Arrived in Tehran this evening and was observing how much the women covered themselves in the plane on landing in Tehran.  I wore my long black abaya, bought in Karachi yesterday from Zamzama street from 'Hijab ul Hareem'. But I took this off within the airport, as it was hot and it seemed Ok to do without this.  My host later told me that the airport is not so strict. On first impressions,
Tehran feels like Beirut or Amman, altho more developed than Amman I think. The roads are very good and there is a lingering sense of the European/ French influence of the Shah's dynasty.  It is interesting how the destiny of a nation can be turned and moulded to move in a particular direction, and how this can be seen 30 years down the line with such specific outcomes for the next generation.   Hearing farsi is very different from Arabic.  It is  lyrical.