Okay, so what is the first thing that comes to your mind when you see the name “Iran” (or as some of you might read it “eye-ran”)? You are most likely to be reminded of the “ayatollahs” (“This ayatollah thinks he's better than America!” Homer Simpson) or some other political matter targeting Iran.
I don't blame you for what you might have thought, because in today's media and society that is how Iran and cultures similar to Iran are presented, “they're just a bunch of know nothing Arabs”. First of all Iran is not an Arab country, it is Persian, which means they are Parsi or in other words Aryan, and yes Aryan, no we don't all have blonde hair and blue eyes, but my people were “the first people who came to the land”.
On their journey through history Aryans separated their paths, some headed for Europe like today Germany. The rest went to East which they're these days mostly found in Iran and some parts of India, we are the ones you might refer to as indo-Aryans, and as you can see Arabs are not therefore Aryan thus Iran is not an Arab civilization.
Thousands of years ago when Persia (Iran) was first established a wise and philosophical man came in the name of Zoroaster and therefore his followers became” zartoshti” or Zoroastrian (Parsi). He taught his people of all the good deeds in life and about the one true God. Their symbol was fire and there are still temples where they light fire and worship its uniqueness and purity.
As you can see they weren't Muslims from the start. They couldn't have been! Islam only started 1700 years ago! Persians only became familiar with the religion when Islam was started in Saudi Arabia and Mohammed (the prophet) sent his messengers to neighboring countries and when the Arabs savagely started wars with their neighbors to forcefully familiarize them with the new religion.
That resulted in many deaths and caused several historical places such as Persian libraries and castles to be burnt down. Some believe that just because Iran is a Muslim country then it must be the same as any other Islamic nation, but tell me this, are orthodox and catholic the same? Iran is the only country on earth that almost all of its Muslim population is “Shiite” sect and not soni.
Most of all the other Muslim nations such as turkey, Pakistan, Iraq, Indonesia and Saudi Arabia are soni which is again one of the other reasons why Iran so unique. 70 percent of the population are Muslims (mostly just on the surface) the rest consists of Christianity, Azali(Bayani), Zartoshti, Jewish and bahai. There are several temples, mosques, and churches built around Iran where the followers can worship and practice their religion.
Iran is a country of four seasons and there are many different nationalities living within the Iranian boarders, there are also many different languages and dialects spoken however Farsi or Persian is the national language spoken widely across the country. Iran has a population of about 60 million and with 27 states making it one of the largest countries in the east.
By now you probably have learned that Iran and Iraq are two different countries. Not because one ends with a ëQ' and the other ends with an ëN' but because of the 8 long years of the gulf war that Saddam once started with Iran in dreams of conquering a country five times its own size during the 80s.
Iran is located right between East and West making it a place where Islamic idols are being defeated with Western pop culture. In the capital Tehran you come by squares where teenagers have gathered and are practicing and showing off their break dancing techniques. In parks, entertainment places, and clubs teenagers gather to relax and enjoy their day after school or university.
In Tehran hiking, skiing and playing soccer is quite popular, other popular activities amongst people consists of playing pool, going to the gym, swimming, and having parties with a great amount of alcohol going around, the person who takes the drinks around is called the “saghi”.
In the evenings the beautifully styled restaurants are filled with couples dining and enjoying the peace and quite of the romantic night. These people get only one day off for their weekend, which is Friday, but they make the most of it.
I am not denying the fact that there is poverty in Iran, but there is more to Iran than just the poverty. This is what the Western media only shows to its people look at the East they have nothing, and we the Americans are living the American dream, “we” are the lucky Australians. Look around you, u will see how many families don't have a roof over their head, or centerlink is paying so little to them in assistance that they better off with out it.
How many of your friends take drugs, and how many of them have unsafe sex, or have sex when they're too young and have to take care of a baby when they are only 16 or 17. We have the right to free education in Iran how about here? After studying 4, 5 years at university then if you are lucky enough and you get a job in your field you still have the hecs hanging over your head by the time you are 60.
Iran is a country that has been labeled with “axis of evil”. Such a harsh statement comes from a country that has constantly created fear for people around the world. I refuse to forget the day America ” accidentally” bombed the Iranian passenger plane that fell into the Persian Gulf waters and the childrens' cries mixed with the waves. You might not know about this because this was probably never reported in your news. This was when the USA was assisting Saddam in winning the war with Iran.
You may ask why would USA want to get involved in that war, and that's a another long story which I'll just tell you briefly. After Shah (king of Iran) was over thrown during the 1979, America that saw it's most important influence in the east getting kicked out with the Iranian revolution, got very angry, and the US was looking for any ways to get back at Iran.
Tehran University students — during the process of revolution — took the Americans from the US embassy as hostages, which were later returned to America by the Iranian government. The “style” the hostages were returned was quite interesting too, which had to do with certain hands working behind the curtains to influence certain voting processes that were going on at the time in America.
Iran has been through a lot in its history from when it was the most beautiful and wonderful civilization on the planet and all the surrounding regions where planing on how they can make a part of this civilization theirs. From hundreds of thousands of years ago when the Aryans set foot on this land to the times when great kings such as Cyrus and Darius the Great and Nader Shah ruled, to the time Persepolis (where Queen Esther from Bible is said to be buried) was built.
The days when the silk road, the Bam town, and the Caravansaries were filled with merchants to the day hundreds of thousands willingly went in front of tanks and bombs to defend their homeland and make it what it is today. I am proud that I am an Iranian teenage girl, and I am happy that where ever there is an Iranian their heart beats and aches for one another, a nation that see itself as a whole no matter what religion or what part of Iran they come from.
When I look back at my rich culture I keep my head up higher than ever and I tell every one on this planet nothing can ever bring a Persian down. We will stand strong like the Azadi Tower (freedom tower) in Tehran and we will show the world what Iranians are made of. Just like we have in the past.
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