Interesting stuff here. The Economist runs a web-diary from their correspondents around the world. This week it’s from Tehran (requires subscription):
One of the first stories written by every hack to arrive in Iran is about the coquettishly figure-hugging coats and loose headscarves worn by uptown girls to thwart Islamic regulations on public attire. We revel in the salacious details of their nose-jobs, dating habits, drug use, après-ski parties and weblogs.
“Why can’t people in the West see what Iran is really like?” said a young girl in extravagant make up and a vestigial vest top. “We’re the future.”
It is easy to see in these party-goers a rejection of the sterner side of the Iranian regime, embodied in the austere patrician face of Ayatollah Khomeini glowering from murals across Tehran. Reporters look at the statistics (around two-thirds of Iranians are under 30) and think the rebellious kids represent a younger, more open Iran seeking to throw off the strictures of its present leadership in a riot of fashion and fun.
That seemed to be the case in the late 1990s when a resurgent student movement helped propel a reformist, Muhammad Khatami, to the presidency. But as his movement sank into its political grave, we realised how small a proportion of Mr Khatami’s support came from its stylish middle-class poster-children.
I wish I’d had more time to write about my own experiences in Iran. Side-note: It’s incredible how much high-quality content you get from a subscription to The Economist!