GO-FAR 2016: INSIDE INSIDE IRAN Editor Louisa Tang

Managing Editor Sharanya Pillai

Design Editors Breaking Free Business Ventures Chong Kai Yan Clifford Lee 8 A nose for plastic surgery Staying to start up 54 Photo Editor Jim Chan 12 Filmmakers highlight social issues Gaming goes global 58 Designers Pang Xue Qiang Sherry Wong 14 Change is brewing A ”halal” Internet 62 Wu Bingyu Liew Yu Wei 18 Women find their style A glut of engineers 64 Copy Editors Aqil Haziq Mahmud All text, photos, illustrations, Matthew Mohan layouts © 2016 Go-Far Team Nicholas Tan Emily Joosten All rights reserved. No part of this pro- Asyraf Kamil Beneath the Layers Secrets & Lies duction may be reproduced or transm- mitted in any form or by any means, Instructors Life in a Shia seminary Youths live and love in secret electronic or mechanical, including Hedwig Alfred 24 70 photocopy, recording, or any information Samuel He storage and retrieval system, without No guides, no problem No women allowed prior permission in writing 28 74 from the publisher. 30 World Heritage surprise Female fighters go underground 76 First published in 2016 ISBN 978-981-11-1685-8 A sumptuous spread Dog owners on a tight leash 34 78 The Go-Far Team would like to thank the Brains and brawn in the ring Wee Kim Wee Legacy Fund, 36 Shinnyo-en Foundation, Prof Alan Chan, Lessons from ancient warriors Prof Charles Salmon 40 @iraninlove and non-resident Ambassador to Iran 82 Ong Keng Yong. On the brink of extinction 46 The team Wee Kim Wee School of 84 Communication and Information Nanyang Technological University 31 Nanyang Link Singapore 637718 www.wkwsci.ntu.edu.sg

For more, visit gofar.sg & facebook.com/wkwsci.gofar

2 3 The view from Milad Tower in , 24 Sep Sio-se-pol Bridge in ISFAHAN, 27 Sep

lifting the VEIL on IRAN

Following the lifting of nuclear-related economic sanctions in January, Iran was the top choice as a destination for Go-Far 2016, and the programme’s first in the Middle East.

For more than three decades, the Islamic Republic has struggled under sanctions im- posed by the United States, the European Union and several other countries to deter its nuclear programme. And the scars remain, from anti-American murals on buildings to five-star hotels that have not been renovated since the revolution in 1979.

While some sanctions remain, the oil-rich nation’s economy — the second largest in the region — is opening up to international investment and trade. Singapore signed a land- mark bilateral investment treaty with Iran in March, and several Singaporean companies are keen to do business there. Go-Far reporters spoke to Iranian startup entrepreneurs, gaming companies and engineers to uncover the state of their industries.

Meanwhile, Iranians are finding ways to connect with the outside world, from spending hours on social media to hosting backpacking visitors in their homes. We found many fighting what they believe are unnecessary, restrictive rules — a common thread in some of our stories on frowned-upon tattoo artists, dancers, dog owners and couples in love.

We balanced our reporting duties with discovering the charms of old — and new — Persia. In 10 days we covered four major cities, from modern Tehran to stunning Isfahan; from desert city Yazd to green Shiraz. We marvelled at centuries-old mosques, battled the congested roads and public transport, and met many welcoming and warm Iranians.

Stories aside, the wealth of material for pictures and videos astounded us. Go on our Facebook page to see the Middle East’s biggest skate park in Tehran, and watch how tradi- tional Shia Islamic practices are carried out in Yazd’s old town.

Because mainstream news on Iran has largely been about sanctions or nuclear weapons, there was some apprehension about going there. But our preconceived notions were scup- pered in our time there.

We hope that by reading Inside Iran, yours will be too.

Louisa Tang Editor

Preparing for the Day of Ashura in YAZD, 30 Sep Nasir-ol Molk Mosque in SHIRAZ, 1 Oct 4 5 BREAKING FREE Think of Iran and religious, conservative, stifled come to mind. But not all Iranians live like that. Read how they are finding ways around the regulations, changing cultural norms and doing things their way.

FREEBREAKING

GRAPHIC BY LYDIA TAN A nose for plastic surgery

High school students Sana Haddadi (left) and Sanaz Zahdian, both 18, got their nose jobs recently. They are part of the rhinoplasty craze sweeping Iran; other forms of cosmetic procedures, such as breast augmentation, are also on the rise.

STORY BY LOUISA TANG PHOTOS BY LIEW YU WEI & WU BINGYU

9 oing under the knife once was not cided to take the plunge as well. He was just Genough for Ms Parvane Reboushe. 20 at the time, and even toyed with the idea She is getting a second nose job to lift the of getting lip augmentation to make his lips tip of her nose, and more surgery to lift her fuller before being dissuaded by his friends. “droopy” eyelid. “Years ago, there were many red lines for The 36-year-old sales manager, who had men in Iran — traditional thoughts like a her first cosmetic procedure in 2014, said: “I man should be a man, and men don’t need didn’t like the form of my nose. I thought it beauty. Now, there are no more red lines be- was ugly. cause of the Internet and being able to take “But, I think there is no difference between many trips to other countries,” he said. my old and new nose now, so I am willing to Surgery fees have also dropped, Mr Iran- pay to change it again.” mehr added. His plastic surgeon now charg- Ms Reboushe is among the thousands es half the amount he paid (S$2,200) for his of Iranians fuelling the cosmetic surgery nose job nine years ago. boom. Although official figures do not- in Dr Hafezi said prices have fallen as more clude operations by non-specialist surgeons, doctors specialise in plastic surgery to meet a 2016 AFP report says up to 40,000 cos- the growing demand. He estimates there are metic surgeries take place yearly. Nose jobs 50 times more plastic surgeons now than make up more than 60 per cent of them. two decades ago, when he began working. In 2013, the International Society of Aes- He charges about S$6,800 for a nose job thetic Plastic Surgery reported that Iran in Tehran, which has become known as the ranked fourth worldwide for nose jobs, after “nose job capital of the world”. Some sur- Brazil, Mexico and the United States. geons charge as little as S$1,000, he said. Rhinoplasty specialist Dr Farhad Hafezi “So many of these surgeons are unlicensed, operates on about 15 noses every month — but people go to them because they adver- significantly more than the four or five done tise much cheaper rates,” he added. The by rhinoplasty surgeons in other countries, Guardian reported in 2013 there are only like plastic surgery-obsessed South Korea, 167 licensed plastic surgeons in Tehran, he said. compared to 7,000 unlicensed ones. He attributes the demand to a growing It does not stop at noses. Other cosmetic population and the emphasis on facial beau- procedures, Dr Hafezi said, such as Botox Ms Reboushe got a nose job in 2014 and will undergo the knife again in 2017. ty in the conservative Islamic Republic, injections and breast augmentation, are on where women are required to don head- the rise too. scarves and wear modest clothing in public. Ms Mariam Yasinzadi, 26, lost about 50 “There is only one thing women can high- kilograms after going on hormone treat- light about themselves: their face. And the ment, but her weight loss posed a new prob- nose is in the centre of it. Middle Eastern lem. Her breasts became smaller and this noses are big, with humps. Iranians don’t “depressed” her enough to seek surgery to like that,” Dr Hafezi said. enhance them. Women typically want a smaller and In 2016 alone, she said she knew of eight straighter nose, he added. One of them is women who also underwent breast surgery. Ms Mona Abedeni, 31, who got a nose job “Even though we need to cover up in public, when she was 22. Her nose was “a little too we want to look sexy at parties and weddings. big” for her face, she said, which affected her Iranian men like this,” the clinician said. self-confidence. Despite the increasing trend, many Irani- “I remember telling the doctor: ‘I don’t ans — including those who have had plas- want a very small or upright tip, just some- tic surgery — lament how it has taken over thing natural.’ Finally he asked: ‘Okay, what their fellow countrymen and women. do you want?’ He promised to make it natu- “When you start from the nose, you have ral enough and he did,” she said. to do Botox for your cheeks, then increase Even though we need to cover Ms Reboushe said: “Iranian women and the size of your lips. It’s like a chain reac- men are very eager to have a new nose. They tion,” Ms Yasinzadi said. up in public, we want to look like to take care of a beautiful face.” Mr Iranmehr added that many people now While women aged 18 to 22 are primari- do not believe he had a nose job, simply be- sexy at parties and weddings. ly the ones seeking nose jobs, more Iranian cause a doctored nose is the new norm. men are also joining in. Dr Hafezi said that “The criterion of beauty in Iran has Iranian men like this. for every 10 women, he sees two men look- changed over the years, unfortunately. ing to perfect their nose. Everyone thinks the more surgery you have, Mr Ehsan Najafi, 29, said he wanted to the better you will look. It’s wrong.” MS YASINZADI become more “beautiful” by getting a nose Ms Vida Vedadi, 31, who got a nose job Ms Vedadi got a nose job so that she could breathe properly when she caught a cold. job. “Now I have great confidence, and my to fix breathing problems, said many of her new nose gives me positive energy. My fam- friends succumbed to peer pressure to go ily said it was not necessary, but I thought under the knife. it was so big and I did not like that,” the job The electronics engineer added: “It’s not contractor added. natural. Now, all Iranian women look like After Mr Hamid Iranmehr’s siblings got each other. Their noses, eyebrows and lips nose jobs, the 29-year-old cafe owner de- are all the same.” •

