessory, and is worn over the head rather than wrapped in it.
There is a kind of “fashion police” in Iran. The guys stand in crowded places of tourists and pull out violators. Tourists are sent “for a scarf / cardigan”, but locals may be fined.
Not all Iranian women are enthusiastic about the dress code in their country: as soon as the plane from Iran gains altitude, many girls change clothes and go abroad without a headscarf. So the whole point is not in religion, but in the laws of the country: they have to be observed, but still, young women still dress beautifully and modernly.
Myth 2: Women in Iran have no rights
Women in Iran live much easier than in some other Muslim countries.
An Iranian woman has the right to be anyone. He wants - a wife and a housewife, but does not want - a politician, a taxi driver, a salesman, but whoever he wants! I have already seen Iranian policemen, translators and even journalists. Iranian women calmly walk the streets alone, ride a taxi and drive, they can sit at a table with men, and most of the employees in various institutions are women.
Moreover, the head of the family is most often a woman. It is she who manages the family budget, families often have housekeepers, so the wife does not have to do housework 24/7. Also, an Iranian woman has the right to file for divorce and leave her husband, drive a car (in Saudi Arabia they were allowed only this year!), again, get a job, go to study abroad. Iranian women are very sociable and open: they calmly start conversations with strangers in the bazaar, love tourists very much and gladly agree to be photographed.
Myth 3: Iran is a very dangerous place
Iran's reputation has been tarnished due to its difficult relationship with the United States and the sanctions imposed on the country. I will say right away: there are no military operations here. Moreover, there is such an indicator as the Global Terrorism Index, which takes into account the number of terrorist attacks, victims, and so on. The first lines are occupied by Iraq, Afghanistan, Nigeria, Syria. Russia is on the 33rd place, the USA - on the 32nd, Germany - on the 38th. Iran, according to this rating, is in 53rd place. Perhaps they are afraid of Iran, because this country is similar in sound to Iraq?
Due to sanctions, most major brands and fast food are not in Iran, Facebook and some other social networks are not working, however, residents still easily bypass the blockages.
Myth 4: The bride and groom only meet at the wedding
Depends on the family. Yes, there are families in Iran that live strictly according to the Koran: there, parents forbid their children to enter into relationships before marriage, they themselves choose a couple for them, and the newlyweds practically do not have time to get to know each other before the wedding. But this is a separate category of people, their minority.
Most young Iranians don't hide - they go on dates, they hold hands. At the same time, it is not customary here to kiss in public in French and demonstrate your feelings in every possible way, but you will not be arrested for a kiss on the cheek.
To start living together, the couple draws up a temporary nikah: it is done quickly, and its duration can be prescribed as you like. In Iran, it is customary to arrange chic weddings, but not everyone has the money for it. Young people live together in a temporary nikah, save up for a wedding, and no one looks askance at them.
Couples in Iran often enter into a marriage contract, and there is one curious component in it - mehriyeh. This is a gift to the bride, which the groom makes either immediately, or its size is prescribed in the marriage contract: in this way, the wife will not be left without financial support in the event of a divorce, and the court will take care of paying the mehriya. As a mehriya, there can be gold coins, as well as more creative desires, for example, 500,000 roses, a collection of poems rewritten by the husband’s hand, and others.
Dealt with the myths. I want to tell you about some features that surprised me in this country.
Perhaps, in terms of the number of operations performed on the nose, Iran can safely take first place. Almost every second Iranian has a “new nose” here: I went to the pharmacy - a pharmacist with a band-aid on my nose, I walk around the city - one, two, three - through one girl with postoperative bandages on her face. Iranian women do not hide the fact that they did the operation: on the contrary, this is a kind of way to demonstrate that the family has money to go to the surgeon. The funny thing is that some girls just put a band-aid on their nose to pass for a wealthy girl.
And not to say that Iranian noses are strongly humpbacked - it just so happened that rhinoplasty has become fashionable. Most girls go to the surgeon for a "light snub". It seems to me that it looks like a carbon copy, but the Iranians like it, however, this is their business.
2. Iran has its own street food. And she's very original.
Not only burgers and hot dogs are sold as street food on the streets of cities: in Iran you can also taste stewed beets, baked potatoes and fried beans. Merchants stand right on the street and cook food in boiling vats.
At the same time, Iranians love and know how to cook deliciously, and they always welcome guests very cordially. and lay huge tables with many national dishes. When I first arrived in this country, we visited guests almost every day and got acquainted with my husband's relatives: and in each house they laid a table for us and gave gifts. And here they are very fond of tea: it seems that they are ready to drink it all 24 hours a day!
