Tehran Calling

With the lightening of sanctions, the veil on Iran has been lifted. It has revealed a dazzling kaleidoscope of culture and heritage that both surprises and challenges the many recent misconceptions of this ancient land, with its complex mosaic of history that spans at least seven thousand years of civilization.

The multi-layered diversity of Iran is witnessed in the daily cacophony of trade in the colourful bazaars, on the streets of her cities, and in the detailed handicraft and local customs of her many varying regions. Yet it is experienced most acutely in her architecture; from the ancient stone villages such as that found in Palangan in Kurdistan to the mosques of Isphahan and the Towers of Silence in Yazd. Travels in Iran are a continual reminder that despite the everencroaching threat of the modern world, Iran has managed to preserve its rich cultural heritage and is home to some of the world’s oldest civilizations.

Being the second-largest country in the Middle East, Iran has long been of geostrategic importance because of the centrality of its location in Eurasia and Western Asia and its proximity to the Strait of Hormuz. It is the only country that has both the Caspian and Indian Ocean as its coastline. Its position, between East and West, has ensured a fusion of cultures and exchange of information that has spread along its trade routes since the formation of the earliest civilizations. It was Cyrus the Great who founded the first postal services in around 540 BC and built the first roads of the silk route. He created an administrative infrastructure, which allowed the dynasties and civilizations that came after to flourish, and encouraged an influx of knowledge about the latest technological advancements from both East and West, the results of which are reflected in Iran’s architectural genius. Iran’s rich cultural legacy is, in particular, demonstrated by its 19 UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Architecture

There is so much to see, from visiting villages carved into rock such as those in Meymand, or the exquisite courtyards of the Qajar mansions in Kashan, just south of Tehran’s sprawling metropolis, or the Oasis city of Yazd whose sophistication in engineering transformed a desert plateau into a labyrinthine mud brick city full of underground courtyards and gardens. It was Iran’s architecture that delighted writers such as Robert Byron, and whose domes inspired later Renaissance architecture.

Geography

Iran’s rich diversity, however, is not just captured in her architecture but also in her astounding biodiversity. Iran is one of the world’s most mountainous countries and, with the exception of the coastal regions of the Caspian Sea and Khuxestan Province, its landscape is dominated by rugged mountain ranges that separate the various basins or plateaux from each other. The northern part of Iran is covered by dense jungle and rain forests while the eastern part consists mostly of salt marshes and the great desert basins, such as the Dasht-e Lut in the east, one of the driest and hottest places on the planet. Dasht-e Kavir, Iran’s largest desert, lies across the central and northern regions of the country. There are therefore a multitude of ways to explore Iran, whether on skis in the Albroz mountains, snorkelling in the sensational waters of the southern islands or simply walking through the deserts and exploring the amazing natural desert landforms, the yardangs, on foot or from the back of a camel.

Flora and Fauna

Due to its geographic location there is a huge range of flora and fauna preserved in the country’s numerous conservation areas, including bears, gazelles, wild pigs, wolves, jackal, panthers and the Eurasian lynx. Storks, eagles and falcons are also native to Iran, as is the famous but critically endangered Asiatic cheetah, also known as the Iranian cheetah, whose numbers were greatly reduced after the 1979 Revolution. Sadly, Iran has lost all its Asiatic lions and its Caspian tigers were extinct by the early part of the 20th century. It is said, however, that more than 2,000 plant species are grown in Iran and that the land covered by Iran’s natural flora is four times that of Europe’s.

On the plateau areas, scrub oak appears on the mountain slopes, and villagers cultivate orchards and plant plane trees, poplar, willow, walnut, beech, maple and mulberry. Wild plants and shrubs spring up from the barren land in March and April, covering the land in a tapestry of colour, providing rich pasturage to the nomadic herders before the summer sun burns them away. About 10% of Iran is forested, from the temperate broadleaf forests in the Caspian regions in the north to the wild pistachio forests in the west, the oak forests of the central and western districts and the floating mangrove forests along the southern coast. Nature lovers can visit these whilst travelling to the different areas and cities of Iran.

Cultures

The sheer diversity of the geographic climate naturally gave rise to a rich mix of cultures and cultural practices, as local communities adapted to the needs and requirements of their particular environments. Today, Twelver Shia Islam is the official state religion, but other nonMuslim religious minorities include Christians, Jews, Bahais, Mandeans, Yezidis, Yarsanis and Zoroastrians. There are over 16 ethnicities in Iran, with an equal number of languages spoken, and strong local regional identities remain intact. This is expressed most evidently in their traditional dress, handcrafts, music and outstanding cuisine. There is no better way to experience such a variety of traditional cultures and peoples than by sharing in the many local, seasonal festivals, but above all in the warmth of the family home. Iranians are world-famous for their hospitality and this is where the delicately fused multidimensional regional recipes are best tasted and shared.

Conclusion

Despite sanctions and isolationism, Iran is emerging into the modern age as a strong, elegant and defiant country. She is setting her own pace with her many traditional identities and customs still intact. Her well-educated youth are tech-savvy and fuse the modern with the traditional, most evidently in their film, music and art, showing how easily they are able to digest the contemporary, whilst fusing it into their own rich historical framework.