10 11 “Many female students use their cellphone ly feminist topic, this time about a female panies fronted by female documentary film- cameras to record scenes like being violated entrepreneur standing up against corrupt makers, this situation could improve. in taxis, or being discriminated against in officials in Minab, a city in southern Iran. Ms Keshavarz, for one, runs her own pro- Filmmakers highlight universities,” he said. Having just made its debut at a film festival duction company MinDoc Film Production. “When they continue this form of expres- in Norway in October 2016, “Braving The Optimistic about the growth of the industry, sion for a few years, they tend to go into pro- Waves” tells the story of Ms Roghieh Zakeri, she hopes that she can help documentary fessional documentary filmmaking.” a 41-year-old who fights to protect the ba- filmmakers co-produce their work with oth- social issues zaar she runs from being illegally torn down er filmmakers in neighbouring countries, A PERSONAL PROFESSION by the authorities. like Turkey. While the bazaar is a major source of jobs Another such platform is Docmaniacs, For Ms Mina Keshavarz, her own experi- for the town’s women, the mayor wants it to founded in 2015, which aims to link Iran’s Iran is internationally acclaimed for its New Wave films, ence was the basis of her first social docu- make way for a shopping mall. independent documentary filmmakers with but lesser known is a ground-up movement of female mentary, “Unwelcome In Tehran”. In tackling such hard-hitting topics, Ms foreign sources of funding and expertise. documentary filmmakers addressing the country’s social woes. The 2011 film is about Ms Keshavarz’s Keshavarz and Ms Moghadam are constant- Among its founders is Ms Afsaneh Salari, journey to divorcing her husband and build- ly testing boundaries with Iran’s strict cen- 28, who is looking beyond Iran in both her ing an independent life for herself. sorship laws. films and her work with Docmaniacs. Concurrently, she captured the stories of But both women believe that censorship The budding filmmaker is working on her STORY BY SHARANYA PILLAI other single Iranian women who moved to has not prevented them from making tangi- first feature-length documentary about the the capital city, despite the taboos against ble change through their films. marginalised Afghan community in Iran, them living independently. For instance, while working on “Braving while producing another documentary on “Unwelcome in Tehran” has screened in The Waves”, Ms Keshavarz managed to film an underground rock band taking part in a countries including the United States, Can- an attempt by the city’s mayor and his men music festival in Afghanistan. ada and France, and won a Best Directing to enter the bazaar at midnight, intending to At the same time, Ms Salari hopes to use award at Iran’s Taasvir Film Festival in 2012. destroy parts of it. That footage later helped Docmaniacs as a platform to build up the But with its bold portrayal of women living Ms Zakeri in presenting her case to the au- community of female documentary film- independently, Ms Keshavarz’s documenta- thorities, bolstering her lone battle against makers within the country, by organising ry was banned from further public screen- the mayor. workshops that would enable them to learn ing within the country. “While we have limited freedom, it’s not from foreign counterparts. But the film still reached everyday Iranians like women are without any power in this “I consider myself a feminist, and am very through underground screenings held in ca- country, and it’s not like the government hopeful to see more female documentary fes, art galleries and “cineclubs” — informal bans (documentary filmmakers) from doing filmmakers growing in Iran,” said Ms Salari. interest groups that gather to watch films, everything,” Ms Keshavarz said. “Our aim is to make bridges, and I believe including a group of about 20 women who Instead, she felt that the biggest hurdle for that female documentary communities (in have held documentary screenings for the female documentary filmmakers is not cen- Iran and abroad) will grow hand-in-hand. past seven years. sorship, but constraints in securing funds “Documentary filmmaking goes beyond Having such avenues to share her work in- within a “male-dominated industry”. cinema, it’s a movement in society. I think spired Ms Keshavarz to tackle another deep- But with the rise of more production com- that we can change the world with it.” •

Blinded in an acid attack, Ms Atai poses in front of a fireplace in a scene of the documentary “Masoumeh”. (PHOTO COURTESY OF SONA MOGHADAM)

hen Ms Masoumeh Atai was doused Moghadam, spent three years following Ms umentary filmmakers in Iran turning their Wwith acid by her former father-in-law Atai and other victims, to draw attention to lenses onto social justice issues, working in 2010, it seemed like the end of the road for the rising number of acid attacks on women with little more than shoestring budgets and the young woman, then 28. The vicious act in Iran. driven by a passion for human rights. left her blind, while having to single-hand- While Ms Atai’s assailant was imprisoned “Social documentaries are of particular Ms Moghadam (left) and Ms Keshavarz on the sets of “Masoumeh” and “Braving The Waves” respectively. Both women are inspired by the edly support her three-year-old son. for two years, other perpetrators go unpun- importance in focusing on the problems of a works of the late Iranian film legend Abbas Kiarostami — acclaimed for his semi-documentary style of filmmaking. Little did Ms Atai expect that six years lat- ished, Ms Moghadam noted. country, because we can raise awareness by (PHOTOS COURTESY OF SONA MOGHADAM AND MINA KESHAVARZ)g er, she would be facing a roomful of activists Describing the attackers, the 43-year-old showing how people are suffering,” she said, and academics in downtown Tehran as the filmmaker told the audience to audible gasps adding that an important element is that the protagonist of “Masoumeh”, a documentary and head-shaking: “Some of these men even medium shows reality as it is. about acid attack survivors in Iran. become teachers.” At the Iranian National School of Cinema, Speaking softly but firmly, the petite Since “Masoumeh” made its debut at an there are currently more women enrolled 34-year-old addressed the audience after the Iranian documentary film festival in 2015, in documentary filmmaking than in fiction film screening: “For acid attack survivors, it’s it has been received positively in Poland, filmmaking, noted film researcher Hamed not just about receiving financial support. Canada, Brazil and Italy, where it won a Best Soleimanzadeh, 29, who teaches at the “More importantly, we need support from Documentary award at the Pesaro Doc Fest school. The aim of capturing reality is part our society, through outlets like this film.” in 2016. of what attracts many young women to doc- The woman behind the film, Ms Sona Ms Moghadam is one of the female doc- umentary, he said. 12 13 CHANGE IS brewing

In a country with no bars or clubs, young Iranians are pushing boundaries by drinking coffee in cafes. But traditional teahouses, or chaikhanehs, are here to stay.

STORY BY PANG XUE QIANG PHOTOS BY CHONG KAI YAN

The Azadegan Teahouse attracts mainly middle-aged men and tourists. It is adorned with objects like oil lamps, photographs of famous Iranian wrestlers and antiques. The most valuable ornament is a 400-year-old sword, hung over the cashier counter. Young people flock to Ferdowsi Cafe, which gives space to local artists and invites bands for live performances. Mr Hossein says chai remains the top choice despite the teahouse offering other drinks likedoogh , a refreshing mint and yoghurt drink.

n a dimly lit shop in Julfa, Isfahan’s pop- batkhane Baharnarenj Cafe in Julfa, said: of male and female interaction has always Some five kilometres north of Julfa, across knacks from as long as 400 years ago. entertainment,” he said. Iular Armenian quarter, young men and “Young people prefer coffee because they been a complicated problem in Iran. the Zayandeh-rud River, Mr Gholam Hos- Traditional Iranian teahouses, or chai- Even though shisha was removed from women sit next to each other, the smell of sleep less now. “A month ago when it was late one night, I sein sits behind a counter at Azadegan Tea- khanehs, have been in existence since the teahouses two months ago as part of the cigarette smoke lingers and Pink Floyd plays “They are working harder in their daily was saying goodbye to people in the cafe,” he house. In the kitchen, a kettle of hot tea, or time of the Persian Empire in 550 BC. They government’s anti-smoking campaign, reg- in the background. lives. The caffeine keeps them awake.” said. “I hugged this girl and someone from chai, boils over a gas burner. still retain their charm, especially for mid- ular customers still return. It looks like a bar, but there’s no alcohol Iran’s cafes, like their Western counter- the police came in to say: ‘Oh, you’re not al- The 57-year-old owner of the century-old dle-aged men. “The government was worried about on the menu and the Farsi sign reads “Cafe parts, serve mocha, cappuccino, latte and lowed to hug the girl.’ He had been watching establishment, who inherited the family Mr Hossein, who is also the head of the shisha’s sanitary and health impact,” Mr Va n”. espresso. Their craft paper menus display and started complaining about sh**. business from his father, Hossein said. Pubs and clubs are forbidden in the Islamic prices that range from 100,000 to 150,000 “He said he was going to take us to the po- is not worried about the “They tried to ban Republic — at least publicly, as youths say rials (S$5 to S$7) for a cup of hot coffee. lice station. But another man in plainclothes boom in cafe culture. shisha close to 20 times — and so, Iranians looking to socialise are In 2014, drinking coffee started becoming said if I paid some money, they would let me For him, chai is still WE DON’T CARE. BOYS AND before, but it always turning to cafes as a modern alternative. a status symbol in Iran, Mr Bagheri said. off. This is quite common in cafes.” Iran’s national drink. comes back.” “In Iran, there are few places to hang out, “Most Iranians want to show they are of a Yet, cafe-goers who have heard similar sto- “There’s nothing bad GIRLS TOGETHER. THEY One customer who so people come to cafes,” said Cafe Van own- higher class by drinking coffee. Those who ries are undeterred. Among them are sisters about opening new ca- DON’T LIKE IT WHEN YOUNG keeps going back to the er Ali Bagheri, 30. travelled overseas saw cafes, came back and Parmiss and Tina Afshar, who are single and fes. But Iranians prefer Azadegan Teahouse is “Mostly teenagers and couples come here. now prefer to drink coffee.” working as engineers in Tehran. drinking tea. It’s more PEOPLE ENJOY THEMSELVES. Mr Hassan Tajadod. He They pass their time, meet their friends, see Inside the cafes, men and women mix free- “We don’t care. Girls and boys together. relaxing,” said Mr Hos- sits alone in a corner, each other. It’s a safe space for them to com- ly. Women are more relaxed about the dress They don’t like it when young people enjoy sein, who recently add- BUT THEY CAN’T STOP IT. choosing to light a ciga- municate and interact.” code, their mandatory hijabs sliding precar- themselves. But they can’t stop it,” said Ms ed coffee to his menu rette instead of a shisha Mr Bagheri, who went to Austria when he iously down the back of their heads, expos- Parmiss, 35. to attract the young. MS PARMISS pipe. was 16 to learn how to be a barista, started ing their hair and ears. Mr Bagheri expects the government to A cup of chai at most “I have to start my day Cafe Van in 2011, at a time when, according For years, Iranian authorities have raided eventually loosen its grip on cafes. “The teahouses costs 20,000 with a cup of chai,” said to him, cafes were uncommon. cafes and threatened to shut them down culture is changing. Our clothes, our ap- rials (S$1). community of teahouse owners in Isfahan, the 38-year-old tile painter, who has been While Iran’s traditional drink is tea, with as symbols of Western influence and plac- pearances and our tastes are different from When it comes to decor, the teahouse said there are at least 500 teahouses in the visiting the teahouse almost every day for teahouses a common sight, there are at least es that spread un-Islamic behaviour. The 10 or 20 years ago. The government cannot — located at the end of an alley near the city — a number that has remained un- close to a decade. 100 cafes in Isfahan alone — a 10-fold in- country’s laws prohibit unmarried men and control it,” he said. north-eastern side of Imam Square — looks changed for 10 years. “Coffee? It’s a drink for the upper-class,” he crease from 2012. This proliferation, cafe women and those who are not related from While increasingly popular, cafes have anything but cheap. “Most people come to a teahouse to relax said with a laugh. owners said, is fuelled by the changing taste mixing in public. some way to go before replacing teahouses Every inch of its walls and ceiling is cov- with tea and a shisha pipe. “I’m not used to the caffeine. It’s not healthy and lifestyle of young Iranians. According to Mr Mojtaba Khabbaz, 33, the in Iran, as tea remains the country’s favour- ered with photographs, lamps and knick- “That’s Iranian culture. It is a pastime and for my heart. But tea, it’s in our blood.” • Mr Mehdi Tourgoli, 45, the owner of Shar- owner of Ferdowsi Cafe in Shiraz, the issue ite drink. 16 17

Women find their style

While the Islamic Republic enforces a strict dress code, young women are embracing bold, colourful and modern designs, especially from homegrown designers.

