1 PERSPECTIVE Iranian Students` Cultural Organization Published

PERSPECTIVE
Iranian Students’ Cultural Organization
Published Since 1995
University of California, Berkeley
Fall 2015
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1
a letter from the editors
Dear Reader,
I
t is with pride in our hearts
and chai in our stomachs that
we present to you the Fall
2015 issue of Perspective Magazine. We hope that you enjoy it as
much as we’ve enjoyed creating
it for you.
Our mission at Perspective Magazine is to provide an
outlet for dialogue pertaining to
Iranian cultural matters here in
the United States. We strive to be
apolitical and areligious in order
to focus solely on preserving our
rich heritage and the ongoing
conversations of our people.
For several years, we
thought that being apolitical
meant leaving out any men-tion
of political matters from our
magazine. However, as both our
writers and readers have pointed
out time and again, to ignore the
effect of politics on the Iranian
people is to ignore a huge element of their lives. It felt like
we were silencing an aspect of
the Iranian-American narrative,
rather than providing an inclusive environment. We have come
to the conclusion, then, that
being apolitical does not mean
being free from politics. It means
covering the issues we write
about from all angles and providing our readers with the information they need to reach their own
conclusions.
Throughout this issue,
you will see references to the
nuclear deal reached between Iran
and the P5+1, the policies of the Islamic Republic, and the politically
tinged experiences of Iranians living in the United States. By speaking about such topics, we seek not
to be controversial, but rather to
provide a complete picture of what
it means to be Iranian-American.
Our focus this semester, then, is
on the humanity of Iranian-Americans, hence our decision to use a
photograph taken by Humans of
New York photographer Brandon
Stanton during his time in Iran for
our front cover.
We are truly appreciative
of the hard work each of our staff
members has put into making this
semester’s issue possible and of
the support we have received from
our community. We hope that Perspective Magazine will continue
to provide a voice for the Iranian-American community for years
to come.
If you are interested in getting involved with the publication,
please send an e-mail to [email protected]. We accept
applications for new contributors
at the beginning of each semester
and always welcome donations
and advertisements.
Warm regards,
Nikta Daijavad and Sawhel Maali
Co-Editors-in-Chief
|Co-Editors-in-Chief| Sawhel Maali; Nikta Daijavad
|Assistant Editor-in-Chief| Nima Shajarian
|Layout Editor| Elizabeth Wu
|Staff Writers| Nikki Bayar; Kayvon Deldar; Vida Seyedkazemi; Saalar Aghili;
Shayaun Nejad; Saunon Malekshahi; Marian Haidarali; Neeka Mahdavi
|Copy Editor| Paniz Amirnasiri; Heather Dadashi; Sara Mahjoub;
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Negin Shahiar; Leila Zarifi (Not Pictured); Roya Azarkeyvan (Not Pictured)
Table of Contents
1.
2.
3.
4.
Letter from the Editors, 2
Humans of New York: Iran, 4-5
Iranian: Some Other Race?, 6-7
The P5+1 Deal: Reviving Iran’s Civil Aviation Industry, 8-9
5. Facing History Among Three Generations, 10-11
6. Tehran from Above, 12-13
7. The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly: Sentiments Be
hind the #IranDeal, 14-15
ting in Your Shekam, 17
19
8. Fesenjoon? Akh Joon!, 16
9. American vs. Persian Bodies: What You’re Put
10.The Hidden World of Dating: Iran Edition, 18
11. One Thousand and One Hairs: The Persian Dilemma,
12.The Modern State of Iranian Scientific Policy, 20
13.The Problem of Plastic Surgery in Iran, 21
14.“The Language of the Spirit”: Iran’s Music Industry Today, 22-23
15.Is Iran Relevant?, 24-25
16.Profiling the Traditional Instruments of Iran, 26-27
Equality Center, 28-29
17.Lending a Helping Hand: A Spotlight on the Pars 18.Living Proof, 30-31
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Courtesy of Brandon Stanton
Humans of New York: Iran
F
lipping through photographer
Brandon Stanton’s collection
of photos from his first visit to
Iran, I am reminded of the significance of this photo series when it first
filled my newsfeed back in 2012. At the
time, descriptions of Iran were clouded by political unrest between the
American and Iranian governments.
And while the world was becoming all
too familiar with pictures of religious
fanatics and anti-Western extremists,
Stanton was unknowingly embarking
on a journey that would re-shape our
notions of Iran in a span of just a few
short days.
Originally a bond trader in
Chicago, Stanton transitioned into
photography in late 2010. While it was
unclear even to himself what his plans
for the future were, Stanton knew he
wanted to capture the lives of ordinary
people as they went about the their
daily routines. His adventure began
in the streets of New York, where he
would often stop unsuspecting strang-
By SAWHEL MAALI
ers, snap a couple of photographs,
and later post them on his Facebook
page and blog, Humans of New York
(HONY). Yet, Stanton was far from
becoming a household name. He was
just another struggling artist, trying to
find his calling in the million and one
experiences of everyday New Yorkers.
However, Stanton’s luck would soon
change upon taking HONY to his first
international destination: Iran.
Stanton’s time in Iran
spanned two weeks, across a host
of Iranian cities like Tehran, Rasht,
Tabriz, Anzali, and Chalus. He soon
returned to America with hundreds
of photographs and more positive
feelings toward the Iranian people.
At one point, Stanton even expressed
that “Americans are especially loved”
by Iranians – a fact that many around
the world found surprising despite it
being a shared observation by those
who visit Iran.1
Social media acted as a
powerful catalyst for Stanton’s first
international series in Iran. Liked,
shared, and re-tweeted, Stanton’s
posts were contagious. Photos of
beautiful women adorned in colorful
headscarves, couples taking strolls
against the majestic backdrops of the
northern mountains, and older men
enmeshed in games of backgammon
in the middle of Tehran’s bazaars
streamed throughout my Facebook
newsfeed. While media coverage was
scarce, Stanton’s work managed to
make its way around the worldwide
web and offered an image of Iran that
was largely muffled, if not absent. For
the first time, someone conveyed a
view of Iran that actually felt human—
we weren’t seeing the political clerics
in their misguided diatribes, or images
of unwieldy crowds in the midst of
their awkward death chants against
the West. Rather, we were seeing the
purely and genuinely normal side of
Iran. Nothing exaggerated, filtered, or
even staged. Just beautiful landscapes,
vivid colors, and people in love. All in
[1] Stanton, Brandon. “On Travel to Iran.” Humans of New York, December 23, 2012. Accessed November 14, 2015. http://www.humansofnewyork.com/post/38682208638/on-travel-to-iran-the-us-government-has-a.
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all, it was the totally mundane, but the
totally refreshing…it was just Iran.
The photo series provided the
first step in paving the way for human reciprocity between the Iranian
people and the world. Despite such
a feat, Stanton achieved even more
during his second journey to Iran. It
is at this juncture where he evolved
from photographer to an international
Iranian woman describing her optimism for the future despite the current regime. These interviews touched
upon the various subcultures throughout Iran as well as the intense and
wide-ranging grievances that weighed
heavily on the people. One photo even
went so far as to peak the interest of
our own American president. In a picture taken in Tabriz, a father describes
current political attitudes by bringing
light to a human moment that clearly
transcended cultural barriers.
Over the years, Humans of
New York has succeeded as a vehicle
for cultural awareness and human understanding. Stanton’s photo-stories
have reflected dreams, loss, hardship,
love, and, most importantly, hope.
He has illustrated that these feelings
his proud moment after realizing he
was raising a “humanitarian,” a recognition that occurred after seeing his
son give away two pounds of apricots
to those in need on their walk home.
In response, President Barack Obama
commented “What an inspirational
story” and how he hoped to continue
doing whatever he could “to make
this world a place where [the boy] and
every young person like him can live
up to their full potential.”
This interaction between the
President and the photograph ultimately captured the attention of the
media. Many saw this as a message
from the President, reaffirming his
commitment to improve relationships
between Iran and America, especially
within the context of the Iran nuclear
negotiations. It proved to be a timely
reminder amidst rising negative attitudes surrounding the deal. In effect,
Stanton contributed to reframing
are not unique to any person, culture,
or country, but are instead shared by
all humans—a concept that seems to
resonate with every HONY follower
based on the flood of commentaries
that follows each of Stanton’s posts.
Seeing the positive impact his trip had
in 2012, Stanton continues to undertake many brave journeys around the
world and expose realities that are
often not accessible. Most recently,
he helped raise money to end bonded
brick labor in India and also spent a
few weeks in the Middle East and Europe highlighting the current refugee
crisis.
In a world that now shelters
seven billion people, Stanton provides
a tangible forum where our differences
and distances seem more and more
obsolete. We are all human, and Stanton has succeeded in offering a place
where despite it all, we can indeed feel
a little bit closer.
Courtesy of Brandon Stanton
photojournalist.
Once again, Stanton instilled
much excitement in the public when
he temporarily rebranded his Facebook page as “Humans of Iran” earlier
this year. He followed this with an announcement stating that he planned
to return to Iran as the country “held
a special place in his heart.”2 Armed
with years of experience and a more
refined presentation of the human
narrative, Stanton returned to Iran to
“do a better job at telling the stories of
ordinary Iranians.”
While his second photo series
elicited much of the same beauty as
his initial trip to Iran, this time Stanton paired each photograph with an
interview. These stories went beyond
the physical aesthetic and also captured the soul of the nation, whether
it was moving moments between
Iranian mothers and their daughters,
a husband sharing the intimate loss of
his now-deceased wife, or a modern
[2] Dolsten, Josefin. “Humans of New York Heads to Iran for Second Time.” Times of Israel, August 19, 2015. Accessed November 14, 2015. http://www.timesofisrael.com/humans-of-new-york-heads-to-iran-for-second-time/.
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Iranian: Some Other Race?
By NEEKA MAHDAVI
Courtesy of Metalocus
T
he most confusing part of
the standardized tests I took
during my childhood was
filling out that pesky race bubble.
Even now, I struggle with it every
time I fill out a form or survey asking about my race. I always check
“white” since the bubble is usually
followed with an explanation
saying people of Middle Eastern and North African descent
are included in this category.
But it never feels quite right.