3. Entrances look like hotel lobbies, and apartments look like a museum
Of course, in Iran, as well as throughout the world, there are completely different housing: both simpler and more luxurious. But what surprises me is how middle-class houses and apartments look (my husband's relatives are more like him). When we drive past elite areas, we can’t even believe that this is Iran: everything is too chic there.
For example, my husband's sister lives in a new residential area. There is an excellent infrastructure - gardens, schools, shops, 3 shopping centers, a bunch of restaurants, a beautiful park complex, in each of the houses there is a sports club.
The entrances deserve special mention. It all depends new house or old.
The new ones have a reception, security and sofas. In some houses they go even further - there are TVs, aquariums with fish. There is also music playing in the elevators. You enter the elevator, you choose desired floor, and then the colored lights come on, and "The Lonely Shepherd" from the movie "Kill Bill" plays from the speakers.
If there is such beauty in the yards and porches, imagine now that in the apartments. Iranian style is, of course, luxury: gilding, rounded shapes, red color. For Iranians family is the main value, so they strive to make the house as cozy and comfortable as possible. In the interior, everything is thought out to the smallest detail, in each apartment (even a small one) there will definitely be a spacious hall with armchairs, sofas and tea tables. There is no other way: there are always a lot of guests in an Iranian house, and the size of the apartments usually allows. Apartment of 100 sq. m is not “wow”, but “okay, it will do”.
The houses are always very, very clean: yes, many Iranians do not work, but 100 sq. m! White sofas, carpets, and around small children with chips - how do they even coexist side by side? And the candles on the table - by what miracle did they survive until the arrival of the guests?
Many times I watched the preparations for the reception of guests in the house of my husband's mother. There, the carpets are so vacuumed that sometimes it seems that the pile will come off. In the kitchen, even the baseboard behind the refrigerator is washed. By the way, about carpets: Iranians love them very much, and this is also an indicator of the wealth of the family. Carpets self made cost a lot of money, but even in the very humble dwelling there will definitely be a carpet - however, an ordinary, factory one.
4. There are many interesting architectural solutions everywhere
This does not mean that something infuriates a person: people say “no” by clattering. Iranian friends will click you if they want to refuse the offered chocolate bar. A child who doesn't want to go to school will click. An old man in the market will click if the answer to your offer to lower the price is “no”. This is unusual, but you quickly get used to it and one day the "c" ceases to seem offensive.
Easily you can meet men kissing when they meet on the cheeks or discussing something in an embrace. Sex reassignment surgery is allowed in Iran. The government thinks so - operations can be carried out if they help a person determine his real gender. Moreover, the state partially sponsors the operation in the amount of approximately $ 3,000 and exercises full control over the process, from the first consultation with a psychotherapist to a visit to the surgeon. In terms of the number of gender reassignment surgeries, the Islamic Republic is second only to Thailand. Is it worth visiting Iran?
Tourists are afraid to come to Iran, and all because of a bad image and a scandal with the United States. In addition, alas, some equate Iran with Iraq, but this is completely different countries. Amazing, hospitable people live here, there is no war here, it is safe, warm and interesting.
Who should come to Iran? Color lovers. There are no crowds of tourists here, and the traveler seems to fall into a new and wonderful world. You can bring a lot of authentic gifts (carpets, dishes, spices, tea), visit stunning mosques, see the pink Urmia Lake, and taste the local cuisine. Come and you will see everything with your own eyes!
Tell us, what have you heard about Iran before? Surprised how things really are?
Is there a concept of "fashion" in Iran? What kind fashion trends who sets the fashion, are there any "style icons" and what are the ideals of beauty in Iran?
Often, under the veil, an Iranian can be dressed in tight jeans and a T-shirt. Iranian women wear more revealing clothes at home. Such an assumption can be easily made, judging by what is happening in women's stores: how Iranians swoop down on hangers with short shorts, transparent sweaters and open dresses. It is unthinkable to appear on the street in this form, they will throw stones at you. Then how do they all wear it…..?
Iranians love fashion very much. In their preferences, some are guided by European fashion, others by Arabic, and still others by Iranian fashion. Iranian fashion is presented in everyday clothes, consisting of a headscarf or scarf, a manto (this is such a coat-cloak made of fabric) and trousers.
Also, Iran has its beauties and beauties. They also play the role of "style icons", they are also trying to imitate the "advanced" part of the population. As a rule, these are people from the world of cinema. Here are some female names: Golshifteh Farahani, Mahtab Keramati, Leila Hatami, Hedieh Tehrani, Elnaz Shaker Doust, Taraneh Alidoosti. But for men: Mohamad Reza Golzar, Bahram Radan, Shahab Hosseini, Mohammad Reza Foroutan. Look around, they are all really pretty.