STORY BY LOUISA TANG PHOTO BY CLIFFORD LEE

GRAPHIC BY LYDIA TAN n the streets of Tehran, women in “Even though we don’t want our work to — both wildly popular platforms — to and a more open atmosphere, I predict that “There was no space for play with fashion Oskinny jeans, colourful headscarves be illegal, it’s so difficult to get a licence and advertise her clothes. They serve as spaces designing with Iranian elements will grow,” codes; no colours allowed; no slim cuts; no and open-toed sandals mix with those clad become a registered brand. I get most of my for fashion designers to announce when they she said. short manteaus,” he said. in conservative black chador, a cloak that customers through personal relationships,” are opening their showrooms to customers, The increasing demand for colourful “Now, the importance of cut, colour, covers them from head to toe. she said. when new collections are out, and to expand clothes also opens more creative doors for length, folding, and detail elements such as Scenes like these are common, especially Fellow fashion designer Negin Farahani, their customer base. fashion designers, Ms Tahaf said. buttons, cuffs, collars, belts, is exponentially in larger cities, as women are starting to 26, said all designs have to “pass through As a result, she is able to attract more “Of course, many women still dress in higher. The environment is unique, and so push back on religious rules that dictate how filters”. customers, with manteaus being her black because it’s easier and hides certain it is the mode in which the designers must they should dress in public. “If they violate religious or some special bestsellers. She could do even better, she parts of the body,” she quipped. address it.” Women in Iran are required to wear rules, there will be bad reactions,” she said. said, if she is able to register her brand. She Ms Farahani, who is based in Tehran, In order to adapt, fashion designers modest clothing, including long, loose tops, Dr Alec Balasescu, an anthropologist would then be allowed to open a brick-and- said that women in the capital city have develop their own styles. and a headscarf to cover their hair and neck. from Canada’s Simon Fraser University, has mortar shop and earn enough to make a more freedom to wear modern clothing, While Ms Farahani uses Western-style But many let their headscarf slip far back studied the Iranian fashion scene for more good living. compared to those in more religious cities. prints — featuring Mickey Mouse, for on their heads or tuck it behind their ears, than a decade and written several papers Meanwhile, Ms Tahaf is also aware of the “But everywhere in Iran, women’s fashion example — Ms Tahaf thinks manteaus exposing often-dyed hair. One particular and a book on fashion in Tehran. He noted dangers of going online. styles have changed so much. Designers should be “expressive of Iranian culture”. figure-hugging garment has becomethat restrictions on photography and the “Sometimes, the government will close use happier colours, up-to-date and more She incorporates traditional Iranian popular — the manteau, French for coat. It representation of women’s bodies pose a big some pages or websites. If we post a picture adventurous designs,” she said. patterns in her manteau designs, gathering is a trendy overcoat that falls to the knees. difficulty for Iranian fashion designers. that shows the model’s legs, for example, Dr Balasescu said that the current inspiration from the famed Isfahan mosque In the last five years, more Iranian women “Basically, it is rather difficult, if not they will warn us not to post such pictures dress code allows fashion designers to be tiles, as well as traditional carpet patterns have also been embracing vibrant colours impossible, to create a fashion catalogue again,” she said. innovative in working around its confines. — cultural designs that she feels are getting and contemporary designs, most notably in or to advertise for women’s fashion while There is, however, still cause for optimism. This differs from the early years of the 1979 forgotten. Tehran, said fashion designer Ferdos Jameh showing a female model in her entirety,” he With the lifting of economic sanctions, Ms Islamic Revolution and the Iran-Iraq War She added: “If people see these designs on Tahaf, 30. said. Tahaf thinks more outsiders will start to take in the 1980s, when limitations on fashion clothes, they won’t forget their roots. Shop windows feature intricately patterned Public catwalks, fashion shows and note of Iran’s fashion scene. design were “drastic” and women had to “It’s somehow like a puzzle that you put manteaus, leopard-print blouses and flashy exhibitions are also few and far between. “Because of the growing tourism industry strictly adhere to the dress code. together, and the end result is beautiful.” • red and purple headscarves; international clothing boutiques in shopping malls carry women’s clothes that would not look out of place in Western countries. But everywhere in Iran, Ms Tahaf added that women’s fashion was “completely ignored” before current reformist President Hassan Rouhani was women’s fashion styles elected in 2013, and that the dress code was more strictly enforced. have changed so much. The morality police would go around to issue warnings to, or even arrest, those Designers use happier who don their headscarf too loosely or who Ms Tahaf wears one of her creations, inspired by traditional Iranian geometric tiles, in her showroom. do not wear sufficiently long tops. These colours, up-to-date and more enforcement measures, however, were much more intensive when former hardline adventurous designs. president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad took power in 2005. One of President Rouhani’s campaign MS FARAHANI promises was to relax the dress code — and Ms Tahaf sees that happening gradually. “Now, at least, they want to emphasise and grow Iranian-Islamic fashion,” she said. This goes especially for designers working Increasingly, young middle-class women outside the capital city of Tehran, like Ms are turning to popular local brands founded Tahaf, who works out of her showroom in by like-minded young Iranians. Isfahan. For example, Poosh, launched in 2012, Ms Tahaf designs manteaus and special experiments with colours and edgy designs evening wear, such as for the Iranian New in its women’s street wear while keeping to Year, sewing most of them by hand with the the dress code. Radaa, launched in the same occasional help of a sewing machine. Her year, plays with colour block patterns and latest Spring 2016 collection took her three uses fabric that does not require regular months to complete. She sources her fabrics ironing. from Turkey; while Taiwanese and Korean Despite these changes, women’s fashion fabrics are of better quality, they are not easy designers in Iran still face restrictions. They to find here, she said. also have to tackle challenges, like tough Because her manteaus are custom-made brand registration procedures, not being and one-of-a-kind, she sells them for about able to advertise their clothes without a S$500 to S$650 each. Her evening clothes — licence, and not have models strut their stuff which include dresses and long tops — go on catwalks. for about S$200 per piece. Ms Tahaf, who has been designing Still, Ms Tahaf says selling her clothes women’s clothing for three years, has to does not earn her enough to stay financially work underground. Without a licence from afloat. Instead, she works in a university the government, fashion designers are not administration office to pay her bills. allowed to publicly advertise and sell their She has taken to the Internet and social clothes. media, such as Instagram and Telegram 20 21 BENEATH THE LAYERS Foreigners are starting to notice all Iran has to offer. Singaporeans too have ventured there; some planning their travels through alternative channels. The surprises are everywhere, from saving animals close to extinction to traditional calisthenic sports.

ERIRAN INSID-

GRAPHIC BY LYDIA TAN Singaporean Ahmad Rosli left the comforts of LIFE IN A home for the desert city of Qom to join a famous Shia Islam seminary. SHIA SEMINARY

STORY BY AQIL HAZIQ MAHMUD PHOTOS BY LIEW YU WEI & AQIL HAZIQ MAHMUD

Mr Ahmad studies in a Hawza (left), where his father, Ustaz Rosli, studied 30 years ago.