At Berkeley, I constantly hear
about People of Color (POC). Yet,
where do I fall when I’m technically considered “white,” but didn’t
experience an upbringing typical
of the white experience. Instead, I
grew up with the fear that people
would tease me for my dark, thick
unruly hair or the leftover ghormeh
sabzi I’d bring to school instead of
the more traditional PB&J. I spent
those early years hoping no one
would notice the Farsi class I’d
attend, which often followed my
typical Saturday afternoon soccer
games. Then came the constant
headlines featuring Iran--a reality that appeared to transform my
country of heritage into a threat for
my current home.
A lot of my personal confusion about my race stems from the
word “Aryan.” Many people know
Iran means “land of the Aryans.”
these rulers, the word was used
to boast noble status. However,
the rise of nationalism in Europe
during the 19th century gave rise
to the idea of Germans as Aryans.
For the Germans, Aryanism was a
racial concept linked to blood and
biology. The Nazis published texts
about the different characteristics of “superior” and “inferior”
races.2 Aryanism has become a
system of thought that divides
mankind into different “races,”
deeming the Aryan race “superior” to others.3 It seems that over
the years, the history of this term
has become convoluted and has,
as a result, influenced the views of
Iranians and their true race.
The true history of Aryanism begs the question of why
Iranians are considered white on
official documentation. The classification of Iranians and other people of Middle Eastern descent as
white came about at the beginning
of the 20th century as a result of
the stigma around the label “Asian.”
In 1909, a policeman in Venice,
“A lot of my personal
confusion about my
race stems from the
word “Aryan.”
A ruler of Persia in the third century B.C. described his empire as
Iranshahr and himself as shahanshah of Iran, or “king of kings”
of Iran. The meaning of the word
Aryan is uncertain, but possible
definitions include “the pure, the
noble, or those of good birth”.1 The
word was solely cultural and was
never rooted in racial ideology.
Darius, the Achaemenid King of
Kings described himself as “Aryan
son of an Aryan.” As we see from
[1] Daniel, Elton L. “The Land and People of Iran.” The History of Iran. ABC-CLIO, 2012. 1-2. Print.
[2] Taheri, Amir. “Iran and Germany: A 100-Year Old Love Affair.” Gatestone Institute. Gatestone Institute, 31 July 2014. Web. 23 Oct. 2015.
[3] Zia-Ebrahimi, Reza. “Iranian Identity, the ‘Aryan Race,’ and Jake Gyllenhaal.” PBS. PBS, 6 Aug. 2010. Accessed October 23, 2015.
[4] “Dept. of Justice Affirms Arab Race in 1909.” The Arab American Historical Foundation Home. The Arab American Historical Foundation Home. Accessed October 23, 2015.
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California named George Shishim, arrested the son of
a prominent lawyer for disturbing the peace. The arrested man claimed Shishim had no right to arrest him
because Shishim couldn’t be considered an American
citizen since he was not of the “white” race. Born in
Lebanon, Shishim was considered of Chinese-Mongolian ancestry and therefore, ineligible for citizenship.
A leader in his community wrote to many universities asking them for the ethnological background of
Lebanese-Syrian and Arab ancestry and received the
answer “from the white race.” The judge in Shishim’s
case ruled that he was eligible for citizenship and that
the Lebanese and Syrians belong to the “white race.”4
Today, the census states that someone who is white is
“a person having origins in any of the original peoples
of Europe, the Middle East, or North Africa.”5 What
grew out of an effort to move away from an improper
classification might have moved these groups towards
another faulty category.
As a Berkeley student involved in social justice
clubs and organizations, I was introduced to the term
“Person of Color” during my first years at Berkeley. A
Person of Color (POC) is a phrase that has arisen as a
contrast to the “white” identity and the racial privileges that come with it. It’s a phrase that has grown from
the political struggle against ethnic and racial discrimination in the United States. The term doesn’t suggest
that all experiences are the same for people of color,
but instead expresses the need for solidarity.6 I know
many Iranians who have faced struggles that many
people belonging to the “white” identity do not experience.
Akram Khater, director of the Khayrallah
Program for Lebanese-American Studies at North
Carolina State University states, “’White’ is a madeup category, ‘black’ is a made-up category. Categories
shift over time. [Race] is part of this American reality
and it’s how people are negotiating their ethnic identities. Those who are Arab and Iranian American are
starting to construct this community called MENA
that is as real or as false as everything else in this
country.”7 In 2010, there was a campaign to get the
MENA population to check some other race rather
than the all-encompassing “white.” Stand-up comedian Maz Jobrani was involved with this campaign
and produced a YouTube video asking Iranian Americans to join the movement. However, the campaign
wasn’t entirely successful. Why fight this fight? Those
who identify as MENA find that being classified as
“white” prohibits them from taking advantage of the
benefits of minority status including local, state, and
federal programs that boost minority-owned businesses by awarding them government contracts. More
importantly, however, if race really is just a made-up
category, then why not just identify with the people
of our heritage? Why not have an accurate count of
the Iranians in our country? Why not be proud of our
heritage, our people, and our land of the noble people,
instead of hiding behind what we perceive to be a wall
of superiority? While we might like the idea behind
the privileges of a “white” identity, we are not truly
offered those privileges. We, like many other cultural
and ethnic groups, are still perceived as “the other.”
We still live the narrative of the minority. It is time we
harness our identities as “some other race” and change
that into “Iranian.”
[5] Census. United States Census Bureau. Accessed October 23, 2015.
[6] Shams, Alex. “Are Iranians People of Color? Persian, Muslim, and Model Minority Race Politics.” Ajam Media Collective. Ajam Media Collective, December 3, 2013. Accessed October 23, 2015.
[7] Wiltz, Teresa. “Counting Americans of Middle Eastern, North African Descent.” The Pew Charitable Trusts. The Pew Charitable Trusts, August 13, 2014. Accessed October 23, 2015.
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The P5+1 Deal:
Reviving Iran’s Civil Aviation Industry
By SAUNON MALEKSHAHI
J
uly 14, 2015 marked
one of the most important events in contemporary Iranian history. The Vienna talks held
between the P5+1 group
and Iran were brought
to a closure, yielding the
first concrete solution to
an issue concerning the
world for the past three
decades. Following years
of misunderstanding,
animosity, and strained
relations, Iran and the
West reached a ground- Courtesy of World Air Routes brought about by the P5+1 deal,
however, there is one that has been
breaking deal aimed at ensuring the
particularly
under-discussed: the imcountry’s nuclear program would be
employed for peaceful purposes. From pact on Iran’s civil aviation industry.
More than simply a means
sparking heated discussions between
of
transportation,
civil aviation is an
Democrats and Republicans in the
imperative element in culturally and
U.S., to unprecedented interest on
commercially linking countries with
behalf of investors for doing business
one another. Enabling the rapid movein Iran, to euphoric week-long celement of goods and services around
brations in the Islamic Republic, the
the world, it is satisfying the ever-innuclear deal received international
creasing demand for trade. As a result,
attention for weeks.
commercial aviation has significantly
The prospect of the agreegrown since its inception during the
ment, however, bore a much heavier
beginning of the 20th century and
and heartfelt significance for the near
has become an important factor in
seventy-seven million living in Iran.
stabilizing the integrity of a country’s
It would be the first time in nearly
economy.
four decades that sanctions would be
In recent years Iran’s civil
relieved and Iran’s doors would be
aviation
industry has significantly
opened to the world – a reality foreign
faltered due to the presence of overto the country since 1979. The deal
whelming international pressure
has become the symbol of increased
prosperity for many Iranians, who are placed in response to the nation’s
nuclear and political ambitions.
looking forward to more affordable
Following the hostage crisis and
medicine, public services, consumer
goods, and employment opportunities. termination of diplomatic relations
Foreign markets will be able to interact between the U.S. and Iran, a series of
trade sanctions were imposed on the
with Iran, broadening opportunities
country, beginning with the freezing
for economic growth and foreign
of Iranian government assets in the
investment. Of the myriad effects
[1] Josh Levs, “A summary of sanctions against Iran,” http://www.cnn.com, (January 23, 2012).
[2] Ali Dadpay, “A Review of Iranian Aviation Industry: Victim of Sanctions or Creation of Mismanagement?” http://iraneconomy.csames.illinois.edu.
[3] “Iran plane crash near Tehran kills 38,” http://www.bbc.com, (August 10, 2014).
[4] Ali Dadpay, “A Review of Iranian Aviation Industry: Victim of Sanctions or Creation of Mismanagement?” http://iraneconomy.csames.illinois.edu.
PERSPECTIVE 8
United States and U.S. banks
amounting to $12 billion.1
This eventually expanded
into a full trade embargo
which, although lifted in
1981, was reinstituted in
1987, banning the importation of all Iranian goods and
services. These, in addition to other multilaterally
imposed sanctions on behalf
of the European Union and
United Nations, severely shriveled the country’s
economy and consequently
took a heavy toll on the nation’s aviation industry.
The trade embargoes have
greatly impacted Iranian air carriers. Sanctions prohibiting the sale
of commercial goods to the country
have hindered airlines from obtaining
access to spare parts and new aircraft. The country’s fleet of outdated
Russian and American-produced
aircraft coupled with restricted access
to replacements, has led to a dramatic rise in aerial incidents caused by
mechanical failures. A report compiled
by Ali Dadpay, assistant professor of
Economics at Clayton State University, documents a list of aerial catastrophes that occurred in Iran between
1992 and 2010; the report found a total
of 23 incidents that resulted in 1351
fatalities.2 Likewise, in recent years
there have been a number of other
reported incidents, most notably the
accident of a small passenger plane in
Tehran in August of 2014 that claimed
the lives of nearly 38 individuals after
malfunctioning mid-flight.3 These
jarring occurrences represent a grave
human rights concern as the sanctions
have not only denied the country a
Pictured: a Mahan Air Airbus A310. Iran purchased several second-hand aircrafts of similar variants during the 1990s to help revamp its aging fleet.
Courtesy of Reuters
dignified civil transportation system,
but more importantly have claimed
the lives of innocent civilians.
Moreover, under the trade
embargo Iranian air carriers were
obliged to discontinue service to a
wide variety of international destinations, most prominently the Tehran-New York City route operated
by Iran Air prior to the Islamic Revolution. Following the ratification of
the embargo, U.S. carriers gradually
removed themselves from the country
and were eventually joined by European lines, which significantly made air
travel to and from Iran less accessible.
