Ali Mostofi - Iranian Astrologer and Current Affairs Commentator.

It is really weird, but if you are in an area, where there are a lot of Iranians, we all argue and avoid each other. We automatically label each other, and don't even try to have eye contact.

Now the opposite is true, if you are in a place where there are no Iranians. "Eh shoma Irani hasteen?" It's lovely.

Madness. Why do we have to be this way? We have to be detached, and lonely to appreciate Iran. I have been at both extremes all my life, and I am an extrovert. So going up to people and talking is easy. But the feelings for Iranians is a special feeling. It never goes.

We have a common loyalty to Iran. It permeates through all boundaries. You can get all hooded up, and carry the Koran, but as soon as I hear you wispering something in Persian, I will interrupt, "shoma Irani hasteed?"  Love it.

So religion, politics, class, fashion have no power. Stand up comedians point to redicule Iranians, but we love it. Only in the written word do politicians manage to divide us.

And that is the core problem. We Iranians are divided along the written word. We are not divided when we meet. Do I really need to elaborate? Just go to any comments page in iranian.com, and read the anonymous posts.

Now get those anonymous people outside on their own, and we would have so much in common. It's lovely.

We all have a common loyalty to Iran. Our loyalty is the love for Iran, that is more powerful than political and religious words.

It was just a simple thought. But it is indistructable.