Once upon a time in Iran

[CraK]

Just reading some random stuff, I came across this really awesome set of pictures that shows what Iran was like before religion overcame freedom in Iran.

http://www.foreignpolicy.com/article...time_in_tehran

[DamageX]

Heh, funny that Iran looked better, than it does today, under the oppressive regime of the shah... Apparently the religious regime is even more oppressive.

[ufscripter]

times have changed...

[NobleSavage]

Those pictures were probably taken when Mosaddegh was in power. He was democratically elected, wore a suit and tie, was educated in Switzerland, and supported a very secular form of government. Western oil companies, esp British Petroleum, at the time were in Iran pumping out oil and giving Iran pennies on the dollar. Mosaddegh decided to kick out the Western oil companies and keep all the oil revenues for Iran. The British and the US were not happy. The CIA infiltrated Iran and supported and armed radical Muslim factions with the goal of overthrowing Mosaddegh. The CIA was successful in pulling off a coup d'état and then instilled the Shaw as a puppet dictator. The Shaw was extremely brutal and had secret police know for the worst forms of torture.

[DamageX]

Those pictures were probably taken when Mosaddegh was in power.

I'm pretty sure I read somewhere, on the site CraK posted, that the pics were taken during the 60's and/or 70's. Which puts them in the time of the shah.

[CraK]

Here is another.

[NobleSavage]

I'm pretty sure I read somewhere, on the site CraK posted, that the pics were taken during the 60's and/or 70's. Which puts them in the time of the shah.

Yeah you are right. I checked the main article and the pictures are from the Shah's regime. As an interesting note I had to have tooth surgery done and my dentist sent me to a specialist at a local University. The guy doing the surgery was from Iran. He was very nice and competent. I talked with him a bit and he said he had a wife and family back in Iran.

[CraK]

I talked with him a bit and he said he had a wife and family back in Iran.

That must be real tough in every sense of the word.

[DamageX]

That must be real tough in every sense of the word.

Yeah, no shit... Sometimes we forget how lucky most of us are.

[GForce]

This is what tends to happen when religious zealots take over a country and apply laws that were thought of long ago when society was not as advanced as today. What you get is a repressive society that enforces what we would consider irrational ideologies with severe consequences thereby maintaining control through fear. Case in point is the recent killings of emo youths in Iraq.

[BluePlayer]

Those pictures are bollocks and more part of the propaganda against Iran at the moment. Parts of Iran will be like that but most of it is quite liberal. You can go on ski trips ot Iran. It is actually quite a great place to visit as the people are so friendly. I have quite a few friends who have been there.

It is not a strict Muslim country as it has a massive Jewish population. The Jews are arabic Jews and not the zionist variety that inhabit Israel.