IRANIAN People
“In any competition for the title of the world’s friendliest people, Iranians would be definite finalists. Its the people that leave the most lasting impressions from any journey to Iran.”
Lonely Planet
Champions of hospitality! Iranians are a proud, ethnically diverse people united by an ancient culture, history, language and national identity. But it seems that warmth and hospitality is the feature of the ordinary Iranian that most visitors to the country are struck by. For those interested in the dry statistics about Iran’s 84 million people: 97% are educated, 76% are urbanised, 70% are online, roughly 60% are under the age of 35, over 62% are using smartphones and well over 30% are on Instagram (ranking it as the world’s 7th iInstagram user) according to 2021 figures. If media peddled images of austere, anti-western flag burners comes to mind when you hear the term ‘Iranian’ then you might be in for a pleasant surprise…
RIP - Sarina Esmailzadeh. Source: YouTube, 2022
Social experiment and film series 50 People 1 Question: Tehran, Iran. Directed, filmed and produced by Ali Molavi. Source: Youtube, 2017
A glimpse into the lives of a young couple in lockdown in Iran. Source: The Guardian/Youtube, 2020
2016 Sky News report on life inside Iran. Source: Youtube, 2016
The Youtube channel Life Goes On In Iran asks ordinary Iranians which countries they hate. Source: Youtube, 2021
The Youtube Channel Life Goes On in Iran looks at what Iranians think of Europe. Source: Youtube, 2021
2015 CBC report on young Iranians. Source: Youtube, 2015
A taxi ride through Tehran, Iran - turns rather musical. A video from the Red Line Team, an Iranian events company based in Tehran (check out their Instagram page). Source: Youtube, 2017
Social experiment and film series 50 People 1 Question: Tehran, Iran. Directed, filmed and produced by Ali Molavi. Source: Youtube, 2017
American travel Vlogger Peter Santenello offers a glimpse (part 1) into life and people in present day Iran. Source: Youtube, 2018
American travel Vlogger Peter Santenello offers a glimpse (part 2) into life and people in present day Iran. Source: Youtube, 2018
American travel Vlogger Peter Santenello offers a glimpse (part 3) into life and people in present day Iran. Source: Youtube, 2018
American travel Vlogger Peter Santenello offers his views on the impact of US sanctions on the largely pro American people of Iran. Source: Youtube, 2018
Iranians in Tehran step up to CNN's Open Mic and tell Americans what they really feel about them. Source: Youtube, 2013
CNN speaks to Iranians and tourists in Tehran about media depictions of Iran (poor sound quality). Source: Youtube, 2016
2015 CBSN report on Iranian youth. Source: Youtube, 2015
American travel Vlogger Peter Santenello offers a message about and to the people of Iran. Source: Youtube, 2018
2008 Journeyman Pictures Report on some of the ways Iranian youth let off steam. Source: Youtube, 2016
Popular Iranian stand-up comedian Hasan Reyvandi performing in Tehran. Source: Youtube, 2019 (we need help adding subtitles to this video)
Iranian researcher Maryam Ghadiri presents a 2016 Tedx Talk (Tedx Talks) about the misconceptions surrounding Iran and Iranians. Source: Youtube, 2016
American travel Vlogger Drew Binsky shares his views on Iran’s ‘hospitable’ people. Source: Youtube, 2018
2018 Channel 4 report on the use of the social media app Instagram in Iran. Source: Youtube, 2018
VOA report: when Comedy Central’s The Daily Show visited Irran back in 2009. Source: Youtube, 2009
Tehran, Iran. Photo by Omid Armin on Unsplash