r Ahmad Murtadha Rosli, 26, is not stan; others from China, Austria and Russia. where he graduated with a diploma in civil Myour typical Singaporean university There are few Singaporean students. Mr and environmental engineering. student. He attends classes from 8am to 5pm Ahmad’s father, Ustaz Mohammad Rosli The decision to make the switch to a reli- Saturday to Thursday and shares a dormito- Hassan, graduated from Qom nearly 30 years gious institution was not easy. ry with nine others. ago. Now 52, Ustaz Rosli is the leader of the “Being a religious teacher, you won’t be His teachers are all men who don turbans 5,000-strong Shia community in Singapore. earning a lot,” Mr Ahmad said, as he wor- and wear long flowing cloaks, teaching with “My name was placed under ‘Thailand’ ried about raising a family and not having thick vintage tomes. when I first joined, as ‘Singapore’ wasn’t in enough savings to buy a HDB flat. “I thought Mr Ahmad studies in Madrasah Al-Mah- their system,” said Mr Ahmad. “There were a about all that — it’s a sacrifice I have to make di, part of a renowned Shia Islam seminary few other students from Singapore, but sad- for the community.” known as a Hawza, located in Qom. ly, they didn’t finish, maybe because the way In 2014, after completing his National Ser- Shia Islam is the second-largest sect, after of living over in Iran is too different.” vice as a firefighter, he packed his bags and Sunni Islam. Both branches agree on most Mr Ahmad said as there was no other suit- left for Qom. “I thought it was like going to aspects of the religion, but are divided over able candidate, he feels a responsibility to any other boarding school, but it’s a very dif- Prophet Muhammad’s rightful successor. eventually replace his dad as leader. ferent lifestyle,” he said. More than 85 per cent of the world’s 1.5 bil- “Not everyone likes that role; it is a very Until recently, Mr Ahmad’s classrooms lion Muslims are Sunni. In Singapore, Shias challenging role,” said Ustaz Rosli. did not have air-conditioning, computers make up less than one per cent of Muslims. “The community needs leadership — and projectors. When he stepped inside his The Qom Hawza, home to about 70,000 whether it comes from my family or not, it small dorm, he was shocked to find bunk students, teachers and academics, is the does not matter. beds that did not come with mattresses. “I largest Shia seminary in the world. Smaller “I am happy that Ahmad is willing, but was sleeping on a wooden frame,” he said. seminaries exist in Iran, Iraq and the UK. there are tough challenges ahead.” “My back was aching very badly.” Many Hawza graduates, accomplished in The seeds of Mr Ahmad’s calling were When it comes to lessons, Mr Ahmad has Islamic law and faith, go on to become re- planted when he was a 10-year-old seeing the same class schedule every day: Farsi, ligious teachers, while some end up in pol- the Hawza for the first time during a holiday Quran studies and Islamic history, among itics. Iran’s current Supreme Leader, Ali in Qom. “I always told my dad I wanted to other subjects. Khamenei, graduated from Qom. go there,” he said. Revision, done in pairs, sees students ex- PHOTO COURTESY OF AHMAD ROSLI The seminary attracts students from across As a boy, he went from Yusof Ishak Sec- plaining a topic they learnt in class to each the globe. Many come from India and Paki- ondary School to Ngee Ann Polytechnic, other. The school believes it encourages crit- 24 25 ical thinking and clarifies misconceptions. LIKE FATHER LIKE SON Ustaz Rosli graduated in 1990 before re- perception that religious teachers cannot be from January 2017, aims to recognise quali- dent of the Muslim Youth Assembly, a Shia He also had to adapt to unfamiliar condi- turning to Singapore, where he is now pres- successful in life. “Back then, people used to fied teachers and combat extremist ideology group with about 200 members, said: “The tions in Qom, a desert city 125 kilometres While Mr Ahmad is looking forward to his ident of the Jaafari Muslim Association, a think that there was no future in being an in multi-religious Singapore. scheme will help to reduce extremist or rad- south-west of Tehran. “Singapore is very return to life in the Hawza, it could not have Shia organisation based in Geylang. ustaz,” he said. A Muis spokesperson said: “Although the ical thoughts from being spread to the mass- green, but Qom is very brown,” he said. “If been more different for Ustaz Rosli. “There were people before us who lived majority of Muslims in Singapore are Sunni, es by unqualified teachers. you leave your shoes outside for three days, He arrived in Qom in 1986, during the tail through life in the seminaries with difficul- SCHEME FOR RELIGIOUS TEACHERS Islam in Singapore is not monolithic. Sunnis “However, I have doubts about how far it it will be covered with dust.” end of the Iran-Iraq War that killed nearly ties,” he said. and Shias have lived in harmony in Singa- can be implemented, given that there are On Fridays, when it is the weekend and half a million people. “Anyone who wants to succeed me must be Upon graduation, Mr Ahmad intends to pore for many years.” some asatizah who teach at homes, and oth- there are no classes, Mr Ahmad plays foot- “People were living in a tough situation,” spiritually strong.” be a religious teacher as well. He claimed The scheme will ensure that asatizah can er loopholes that can’t be totally monitored.” ball on a synthetic pitch with his friends Mr Ahmad recalled his father telling him. Ustaz Rosli has also been a full-time reli- he will have no problems registering under “serve as a reliable source of reference” for Nevertheless, Mr Ahmad said the scheme from Malaysia. As meals are not provided “Everything was so expensive back then.” gious teacher for more than 25 years, a job the Asatizah Recognition Scheme, which the Muslim community here, he said. “The helps to deter “extreme” Islamic teachers on Fridays, they cook dishes from home, During meal times, he added, students that has taken him to Indonesia, the Philip- requires Islamic religious teachers in Sin- Asatizah Recognition Board has begun en- who might label Shias as heretics. like chicken curry. were issued coupons that entitled them to a pines and the United States, where he gives gapore to have at least a diploma in Islamic gaging asatizah as well as centres providing “The authorities are trying to promote “But, it’s hard to find red chilli,” he said. serving of meat. “They didn’t get to eat meat lectures on Islamic studies. studies from a recognised institution. Islamic education.” harmony between Shias and Sunnis. That is “Whenever someone comes to visit, we or chicken on a daily basis.” Mr Ahmad said his dad challenges the The mandatory scheme, which kicks in Mr Muhammad Al-Baqir Buang, presi- something good.” • would ask them to bring chilli powder.” Even with such friendships, Mr Ahmad misses home. “Sometimes I am very lonely,” he said. “I just sit in my room and look at old family pictures in my phone.” Despite that, he feels encouraged by his desire to please his parents, whom he de- scribes as “very religious”. “This is the time I can prove to them I want to be successful.” His moment of glory came when he scored full marks for an Arabic exam, a subject he initially struggled with. “I would spend four hours doing my homework over and over again, just so I could get it right.” Mr Ahmad plans to study in Qom straight through to a PhD in the fundamentals of Is- lamic law — a process that will take at least 10 years. He doesn’t intend to return to Sin- gapore until his father “decides to retire or if he’s too old or sick”. But right now, Mr Ahmad, who has stud- ied in Qom for about one and a half years, is taking a break from school. He has been back in Singapore since March 2016 to mar- ry his girlfriend of six years. The pair met in the polytechnic, when she was still a Sunni. About a year into their re- lationship, she switched over. “Before, her parents were good to me,” he said. “After finding out I was a Shia and that she was slowly converting, things changed.” When Mr Ahmad approached her parents about marriage, they said no. The pair went to the Registry of Muslim Marriages. According to the Administration of Mus- lim Law Act, a Muslim marriage can still be solemnised by a religious official, or Kadi, even if the bride’s parents object to it. But after questioning Mr Ahmad about his Shia background, the Kadi refused to pro- ceed with the marriage. “Now we have to appeal through Muis (the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore) who are helping us a lot in settling the issue.” Mr Ahmad expects to learn the outcome of his appeal in December. If things go to plan, his wife will go back with him to Qom, where she intends to enrol in Hawza. Ustaz Rosli is confident his son will prevail in this “unwanted episode”. “Like it or not, he will be married officially in Singapore,” he said. Mr Ahmad said: “I’m very much missing Shia Muslims in prayer at the Vakil Mosque in Shiraz. Shia Muslims, estimated at between 154 and 200 million globally, form everything in Qom. I wish the authorities the majority in countries like Iran, Iraq, Bahrain, Azerbaijan and Yemen. would do things a lot faster.” 26 27 “Social media builds a more complete im- age of a destination and word of mouth al- No guides, ways works better than marketing policies,” Ms Motahar said. Social media “Social media is the new word of mouth.” Iran’s image is also something the modera- builds a more tors of “See You In Iran” are concerned with. NO PROBLEM “We want to present Iran because for many complete image of Young Singaporeans like Ms Dhanaraj are years Iran, thanks to the western media, was a no-no,” said 34-year-old Parhum Zabeti, a destination and relying on social media sites as they plan one of the four administrators of the group. their travel to Iran. Founder Navid Yousefian says the group word of mouth aims to fight “Iranophobia” through “the unfiltered narratives of travellers”. always works better “We believe this direct contact will eventu- ally challenge the cultural isolation and re- than marketing ciprocal misunderstandings that have long existed,” added the 28-year-old PhD student in political science and feminist studies. policies. Social The main goal of the group, as Mr Zabeti puts it, is that “no one should be scared of media is the travelling to Iran”. The group is already seeing some success. new word of According to 23-year-old Singaporean Muhammad Abu Dzar, posts in “See you mouth. in Iran” convinced his family to allow him and his brother to go there for two weeks in MS MOTAHAR 2015. The duo visited Tehran, Isfahan, Shiraz, Kerman, Bandar Abbas and Qeshm Island in the south of the country, staying mostly in hostels. “My parents were initially a bit apprehen- sive but when we showed them the posts in ‘See You in Iran’ where many were discuss- ing misconceptions of the country, they were okay with it,” said the first-year under- graduate. The friendliness of locals was one of the ma- tioned her about the dangers of travelling jor plus points of their trip, said Mr Abu. solo to Iran. STORY & PHOTOS BY MATTHEW MOHAN He said:“There were a few times we were “I never expected travelling in Iran to be so lost on the streets looking at our maps and easy for the independent traveller,” she said. strangers would approach us even though “Every time I needed help, it was available ather than thumbing through guide- “public” trip post. their city and wanted me to have the best the 22-year-old regularly answers travellers’ they couldn’t speak English.” and Iranians would go out of their way to Rbooks, 26-year-old Singaporean Jen- A “public” trip refers to a request which experience,” said Ms Malyana. queries on “See You In Iran” and responds For Ms Dhanaraj, her trip, planned from help me. I’ve never felt that way before — nifer Dhanaraj took a more unorthodox can be found by members and hosts on the Couchsurfing is considered a grey area in to “public” trips posted on the couchsurfing the comfort of her home and computer, sur- not even in the more backpacker-friendly approach in planning her trip to Iran. She website. Hosts can then choose to extend an Iran, and authorities are said to frown upon website by meeting tourists in the city. prised her friends and family, who had cau- destinations in South-east Asia.” • turned to social media. invitation to the traveller. locals who host foreign guests. It comes as little surprise that Iranians are As the journalist mapped out a two-week In couchsurfing, travellers stay with their However, the website has not been banned welcoming to foreigners, given the country’s sojourn beginning in September 2016, a hosts for free. However, it is recommended and is very popular among locals who see it “tradition of hospitality”, said Ms Mahsa Facebook group called “See You in Iran” was that they show their appreciation with a small as a way to connect with visitors of different Motahar, 53, secretary of the Iran Federa- her best source of information. gift, or by taking the host out for a meal. nationalities. tion of Tourist Guide Associations. “See You In Iran” is a platform where trav- While she couchsurfed with a couple in A couchsurfing veteran, 25-year-old Rasool “Hospitality is one of the characteristics ellers swap stories and post photographs of Shiraz, Ms Dhanaraj eventually opted to stay Zabihi has hosted more than 150 guests since of Iranians. Even from the days of caravan- their travels in the country. The group has in backpacker hostels for greater flexibility. 2011. Mr Zabihi, who lives in a flat with his saries (roadside inns which provided for over 70,000 members who provide itinerary These hostels were equipped with basic fa- parents in Isfahan, offers travellers a spare bed merchants along the Silk Road hundreds of suggestions, answer questions and give tips cilities, such as wireless Internet, shared toi- in his room. For him, hosting outsiders was in- years ago), we have had a tradition of hos- on dress codes. lets and common areas, costing S$20 on aver- itially a means to improve his English. pitality where the guest is very important,” For the first-time traveller to Iran, the age for a bed in a dormitory. “As I got better, it became more about said the tour guide of 16 years. group was useful in pointing out new places Another traveller, Singaporean Dina Maly- learning new cultures and meeting new peo- Iran’s tourism affairs department reported to visit. Information from them also helped ana, 25, said she was well taken care of and ple,” he said. that 5.2 million tourists visited the country Ms Dhanaraj make decisions before her trip. “handed from one couchsurfing host to the A carpet salesman by trade, Mr Zabihi in 2015, encouraged by the partial lifting “It’s like the planning was done for me,” she next” during her visit to Iran in January 2016. meets his guests after work for a meal at his of international sanctions. In comparison, said. “People had gone to these lesser-known Describing local homes as “modest but favourite restaurants and cafes. only 2.9 million tourists visited Iran in 2010, locations and done cool stuff there.” clean”, Ms Malyana sometimes slept on a He has hosted at least seven Singaporeans, according to statistics from the World Tour- She also used Couchsurfing.com — a so- mattress in the same room as her host, or on some of whom he still keeps in touch with. ism Organisation. cial networking website where travellers link the living room floor. On other occasions, Final-year engineering undergraduate Ali Ms Motahar, who also runs a tourism con- up with prospective hosts to stay at their she was offered a room to herself. Mahazeri, from Isfahan, also makes use of sulting company, noted that social media homes — and was floored by the response “A lot of my hosts wanted to show me social media to link up with travellers. networks and websites such as couchsurfing Mr Mahazeri takes visitors around Isfahan. “I don’t know when I can visit Singapore or she received, with close to 60 replying to her around. Some of them are super proud of While he does not host them in his home, can help promote Iran to the outside world. Germany, for example, but I can meet people from those countries here,” he said. 28 29 WORLD HERITAGE

Iran is home to 21 UNESCO World Heritage sites, and all but two are registered as cultural sites. Palaces, mosques, bazaars, ancient water systems and the ruins of the great Persian SURPRISE Empire dominate the list. The Go-Far team visited four of these sites. STORY BY CLIFFORD LEE PHOTOS BY CLIFFORD LEE & CHONG KAI YAN

GOLESTAN PALACE, MEIDAN IMAM SQUARE (NAQSH-E JAHAN SQUARE), THE PERSIAN GARDEN, PERSEPOLIS, TEHRAN ISFAHAN SHIRAZ MARVDASHT

Qajar kings lived the high life in not one, but 17 royal buildings. Visitors are wowed by the vastness of the Imam Square, also Visitors walk through Iran’s “Eden” and admire the cultivated The capital of the Achaemid Empire, Persepolis is considered They relaxed in a summer chamber fitted with a cooling system known as "Image of the World Square". It was conceived as a greenery, which reflects the evolving culture and identity of the one of the most magnificent ancient sites. It is also the No. 1 in this complex adorned with carvings, mirrors and paintings. manifestation of Shah Abbas’ desire to create a paradise on Persians for over 2,500 years. These gardens are divided into tourist destination in Iran. The ruins of colossal buildings, The Golestan Palace merges Persian architecture with Europe- earth in the heart of Isfahan. Surrounded by a bazaar, royalty distinct quarters and have influenced Persian art — from car- tombs and bas-reliefs are among its surviving structures, many an influences from the 18th century. used to play polo there. pets to music. of which were plundered by Alexander the Great in 330 BC.