Time-lining the effect, the annual
domestic air travel growth rate plummeted from a whopping 40% in 1985
to less than 5% in 2010.4 Along with
the transport of passengers, air freight
transportation likewise plummeted
and considerably reduced commerce
between neighboring countries.
Iran’s civil aviation along
with other sectors of the country have
severely suffered under international
pressure. It is evident how citizens and
civilians have become the victims of
multilaterally imposed sanctions and
why the P5+1 plays such a pivotal role
in bringing about the urgent reforms
Iran’s civil aviation industry has long
been deprived of.
The effects of the nuclear
deal, officially dubbed the JCPOA
(Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action),
trail back to November 2013 when the
preliminary agreement was struck
between Iran and the P5+1. Under the
interim deal the first phase of sanction-lifting occurred, and held promise
as corporations slowly reintroduced
themselves into the Iranian market.
During this time period, Boeing conducted its first business transaction
with Iran Air, providing its first batch
of parts to the airline during the third
quarter of 2014.5
In addition, the Iranian government recently explored the possibilities of resuming direct flights with
the U.S., another development that
has emerged from the nuclear agreement. Akbar Torkan, one of Hassan
Rouhani’s senior presidential advisors,
was quoted saying, “The President
issued an order to study how it would
be possible to establish direct flights
between Iran and the United States to
resolve the transportation problems
of Iranians residing in the US,” after
Rouhani met with Iranian expatriates
during his stay in New York for the
68th Session of the U.N. General Assembly.6 During late July of this year,
just weeks after the P5+1 deal was
reached, caretaker of Iran’s Civil Aviation Organization (CAO) Mohammad
Khodakarami announced the country
[5] “Boeing sells first parts to Iran since 1979,” http://www.aljazeera.com, (October 22, 2014).
[6] “Airplane diplomacy: Iran ‘to study’ possibility of direct flights to US,” http://www.rt.com, (September 30, 2013).
[7] “Iran says planes ready for US flights,” http://www.presstv.com, (July 28, 2015).
[8] Robert Wall et al “Executives Welcome Potential Customer Iran to Paris Air Show,” http://www.wsj.com, (June 17, 2015).
was prepared to carry out long-haul
flight operations.7
Moreover, Iran’s gradual recovery from the sanctions has captivated the interest of many aerospace
giants. Visiting the Paris Air Show
earlier in June of this year was Iranian Transportation Minister Abbas
Akhoundi, who unveiled plans for the
purchase of nearly 400 aircraft, yielding a deal worth at least $20 billion.8
The implementation of the JCPOA
coupled with Iran’s resolute intentions
of acquiring aircraft have attracted
clients such as Airbus Group SE and
Boeing to the table, who have likewise
expressed great interest in reshaping
the country’s civil aircraft fleet.
The recent developments made due
to the nuclear deal have thus far
been promising, although significant room for improvement remains.
With the adoption of the JCPOA by
nation-states, Iran and its aviation
industry have been set on a positive
course with the plans to expand routes
and acquire new aircraft. Should the
deal ultimately be followed through
with, we will observe a nation emerge
to embrace its role as an active, global
trader, leading to the greater prosperity of the Iranian people and a redefined image of Iran.
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9
Facing
History Among
Three
Generations
By SAALAR AGHILI
Courtesy Gladstone Gallery
page 12
A
s an Iranian born and raised in the States, I
take every opportunity available to immerse
myself in my heritage through film festivals,
holiday events, and exhibitions. Since traveling to the
motherland requires a great dedication of time as well
as an expensive airline ticket, I find that I don’t get to
travel to Iran as much as I’d like to. Thus, these sporadic trips to Iran leave the curiosity of a first-generation Iranian-American unfulfilled and with a desire to
pursue alternative forms of cultural education.
With this in mind, I began my summer before
college exploring the arts of Iran in the context of the
Iranian diaspora. As one might expect from a traditional Iranian family, who are commonly known to
travel in herds, I spent most of my exploration in the
company of the rest of my family. Our Iranian-American herd is made up of three generations; each one
came with a multitude of perspectives shaped by their
unique upbringings. Effectively, viewing Shirin Neshat’s art exhibition, Facing History, in such a diverse
group led to a wide range of reactions and takeaways
from palatable to trite.
Neshat’s work is influenced by the time periods she spent between Iran and the U.S. She came
over to the States before the Iranian Revolution of
1979, when Iran was still an imperial kingdom of
Westernization. After some time, she received both
her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from UC Berkeley. Not until the ‘90’s did Neshat return to her homeland to see a transformed, war-torn country. Such
an experience became the cornerstone to her exhibit
Facing History, which was on display at the Hirshhorn
Museum in Washington, D.C this past summer. Her
trilogy emphasized three stages of political unrest in
Iran during modern times. Starting with Mossadegh’s
western-backed coup d’état in 1953, then going to the
Iranian Revolution of 1979, and ending with the Green
Revolution of 2009, each aspect of her trilogy correlated with the three generations of my family.
Throughout the exhibit, Neshat utilized multimedia in a conceptual manner to represent adversity and chaos among Iranians. In order to set the
melancholic mood, her conceptualism plays in with
dramatizing her short films into a split screen (usually
to delineate gender consciousness), while her photographs make numerous allusions to contemporary
poems written by female Iranian poets like Forough
Farrokhzad in Neshat’s series of Women of Allah. In
addition, Neshat’s series, The Book of Kings, uses Ferdowsi’s epic poem, the Shahnameh, as a foundation of
symbolism for conflict.
When leaving the museum, my sister, cousins,
and I were discussing Neshat’s unique works of art
that moved all of us to appreciate her fusion of traditional Iranian culture with avant-garde multimedia.
By depicting visual scenes of the Shahnameh as a
tattoo on photographs of men in The Book of Kings,
the artist reveals layers of history that correlate a relationship between the folklore stories of our mythical
kings with the struggles faced by people today. Neshat
also uses the chador, or a large cloth garment worn
by Muslim women, and firearms as a coupled motif
in her series of Women of Allah to surface the wave
of Islamization and political disorder that occurred
together.
Each aspect of her trilogy had its own unique
style, yet all of Neshat’s work came from a common
denominator of adversity and injustice among Iranian
society. My mother and uncle understood her message and respected her peculiar artistic methods while
relating her art to the rest of Iranian art’s new wave of
allegoric, contemporary style. Like Neshat, my mother
and uncle left Iran at a young age before the Revolution and came back to an Iran that had endured eight
years of destructive war. When the artist returns to
a completely changed country, she experiences an
internal struggle of identity. This was not the country
she was born and raised in. How can one connect with
their homeland when it’s not the place they used to
call home?
On the other hand, my grandparents left the
exhibit dazed and confused. What they took away
from the exhibit was that she just recycled historical
photos, made meaningless short films, and adulterated Iranian tradition with unconventional art techniques. Was it the fact that my grandparents lived her
trilogy and didn’t need a dramatic, unorthodox depiction of it to understand the horror Iran went through?
My grandparents do not appreciate the mixture of
contemporary ideals with traditional concepts; they
see it as a breach of culture while our youthful generation sees it as embracing our heritage in a new, unfound manner.
Facing History molds our viewpoints, affiliations, and identity. Like the title of her exhibit, Neshat
signifies the historical events she faced in life as a
framework for who she’s become today. Her message
is delineated through my experience at the exhibit;
each generation’s interpretation was seen through a
perspective fastened by historical experiences.
films, and adulterated Iranian tradition with unconventional art techniques. Was it the fact that
page 13
Alborz, Iran
Tehran from Above
PERSPECTIVE 12
By VIDA SEYEDKAZEMI
S
tanding 900 feet above the
ground, I tower over hundreds of trees underneath,
above a traffic-filled highway. Out
in the distance, I catch a glimpse
of the Alborz mountains, their tips
barely visible in the sheer darkness of the night. Laughter and
careless chatter echoes from the
crowds surrounding me. I look
down in admiration at a city full
of rich history, vibrant culture,
bold fashion, and ancient traditions. A city I have heard stories of
throughout my childhood, the city
my blood traces to, and the place I
can explore the Iranian part of my
Iranian-American identity. Tehran,
you’ve grown so grand.
Within the past couple of
years, new iconic attractions and
flourishing places of recreation
have developed within Tehran. As
a city with a growing population of
roughly 8.3 million people, these
new landmarks not only draw in
visitors from Tehran, but also nearby cities and tourists worldwide.
These developments provide a
source of entertainment for families, help boost the city’s economy,
and draw international attention to
Iran.
Pol-e Tabiat is a 270 meter
pedestrian bridge, completed in
2014, that connects two big parks
in the northern district of TehranAbo Atash Park and Taleghani
Park. This bridge is the largest pedestrian overpass built in Iran, and
it has drawn visitors and tourists
from various parts of Iran and all
over the world. Quite deservedly,
Pol-e Tabiat has already won three
awards in Iran and an international award from Architizer, A New
York-based architectural organization. The bridge features three levels: a lower level for cafes, a level
for running, walking, and jogging,
and an upper level for viewing the
scenery of the Alborz mountains,
the Modarres Highway, and the
trees and landscape that surround
the bridge. I could not help but
notice the vibrant atmosphere for
a Tuesday evening, where families
with their small children were just
beginning to come to the park at 10
PM, couples were enjoying the private retreat, and groups of friends
of girls and guys were laughing,
singing, and teasing into the night.
Another new attraction,
Nahjolbalaghe Park, located in
the Farahzad valley, is a uniquely
designed park with over 86 acres,
approximately 1 and a half kilometers long, 55 meters in height,
and a slope of 10-35 degrees along
the park. Once the site of a river,
this newly transformed park features various sloped and spiraling
pathways surrounded by different types of landscaping, flowers,
bushes, and gardens. Waterfalls,
wooden canopies, benches, and
picnic areas are located along long
and wide pathways that are placed
in between two sloped hills full of
designed gardens and beautifully
arranged landscaping. The park
offers its visitors rental bikes, exercise equipment, and playgrounds
for children.