As for the veil or hijab itself (that which completely covers a woman), the fabric used for it can surprise with its beauty.
Different fabrics are used for the veil: with a small pattern, (black, of course) with a large one, interspersed with silk, velvet, and so on, a bandage, the so-called head, can be worn on the head under the veil, but in a different color, say green. And this is a completely different look.
Those Iranian women who do not wear a chador go fashionable with tunics, cloaks, shoes, headscarves, hairstyles under headscarves, jeans, bags and nails. Scarves can be of various colors and fabrics: pink, red, white, blue, green, with or without patterns.
They look very nice, they wear and keep Iranians in them just incomparably. Seeing such an example all the time before my eyes, I had a great incentive to improve the wearing and combination of images of me and a scarf.
Iranian women have several options for covering their heads: with the help of a veil or hijab, a scarf (rusari), a scarf (shawl) and maknae.
All this Iranian women begin to wear immediately after adulthood, that is, having reached puberty. Therefore, their hand is oh-so full! Those who wear a veil or maknae try not to show their hair, and those who wear a headscarf or scarf, on the contrary, as their wearing is part of the fashion.
The attitude of men to the appearance of Iranian women, to hide herself completely under a hijab or just a scarf or a scarf, depends on the man. Iranian men are very different. Some are terribly jealous, and therefore, to the desire of their wife to wear a scarf, they say an unequivocal “no”. Others are more liberal and let their wife wear whatever she wants. In general, there are not many options - either a scarf or a scarf.
The color of the hair under the scarf can be different: red, and yellow, and white, and red. And how they stick out from under the scarf, what is the length of the bangs and the size of the bun (later, in one of the toilets, I was convinced that the size does not depend on the density of the shock of hair, as I thought, but often on the size of the hairpin) also depends " fashion” of their owner.
But the main thing that unites “packages” from “non-packages” is makeup. Iranians are painted very brightly and tastefully. I'm just talking about the eyes. Only women of the East know how to line their eyes like that. Eyebrows are also in fashion now, and the tattoo is in the form of Shaherizade's eyebrows, that is, the outer ends turned up (reverse to the “house”). This form gives the eyes of Iranian women such a slightly stern, bold and sparkling look, apparently designed to cut Iranian men at the very base.
A few more words about the fashion for noses. Iran ranks first in the world in the number of nose plastic surgeries.
On the streets you can meet quite a few girls, and sometimes young people with plasters on their noses. This means that soon she or he will have an incredibly beautiful nose. Those who do not have the opportunity to have an operation buy a post-operative patch in a pharmacy and go around with it just like that. For a long time I tried to figure out what shape of the nose they have now fashion. After all, they have their own real, nature-given nose shape, they are quite beautiful: straight and not long, a little close to Sharonstone's shape. Here you can rarely meet a woman with a classic "schnobel" or "potato". It would seem, what else is needed?
But then I figured out what they want from their nose. They like something in the semblance of a form, like Michael Jackson - it's narrow, with a sharp tip and pressed nostrils. Here is an example of such a nose
In general, Iranians dress well, one might even say elegant and stylish. In appearance the modesty of the girl is very felt or, conversely, the “covered” bad taste, dictated rather by ineptness, awkwardness and a blind desire to be modern and stand out against the background of real “packages”.
Once in a cosmetics store, I saw a saleswoman with puffed up lips. It was the apotheosis of my observations. She had white hair, huge pink-purple lips and resembled a Thai transvestite in her image. But this is all from upbringing and the lack of sufficient information in the media. Those who are very eager to copy the West sometimes do not look very good, but they are portrait for the camera lens. And those who wisely assess the situation are very beautiful and harmonious in their appearance.
Here is a selection of photographs reflecting current trends and trends in Iranian fashion.
17:54 7.10.2005
VKontakte Facebook Odnoklassniki
Exclusive photo report by a special correspondent of the site from Iran All women must cover their hair, elbows, knees and ankles Before traveling to Iran, we, Russian journalists,
Exclusive photo report by a special website correspondent from Iran
All women must cover their hair, elbows, knees and ankles
Before going to Iran, we, Russian journalists, received a clear instruction on how to dress in this country. We were warned that the woman's head, elbows, knees and ankles should be covered. It is not surprising that after this a slight panic arose in our ranks, because for many such a form of clothing (I immediately thought of a veil) meant a complete change of wardrobe and unforeseen expenses. But the organizer of the trip was quick to assure us that trousers, a long shirt, which must necessarily cover the hips, and a headscarf will ideal option to travel this country. For clarity, we were sent a photo of a modern Iranian woman.