Visitors and tourists gather outside Takht e Marmar to catch Mosaic tiles of seven colours adorne the entrance of the Shah Eram Gardens is one of nine Persian Gardens listed as a World Elaborately carved wall murals, such as these Persian soldiers, a glimpse of the famous marble throne, where coronations of Mosque, which is one of the two majestic mosques in Meidan Heritage site. The iconic Garden Central Building is famous for have been preserved after being buried underground for cen- Qajar kings were conducted until 1925. Imam Square. its elaborate painting, tiles and lithography. turies.

30 31 UNESCO People make up for World Heritage Sites IN IRAN travel glitches in Iran

MATTHEW MOHAN

s a travel destination, Iran is on the cusp Aof being discovered — and like any oth- er emerging tourism hotspot, visitors will have to contend with travel glitches. But the country boasts a secret weapon: locals who welcome foreign arrivals with open arms, making it easier to overlook the hassles. The first spot of bother is at Iran’s airports, where a rudimentary system of issuing visas on arrival can prove frustrating. Waiting times for big groups who disem- bark at capital city Tehran’s Imam Khomeini International Airport can stretch over two hours, even with proper documentation. We ran into trouble at the insurance coun- ter, where a local official was unimpressed by us already having bought travel insurance with worldwide coverage in Singapore. He insisted that we would need to purchase Iran’s fabled hospitality is heaped on visitors as they visit the country. local insurance, at 14 euros (S$21) per person. This was exacerbated by him misspelling counter, she was redirected to another hotel ring to a map when he was approached by a names and passport numbers, resulting in a staff who disappeared into a back room and smartly-dressed businessman. The man es- further delay of 30 minutes. re-emerged 15 minutes later — similarly un- corted him to the ticket counter, bought him We had to scramble repeatedly from able to help her. a two-way ticket, before proceeding to write the waiting area to the counter after dou- In the end, she resorted to contacting an the name of his stop in Farsi. ble-checking our newly-issued documents, external translator to resolve the situation. On another occasion, the avid photogra- unsure if insurance with wrong names Things took a turn for the better when it phers in our group were snapping pictures would still be valid. came to food options. of a religious procession in the desert city If first impressions count, Iran was not do- We dined at restaurants frequented by lo- of Yazd, when an old man, gesticulated for ing a good job. cals and tourists alike, enjoying spreads of them to join him in his living room for tea, We did not have the most stellar experi- succulent kababs made from ground beef, despite being unable to speak English and it ence at hotels either. chicken breast and lamb chunks, accompa- was close to midnight. Generally speaking, the star-ratings system nied by mounds of steamed studded I too experienced a dose of this generosi- of Iranian hotels do not provide an accurate with barberries. ty in Shiraz, a city renowned for poets, love reflection on the actual condition of rooms. It was more than the ubiquitous kababs and the friendliest Iranians in the country. While photos on websites of hotels paint though, with dishes such as Upon finding out I was from Singapore, a picture of modern facilities and plush (sautéed herb stew with mixed with a shop owner in a bazaar eagerly doled pis- CULTURAL & NATURAL SITES rooms, comments by travellers on sites such lamb or beef) and (a -based tachios into a plastic bag for me free-of- as TripAdvisor.com indicate otherwise. stew with chickpeas, potatoes and lamb) charge. His reason? I came from the country We stayed at a mix of hotels, with rooms providing hearty accompaniment. which, in his words, “beat the mighty Mi- 1 Armenian Monastic Ensembles of Iran 12 Sheikh Safi al-din Khanegah and in most hotels clean and relatively spacious, While does not boast the chael Phelps”. Shrine Ensemble in Ardabil 2 Bam and its Cultural Landscape albeit with dated furnishing. A common same variety we enjoy back home, we were They were not the only ones who were nice 3 Bisotun Archaeological Site 13 Shushtar Historical Hydraulic System complaint however, was plumbing issues in more than satisfied with the food. Meals on to members of our group, and this was true 4 Cultural Landscape of Maymand 14 Soltaniyeh Mausoleum of Oljaytu toilets, which six members in the group ex- average cost less than S$15 per person, even for all four cities that we visited. 5 Golestan Palace 15 Susa Archaeological Mounds perienced on separate occasions. in spiffy restaurants. We all have stories to tell, the majority of 6 Gonbade Qabus Tower 16 Tabriz Historic Bazaar Complex We also struggled in communicating with But what really made up for our experi- which involve a clueless foreigner and an af- 7 Jame Mosque 17 Takhte Soleyman Archeological Site staff at some hotels. Hotel receptionists often ence at the airport and surly hotel staff were fable Iranian. 8 Imam Square 18 Tchogha Zanbil Ruins did not understand our requests and would the locals, isolated from the world during And after 10 days of travel, it was clear Ira- 9 Pasargadae Ruins 19 The Persian Garden (Eram Gardens) respond curtly. the years of international sanctions. nians are as much a draw as their country’s 10 Persepolis Ruins 20 The Persian Qanat Water System Once, a member of our group had her Curious and helpful — almost to a fault, much-vaunted attractions, more than mak- Iranians are undoubtedly the country’s ing up for the hassles that we faced. 11 Shahr-i Sokhta Ruins 21 Lut Desert wallet stolen on a public bus and was trying to find out where the nearest police station X-factor. Now, if only somebody could fix the ineffi- from the hotel was. In Tehran’s underground metro system for ciencies at the airport, teach hospitality staff After asking for assistance at the reception instance, a member of our group was refer- to smile and fix the plumbing in hotel toilets. GRAPHIC BY CLARA CHEW 32 33 A sumptuous spread

Despite its hot and dry climate, Iran’s rich food culture depends almost entirely on local produce.

STORY & PHOTO BY LIEW YU WEI 1. DESERT FRUIT , , , dates and apples are the top fruit exports. The wet, mild climate along the Caspian coast in the north supports the diverse variety of crops grown. Muskmelons, grapes and apples also have their roots in Iran, where they are thought to have originated. 4 1 2 2. 3 SIGNATURE KABAB Kabab koobideh is the most famous kabab of all. It is made from ground lamb, beef or chicken mixed with chopped . Ac- cording to folklore, the kabab came about because medieval Persian soldiers used their swords to grill meat over open fires.

5 3. EATEN IN TWO PARTS This Iranian stew, known as dizi or ab- 6 goosht, is named after the stone or metal pot in which it is cooked and served. It is eaten in two parts: first the soup is strained 7 and served, then the meat, potatoes and pulses are mashed and eaten with pickles, yoghurt, and flatbread.

4. RICE WITH Iranians love their rice and eat heaps of the long-grained variety cooked with saf- fron and garnished with barberries. The northern provinces of Mazandaran and Gi- 7. 6. 5. lan are the primary rice-growing regions, accounting for 80 per cent of rice output. SALAD DAYS PERSIAN FLATBREAD AUBERGINES RULE is made up of diced cucum- Flatbread is generously provided with Aubergines feature in many popular dish- bers, tomatoes and onions, and garnished meals. The dough is rolled flat and slapped es. In bademjan, which means au- with lemon juice and mint. It is a wide- against the walls of a clay oven. Sesame bergine stew, tomatoes and beef are add- ly-enjoyed salad, especially during hot or poppy seeds, and even fruit, are some- ed. Aubergines are also smoked, stuffed, Iranian summers. It originated from Shiraz. times sprinkled on top for added flavour. cooked with eggs or served as a dip.

35 S STORY PHOTOS BRAI N BY NICHOLAS TAN BY LIEW YU WEI After completing the plyometric workouts, Mr Amir Pouya engages AND in one-on-one combat exercises. BRAWN IN THE RING Amid the popularity of football and , the hybrid sport of chessboxing is gaining a foothold.