Located in the northwest of
Tehran, Chitgar Lake features an
artificial lake that is connected to
the north of Chitgar Park. According to Tehran Municipality, Chitgar Lake draws in about 30,000
visitors a day. The lake offers
paddle-boats for rent and one can
enjoy a ride glazing over the water
while absorbing the lively atmosphere in the park and viewing the
aquarium life in the water. One
can take a stroll around the lake,
eat at one of its many fast food
options, or visit its exuberant game
arcade. The park features lighted
fountains, gardens, and various
sculptures. Scattered around the
outside of Chitgar Lake are amusement rides, such as roller coasters,
a haunted house, bumper car rides,
and a parachute landing slide.
Small children, teenagers, and even
adults seem to equally enjoy the
attractions the park has to offer. A
personal favorite was the “Cinama
Shishbodi,” translated as 6-Dimensional Cinema. I have never felt
so much a part of a movie; for the
short 5 minute 3D film sprayed
water and air, unexpectedly moved
the seat the viewer was sitting on,
and created an environment as if
the viewer was a part of the movie.
On some nights, the park features
an outdoor concert where a singer
performs and provides live entertainment.
Coming back to the States
and sharing my experiences with
friends and family, I found it
difficult to provide an analogy for
the new landmarks I had visited.
Every time I attempted to compare
it in an attraction in America, I
realized no place is able to encompass the same feelings and sense
of culture embodied within the
places I had visited. Sipping on my
refreshing ab talebee (Cantaloupe
Smoothie) that evening on Pol-e
Tabiat, I remember trying to take
in as much of my surroundings
as I could, knowing I would never
experience the same feeling anywhere else in the world. Having
traveled to countries in Europe, the
Middle East, and North and South
America, no other place gave me
the same pride of being in a city
full of energy, culture, and excitement; in a society filled with a mix
of modern ideologies and ancient
traditions; and among people who
are full of compassion, sincerity,
and love.
PERSPECTIVE 13
The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly
Sentiments Behind the #IranDeal
By MARIAN HAIDARALI
“
With Ahmadinejad we gained
20% enrichment, and we celebrated. With Rouhani, we lost
20% enrichment, and we celebrated. We just like to celebrate!!”1
In lieu of any event, Iranians are
quick to come up with witty jokes
that circulate like wildfire through
social media; texts like these ran
rampant after the preliminary P5+1
nuclear deal agreements. While
the streets flooded with charismatic supporters chanting “Long
Live Javad Zarif,” some households
up 97% of its enriched uranium
stockpile, reduce enrichment itself
to 3.6% (for nuclear weapon grade
uranium 90% enrichment is necessary, while for medical research
grade uranium 20% enrichment is
necessary), give up fifteen thousand centrifuges, and remain
subject to intrusive inspections
in return for relief from economic
sanctions.2 Most importantly, the
breakout timeline, or the length of
time before Iran can develop nuclear weapons, increased from two
influence, Iran has garnered a
lot of national pride amongst its
population. Since 2003, Iran has
sat at the table with major world
players to establish a seemingly
mutually beneficial agreement. Although the joy of some Iranians
is evident by the comprehensive
media coverage, the citizens who
oppose the deal, mainly those who
are pro-regime, have not received
the same amount of attention.
Outbursts in social media covered
much of the merriment, including
months to a year, gives the international community time to respond
if Iran does not follow up with the
agreement.
As one of the only countries in the Middle East to not
immediately succumb to Western
sentiments much like those from
Ghasem Kashani, a nineteen year
old college student who exclaims,
“Iran defeated the world! We are
the champions.” 3 Given the need
for international compliance of the
deal, media tends to focus more
Courtesy of Kuwait Times
remained doubtful of the deal’s
impact, claiming it succumbed too
much power to the West.
After negotiating for twelve
years, the P5+1 countries and Iran
finally reached an agreement.
Among other terms, Iran must give
[1] Abolfazli, Maryam. “What My Pro Regime Family Thinks of the Nuclear Deal.” The Gaurdian. N.p., 27 July 2015. Web. 5 Nov. 2015.
[2] Vox.
[3] Karimi, Nasser. “Tehran Is Erupting in Celebration over the Iran Nuclear Deal.” Business Insider. Business Insider, Inc, 14 July 2015. Web. 15 Nov. 2015.
[4] Abolfazli, Maryam. “What My Pro Regime Family Thinks of the Nuclear Deal.” The Gaurdian. N.p., 27 July 2015. Web. 5 Nov. 201.
PERSPECTIVE 14
Courtesy of AP
on comments like Kashani’s and
ignore the less favorable opinions.
Media plays a key role in shifting public sentiment, so with the
current political conditions their
motive behind this portrayal of the
deal seems to be garnering public
support.
While mass media continues to present the positive
American and Iranian sentiments
behind the deal, Iranian distrust
of the United States still persists.4
Some Iranians, mainly those of the
pro-regime demographic, remain
doubtful that the United States will
keep its promises.5 Moreover, some
think that the nuclear deal is a way
for the United States to interfere
with Iran’s internal and regional
affairs.6 These lesser known opinions remain a point of contention
of the Iranian population. With a
population of nearly eighty-two
million, Iran houses a wide range
of opinions regarding both the current Islamic regime and the #IranDeal.7 Those who lack the desire or
the means to post their opinions
on social media tend to get left
out of the image that portrays the
general attitude of the public, with
the younger and more tech savvy
generation overshadowing their
perspective.
Response to the nuclear
deal remains divided not just for
Iranians and Americans, but the
international community as well.
With the exception of Israel, the
deal warranted mostly positive
reactions, with over 70,000 live
tweets worldwide. UC Berkeley
Senior Lecturer for the Near Eastern and Ethnic Studies Department, Hatem Bazian, referenced
the agreements as a “breakthrough
in international diplomacy,” which
points to “a hopeful outcome for
a region that has become accus-
[5] Ibid.
[6] Ibid.
[7] Central Intelligence Agency. Central Intelligence Agency, n.d. Web. 12 Nov. 2015.
[8] Bazian, Hatem. “Netanyahu’s Congress and Iran’s Nuclear Deal.” Daily Sabah Columns. Daily Sabah, 19 July 2015. Web. 25 Oct. 2015.
[9] “Pew: Iran Deal Now Supported by … Just 21% of Americans.” Hot Air. PEW Research Center, 09 Sept. 2015. Web. 25 Oct. 2015.
tomed to disappointment and
chaos”.8
According to a Pew Research poll, American public
opinion remains divided, with a
21% approval rating, 45% disapproval, and 22% indifference.9 With
the clear stance of the American
public, it would be interesting to
see a similar poll of the Iranian
public. Regardless of public opinion, with recent approval from
the United States Congress and
the Iranian Parliament, the deal is
bound to move forward. According
to a tweet by Hassan Rouhani, the
president of the Islamic Republic, the #IranDeal is the victory of
diplomacy and mutual respect over
the outdated paradigm of exclusion
and coercion. And this is a good
beginning.
PERSPECTIVE 15
Fesenjoon? Akh Joon!
By LEILA ZARIFI
I
f you ask anyone what their favorite Persian dish is, the likelihood that their answer is fesenjoon, is quite high. Perhaps
the most beloved of all Persian stews, fesenjoon has been a trademark of Iranian cuisine for centuries. It is cooked
at most Iranian weddings and special occasions. The dish originated in Gilan1, a province in the north of Iran where
ducks are plentiful. Fesenjoon began as a way to incorporate duck into a dish2; however, chicken has become the more
common poultry in recipes. Fesenjoon is known for its tart and sour flavors, with just the right hint of sweetness. It incorporates fresh dill, caramelized onions, saffron, walnuts, and of course pomegranate, which is treasured in Persian culture.
There are many variations in recipes for fesenjoon. Although most recipes are generally similar for the dish, Iranian cuisine is especially unique in that the technique one uses really correlates to the flavor of the finished product.3 I have
provided my great-grandmother’s recipe of fesenjoon, which she continues to cook today at ninety-five years old.
Fesenjoon is a flavorful Persian dish that can be enjoyed across generations, while connecting individuals to a taste of Iranian heritage and culture. Nooshe jan!
Fesenjoon (Pomegranate Walnut Stew)
Active Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1½ hours
Serves: 4
I
N
G
R
E
D
I
E
N
T
S
.
1 tablespoon grape seed oil
2 pounds skinless chicken legs or breasts
2 teaspoons salt, plus more, to taste
2 yellow onions, finely diced
1 cup walnuts, coarsely ground
½ cup pomegranate molasses
2 cups chicken stock, vegetable stock, or water
1 cup peeled and grated red beets
Pomegranate seeds, for garnish
Fresh mint leaves, for garnish
1. Heat a large, deep skillet over medium-high
heat and add oil. Lightly season chicken with salt
and sear until well browned, 6-7 minutes per side,
then transfer to a plate.
2. In the same skillet, sauté onions over medium
heat for about 15 minutes, until lightly browned.
3. Add walnuts, pomegranate molasses and 2
teaspoons salt. Stir to coat the onions. Add stock
D and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and
O return chicken to stew. The stew must be cooked
. on a low temperature for all the taste to blend
together. Cover and cook 25 minutes. Stir in beets
and cook, uncovered, until stew is thick and beets
are tender, 15-20 minutes. Salt to taste.
4. Pull out chicken pieces with tongs and cut into
halves or thirds, if you like. Put a few pieces of
chicken on each plate, along with plenty of sauce.
Garnish with pomegranate seeds and mint.
In case you are a vegetarian, like myself, and
worried that you will not be able to indulge in this
amazing dish, you are in luck because there is
also a version of the recipe for you! All you need
to do is replace the poultry with mushrooms and/
or butternut squash for a delicious and nutritious
substitution.
W
H
A
T
T
O
Courtesy of Fesen.Joon
[1] Shafia, Louisa. “A Journey to Iran, by Way of the Kitchen.” WSJ. May 3, 2013. Accessed November 15, 2015.
[2] “Fesenjan.” IFood.tv. Accessed November 15, 2015. http://ifood.tv/asian/fesenjan/about.
[3] Mehran, Azita. “Fesenjoon-Pomegranate Walnut & Chicken Stew.” Fesenjoon - Pomegranate Walnut & Chicken Stew. December 13, 2009. Accessed November 15, 2015.
PERSPECTIVE 16
American vs. Persian Bodies:
What You’re Putting in Your Shekam
By NIKKI BAYAR
I
magine this: A large ovular plate of rice surrounded by multiple smaller plates and bowls filled with
different vegetable stews, yogurt, and torshi, an assortment of pickled vegetables.