By the way, you could even take a skirt with you. However, according to the Iranian dress-code, it must be below the knee, and you can only wear it with black golfs. Many people immediately refused such an opportunity, deciding that a long shirt would be enough. The caring organizers also asked us not to worry about clothing and to treat it as an integral part of an exotic trip.
It is customary in Iran to smile at each other
Initially, our trip was designed for 6 days. But it turned out that the Iranian side treats Russian journalists with great respect and care, so it was decided to increase the stay of our group to 10 days. Oddly enough, there was no red tape with the documents - we got a visa pretty quickly. There were no problems at the airport either.
Already at the entrance to the plane, I ended up in a completely different country: I had to put a scarf on my head, because we already attracted everyone's attention to ourselves. It felt like everyone knew about our trip. The passengers smiled as if the flight attendant had just announced our presence. How was I to know that it was customary in Iran to smile at each other.
For drinking - in jail
Four hours later we had already set foot on Iranian soil. Ahead of 10 days of alcohol-free stay in the country. They are very strict with this. If they find alcohol, they can immediately deport, or even put them in jail. Fortunately, the organizer warned us about this in advance.
The local border guards looked at us intently. Having gone through all the necessary procedures, we moved to the exit, where with a large poster "Russia" we were met by girls who, as it turned out later, were translators. Although often we had to play the same role: we translated from their Russian into ours.
So, we were put on a bus and taken to the Azadi Hotel, which someone, probably by mistake, assigned five stars. However, in terms of service, he barely pulled three. There was no incident here. The hospitable Iranians considered that we had arrived ahead of time and offered to pay at our own expense for the first day of our stay. Fortunately, the organizer of the trip managed to settle everything and even "knock out" a free dinner, which we expected no less than two hours. The fact is that the bartender mixed up our orders, as they were different. From now on, taught by bitter experience, we have already chosen the same dish so as not to create problems for our Iranian chefs and service personnel. But that wasn't even the main problem. It is more difficult to get accreditation in Iran. We managed to do this only on the fifth day. The main thing is that during this time no one managed to visit the local prison, which, according to the stories of Iranian friends, looks rather gloomy.
Seeing a man and a woman holding hands is a rarity.
Inspired by oriental hospitality, the next day we went for a walk around the city. Nothing special, except that instead of girls in short skirts, tops and with loose hair, there are mostly women in black to-toe hijabs, black rusaris (a blind scarf under which all hair is removed). As a result, only the nose and a pair of eyes are visible, and even the hands. At this time, it is +30 outside, or even more. What a pity for Iranian women! Men go not only without a hat, but also in shirts with short sleeves.
To see a man and a woman walking hand in hand is a rarity. As we were told, in public, a girl should not touch a guy, she is supposed to walk a little behind. By the way, the morality police monitors compliance with these rules. Law enforcement officers have the right to stop you and demand a document confirming that you are husband and wife, or brother and sister. In this case, you are allowed to go hand in hand, otherwise you can not only be fined, but also taken to the police. And you won't run into problems there.
A woman should not be depicted with hair
Like all women, it was interesting for us to look into local shops. As soon as you cross the threshold, the seller immediately runs up to you with a smile on duty: “What interests you? How can I help?". Every time I wanted to say that the most useful thing he can do for me is to disappear immediately so as not to interfere. After all, I looked into the store not to buy something, but just to look and take pictures. But even more striking was the fact that in the windows of shops and in the markets they are met not only by consultants, but also by mannequins with a partially cut head and in headscarves. Sort of like a headless horseman. As it turned out, a woman cannot be depicted (be it a sculpture, a portrait or a mannequin) with hair. These are Muslim customs.
In stores, as a rule, you can see the whole family. The wife tries on clothes, and the husband at this time is busy with the children. It is a man with a child in his arms that can most often be seen on the streets of the city. But in the store the main task husband - evaluate his wife's outfit and pay for it. By the way, you can buy here not only hijab or rusari, but also open evening dresses. The girls said that in them they meet their husbands at home. There they even take off their headscarves to show their spouse new hairstyle.
From entertainment in Iran there is only tea and hookah
In the evening we were drawn to entertainment. In Iran, it is only permissible to drink tea and smoke a hookah. This can be done in a teahouse. There is no concept of disco in this country at all. local girl she told us in secret that sometimes she and her friends gather at someone's house to dance. But if the morality police finds out about this, then it will be bad first of all for the owner of the house. As for booze, despite the dry law in force in the country, it is still possible to buy it, but only very difficult and expensive. Of course, it is better not to take risks, because for this you can get not only a fine, but also go to jail for a long time.