yes on the board and head in the game, chess, until either succumbs in the ring or Pouya, a kickboxer, to a whole new world. the middle. When the instructor blows his Ethe two opponents, wearing huge on the board. “Coming from a very physical, kickboxing whistle, they do plyometric exercises — var- noise-cancelling headphones, face off in a Rook versus hook, brawn meets pawn, background, it was beautiful to see a mar- iations of burpees and jump-squats, with tense chess showdown ­— in the centre of a brain and pain; the comparisons are aplenty. riage with a calmer, softer sport like chess,” swift left-rights — as quickly as possible. boxing ring. This is chessboxing, a hybrid sport that com- said the 35-year-old. They then sprint to the chessboard, where A bell sounds after three minutes and the bines the physicality of a boxing bout, and His curiosity took him to Russia, where they have to make a move under 10 seconds. chess players don gloves and switch to box- the mental strategy of a chess game. he watched matches to learn the rules of the Such workouts simulate the increased heart- ing — using rapid hooks and uppercuts. In a gym on the outskirts of Shiraz, Mr Fe- game. With his newfound knowledge, he re- rate during a chessboxing fight. Three minutes on, panting and bruising all reydoun Pouya, who stands head and shoul- turned, eager to introduce the . Yet no amount of training is enough to over, the bell rings again and the duo resume ders above his trainees, is the man credited His largely one-man mission was not easy. simulate an actual chessboxing bout, claims their chess game. for bringing the sport to the country. “All the officers (from Iran’s Ministry of Mr Pouya’s nephew Ali Pouya. The battle of attrition goes on, alternating A chance meeting with chessboxing found- Youth Affairs and Sports) thought the idea The 19-year-old gave up a successful wres- every three minutes between boxing and er and Dutchman Iepe Rubingh exposed Mr of chess and boxing was funny, and not a tling background, which yielded medals at sport,” said Mr Pouya. state and national level, to join his uncle’s But being an experienced national athlete burgeoning contingent of chessboxers. comes with its advantages. Mr Pouya has Despite training up to four days a week, represented Iran in the national kickboxing Mr Ali fumbled mentally during the Shahid team since 1994, and won medals in interna- Roodaki Championship, one of Iran’s two tional competitions. national tournaments, in August 2016. He has also been a kickboxing instructor This was his first time representing his since 2001, training the national team in the state of Fars in an official competition. past three years. Cruising through his first two stages, he Leveraging on his influence from an il- was brought down to earth by a professional lustrious career, Mr Pouya organised a trial boxer 14 years his senior in the third stage. chessboxing championship in 2011, with 30 “I was good at chess, but the stress and kickboxers taking part. He personally taught anxiety of competing in the adults category, them how to play chess. against someone 14 years older than me, got While deploying knights and sacrificing to me and influenced me mentally,” said Mr pawns on a chessboard may seem easy, play- Ali, who had only been competing for a year ing the game while boxing poses a bigger in the adult category for over-18s. challenge, said Mr Pouya. It was an “uncharacteristically bad” chess “Playing chess in a normal situation is move under pressure that cost him . nothing special. But under physical pressure Yet a hunger to be “the strongest and the it is really hard to think, because your adren- wisest” keeps Mr Ali thriving on the chal- aline is up and interrupts your thinking. It is lenge of his newfound sport. the hardest situation to play chess in.” “Many find it hard to box and play chess,” Fighters don headphones while playing chess to allow maximum concentration. Under Mr Pouya’s training regimen, fight- said the senior Pouya, who proudly added ers stand in two rows, with a chessboard in that all 30 of the pioneer batch still play the 36 37 sport today. “But Iranians like to do hard things, especially hard sports.” Through promotional efforts via social media, as well as competitions, chessboxing HOW TO CHESSBOX has gained a following. In 2014, the Iran Chessboxing Federation, which Mr Pouya heads, was created. From 35 original committee members, it now has about 150 across Iran, with about 1,800 men and women practising the sport. From the single abode in Shiraz, there are now 60 chessboxing gyms across Iran, all set up in the past two years. Mr Pouya plans for a gym to be accessible in every Iranian city. The country is challenging for honours on the competitive front too. Iran finished fifth out of six nations in the 2014 World Chess- boxing Championship, the highest-profile chessboxing competition in the world, be- hind Germany, Russia, the United States and India. Mr Pouya has set his sights on the top spot The game starts off with a round of chess in the boxing for the 2017 edition in India. ring for three minutes. The federation also organises two nation- al level tournaments each year, named after the country’s respected martyrs. The best chessboxers from each state, determined by state-level championships, compete to be the best in the country. In August 2016, 130 chessboxers took part in the Shahid Roodaki Championship. Despite the progress, Mr Pouya aims for more. A national league will be established Siblings Mr Ali (left) and Mr Amir attempt to knock each other out while their uncle Mr Pouya (in black) umpires a simulated match. next year, starting with five provinces. Chessboxers from Tehran, Fars, Qazvin, Semnan and Gilan will participate in a championship every month, with one team claiming the overall title at the end of the year-long season. “We want chessboxing to be the Number One sport in Iran,” Mr Pouya said. “Iranians are successful in wrestling and love it, but we want to overtake it and cap- The chessboard is moved out of the ring and players ture this seat.” then box for three minutes. Though still relatively obscure in a coun- try obsessed with football and wrestling, the idea of combining chess and boxing has struck a chord with other martial artists. THE RULES Martial arts instructor Mohsen Talebi, 47, said: “Perhaps they want to show that fight- ers are not gladiators who use their bodies A chessboxing bout alternates between six rounds of to beat their competitors; they need under- chess and five rounds of boxing, with one minute intervals standing and planning.” between rounds. Mr Talebi, who runs a gym in Tehran, said he is not against the idea of introducing the During each chess round, players must make a move sport in his gym. within 10 seconds, or face a penalty. Over in Shiraz, there is a sensory overload in the birthplace of Iranian chessboxing as Fighters don headphones during chess to block out dis- training is underway. traction and help from team coaches. The lingering stench of sweat, the sound of fists against the six punching bags, and the During boxing rounds, points are scored as in a regular look of agony as trainees, dressed in red and boxing fight. white, struggle to complete another burpee. Some not yet in their teens; one approaching A chessboxing bout can be won outright with a check- 80 with a healthy crop of white hair. mate in chess or a technical knockout in boxing. If the As Mr Pouya scans the room, whistle at chess game is drawn and the boxing is a tie on points, the the ready, the resolute look on his face melts player with fewer chess penalties wins. into a grin, if only temporarily. The quest to be the strongest and the smartest is indeed GRAPHIC BY LYDIA TAN Mr Ali executes a variation of a crunch-burpee before making his move on the chessboard. in full swing. • 38 39 LESSONS FROM In traditional gyms called Zurkhanehs, practitioners perform exercises using clubs, push-up boards and shields in a mix of strength training and religious meditation. Members of Zurkhaneh Ghaem in Tehran ANCIENT meet thrice a week to train. WARRIORS Widely recognised as a wrestling powerhouse, some say the secret behind Iran’s success lies in Zurkhaneh, a little-known sport with ancient roots.

STORY & PHOTOS BY MATTHEW MOHAN

41 n a dimly lit alleyway in Tehran, a motley crew of men troop into During the 2016 Rio Olympics, Iranian wrestlers finished their Dr Mohammed Kazem Koohi, 47, who has practised the sport for representing Iran at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, and to follow in the Ia gym. campaign with one gold, one silver and three bronzes in the Freestyle 28 years. footsteps of his uncle and grandfather, who was also a wrestler. Here, there are no fitness machines. Neither is an air-conditioning and Greco-Roman categories. “One also has to ask for permission before entering the Zurkhaneh “It’s a special sport for brave men and everyone who does wrestling system humming and rather than hefting dumbbells, the men lift The sport is traditionally male-only, but the Islamic Republic as a gesture of respect. The complete package of the sport teaches can build his life and character too,” said 15-year-old Iman, who was and twirl thick wooden clubs. of Iran Wrestling Federation has introduced belt wrestling and life values.” inspired to take up the sport five years ago. Instead of being plugged into earphones, isolated one from another, grappling categories for women interested in the sport. While there are no official statistics on the number of wrestlers in Zurkhaneh and wrestling have historically produced some of Iran’s the men’s ears are trained to the drumbeat and voice of the morshed, There are an estimated 500 Zurkhanehs in Iran, but young wrestlers the country, there are approximately 2,000 coaches, said Mr Tavakoli. most popular sporting legends, such as Mr Gholamreza Takhti, a guide who sets the pace of the training. prefer to visit wrestling gyms where they learn modern methods of Besides maintaining the country’s international stature, coaches beloved for his chivalry and sportsmanship. Practitioners perform a series of exercises using clubs, push- physical conditioning and receive specialised training. also focus on producing sportsmen of upstanding character, said Dr Portraits of Mr Takhti, a gold medallist at the 1956 Olympics, are a up boards and shields in a mix of strength training and religious Yet, Mr Salar Tavakoli, an official from Iran’s wrestling federation, Ali Akbarnejad, a former wrestler and Olympian. common sight at wrestling gyms and Zurkhanehs alike. meditation. believes the influence of the traditional sport on contemporary “It is important for coaches that wrestlers do not only win the One of those inspired by Mr Takhti is national wrestler Amir Officially called Varzesh-e , this sport and the gym is wrestling remains till today. games,” said the 45-year-old. “Coaches speak to the wrestlers and Monjazi, 35, who runs his own construction business. colloquially referred to by Iranians as Zurkhaneh. Describing the sport as “a shadow of modern-day wrestling”, he show them in our manner how to behave. The coach is also a teacher; Mr Monjazi said experiences in the Zurkhaneh allow wrestlers to These Zurkhanehs may lack the bells and whistles of modern said the Iranian Olympic squad often visits Zurkhanehs in the lead- athletes look at him and learn by looking at his manner.” channel the spirit of heroes such as Mr Takhti when they square up gyms, but they have laid the foundation for Iran to be one of the up to the Games. “In Zurkhaneh, the young ones learn from seniors who instruct to opponents. powerhouses in the sport of wrestling. “Training there develops their personality, spirit and mentality. them. This is the same for wrestling,” added Dr Akbarnejad, “Zurkhaneh makes our spirit powerful. We listen to our heroes, we “Zurkhaneh is not only a sport, it belongs also to our culture Rather than going there to get physically strong, it is a place for them who helped set up a Zurkhaneh alongside a wrestling gym at the see them, we feel them,” Mr Monjazi said. and our religion,” said Mr Davood Kooshkestani, 53, manager of to learn ethical things,” the 32-year-old said. “In Zurkhaneh, the University of Tehran’s Faculty of Physical Education and Sport “When you want to be a wrestler, it is not just your physique that Zurkhaneh Ghaem. “The origins of some sports in Iran have come morshed sings about pahlavans (heroes) of old and their behaviour. Science, where he teaches. needs to be strong but your spirit. It is useless if your body is strong from Zurkhaneh. I see this sport as the main branch, and wrestling Participants reflect on those songs and try to channel that spirit as The passion for wrestling in Iran begins from a young age. but your spirit is weak.” is a part of it.” they exercise.” Rather than picking up the sport in school, where it is rarely offered Ultimately, wrestlers such as Mr Monjazi believe their prowess in Widely regarded as a national sport, wrestling boasts a large Practitioners of Zurkhaneh also say it emphasises developing as an extra-curricular activity, children begin training in local gyms wrestling is a by-product of the timeless legacy of Zurkhaneh, and following in the country where crowds of over 10,000 often gather virtues such as humility and honour. from as early as seven years old. this is what sets Iran apart from the rest of the world. to watch major international competitions. “Respecting elders is very important in Zurkhaneh. The older men The top wrestlers then represent these gyms in competitions, and Said Mr Monjazi, whose dream is to win an Olympic gold medal Iran also boasts a stellar track record in wrestling at the Olympic stand under the morshed; they have the prominent positions. The winners are invited to join the national team age-groups. for Iran: “When families gather, two or three kids will automatically Games, which accounts for 43 of the country’s total of 68 medals. newest individuals stand farthest away and watch their actions,” said Dr Akbarnejad’s teenage nephew Iman Derakhshan dreams of start to wrestle with each other. Wrestling is in our blood.” •

Close to 100 wrestlers train in the evenings at the Nategh Nouri gym in Tehran. The club-bell (meel) is used in Zurkhanehs for weight exercises, performed rhythmically using the entire body.

42 43 (From top, anticlockwise) Mr Taghi Akbarnejad, an Asian Championships gold medalist, volunteers at the Nategh Nouri gym. “I live wrestling, breathe wrestling and when I go to sleep, I am still thinking about wrestling.”

A participant practises a “spinning” move in the Zurkhaneh at the University of Tehran’s Faculty of Physical Education and Sport Science, where students and professors meet and train.

Portraits of Mr Takhti (poster in black-and-white) serve as inspiration for budding wrestlers, who look up to him and aspire to match his prowess.

Wrestlers such as 16-year-old Ali Abdollahi aim not just to be champions but pahlavans (heroes) who display values such as sportsmanship and chivalry.

