Travel Diary

In my recent trip to Iran, I tried to have a conversation with every rank and age. Younger generation seems to be active in the new uprising, especially college students who have proven to be very effective in educating others. However, my conversation was mostly with the group who remembered the era before the revolution.

Economically speaking, inflation and unemployment are both very high, and earnings are very low. Government has eased the restriction for importing (by selected people who operate as a gang) which has destroyed local economy. Imported goods and material from the Far East are much cheaper than their Iranian counterparts, therefore local growers and manufacturers cannot compete, which results in abandoning their fields and factories. In the case of agricultural lands, they become sub-divided and they are sold to developers for erecting apartments. This is widely apparent in north of the country, where apartments have replaced rice fields. Small local growers sell in farmers market to local shoppers. There are supermarkets modeled after the ones in the West, with the same kind of packaged food items. Prices of such items are much higher than a factory worker can afford. Most of the items are sold for the same price as in the US, with the market exchange rate. However, earnings in Iran are about a tenth of earnings in the US, even in this economical climate. There is a building construction almost in every alley and street. Parking, population density, and environmental impact are not of consideration when building these high rise apartments. As a result of the air pollution in Tehran combined with the government’s wave pollution, doctor offices are filled with patients. Medical treatment, especially hospital stay, is not affordable to most of the population. Selling of body parts, especially kidney is rampant. In addition to begging, superficial jobs such as vending rags and unnecessary items can be seen in the streets, buses, or metros. Seeing six years old selling gums in front of restaurants is a common place.

People can analyze factions in government .Their information about the politics in general is good. People are so fed up with the situation that they question the regime, however they cannot suggest a viable alternative. This puts people ahead of the movement, which is dangerous for the current movement, considering this movement is for a reform within the system. People have seen so much violence and terror by the government that they are thoroughly apathetic about violence. Knowing this, the government shows more violence, which continuation of that by the regime will eventually result an uprising. This will be tested on February 11, anniversary of the republic. The old left has adopted capitalist ideology. This could be due to their lack of education in Marxism, as I spoke with one who was still a hardcore supported of Tudeh party, and yet had not independently studied Das Kapital! The main struggle now is for freedom and when people achieve the basic freedom of expression, organization, and press, they will find the system of their liking. In the absence of basic freedoms, the silent majority is waiting for a determining collision. Left, Royalist, and Mojahed do not have any support in Iran, and they do not seem to play a big role in the near future. People are mostly nationalist, and they try to learn about their pre-Islamic past.

Although Islam has been losing faith, people have kept their old beliefs and superstitions. In Tehran, almost every household has a satellite TV, which spreads Western corrupt and Hollywood culture among people. Many English words have entered into people’s conversation, probably originated in LA through satellites. Factories produce and sell through propaganda (with the aid of satellite) fast food, processed food, canned food. Everything is written in English as well as Farsi, even religious slogans on banners, by the government (sometimes with wrong spelling or grammar). Freeway and highway are translated and used for the same purposes. So many new banks are opened in Iran, such as other private companies that used to be government institutions once, thanks to privatization policy of the government. Therefore, whoever has more money can accomplish ones business. On the other hand, people are conscious and generally educated of the system. They know their enemy and they are kind to their friends. They assist their friends and try to accomplish. Men’s beard and women’s burqa are rare these days! Basij and Gasht are not found in the streets any longer, due to governments weak standing and fear. Number of parks has increased and people use them often. Some large government institutions provide many facilities for their employees. Although historical buildings and sites are not valued, new buildings and improved structures are supported by the government. Most importantly, bargaining in the market is outdated!