What you’re picturing is a typical Persian dinner. Persians love rice. In fact, we eat it on a daily basis for either lunch or dinner, and sometimes even both. We like to couple our carbs with protein so we
typically also eat either beef, chicken, or fish with our meals. These proteins are normally mixed with
cooked vegetables in a thick stew-like mixture called khoresh. One common side dish is mast-o-khiar,
a mixture of yogurt made with cucumber, dill weed, and other spices as well as torshi.
Now picture a typical American dinner. This would most likely include either a pasta with a
thick cream-based sauce, take-out pizza, or maybe grilled burgers slathered with fat filled mayonnaise,
ketchup infused with corn syrup, or the semi-healthy seed based mustard.
Do you notice anything significantly different between typical dinners of Persians versus Americans? Americans love processed foods. Nothing sounds better to Americans than eating a much too
oily pizza coupled with
a nice refreshing Coca
Cola, and maybe even
some Lays chips on the
side. Unlike
Persians culturally
Americans, do not
cessed foods. They
believe in pro-enjoy
own meals with paleo
cooking their
buy daily at the bazaar.
ingredients that they
$4.99 for a burger fifty
They don’t like to pay
cent discount for soda
combo that gives you a
instead of the (still
buying an extra large
soda.
much too large) small
between eating and not
These effects
can be very clearly
eating processed foods
between body shapes
seen in the difference
icans. I’m not claiming
of Persians and Amerwell-proportioned;
that all Persians are
however, I don’t remember ever seeing an obese Persian during any of my trips to Iran. To be quite
frank, Persian women do often have muffin tops, meaning they have some excess layers of fat around
their midsection. Similarly, most men do have what looks to be a small beer belly that they likely get
from their wives forcing them to eat more than is necessary of the meal that they spent all day preparing. Unlike Persians who typically only gain weight around their midsection, Americans tend to gain
weight all throughout their body. I have seen many Americans who not only have larger than normal
midsections, but also an unhealthy amount of excess fat under their chin, on their arms, and between
their thighs. The claim that America is the fattest country in the world is not far off from the truth. In
fact, according to WebMD, a third of Americans today are considered obese – a dramatic increase
from 20% in the 1980s.
Granted that one possible explanation for the difference in body types is genes, the much more
plausible explanation lies in the consumption of processed foods. Processed foods are not easily metabolized by our bodies, and even when they are metabolized, these foods contain very few nutrients.
Of course, much of this article is based on well known generalizations of both the Iranian and
American diet and ultimately do not apply to everyone.
“a third of Americans
today are considered
obese – a dramatic
in-crease from 20% in
the 1980s”
PERSPECTIVE 17
By SARA MAHJOUB
D
ating can be hard, but it’s even
harder when you are living in
Iran. Because Iran is an Islamic
Republic, it is actually forbidden by
law to informally date when you’re not
married. When you label something
as “forbidden”, it becomes even more
desirable, as you might guess. This
past summer, I traveled to Shiraz for
four weeks and spent almost my entire
trip spending time with my cousins
who happened to be young males continuously trying to find a loved one
to spend their lives with. As someone
who grew up in Los Angeles, I’ve never been repressed by Islamic laws and
almost nothing has been forbidden for
me.
I truly had never seen anything like what I experienced in Shiraz
this summer. When I would ask my
male cousins what dating is like/how
the dating scene is, they would chuckle and claim that I thought they had
never even spoken to a girl. This is actually the popular opinion back home
in Los Angeles, since many assume
the teenagers of Iran are given no
liberties or are locked in their homes.
All I needed was one stroll
at “Darvaze Ghoran” or one of the
numerous “Baghs,” hotspots for teens
to play backgammon while smoking
hookah, to realize I was greatly mistaken. Because Iranian youth are so
subjected to multiple laws and need to
be wary of guards while going out with
the opposite sex, they go to extremes
Courtesy of Independent UK
to compensate. I constantly looked
like a middle schooler compared to
most of the female population who
were completely dressed up from head
to toe, along with full makeup, adding
to their already existing beauty.
Almost anywhere I went was
stomping grounds for the dating pool.
Whether we visited a supermall, bazaar, or “souperie” equivalent to 7/11,
girls and boys were exchanging numbers, eager to gain another number in
their whatsapp contact list. I noticed
that dating has become incredibly
common in Iranian society despite patrolling by the moral guidance authorities who often check to ensure that
the man/woman you are walking with
is your relative.
With an increasing number
of cafés trying to resemble our version of Starbucks, meeting up with
friends or a date has become much
easier for young Iranians. Around
22% of marriages in Iran end up in
divorce, which has started to worry
officials and resulted in them launching a state-run Internet dating website
in hopes to solve this rising “issue.”
The plan for Iranian officials to play
“Cupid” was announced by Mahmoud
Golrazi, the deputy minister for Sports
and Youth Affairs, who stated that
he hoped this site would solve the
problem of marriage amongst young
people and create 100,000 marriages. The site is called www.hamsan.
teyban.net and is run by the Islamic
[1] Hattam, Nassim, “Iran: Internet dating website launched by State,” BBC, 28 May 2015, http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-32833363.
PERSPECTIVE 18
Development Organization, which is
under the supervision of the Supreme
Leader and promotes the Islamic lifestyle. Currently, it is only operational
in Tehran but they plan to expand it
to other bigger cities in Iran. Unlike
other dating websites in the U.S that
typically ask questions about hobbies,
music tastes, or food preferences, this
website focuses on parents’ occupation, marital status, age etc. What is
most interesting is the fact that the
users are unable to view other users’
profiles, while the web administrators
have complete control over matching
the compatible candidates.1
As Iran is continuously going
under major changes politically,
economically and socially, old customs are becoming more and more
lost. “Khastegari” is a custom in which
families of both girl and boy come
to meet each other for the first time
with or without knowing each other
before; this could be the first time the
girl and boy meet. This form of dating
is becoming less and less relevant, but
it continues to exist within religious
households and elsewhere. However, as the young population of Iran
increases and comes of age with the
internet, social media, and satellite
television, it has become an incredibly
hard task for the government to control what the population sees, hears,
and seeks, especially when it comes to
dating.
One Thousand and One Hairs:
The Persian Dilemma
By PANIZ AMIRNASIRI
Courtesy of Asia SI
E
yebrows furrowed and her innocent eyes looking up at mine, the
little girl whose summer school
program I am volunteering for asks,
“What’s that on your arms?” I look
down at each arm carefully, evaluating
the situation. Is she referring to a bug?
Thankfully, no. Is she referring to a
couple of freckles sprinkled here and
there? That doesn’t seem to be the case
either. Is she referring to my impressive muscle definition? Nope, don’t
have that. And that’s when I accept
the truth: she is referring to my arm
hair.
Persians are hairy (surprise!),
and, once upon a time, we embraced
it. Persian poetry and art praised the
abroue-peyvaste (unibrow), interpreting it as a symbol of beauty. Photos
of Qajar Dynasty ruler Nasir al-Din
Shah’s harem are a prime example,
showing women with thick, mighty
unibrows and even visible mustaches
posing confidently for the camera.1 Of
course, their mustaches couldn’t quite
compare to that of the shah himself,
who ruled from 1848 to 1896 with a
carefully groomed masterpiece of a
‘stache.2
Biologically, hair boasts a
number of benefits – a statement I
cherished whenever a child pointed
out my arm hair (yes, it happened
more than once). According to Professor of Cell Biology at the University
of Bradford Des Tobin, hair follicles,
which contain numerous stem cells
and are surrounded by blood vessels,
contribute to healing of the skin in
response to a wound.3 In addition
to assisting in the process of keeping the body cool by “facilitating the
sweat-cooling response,”4 body hair
serves as a means of keeping the body
warm: goosebumps cause body hair
to stand up, “expand[ing] the layer of
air that serves as insulation,” explains
George a Bubenik, a physiologist and
professor of zoology at the University
of Guelph.5 Finally, hair in the nose,
on the outside of the ear canal, and
on the face (eyelashes) plays a role in
keeping dust and other undesirable
particles out.
Science aside, however, the
aversion to body hair has become a
norm. Although the distaste for body
hair is more ardently emphasized in
relation to women, it certainly exists
in connection to men as well. And,
given the normative statement that
Persians are hairy, this is a problem.
But how did it arise? At the peril of an
onslaught of eye rolls, I was initially
hesitant to mention my (conspiracy) theory that the hair-hating was
heavily boosted by marketing and
advertising efforts in a consumerist
society. Given my (unfortunately)
extensive knowledge of the market for
hair removal (shaving, waxing, tweezing, threading, applying creams, using
lasers, and using epilators and other
electric tools), however, I decided to
do some digging. Before long, I discovered an interesting story regarding
the popularization of shaving armpit
hair in the US. In 1915, Harper’s Bazaar
introduced sleeveless dresses to the
world of fashion – and with a craving
for these dresses came a newfound,
unquestionably accepted rule: smooth,
silky armpits. It didn’t take long for the
marketing campaigns to ensue.6
More than anything, however, body hair as a taboo is a product
of arbitrarily crafted social norms
(though with some support from
the hair removal industry) that have
somehow chosen to define beauty in
a manner that excludes a biological
reality. Adding to the irrationality
of it all, while the hair on our arms,
legs, armpits, upper lips, fingers, toes,
chest, stomach, back, etc. makes us
undesirable, we receive many a compliment for thick, curly hair that has
never touched volumizing shampoo,
eyebrows that have never had to be
drawn in, and eyelashes that naturally
curl up to our lids. Whether you are
Persian and hairy, Persian and nonhairy (shout-out to the five of you
out there), non-Persian and hairy, or
non-Persian and non-hairy, let’s drop
the deeply rooted belief that hair is an
unsightly, undesirable atrocity. If you
love the feeling of silky smooth skin,
then, by all means, burn every single
hair follicle if you have to. But if ever
a little kid points at your hairy arms
as if he/she has discovered the most
bewildering of phenomena, explain to
them that some people just have more
hair on their body than others. And
that’s okay.
[1] “15 Real Photos of Iranian Shah and His Harem, Which Was Almost 100 Women.” Xubux. Accessed October 20, 2015.
[2] “Naser Al-Din Shah | Qajar Shah of Iran.” Encyclopedia Britannica. Accessed October 18, 2015
[3] Pilkington, Diana. “Why Being Hairy Can Be Good for You... Whether You’re a Man OR a Woman.” Daily Mail Online, April 21, 2015. Accessed October 18, 2015.