44 45 Once free to roam the desert plains of Iran, Asiatic cheetahs Koushki and Delbar are now kept in captivity to save their kind. ON THE BRINK OF EXTINCTION

STORY & PHOTOS BY WU BINGYU ehran’s Pardisan National Park is home the university entrance exam, but he chose “After I’m gone, there will probably be no- rid of these animals so their livestock can be (From left, clockwise) Tto two of the country’s greatest treasures to study wildlife medicine. After completing body to take over.” safe,” said Mr Hobeali, who works with the Dr Memarian approaches Delbar to check — a pair of Asiatic cheetahs named Koushki his studies in South Africa and Europe, he To earn a living, students from Iran’s 22 Iranian Cheetah Society. she is well. and Delbar. returned to Iran, where he was entrusted veterinary medicine colleges choose to work Dr Memarian remains hopeful, citing eco- Koushki, an eight-year-old male, and Del- with the lives of Koushki and Delbar. with poultry or pets, instead of wildlife. Dr tourism as a potential solution. Once people CCTV cameras are used to observe their bar, a five-year-old female, are the only Asi- “You know as a conservationist you need Memarian too has set up his own pet clinic. start to realise there is money to be had in behaviour without interference. atic cheetahs in captivity in the world — two to be hopeful for the future. And the reason The fact that Dr Memarian is paid nothing keeping these animals alive for tourists, sup- of the last 50 members of their species. why I work on wildlife is to change the situa- for his wildlife efforts reflects Iran’s stance port for conservation will appear. To make ends meet, Dr Memarian has set up The Islamic Republic has a history with big tion and save this hope for the future.” on animal conservation. “You can’t just say ‘Oh, these are the last a clinic for pets in Tehran. cats — and losing them to extinction. The In his line of work, Dr Memarian has to Some such as Ms Nazarin Zr, 27, a master’s cheetahs in the world, so please save them Caspian tiger went the way of the dodo; and anaesthetise many animals as part of their student in accounting from Shiraz, believes for me,’ — but you can say that this cheetah the Persian lion, once a proud emblem on treatment. It is a relatively simple task, but there are more pressing issues as compared will be a big attraction for tourists,” he said. the Iranian flag, is all but gone, save a small when you work with animals as precious as to conservation. If all else fails, he plans to put more breed- population in India. With the rest of their Koushki and Delbar, the stakes are high. “There are so many other problems here ing cheetah couples in captivity, away from kind beset by rapid habitat loss and illegal A single miscalculation in dosage could be in Iran — economics, pollution, sanctions. harm. hunting, Koushki and Delbar could see the an irreparable loss to an entire species. People don’t really have time to care about But even that has its fair share of danger. end of their species within 20 years. “Yeah, there’s a lot of pressure,” Dr Memar- animals,” she said. Koushki and Delbar mated once in 2015, but Meanwhile, medical aid for the cheetahs — ian said. “It’s really hard to save the lives of The very concept of conservation is a hard complications led to an abortion and a sub- and the rest of the country’s diverse fauna — wild animals, and when there are only two sell for Iranians living in some of the more sequent infection. Although fully recovered, becomes all the more important. of them, and one of them dies because of a rural parts of the country, where coming Delbar is unlikely to breed again. But there is only one qualified wildlife vet- mistake, it is finished.” across large predators is common, said wild- For now, the two cheetahs are the flag erinarian in Iran. And he works pro bono. He realises that his expertise is in short life researcher Kaveh Hobeali, 28. bearers of the Iranian wildlife conservation Dr Iman Memarian, 33, could have chosen supply in Iran. “They don’t understand why we’re trying effort, raising awareness for their species just any major he wanted with his top grades in “Before I came, there was nobody,” he said. to save these animals. They just want to get by being alive. • 48 49 CHEET-SHEET BIGGEST THREATS TO SURVIVAL Once found across the Arabian Peninsula and India, the Asiatic cheetah can now only be found within the borders of Iran. Unlike their more famous and numerous African cousins, the Asiatic cheetah has been studied far less by scientists. Here are some facts about this reclusive and rare species. Road accidents Habitat loss Shepherd dogs Scarcity of food

Once hunted for their pelts, Asiatic cheetahs now face new threats to their species. Farmers weary of large predators attacking their livestock send large shepherd dogs to chase and kill cheetahs and their cubs.

NEED FOR SPEED

90 km/hr 112 km/h

Cheetahs can only sprint for around 20 seconds DISTANT COUSINS before needing to stop. Their hearts beat up to 225 beats a minute, and they can suffer from hyperthermia if they run for too long.

Asiatic African 112-135cm 113-140cm

Slightly shorter and lighter than the African chee- tah, the Asiatic species became genetically dis- tinct around 32,000 years ago. They also have longer fur and are more solitary. BUSINESS VENTURES

Economic sanctions hurt many industries in Iran. While engineering remains a top choice for undergraduates, the floundering economy means grads have to be flexible. Others have found new ways to do well.

ECONOMYNEW

GRAPHIC BY LYDIA TAN For decades, Iran’s elite headed overseas for better STAYING TO opportunities. But as the economy opens up, more young entrepreneurs are staying to start their own businesses.

STORY BY PANG XUE QIANG START UP PHOTO BY WU BINGYU GRAPHIC BY LYDIA TAN LYDIA GRAPHIC BY ike many of her peers, Tehran University ing the brain drain from the country, Silicon Valley. Lgraduate Negin Nasiri, 27, wanted to get in particular because Iranians are more Since sanctions were lifted, Mr Jafari said, out of Iran to seek greener pastures. confident about the future. more Iranian expatriates have been getting She was accepted into a graduate pro- “There is a general aura of hope and dyna- in touch with him and asking about work gramme at California State University in mism that came with the nuclear agreement opportunities in Tehran. 2015, but was not granted a visa by the Unit- and the pragmatic policies of the Rouhani “Iranians who have lived abroad for many ed States. administration.” years are now interested in all the action that “Everyone here wants to go to America. I In addition, Iranians like Mr Hamed Jafari is happening in the country. They want to too wanted to experience living in another are returning home. Mr Jafari, who attended know about the opportunities here, and are country and I came up with this elaborate high school in Canada, is back in Tehran. interested to either invest in a local startup plan to stay there after my studies,” she said. “I come from a middle-class family, but or establish their own company here.” While her American dream was derailed, for the upper-class Iranians, it’s pretty com- His co-founder, Mr Mohammadreza she has found success at home with Studio mon to send their kids abroad for education Azali, 28, said: “Before the sanctions were On, a carpentry business she started in 2014 lifted, Iran was like a black box. You didn’t with her best friend Shaghayegh Jahanban, know what was going on inside unless you 28. Studio On builds custom furniture. went inside it. Now, Iran is a gold mine.” “It’s so busy now. We get at least 40 calls HERE, YOU According to the World Bank, Iran’s and messages a day to build furniture for US$400 billion economy, the second homes, art galleries and cafes in Iran and DON’T HAVE largest in the Middle East after Saudi Arabia, is even overseas,” said the fine art graduate. expected to grow by up to 7 per cent Ms Nasiri is part of a growing number of GOOGLE, in 2017. young entrepreneurs who are seizing oppor- AMAZON OR Previously, sanctions had crippled its tunities arising from an economic upturn foreign trade and investment, and kept and an increasingly open and connected FACEBOOK. foreign brands out. This created opportuni- Iranian society, following the landmark ties for Iranian startups to flourish. July 2015 nuclear deal signed by current AND IT’S A One of them is iHome.ir, an online President Hassan Rouhani. portal containing real estate listings for For decades, Iran’s elite left the coun- CHANCE. property buyers and sellers in Iran. try for better career opportunities; an Started in January 2016 with five staff, the estimated five million Iranians have MR RAFATNEJAD company has since expanded to 70 employ- emigrated to date. ees and has attracted investment from France But Iran’s brain drain is showing and Pakistan. Ms Jahanban (left) and Ms Nasiri run a custom design furniture business that has 30,000 followers on Instagram. signs of slowing down after economic Its co-founder, Mr Mohammad Hosein sanctions were lifted in January 2016. Rafatnejad, 27, said: “Iran is the last emerg- In April, Deputy Foreign Minister from a young age,” said Mr Jafari, 25, who ing market. If you have a share, you get to Hassan Qashqavi said emigration from returned in 2006. “Given the sanctions and gain everything. But if you come later, you ing graduate from Sharif University of Tech- try’s inability to move money through for- perfect here. But Iranians abroad should Iran dropped by about 30 per cent, with unemployment levels, Iranian families pre- lose out. nology, referring to Iran’s own tech giants. eign bank transfers, are some of the limita- come back and see the changes themselves.” the number of exit permits issued by the ferred to invest in their children by sending “In today’s world, that’s hard to find. Even with the opening of Iran’s economy, tions foreigners will face. For Ms Nasiri, starting her business has ministry dropping from 700,000 in 2014 to them abroad. Here, you don’t have Google, Amazon or these entrepreneurs are not worried about “Amazon coming to Iran? It’s not going to changed her view on life in Tehran. “I have 500,000 in 2015. “But the situation in Iran is much Facebook. And it’s a chance. We ask: ‘Why foreign companies who have focused their happen in the next two years,” he said. carved my own path here. I go to my favour- Professor Arshin Adib-Moghaddam, chair different now.” not have them here?’ So, we build them attentions on the country. In hindsight, the entrepreneurs said their ite cafes. I have my family and friends. It’s of the Centre for Iranian Studies at the Mr Jafari is the co-founder of technolo- ourselves. “Competition is always good, it will decision to remain in Iran has been a bless- my city and I found a way to love it. London Middle East Institute, said: gy news website TechRasa — dubbed the “There is no Google Play, but we have Cafe provide better services. But competition will ing in disguise. And their advice to expatri- “It is important to show that we can do “The improved economic situation is TechCrunch of Iran — where he writes about Bazaar. We don’t have Amazon, so we built not be easy for foreigners,” he said. ates: “Come back home.” something here. If you don’t like it, you don’t certainly an important factor reduc- Iran’s entrepreneurs, including those in Digikala,” added the mechanical engineer- The lack of local knowledge and the coun- Mr Jafari said: “The situation is not all leave it. You try to change it.” •

56 57 GAMING GOES GLOBAL

SCREENGRAB COURTESY OF SOURENA GAME STUDIO

Like Prince Keykhosro setting out to war in the game “Legends of Persia”, Iran’s 70 game studios — backed by 23 million gamers — are aiming to conquer new markets.

