Average American knows very little about daily life in Iran

Kourosh Ziabari
Tehran Times
November 1, 2012

U.S. journalist and photographer Nile Bowie says U.S. citizens know very little about daily life in Iran, adding that the realities on the ground in the country are different than what is being presented by Western media outlets.

 

“Keeping American society fearful of Iran is key to manipulating the general public into accepting the immoral barrage of economic sanctions and possible military operations taken against the country in the future,” Nile Bowie said in a recent interview with the Tehran Times.

 

He is based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and writes for the Canadian Center for Research on Globalization.

 

Last week, Bowie and a group of American tourists traveled to Iran to visit the country's different cities, historical villages and cultural sites. He took numerous pictures of Iran and provided us with some of them for publication.

 

Following is the text of the interview:

 

Decorative capitals of Persepolis columns

Q: Nile, it's the first time that you're visiting Iran. What's your impression of the country and its people?

 

A: I've lived in Southeast Asia for the past several years, and upon arriving to Iran, I found the country be very similar to Europe in its design and infrastructure. Just as one would expect to find in Europe, Iran has successfully integrated its rich historical heritage into a modern metropolitan environment. What I found fascinating is that villages in Iran's countryside have managed to reap the benefits of economic development, but still carry the picturesque beauty and charm of centuries ago. For those interested in history, Iran is an essential destination – the country has done well to preserve its ancient sites and diverse places of worship, from Islamic mosques to Armenian churches and Zoroastrian temples. From what I've seen, practitioners of various religious groups treat each other with respect and are able to peacefully coexist together.

 

Lifestyle and fashion in Iran is in keeping with Islamic values. While traveling through the country, I thought to myself that the average conservative American family would likely find an environment based on such values a far more appropriate place to raise children than within the hyper-sexualized culture of the United States, where sex appeal is overtly used to sell products and build brands. Anyone who has come across Iranian people knows that their hospitality and generosity is unmatched. While the society is conservative, average people are more than willing to strike up conversations and invite foreign guests into their homes for lavishly prepared meals. The sentiments of other foreign visitors I've come across have been generally positive, especially reflecting on visiting sites such as Persepolis. 

 

The Imam Mosque in Isfahan

Q: How much different was Iran from what the mainstream media portray of it? How much have your perceptions of Iran changed since you entered the country? The Western media depict Iran as a deserted, isolated and uncivilized country, but many of those who visit Iran come to realize that the reality is quite different. What's your viewpoint?

 

A: The average American knows very little about daily life in Iran, and what they imagine it to be more closely resembles that of rural Afghanistan under the Taliban. Keeping American society fearful of Iran is key to manipulating the general public into accepting the immoral barrage of economic sanctions and possible military operations taken against the country in the future. Iran has always been an island of stability in the Middle East; it is a regional leader with developed infrastructure and world-class universities, in addition to emerging as a major player in developing pharmaceuticals and new technologies. The reality is that the average American would find it infinitely more comfortable to spend time in Iran rather than in Saudi Arabia, the biggest American ally in the region, a nation that represents the antithesis of “American values.”