[4] Conger, Cristen. “Why Do Humans Have Body Hair?” HowStuffWorks, Nov 5, 2008. Accessed October 18, 2015.
[5] Bubenik, George “Why Do Humans Get ‘Goosebumps’ When They Are Cold, or under Other Circumstances?” Sci-American, Sept 1, 2003. Accessed October 19, 2015.
[6] Padden, Kathy. “The History of Shaving.” 2015.Today I Found Out, April 1, 2013. Accessed October 19, 2015.
PERSPECTIVE 19
The Modern State
of Iranian Scientific Policy
By SHAYAUN NEJAD
D
espite crippling sanctions for the past half decade, a massive brain drain, and a mere .12% GDP allocation towards scientific research (compared to the global average of 1.4%), Iran has boasted the fastest
growth rate of scientific output in the entire world.1,2 Using this statistic as a source of national motivation, the Iranian government has recently stated that it plans to completely prioritize and revamp Iran’s role in
scientific research even further. Iranian scientists along with the Iranian Academy of Medical Sciences and the
Academy of Sciences in Iran released 51,000 pages of documents and 224 scientific projects in a 15 year plan
that the country hopes to successfully implement.3 With strong government backing, the proposed budget of
scientific research is set to reach 2.5% of GDP in the next few years, which would put Iran in the top 10 countries by research and development spending. Furthermore, the plans indicate that by 2030 the Iranian government hopes that 4% of its GDP will be dedicated to research, putting it well in front of other countries.4
Currently, despite severe limitations on adequate
scientific instrumentation and funding, Iran has been a
research competitor in many different scientific arenas.
The biotechnology sector in Iran is growing at a rapid pace
and is one of the most advanced in the world with significant government funding. This has lead to Iran ranking 2nd
in the world of transplantation of stem cells as well as top
10 for general stem cell research. Additionally, Iran ranks
21st in biotechnology with around 4000 scientific articles
released each year.5
After being the first country to successfully
mass-produce the Scanning Tunneling Microscope, Iran
established itself as a top global contributor in nanotechnology, ranking 8th in the world in 2012.6 This is directly juxtaposed to the rankings before Iran’s 15 year STEM
plan was implemented (28th in 2007). 7
Also, in medical sciences Iran is poised to become 10th in global rankings, with over 400 medical research facilities and 76 medical magazine indexes available.7 Overall, the country ranks 17th in the world for
scientific research. 8
These achievements are only at the advent of this renewed sense of scientific revival in Iranian academia, and the Iranian government hopes that by making research a chief aim of the country, it can start to
achieve self-sustainment. Iran was a cradle and major contributor to science in earlier times, and in an attempt
to reestablish this sense of scientific innovation and curiosity, Iran’s scientists and government are ambitiously
focusing their resources on this goal.
“Iran has boasted
the fastest growth
rate of scientific
output in the entire
world.”
[1] Malekzadeh R, Mokri A, Azarmina P. Medical Science and Research in Iran. AMS-AC-IR. 2 August 2000. Retrieved 21 October 2015.
[2] Barre R. In UNESCO. World Science Report. Elsevier: UNESCO Publishing; 1998: 22.
[3] “Iran Unveils Comprehensive Scientific Plan.” Payvand.com. 4 January 2011. Retrieved 21 October 2015.
[4] “Iran and Global Scientific Collaboration in the 21st century.” Payvand.com. 29 March 2011. Retrieved 21 October 2015.
[5] Mahboudi F, Hamedifar H, Aghajani H. Medical Biotechnology Trends and Achievements in Iran. Avicenna Journal of Medical Biotechnology. 2012;4(4): 200-205.
[6] “Iran Ranks 15th In Nanotech Articles.” Bernama. 9 November 2009. Retrieved 21 October 2015.
[7] Alaghband-Rad J, Malekzadeh R, Mokri, A. A Comparison of R&D in a Few Countries of the World. Sharif. 1999:15, 25.
[8] Riahi A, Sohbatiha F, Zare A. Investigation into Growth of Iranian Journals in SCOPUS Database during 2000-2012. Collnet Journal of Scientometrics and Information Management. 2015; 9(1): 37-46.
PERSPECTIVE 20
The Problem of Plastic Surgery
in Iran
By NEGIN SHAHIAR
A
s I arrived in Tehran last summer, I was expecting to feel at
home in a sea of similarly
dark-featured individuals. To
some degree I did, but I was
plastic surgery.
Another political factor exacerbating recent plastic surgery trends
is Iran’s lack of political power in relation to the West. In Iran, Western pop
into wealthy families. Families sometimes resort to taking out bank loans
to pay for these operations.
Thus far, I’ve speculated on
the root cause of high plastic surgery
also, to my surprise, greeted by a segment of the Iranian population who
shared more physical traits with the
Americans I had left behind.
Throughout my six-week trip,
I interacted with many women and
some men who had undergone significant plastic surgery operations and
other physical modifications, ranging
from nose jobs, lip injections, and chin
restructuring to blonde-dyed hair and
blue-colored contact lenses.
In recent years, Iran’s obsession with beauty and plastic surgery
has captured international attention,
sparked by a report that Iran has the
highest rate of nose surgery in the
world. Speculating on the root of this
phenomena, I initially considered
Iranians’ general appreciation of aesthetics, grounded in the culture’s rich
artistic history. But the trend in beauty
and plastic surgery seems to reach
beyond that, and is likely the result of
multiple confounding factors.
In regard to political factors,
one possible cause is the restrictions
related to self-expression placed on
the population. Since women must
cover their bodies in long coats and
their hair with headscarves, the only
part of a woman’s body left unhidden
is her face. Women thus respond by
exaggerating the physical features
they can show. In searching for a
means to represent themselves in a
society that aims to keep them unseen, women reinvent their faces
through layers of makeup and
culture dominates. Its influence is evident via the music the country’s youth
listen to and the television shows they
watch. Around the world, youth often
look to celebrities for inspiration in
fashion and trends. Because the main
celebrities Iranian youth are exposed
to are Western, young people attempt
to look like them by dying their hair
blonde, wearing blue-colored contacts,
or reshaping their noses. In Tehran,
my cousin showed me the Instagram
of an Iranian teenage girl who had
become famous on social media for remodeling herself to look like Angelina
Jolie through plastic surgery.
Moving to social causes, the
spike in plastic surgery may be a result
of the sharply defined gender roles
Iranian cultural tradition dictates. In
some families, women are expected
to remain at home and care for the
household and children, while men
join the workforce to earn money.
Because women, then, are often restricted by social norms from attaining
a degree and working outside of the
home, their time and energy is put
into achieving beauty ideals.
Finally, in terms of economic
factors, Iran’s crippled economy and
widespread poverty have indirectly led to an obsession with physical
beauty. It has been reported that
some women from lower or middle
class families in Iran undergo plastic
surgery in the hopes of attracting men
from the upper classes. These women
hope to escape poverty by marrying
rates for women, but have
largely left men out of the
picture. It is important to note, however, that Iranian men are now believed
to “account for a third of cosmetic
surgeries in the country.” Why are men
also undergoing plastic surgery operations at increasingly high rates? They
are not restricted in the same manner
by dress rules, and it seems doubtful
that such a large portion of men wish
to marry into rich families by relying
on physical attractiveness. Maybe it’s
the culture’s love of aesthetics, again?
Or a desire to look like the handsome
white celebrities they see on popular
soap operas?
While the entire Iranian population has not been swept into the
plastic surgery craze, it is still a matter
worth looking into, particularly with
reports of a dangerous black market
industry emerging. An increasing
number of unlicensed practitioners
are appearing in the country and
performing plastic surgery operations,
sometimes leading to unanticipated
and undesired results. For now, it
remains to be seen whether the recent
sanctions lift and the potential for
an improved economy will have any
impact on beauty and plastic surgery
trends, and whether a growing illicit
industry will be cut off before the situation deteriorates further.
PERSPECTIVE 21
Courtesy of Zedbazi
“The Language of the Spirit”:
Iran’s Music Industry Today
M
usic is a crucial aspect
of Iran’s culture and has
always demonstrated the
resilient, vivacious spirit of its
people. While some modern music
speaks to notions of romance, love,
and merriment, other forms reflect
the frustration and pain of living
under the Islamic Republic. I would
like to focus my attention on the
pop and rap scenes in Iran, which
are highly popular among Iranian
youth, in discussing the ways they
came to be, how they have evolved,
and how they currently serve and
interact with society.
The onset of modern pop
music emerged with artists like
Vigen, who was known as the king
of Iranian pop and the “Sultan of
By HEATHER DADASHI
Jazz.” Other notable artists who
left their mark during the Golden
Age of Persian Pop in the 1970s
were Googoosh, Aref, Ebi, Haydeh,
and Dariush Eghbali.1 This era was
short-lived, however, due to the
Islamic Revolution in 1979. From
then on, pop music was banned because it was deemed as un-Islamic
and a symbol of the dictatorship of
Mohammad Reza Shah. Many pop
singers migrated to Los Angeles to
continue their art. They were both
welcomed by the people there and
incessantly criticized for their style.
Experts claim that this wave of
music was low on content because
the artists were not enthused to
produce quality music.
During the last few years,
[1] “Music of Iran.” Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 5 Oct. 2015. Web. 23 Oct. 2015.
[2] Zarghami, Mohammad. “Music of Iran: Pop Music in Iran.” Music of Iran: Pop Music in Iran. Iran Chamber Society, 2003. Web. 23 Oct. 2015.
[3] “Music of Iran.” Wikipedia.
[4] “Iranian Hip Hop.” Wikipedia. Wikipedia, 5 Oct. 2015. Web. 23 Oct. 2015.
PERSPECTIVE 22
there has been a shift from the
LA-imported music to domestically produced music after nearly
thirty years. This comeback served
as a milder version of the exiled
Iranian pop music with the intent
of not offending the system. It
was so successful that video and
audiocassettes imported from LA
experienced a 30% drop in sales,
while over 55% of people turned to
domestically-produced pop music.2
Rap music had a much
more delayed debut. It entered the
scene in the late 1980’s in Tehran
with the emergence of American
hip-hop artists such as Tupac
Shakur, NWA, and Eminem as well
as the introduction of satellite television. This form of music found a
“Music is the language of the spirit. It opens the secret
of life bringing peace, abolishing strife.” –Khalil Gibran
following mainly among the Iranian youth born after the Revolution,
initially due to its rhythmic beats
and lyrics.3 Eventually, rap began
to carry greater meaning for Iranians as it conveyed what life was
like in Iran as well as what they
wanted from the world.
