Niki Karimi at Stanford University

Born in 1971 in Tehran, Niki Karimi is the most famous, internationally acclaimed Actress and filmmaker in Iran. She began her work as an actress with films such as "Sara" by Dariush Mehrjouii, which she won best actress award at "San Sebastian" film festival and in "Nantes film festival in 1992. After that she worked in more than 25 films which brought her awards both nationally and internationally such as awards at "Taormina film festival" in Italy, "Cairo film festival" in Egypt and "Fajr film festival" in Tehran, 
and Best Actress awards at Iranian film Society. In 2001, she started film making by making a documentary about infertility named "To have or not to have" which was the beginning of her career as a filmmaker. In 2004 she made her first feature film "One night" which was shown at "Uncertain regards" at Cannes film festival. After that (One night) has been shown in numerous international film festivals . In 2006, she made her second feature film "A few days later" which premiered at "Rome film festival".

By: Unknown On 6:48 PM

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Mall in Tehran

A visit to any shopping area in Iran's cities and towns is enough to discover that the country is a shopper's paradise. Here are a few things which could make great gifts for friends and family and are unique to the bazaars of Iran.
If you thought dry fruits simply meant almonds, pistachios and dates then the wide variety of salted and unsalted dry fruits on offer in every bazaar in the country will tell you there's a lot more to be discovered.
Salted nuts are something Iranians constantly snack on and it could be anything from melon seeds to nuts of every shape and size that are really beyond one's imagination. An assortment of these Persian goodies with a few savories makes a good present to bring back for family and friends from a holiday in Iran.

Saffron is another precious gift that is welcome in anyone's kitchen. The best quality saffron is available in attractive packages and is not really hard to find in most Persian bazaars. The Islamic dress code in Iran makes trench coats and scarves a "must have" for most women visiting Iran. Buying these for use within the country is something you would have to do but they could also make great gifts for your family and friends.
A mind boggling range of trench coats in new styles according to season means that you could get feather weight to woolens and everything in between to go well with a pair of jeans or trousers. Dress it up with colorful scarves in a variety of fabrics. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ap5JZ1WPcE

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Basiji Desk

he Basij is a paramilitary volunteer militia established in 1979 by order of the Islamic Revolution's leader Ayatollah Khomeini. The original organization comprised the civilian volunteers whom the Ayatollah Khomeini urged to fight in the Iran–Iraq war. The force consists of young Iranians who have volunteered, often in exchange for official benefits. Currently Basij serve as an auxiliary force engaged in activities such as internal security as well as law enforcement auxiliary, the providing of social service, organizing of public religious ceremonies, and policing of morals and the suppression of dissident gatherings. Basij is the name of the force; a basiji is an individual member.
The Basij are set up as subordinate to, receiving their orders from, the Iranian Revolutionary Guards and the current Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei to whom they are known for their loyalty. They have also been described as "a loosely allied group of organizations" including "many groups controlled by local clerics." They have a local organization in almost every city in Iran. As of October 2009 Mohammad Reza Naqdi was the commander of the Basij. The force has often been present and reacting against the widespread protests which occurred immediately after the 2009 Iranian presidential election and in the months following

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Difference Turkish Persian Hammam

Before you can decide whether you hate or love going to a Turkish bath or hamam, you need to experience it at least once. If it’s your first visit to a hamam, entering a Turkish bath can be a daunting experience. By describing my last visit to the Çemberlitaş Hamamı, you will get a nice impression of the Turkish bath process and customs, so you know what to expect.
Regardless of the service you choose, you are allowed to use the facilities for as long as you wish. I picked the traditional style service, was handed a carton box containing a new scrubber and led into the camekan — a splendid entrance hall with several stories of wooden cubicles.
Men usually completely strip down and wear nothing underneath the bath-wrap. Make sure you remain clothed with the bath wrap at all times — flashing is frowned upon. Women on the other hand mostly keep on wearing their underwear ( but often not their bra) underneath the bath-wrap. The choice is yours.
So I undressed, donned the peştemal and slipped into the sandals. Afterwards I locked the door, took the key together with the scrubber and went back downstairs where my masseur led me through the soğukluk (the cooling down room) into the hararet (the hot room).

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Lab

A girl in Tehran is kissing a statue!

Iran is a country with a dress code and respecting Islamic rules including “Hijab” or the Islamic dress-code is a necessity in Iran. However such rules are not observed strictly, especially for tourists and foreigners. 

Basically, the rules are quite simple: for men, no short pants or extreme short sleeve and tight shirts. For women, head and hair must be covered, and it is also necessary to wear something loose to cover the body.

Most people are shocked by the way people dress in Iran once they arrive, as the reality is far from the stereotypes. Iranian women are typically stylish and take great care  in their appearance. It is not uncommon to see hair exposed under very small loose fitting scarves. Many Iranian women wear jeans or related clothes with a loose fitting long sleeve top which covers them down to the mid thigh area. It is also common to see makeup and varnished nails.

Yes, Iran is a country with dress code. However, very few people know that the typical stereotype of all Iranian women being forced to wear black chadors whilst in public is completely false.

Currently in Iran, the Islamic dress code is still observed all over the country. The code calls for women to cover their hair, necks and arms. Modern women in Iran today, wear a "manteau" or overcoat, similar to a uniform. The overcoats have long sleeves and usually come below the knee, and a scarf or shawl is used to cover the hair. This can be worn by folding the two opposite corners of a scarf to get a triangle and tying the scarf around your head. Trousers or dark stockings are worn under the overcoat.

By: Unknown On 3:00 PM

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Bee asab tarin maghazedar dar iran

I developed a serious liking for this Iranian fruit snack, and sampled many flavours and types during my trip.

Lavashak is made by cooking, then pulping fruit - either just one type or as a mix of fruits. The puree is then spread thinly on greased trays, and left to cool then set.

My first Lavashak hit was a commercially produced 7 fruits variety, which had me hooked, with its contrast of sweet and slightly sour taste. 

Majid had bought this packet from a roadside stall on the Rasht - Qazvin road. We spent the rest of the journey tearing off strips of the dark red fruit paste and chewing happily. During my trip, we bought more packets to eat while driving along
In Masuleh, I was pleased to find a man selling tubs of home made lavashak, he offered me a piece to try. This was even better - it was more moist than the commercial variety. 
I managed to limit myself to just one tub!

On my last night in Iran, my guide (Majid 2) had invited me to eat with his family, I left with a sheet of homemade lavashak, that one of their friends made! This was quite a bit tougher, but it lasted longer .

I was hoping to stock up with packets of Lavashak at the airport, to take home for presents for friends - OK, for myself!!!! Sadly, I didn't see any. 

Think I'm going to have to find a stockist on t'internet to keep me going 'til I visit Iran again!

By: Unknown On 1:16 AM

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