In a traditional Muslim family, a girl before marriage should not go to such places without being accompanied by her brother, father or mother. But it was not there. Girls do without supervision. Despite the fact that it is indecent for a girl to smoke a hookah in a public place, we still happened to see a smoking lady in a hijab.
What Iranian men do to get a woman to take off her veil
As for more serious entertainment for a man, this is also all right here. Although prostitution is not even spoken aloud, the oldest female profession still exists here. But "picking up" a girl here is not as easy as on Tverskaya or on Red Light Street. To do this, men have to drive around the streets for a long time. The ladies, in turn, also wind circles around the city in search of a client. When they find each other, notes are passed from the car, which indicate the phone number and address where the woman should come. This is how complicated it is - out of hundreds of thousands of cars, a man needs to find the only one whose passengers will agree to share his bed. No wonder they say forbidden fruit is sweet. Iranian men go to great lengths to make a woman take off her veil and not only.
Tehran has many attractions
Tehran has many attractions. At least that's what they say. We almost didn't get to see them. An attempt to visit the museum was unsuccessful. And all because the translator forgot to tell our driver which museum we should be taken to. Of course, we also did not know where we were going, because the girl convinced us that the driver knows everything. Having driven around the city for about an hour, the driver in Farsi began to ask us something. From all that was said, we understood only the word "museum". That is, he was interested in which one we need? We honestly didn't know how to explain it to him. In addition, the opening of the Olympics was to begin in 2 hours. Realizing that at this time there were big traffic jams on the roads, we asked the driver to take us to the hotel. For 10 minutes we only spoke the name of our hotel. Fortunately, it sounds the same in all languages. Finally he understood what we want.
We still managed to get on a city tour. We saw the Golestan Palace. This is the former residence of the Shahs of the Qajar dynasty. It's very beautiful there. One of us even said: I want to be Shah. We visited the Abad Garden, which is located in a high-mountainous region in the north of Tehran. There is a former complex of Shah's palaces, expensive company stores. By the way, rich Tehranians live in this area. The south of the city is assigned to the poor.
Tehran also has a subway. Pretty clean and pretty. As in any multi-million city, it greatly facilitates the movement. There are also traffic jams in Tehran. Plus, the movement exists without any rules. Traffic lights don't work for the most part. And, as the drivers themselves say, the police interfere more than regulate traffic on the roads. By the way, there are a lot of women driving, even more than in Moscow.
A breathtaking sight - a woman in a hijab, butchering a corpse
We visited the university and the hospital. At the university, everything is almost the same as ours: students sit on a bench in front of the building, the timetable is posted on the bulletin board. Curious students and strict teachers hang out in classrooms and corridors. That was the initial impression. We simply did not have time to understand anything else.
The desire to visit the anatomy department prevailed over the stupid sitting in the lecture hall on Faculty of Education. Who is not interested in looking at a woman in a hijab butchering a corpse. But the formidable guard escorted us out of there very quickly, and threatened to take away our photographic equipment in case we had time to film something. So we ended up behind the fence of the university.
Nose plastic surgery is now fashionable in Iran
The first trip to the hospital was also not a success. As soon as the medical staff realized that our journalists were interested in nose plastic surgery, which is so fashionable now in Iran, everyone was immediately thrown out the door. Today, straight noses have come into fashion, so everyone gets rid of the Persian hump, including men. Such an operation in a private clinic costs about one and a half thousand dollars.
But we still managed to get into the clinic. We not only looked at the hospital from the inside, but also visited the operating room, intensive care unit, the department for premature babies, the postpartum, and the ambulance. Lale Hospital, which means "tulip", turned out to be one of the best in the city. There is cleanliness and order. Beautiful women in rusari smile sweetly and, oddly enough, do not resist shooting too much. Although in fact, all this is thanks to our guide, who occupies not the last post in the Iranian healthcare system.
Tehran-43
We really wanted to visit the Russian embassy, look at the venue of the Tehran conference and see the monument to Griboyedov. We were lucky: on the last day of our stay in this mysterious country, the Russian Ambassador to Iran Alexander Sadovnikov invited us to the embassy. Naturally, we were overjoyed. We not only saw the Griboedov monument, but also took pictures next to it. Moreover, the picture also captured the famous steps on which Stalin, Roosevelt and Churchill were photographed more than half a century ago. We were shown all the sights of the embassy, which in Iran is considered the largest and, for sure, the most beautiful. Mr. Ambassador spoke about the warm relations that have recently developed between Russia and Iran. Everyone was satisfied with the reception. On this note, we went to the hotel to collect things in order to go down to our native land in a few hours.