Taking its name from the
city’s area code, the rap group 021
was one of the first hip hop groups
in Tehran, and was founded by
Souroush Lashkary, better known
by his stage name, Hichkas. He
employs elements of traditional
Persian music fused with hip-hop
in unique patriotic lyrical style,
referring to social issues while
omitting vulgar language. His first
album, Asphalt Jungle, was one
of the first Persian rap albums in
Iran and brought him a great deal
of fame. Yaser Bakhtiari or Yas is
one of the most popular rappers
in Iran as well as the first rapper
to receive the release license from
the Ministry of Ershad and to
be authorized to perform by the
government. He uses poetic imagery delivered through a fervent
flow to transmit inspiring verses
about his culture and people. The
hip-hop group Zedbazi arrived on
the scene in 2002 after a couple of
their songs circulated among their
friends. Soon, their music attracted
the attention of large audiences
across the country due to their
controversial lyrics, landing them
as one of the most popular groups
in Iran. They are the first group to
use explicit language in their music
and are also recognized for starting
a new movement in Iranian music
by lyrically attacking the Iranian
music industry in LA.4
Currently, the government
is breaking up and arresting musicians with music considered “deviant” from Islamic values.5 Some
artists feel they are compromising
their artistic expression by releasing their music. They want to perform their own music without restrictions or the need for approval.
One pop artist, Babak Riyahipour,
communicates, “The problem is
we have to sacrifice creativity in
order to get permission…What you
do is not really what you wanted
to do in the first place. It’s a compromise.”6 As a result, underground
acts have surfaced on the Internet
as well as in cafes across Tehran
to curb approval by the Ministry
of Culture.7 Usually the police will
turn a blind eye to what people do
in the privacy of their own homes.
Many people feel like they can
listen to whatever they want to in
private, as long as their neighbors
do not snitch on them. Instead of
rapping about the typical topics
of the genre such as sex, money,
and cars, many rappers express
their grievances with living under
a corrupt regime as well as criticize Iran’s social life.8 What seems
to be a healthy outlet for voicing
qualms regarding everyday life in
other countries does not appear to
be the case in Iran. Supposedly, the
government is issuing more album
licenses so that music can surface legally and make its way into
concerts. Hopefully we will witness a push for greater freedom of
expression in the artistic sector for
musicians and other Iranians alike
in the near future.
Courtesy of Raap
[5] Ferani, Leyla. “Why Iran Is Cracking down on Rap Music.” The Telegraph. Telegraph Media Group, 10 Nov. 2010. Web. 23 Oct. 2015.
[6] Asgari, Mohsen. “Iran’s Pop Music Revolution.” BBC News. BBC News, 1 Sept. 2011. Web. 23 Oct. 2015.
[7] Salemi, Vahid. “Iran’s Underground Music Scene.” CBS News. CBS Interactive. Web. 23 Oct. 2015.
[8] Ferani, Leyla. “Why Iran Is Cracking down on Rap Music.” The Telegraph. Telegraph Media Group, 10 Nov. 2010. Web. 23 Oct. 2015.
PERSPECTIVE 23
Can you point to Iran on
this map?
If you can, you're in the
minority.
PERSPECTIVE 24
Is Iran Relevant?
By KAYVON DELDAR
L
ast summer, a meeting between
an international coalition of
world powers led by the United States and Iran culminated in the
Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action,
a momentous agreement regarding
Iran’s nuclear capabilities. In return
for ceding most of its centrifuges and
allowing foreign nations to inspect
nuclear development, Iran will receive
a gradual lifting of the devastating
economic sanctions that have crippled
its economy in recent years. This deal
and the past negotiations have also
been heavily publicized throughout all
forms of social media, television news
networks, and the American political
arena. However, if you’re anything
like the average UC Berkeley student,
you’re probably not very well informed
about the situation.
At this point, as readers,
you’re most likely reassuring yourself
that you do not fall within this category and have most definitely heard
of the Iran nuclear deal. However,
according to the sample data I have
collected from UC Berkeley students,
most students appear to be either
completely unaware of these negotiations or lack a general understanding
of Iran.
Coming into this project, my
main objective was to get a sense
of the general student population’s
knowledge about the country of Iran.
Over the course of two days, I randomly selected seventy-six students,
primarily near Sproul and Dwinelle
Plaza, to partake in my six question survey. The first question was
to confirm if the students attended
UC Berkeley in order to ensure the
authenticity of my sample group. I
then proceeded to ask the next three
questions:
• On a scale of 1-10, how much would
you say that you know about the recent Iran nuclear deal or negotiations?
• On a scale of 1-10, how big of a
threat is Iran to the United States?
• Can you point to Iran on a map?
If the student’s answer to
question one was above a score of five,
I would follow with a fifth question
asking him or her to elaborate on any
pieces of knowledge they had regarding the nuclear deal. Lastly, I asked
each of the students to state what year
of college they were in. The reasoning
behind this question was to demonstrate in some way that the sample
of students that I had selected was
close to a random sample. Of the 76
students, 20 were freshmen, 18 were
sophomores, 24 were juniors, and 14
were seniors. Evidently, this is a pretty
even distribution of students by year.
Some of you readers might be
pondering whether 76 students out of
a school of 27,000 undergraduates is
too small of a number to make generalizations of the whole student body,
and that is a valid concern. All samples, regardless of how large its size,
have some inevitable error. However,
a sample of 76 students is sufficient
enough to make the inferences and
estimates that I will be presenting. The
error of my findings will be conveyed
through the standard error quantity.
Another issue a reader might have is
that the number of seniors surveyed
is low considering that seniors may
have a better grasp of worldly issues;
however, only three seniors claimed to
have a level five or higher understanding about the nuclear talks, and when
asked, none of them could articulate
an accurate description of the agreement or its implications. One even
claimed that the Muslim Brotherhood
was in Iran.
Now for the best part: let’s dig
into the numbers. Fair warning - the
following sections are heavy with
math and statistical jargon.
When asked how much they
knew about the nuclear negotiations,
the average response was a 3.01 with
a standard error of 0.27. However, this
mean value is skewed by a few very
high responses. In fact, 34 people, or
45% of the students, answered with a
“1” and to round it out, 13 more gave
either a “2” or “3,” meaning that in
total well over half of the sample knew
little to nothing about such a huge
global proceeding. Of the people who
answered with a “5” or higher, I then
asked them to describe whatever it
was they knew. However, 9 out of the
17 who were asked this question either
could not provide details or had misinterpreted the situation.
Conclusion: For a school that
seems to pride itself for its worldliness
and diversity, I was shocked to see the
amount of students who were oblivious about a major political situation.
My conclusion is two-pronged: either
Berkeley students are not as sociopolitically aware as they think or the
Iran nuclear situation is only relevant
and noteworthy to Iranians and others
who are affected by it.
When asked how big of a
threat Iran was to the United States,
the average response was a 3.18 with
a standard error of 0.24. The key point
here was that the majority of answers
were considerably low and once again
the graph had a heavy right skew.
With the exception of two “10”s, one
“9”, and eight “6”s, all other answers
were a 5 or below. The mode of this
data set is a “1,” which means that the
most popular response was a “1.” The
irony of the high responses here was
that the person who gave Iran a threat
level of “10” could not give any objective details of the nuclear negotiations.
Conclusion: If I were to have
asked this question to myself, I would
have answered with a “1”, and I was
pleasantly surprised to see that many
Berkeley students agreed with my sentiments. Maybe with the precedent of
diplomacy and the proof that Iran has
the capability of making reasonable
negotiations, students see Iran as less
of a nuclear threat.
I cannot tell you how many
students cringed when asked to point
to Iran on a map. To give context, I
used a world map zoomed into Asia,
Europe, and Africa that contained
country outlines. 23.7% of students
correctly located Iran with a standard error of 4.9% while most people
pointed to either Iraq or Afghanistan.
Nevertheless, it should be noted that
majority of students identified the correct region. Another noteworthy finding was that of the people claiming to
have a knowledge of at least 6 about
nuclear negotiations, 61.5% could not
identify Iran on a map.
Conclusion: This question
had by far the most surprising outcome. Iran is the 17th largest country
in the world by area and only second
in the Middle East to Saudi Arabia.
Not only is it a gigantic country, but it
is also very relevant in today’s world
and political scene, as seen through
the nuclear negotiations and the decades of conflict between the United
States and Iran. What is alarming
about this statistic is that in order to
be able to solve political or economic
issues of foreign nations, we must first
understand the culture and heritage of
the people. If we are unable to simply point to that country on the map,
then we have failed that prerequisite
remarkably.
So I ask: Is Iran relevant?
PERSPECTIVE 25
Courtesy of Duke Performances
P
Profiling the Traditional
Instruments of Iran
By NIMA SHAJARIAN
ersian sonati (traditional) music has proven to be an artform that unites older and younger generations. Its beauty
and artistry through the use of classical Persian instruments and poetry have become a staple of Iranian culture.
Sonati music, unlike popular American music, does not rely on a singer, even though Iran boasts some of the most
impressive voices in the world such as Ostad Shahram Nazeri and Ostad Mohammad Reza Shajarian who is one of NPR’s
50 Great Voices. The essence of sonati music starts with its many traditional instruments.
Tar:
Today’s tar consists of six strings
and two empty bowls covered by a
young sheep skin. However, long
ago this was not the design of the
traditional tar. This instrument was
once flat and had a much deeper
sound. It is said that the man who
designed today’s tar was walking by
a construction site in the morning
and heard a worker singing. His
magnificent voice impressed the
man so much that he came back in
the afternoon to enjoy his singing
once more. This time, however, the
worker’s voice wasn’t as sharp or
pleasant, and he was unable to hit
the high notes as he did before. The
man asked him what had happened
and the worker told him he had
eaten lunch and couldn’t sing on
a full stomach. The man then had
an epiphany and realized that to
PERSPECTIVE 26
make the tar sound more beautiful,
it had to have an “empty stomach.”
