Mashad, Tehran and Shiraz | Operation Iranian Freedom

First wanted to share three unpleasant experiences from my travel through Iran. They happened in three different Iranian cities of Mashad, Tehran and Shiraz during my 3 week old hitchhiking through Iran. Please read through the end of this travel blog however, because you might have a distorted picture of Iran after these initial stories. Iran is a country of extremes, which I'm trying to prove here.

First, I'm sure you're all aware of the so called "Religious Police" aka Iranian Moral Police controlled by the government of Iran and a derivative of the Islamic Revolution of Ayatollah Khomeini. I didn't realize how powerful they were. I was standing with Hosein - young Iranian who offered me lodging while passing throught the city. We're waiting for a girl whom I had been in touch with via email a while back. She was running late. So we're outside of the museum in Mashad when Hosain points to me 3 statues dressed in black and a military man interrogating a young woman who was earlier talking to a guy her age. Hosein explains to me the interrogators are from the religious police who's making sure rules of Islam are being respected. In this case it is forbidden for the unmarried couple to simply walk the streets together. Shocking. We've all heard about it but to experience it is a different story. I managed to snap the photos of the interrogation and what followed - couple being taken away separately by car and by motorbike.

Guess what, Fandoni is still late and only hours later she calls to tell us what we witnessed outside of the museum was her. Shocking x2!!

Similar type of incident - this time in Tehran, which I hear is more liberal than Mashad. Two woman being picked on by the moral police for not fully covering their face with the veil. Police approaches, moments of interrogation before one of the women starts opposing and behaving aggresively. She's hit by the policeman. The audience watching the incidents starts getting involved. One man kicks the police car which triggers immediate violence. I wasn't using flesh so pictures are of bad quality, but you can imagine.

I asked my Iranian travel companions how they feel about it and received unanimous response. Everybody opposes and hates them, but they're not willing to risk uprising or a revolution since the Iranian government is very strong.

Third incident happened to me and had to do with the fact that taking pictures of the Ayatollah Khomeini portraits or statues (and maybe even government buildings that all have those pics) are disallowed. Here is the photo I wanted to take in Shiraz of a public building. I was spotted by the police who took my camera and ordered me to follow them inside. When I try to take the camera back offering I will erase the photo, I'm approached by 4 security guards at the buildings. Three of them grab me and the 4th kicks me in the crotch with his knee. I exploded. Threatened the kicker with consequences. I'm being taken inside where some bearoucrat erases the photo and returns my camera. By then they know I'm a foreigner. When taken outside the guard who kicked me actually apologizes and offers that I take my revenge on him similar style. This completes this and all the unpleasant stories. I simply returned the next day and took the same photo that was erased the day before.

These happenings illustrate well, I hope, the situation in Iran nowadays. There are certainly things not to be liked - mostly those related to the government and its anti-American sentiment.

NOW, please don't judge Iran by it's cover. The moral police exists and the government is rough, however there are many positives to outweigh negatives here. First, the hospitality of the people. I'm always being asked that question - which nation is the most hospitable? I must put Iranians right after Pakistanis. Seriously, I couldn't spend a penny even if I tried hard - all my hosts simply wouldn't allow me to pay for anything. At every occasion I was invited to dine, rest or have tea with the households. Iranians also have great interest in the world and its people. I was also extremely impressed with the respect with which elderly are treated by Iranian youth. The beauty of the the Iranian people, their culture, cities' architecture can probably be better depicted through many pictures than through words. Please take a look yourself and if you have any questions, please email me.

Ludo