Iran Good?

Crossing the border to Iran at Astara was hassle free. Not so much for Anna, who had initial difficulties with her Hijab, regarding Islamic dress code for women. Her clothes need to be loose fitting so as not to reveal any body shape. Further she must wear a headscarf at all times in public. The border officials somehow forgot to let us know about the recently introduced petrol rationings in Iran. We found this out only when we nearly run out before reaching Tehran. Therefore we are constrained to buy petrol on the black market at 500% extra, however still 0.5 $ per litre.

The Iranian government is not very popular at the moment (nevertheless Iranians themselves have always been extremely friendly). Over here it’s interesting to notice that the Iranian government official rhetoric is diametrically opposite to much heard American. ˝That carnivorous wolf is not of the type to enter negotiations. Isn’t America the axis of evil? Wasn’t refusing to talk to America a principle of the blessed Ayatollah Homeini?˝

The walls of the former US embassy are still home to some famous propaganda graffiti reflecting Islamic government stance against the US. Around there a young man approached us and started talking to us. He said he likes America very much, especially John Wayne and beautiful Marilyn Monroe. Moments later an old man approached us and started to talk in Farsi. He told a young man to ask us if we could kill George W. Bush. He walked away when we told him we don’t like American politics eighter.