He gave the tar two empty bowls
and the sound resonated sharper, louder, and with better quality.
Today’s tar is mostly seen in Persian
sonati music but can also be seen in
Turkish music with a different style
and sound. The masters of the tar
include Jalil Shahnaz, Farhang Sharif, Lotfollah Majd, Mohammad Reza
Lotfi, and Hossein Alizadeh.
Setar:
The setar is very similar to the tar
insofar as it is a stringed instrument.
The two differ, however, in the
number of hollow bowls (the setar
only has one), as well as the number of strings. Setar means “three
strings” and the original setar did,
in fact, consist of only three. 60-70
years ago, however, one of the old
masters added another string and
created the style of setar we see
today consisting of four strings.
The pitch difference between setar
and tar is in large part due to the
fact that tar is played with a pick
while setar is played with the nail
of the index finger. Masters of the
setar include Ahmad Ebadi and Jalal
Zolfonun.
Tombak:
The tombak has come a long way
in recent history. Before Ostad
Hossein Tehrani, the tombak was
thought to be merely an instrument
used to keep rhythm. The tombak
was considered an outcast among
other instruments because of how
basic its function was. No one respected tombak players until Ostad
Tehrani revolutionized the instrument with his playing style. Today
the tombak is essential to sonati
music and is seen in every size of
ensemble. The tombak name comes from the two main sounds it produces. The “tom” is the base sound made
by the center of the drum and the “bak” comes from the higher pitched sound made when hitting the rim. It is a
goblet shaped drum made from wood with a skin usually from a cow or adult sheep (a young sheep skin isn’t thick
enough). Masters of the tombak include Naser Eftetah, Jahangir Malek, and, of course, Hossein Tehrani.
Ney:
Ney is the sonati hybrid of the flute and the recorder. Playing this instrument, however, is substantially more difficult than both. Ney is considered one of the hardest instruments to produce a good sound with. The instrument
is made of hollow reed (its direct translation in English is reed) and consists of six holes. It is the only wind instrument normally seen in sonati music. Masters include Hassan Kasaei, Mohammad Moosavi, and Hassan Nahid.
Kamancheh:
This instrument is a close equivalent to the violin except it’s played vertically like a cello. It consists of a bowl on
the bottom covered by young sheep skin and is played with a bow. Kamancheh originated from Iran but has many
variants in other countries such as China. Masters of Kamancheh include Ali-Asghar Bahari, Ali Akbar Shekarchi,
Kayhan Kalhor, and Ardeshir Kamkar.
Today’s sonati music is still evolving. Just as the tombak gained popularity, other instruments are making
their way into the traditional music scene as well. More ensembles are utilizing instruments such as piano and
violin. The instrument gaining the most traction in today’s sonati music, due to masters such as Bijan Kamkar, is
the daf, a Kurdish drum that many refer to as a frame drum.
Just as Iran has many different nationalities, it also boasts many different kinds of instruments from the
traditional sonati instruments described above to the lesser known ones used in the countryside in folk music.
And by looking at other nations, we can see the footprint of Iranian influence everywhere from the ud/barbat
seen in Arab orchestras to the harp, both of which are instruments that originated in Persia. As the next generation of sonati musicians such as Homayoun Shajarian and Hafez Nazeri come into their prime, the advancements
and progressions of the musical style are limitless.
Courtesy of Happy Net
PERSPECTIVE 27
Lending a Helping Hand:
A Spotlight on the Pars Equality Center
By NIKTA DAIJAVAD
F
or an Iranian immigrant
to the United States, life
can be a little overwhelming at first. Perhaps you’re still
trying to learn English while
navigating the bureaucratic
maze towards citizenship. Perhaps you’re looking for a job but
don’t know how to take the first
step. Or perhaps you just want
to meet other Iranians in your
community.
English as Second Language
(ESL) classes, computer training and employment resources,
and assistance navigating the
social and medical systems.
Their legal services, on the other
hand, include advisory assistance and workshops on topics
ranging from immigration law
to criminal law to sanctions law.
Pars’ legal department typically
does not represent individuals,
although the immigration team
The Pars Equality
does handle some filings and
Center is here to help. representation at low bono rates
or at times pro bono; it does,
Founded by philanthrohowever, point them in the right
pist Bita Daryabari in 2010, the
direction.
Pars Equality Center is a 501(c)
But the Center’s work
(3) non-profit organization based does not stop there. With an eye
in California that aims to protowards developing the Iranivide Iranian-Americans with the an-American community, Pars
resources they need to become
also offers a mentoring program,
fully integrated citizens of the
a youth grant geared towards
United States. The organization ensuring the academic success
has two locations: one in San
of the next generation, and the
Jose, and another in Los AngeSilver Club, a network for Irales. Pars is nonpolitical, nonpar- nian immigrants over the age of
tisan, and non-religious, serving 55.1
any and all Iranian-Americans
who seek its services.
Curious about the
The Center’s PerPars Equality Center’s
sian-speaking staff provides ex- work, I spoke to Nazy
tensive social and legal services, Fahimi, the Senior
with a particular emphasis on
Director of Pars’ Legal
the needs of refugees, asylees,
Department, to learn
and newcomers living in pover- about her experience.
ty. Their social services include
[1] “Pars at a Glance.” Pars Equality Center. http://www.parsequalitycenter.org/aboutpars/.
PERSPECTIVE 28
PM: In your own words,
how would you describe
the mission of the Pars
Equality Center?
Fahimi: Our mission is to ed-
ucate, empower, and provide
a path to self-sufficiency for
Persian-speaking families and in
particular for recent immigrants.
PM: Could you describe
what you do on a dayto-day basis?
Fahimi: I work within the legal
department. I wear multiple
hats: I handle in-house matters
that come up legally, for example, and I work with community
members, giving them advice
over the phone when they’re
further away or seeing them in
person at the San Jose center. I
also work with our other attorneys and our BIA [Board of Immigration Appeals] representative to oversee the work they’re
doing, to organize panels, and to
organize legal education events.
These events usually have to
deal with family law, tenant law,
etc. We also have an upcoming
event about sanctions at our LA
center, something that’s on everybody’s minds with the adoption of the nuclear deal. Because
we’re between the adoption and
implementation phases of the
deal, we want to let people know
what implications it will have
for them.
PM: Are there any particular cases you’ve
worked with that stand
out to you as being particularly memorable?
Fahimi: I worked with one
couple who had dealt with a fire
in their apartment and ended up being on the hook with
the insurance company of the
landlord for having started that
fire. They were new immigrants,
they were going to school, and
they didn’t have money. And
they were scared because they
owed thousands of dollars. We
don’t represent in court, but it
stands out because they were
so grateful that we worked with
them informally to settle the
matter. And it also stands out
because at first they didn’t know
who to trust, but we got them to
calm down to the point that they
made a good settlement decision.
PM: What’s your favorite
part of the work you do?
Fahimi: When I see people who
are truly appreciative and who
say that we really helped them,
even if their problems aren’t fully solved. A lot of times people
will say that they “would have
made a mistake” without our
help. To see that these people
are genuinely happy with the
advice they have been given is
my favorite part.
PM: What do you see in
the Pars Equality Center’s future?
Fahimi: I see definite expan-
sion, potentially to new center locations. The areas with
the most potential are Orange
County and Sacramento (so still
within California for now). But
I also see potential national expansion in the future. We’re also
working to expand various programs. We’ve added more immigration services to help people
with actual filings, for example,
and we’re adding to our youth
programs and general programming for the community.
Courtesy of Pars Equality Center
PERSPECTIVE 29
Living Proof
By ROYA AZARKEYVAN
Courtesy of Darius
I
was born and raised in California; I’ve lived here all my life. I’ve always borne curly
black hair, tan skin, thick black eyebrows, dark brown eyes, and a defined nose. I’ve
worn a large silver faravahar (a necklace symbolizing Zorastrianism) around my neck
ever since I can remember and I’ve always struggled with my identity. When people ask
me where are you from, what are you, or what’s your ethnicity – my answer is always
Persian, of course. From there, it’s either complete ignorance on the other person’s end
or a puzzling look followed by the question: “Don’t you mean you’re Iranian?” And then
other times it’s about the necklace, “What is that? What’s your religion? Zoro-what?” And
with a sigh, I prepare myself to give the 2-minute elevator speech on my religion that I’ve
PERSPECTIVE 30
committed to memory by this point. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t blame anyone for trying
to get to know me, but sometimes I wish I didn’t have to bear this burden of providing
extra information about my heritage. Sometimes I wish my identity could just be and
didn’t need a lengthy explanation treading behind it.
I think the problem contributes to the fact that sometimes Iran doesn’t get enough
attention – let alone the attention it deserves. I believe this country is harboring one of
the richest histories and cultures in the world, and yet, here in America, we barely hear
about the rich history and culture of Iran. Well, that was until talk of nuclear negotiations with Iran started circulating around the American capital. Suddenly, for better or
for worse, Iran was out there
for everyone to see. From the
news headlines, to the trending on Twitter and Facebook,
I couldn’t help but feel slightly euphoric because frankly,
whether it was good or bad
news, Iran was getting attention and, for me, that was
exhilarating.
As the ongoing negotiations headed closer and closer towards the deadline, I had
close friends, teachers, coworkers, and mentors all asking me about the deal, about Iran
itself, and my opinions in general. The people who I admired were now looking to me,
placing value on my opinions and sure enough, I was more than happy to share them.
But it didn’t take long for me to realize there was a lingering caveat to all this: my opinions as an Iranian-American were powerful, and they could do just as much harm as
good. Fast-forward to July 2015 and here we were, a solidified nuclear deal and a plethora
of political opinions to go with it. A nuclear deal between the U.S. and Iran has begun to
tie together the tethers of a relationship, but it is our responsibility as Iranian-Americans
to uphold it. Whether we like it or not, we will become the primary means of facilitating
a bridge between the cultural and political gaps by showing the two sides that there is a
place for integration. We have the opportunity, knowledge, and background to educate
the populace. If this relationship is going to be successful, we as Iranian-Americans have
to be there to show that there can be a peaceful coexistence between the Iranian identity
and the American one.
“a nuclear deal between
the U.S. and Iran has
begun to tie together the
tethers of a relationship”
PERSPECTIVE 31
PERSPECTIVE
PERSPECTIVE 32