Unveiling Iran

From Matt Barr's Middle East adventure Unveiling Iran

… Given the extent of the misinformation (the word is not too melodramatic), it was difficult not to feel slightly, well, scared as we flew across Europe heading east. Indications that our fears were embarrassingly misplaced began the moment our plane touched down in Tehran, when Mahmood, our guide and soon to be lifelong friend, smilingly sorted out our visa hassles and laughed at our obvious discomfiture. With the extraordinary background of the Elburz Mountains towering over the city, dusted pink by the dawn sun and looking, as one of my companions pointed out, as if they'd been painted in by a whimsical set designer, we drove into the city and stopped at a traditional Iranian restaurant to eat the first of many, many kebabs. It was a Sunday, and the large family groups sipping tea were visibly tickled to have a group of British white boys in their midst. Within two minutes, a group of women wearing their hajibs at particularly rakish angles were posing for photos with us and asking us flirtatiously whether we'd met any Iranian women we'd like to marry…