STORY BY SHARANYA PILLAI PHOTO BY CLIFFORD LEE In “Grandam Overdrive”, Aunt Ghezi is a grandmother racing to rescue the village’s kidnapped children. The game, developed by Anu Game vention, Iran’s first B2B gaming convention, even European publishers. prove the quality of its games before reach- Studio, sees her use a magic staff designed after the ney, a Persian flute-like instrument. in April 2017. The two-day event is organ- Sourena is now in business with compa- ing out to the West. ised in collaboration with Game Connec- nies like Travian Games from Germany, “As more foreign game companies enter tion, which has held conventions in Paris European publisher IDC/Games, as well as Iran, local developers are definitely going to and San Francisco. Korean game company Smilegate. It is also lose the market to them,” he said. “Now that the sanctions are lifted, many negotiating with American e-payment pro- “But the good thing about games is that foreign players can see that we are a big mar- vider Paymentwall, and Mr Mehdiasl is op- they are not very complicated technology. ket,” Mrs Ahmadi said. timistic about receiving the go-ahead from With more experience in a few years, I think “It’s important to have a B2B event so that US authorities to collaborate. we’ll be ready to compete internationally.” they can be introduced to our companies “In just less than a year, we have had Over at the Iran Game Development In- and both parties can use the opportunities around 10 agreements with different part- stitute — the first game development edu- to do business internationally.” ners around the globe,” he said. “It shows cational centre in the Middle East — young One Iranian company that plans to attend that international companies are really in- game studios in incubation are already the convention is Sourena Game Studio, an terested in the Iran market. The lifting of reaching out to foreign partners. early entrant which started making action sanctions has been very effective for us, and One of them is Boomerang Games, which and adventure games in 2008, and subse- I’m really happy.” is currently in talks with foreign publishers quently branched out into publishing games With Sourena’s success, Mr Mehdiasl to get its latest PC game onto the online made by other studios — even expanding to hopes to set up more offices in the Middle gaming platform Steam. To date, only about Singapore in 2014. East, Asia and Eastern Europe. But aside 10 Iranian games have been published on The lifting of sanctions was a pleasant sur- from the big studios, younger Iranian game Steam. prise for Sourena’s founder and CEO Hassan developers are also vying for a slice of the The team’s manager, Mr Ahmad Dadash- Mehdiasl, 33. The company had been work- global pie. Nejad, hopes that Iranian developers will ing on an e-payment system that would en- Avid Studio, a two-year-old company eventually be able to sell their games to for- able Iranians to buy games online from for- that makes mobile games, wants to start by eign markets without going through mid- eign publishers, by tapping on Shetab, the reaching out to youths in nearby countries dlemen. For the 29-year-old, it is all about country’s electronic banking system. like Afghanistan and Tajikistan because they being able to compete on the same footing Prior to this year, Mr Mehdiasl reckoned are “culturally closer” and likely more recep- as their foreign counterparts. that his innovation, AllPays, would only tive towards Iranian games, said its CEO “In Iran, we are very competitive in work with Asian publishers, who are un- and co-founder Amin Foroughi. everything; we call it kalkal. And in playing deterred by sanctions. But since its launch The 28-year-old believes that although in- games, we are kalkal,” he said. on 17 Jan 2016, just a day after the lifting of ternational doors have opened, the industry “We want to work on projects that can be sanctions, AllPays has been well-received by will need approximately two years to im- published all over the world.” •

Mr DadashNejad (front) and programmer Mahdi Sadri, 22, in their Boomerang Games cubicle at the Iran Game Development Institute.

SCREENGRABS COURTESY OF ANU GAME STUDIO

hen Iran’s Anu Game Studio unveiled January 2016, Anu is back stronger on the digital game revenue amounting to US$153 Wits first computer game in 2013, for- international scene. million (S$212 million), according to a 2015 eign publishers were surprised and im- In August 2016, the company headed to report by the country’s Digital Games Re- pressed with its hand-drawn artwork. The Germany for Gamescom, the world’s biggest search Centre (DIREC). company received 11 offers to collaborate, gaming event, for the first time. There are about 70 active game studios and from countries including France, the United As a result, Anu is now negotiating deals 10 gaming incubators — organisations that Kingdom and Poland. with game publishers from Spain, Germa- provide training and resources to nurture But later that year, the United States an- ny, Poland and China. Once again, many of new gaming companies — in the country. nounced another round of economic sanc- these foreign companies were impressed by Gaming is also a nationwide hobby, with tions against the Islamic Republic. Eventu- the richness of its in-game artwork. In its DIREC reporting an estimated 23 million ally, Anu’s negotiations fell through and its latest PC game, “Grandam Overdrive”, Anu gamers in 2015. It also found that there is an adventure game, “We Need A Hero”, missed fuses Western design with characters adapt- average of one active gamer per household, its chance to hit global markets. ed from Persian fables. with each gamer playing for approximately “I did not expect that politics would affect Like Anu, many domestic players in Iran’s 79 minutes a day. my profession. My work is not even politi- budding game industry are optimistic about However, many global players in the gam- cal, I just produce games,” said the compa- global prospects after the lifting of sanc- ing industry are still unaware of the poten- ny’s chief executive officer (CEO) Mostafa tions. And with the country set to host its tial Iran’s market holds, noted Mrs Maryam Keyvanian, 29. first international business-to-businessAhmadi, the business development manag- “But I stayed strong and kept up the quality (B2B) gaming convention in 2017, game de- er of the semi-governmental Iran Computer of my games, so that everyone will continue velopers are buzzing with expansion plans. and Video Games Foundation (IRCG). to appreciate them.” Iran boasts the second-biggest market for To bridge this information gap, the IRCG With the lifting of sanctions against Iran in video games in the Middle East, with its will be organising the Tehran Game Con-

60 61 The development of Internet Exchange Points will ensure faster. cheaper and safer distribution of Farsi content from banks, government ministries, universities and the national e-mail service. The number of active Internet users has But human rights group International Campaign for attracted Google, says Mr Shahab Vahabzadeh, Human Rights believe these servers could be an avenue a consultant to the Telecommunications for monitoring Iranians. Infrastructure Company. He believes Google is hoping to be a part of their national service.

Population: 78 million Number of Internet users: 45 million Number of smartphone users: 32 million

Although websites such as YouTube, A Facebook and Twitter are currently “HA LAL” banned, President Hassan Rouhani has 800,000 followers on his English Internet and Farsi Twitter accounts. Iranians will soon have two options STORY BY EMILY JOOSTEN to stay connected — the global Internet and their national network. This alternative has been touted as a solution to Iran’s long-time slow Internet connection.

It takes 45 seconds on average for Iranian Inter- Access to the Intranet is net users to upload a photo on social media, expected to be compared to nine seconds in Singapore. 146.9 42% 110.3 cheaper than the Internet. 67.8 53.9 Iranians will pay for both the Intranet and Internet services 17.8 separately. IRAN USA SG HK GER Average peak connection speed (in mbps)

62 Source: Akamai State of Internet Report 2016 YAN CLARA CHEWGRAPHIC & CHONG KAI BY hile undergraduates in Iran pursue engineering with the (From left) Wpromise of prestige and a larger paycheck, many quickly find Mr Karami, Mr Bavand, Mr A GLUT of that reality is not what it seems. Moghadam and Ms Suzan After leaving school, a large number cannot find jobs or are forced studied engineering in to turn to other fields — according to 2011 figures from Iran’s Statis- university, but none of them tics Centre, close to a quarter of engineering graduates are jobless. are working as engineers. This comes as engineering students make up nearly a third of grad- Poor job prospects and low uates in the Islamic Republic every year, making it the third-high- salaries have forced some to est producer — after the United States and Russia — of engineering seek greener pastures abroad, graduates in the world. while others choose to switch ENGINEERS vocations. Chemical engineering graduate Farhad Moghadam was encour- aged to study engineering because his family thought it was of a Engineering was once considered a fail-safe career in Iran. But “higher rank” than other fields. the country’s graduates now struggle to find fulfilling jobs in an But the 28-year-old has struggled to find employment since 2013, industry saturated with talent. and bemoaned the poor job security as well as meagre wages that affect his industry. “Families thought their children could find better job positions STORY BY AQIL HAZIQ MAHMUD & ASYRAF KAMIL and higher salaries by pursuing engineering, but it’s not true,” he PHOTOS BY SHERRY WONG & AQIL HAZIQ MAHMUD said. “I tried to find jobs related to my education, but the salary is too low and the contract is too short.” To get by, he worked temporarily in a bitumen factory, at a refrig- erator manufacturing line and as a tour bus driver. 65 Civil engineering graduate Sajjad Roshandel is not as fortunate. Another engineering professor at the University of Tehran, Dr The 29-year-old, who has been unemployed since graduating in Zainalabedin Navabi, witnessed first-hand how students gave up on 2010, was rejected for positions as a salesman, security guard and their dreams of becoming engineers. janitor. “I have had students who are really good go from engineering to NUMBER OF ENGINEERING He was unable to find jobs both in and out of engineering because psychology,” he said. “There are then others that go from engineer- he lacked technical qualifications or lacked work experience. ing to management.” GRADUATES “I tried to find jobs in different branches of civil engineering, and Electronics engineering graduate Taha Karami, 24, wants to switch at different levels from technician to engineer, but I couldn’t find to medicine because “there are not many opportunities for engineer- 1. RUSSIA 454,436 even those,” he said. ing students”. “So, I tried to find menial jobs, but it’s not possible as well, because “We don’t have the industries that exist in first-world countries, 237,826 I didn’t have work experience in those fields.” and that is why a lot of engineers here are jobless or dissatisfied with 2. UNITED STATES Mr Roshandel suggested that universities should do more to pre- the jobs they have,” he said. pare their students for the industry. “It will be better if universities Likewise, biomedical engineering graduate Amirahmad Bavand, 3. IRAN 233,695 try to show students how to use theoretical knowledge in real jobs,” 23, thinks there is “no real industry” in Iran. He plans to further his he said. education in the US before finding a job there. Similarly, university education proved “not useful” for Mr Moghad- “There aren’t many companies producing medical devices. Tech- 4. JAPAN 168,214 am. “I learnt more in six months working part-time at a research nology here is outdated, so they prefer to buy devices from more institute than in my entire time in university,” he said. developed countries and sell them at a higher price,” he said. 147,858 “The quality of engineering teaching and research, as well as the “The best engineers emigrate to other countries like the US or 5. S. KOREA practice of engineering in many universities are not that high,” ex- Canada. Few (who stay) find real jobs, others are unemployed or plained Dr Shahin Ashtiani, an engineering professor at the Univer- doing jobs unrelated to their major.” 140,169 sity of Tehran. At least 40 per cent of top-performing students with undergradu- 6. INDONESIA He noted that many students with engineering degrees, especially ate degrees in science and engineering left the country to pursue ad- those from less prestigious universities, end up switching fields after vanced degrees, according to 2012 to 2014 figures from the National 7. UKRAINE 130,391 failing to land a decent job. Elites Foundation, a government-run organisation that supports “Some may carry on their family businesses, or others may be in- high-achieving students. 113,944 volved in their own entrepreneurship endeavours,” he added. “Get- Many leave Iran because of a shortage of good jobs and the lure of 8. MEXICO ting an engineering degree does not necessarily translate to getting higher salaries abroad, observed Dr Gholamreza Haddad, a labour a high-paying job here.” economics professor at Tehran’s Sharif University of Technology. *No data available for China “They do not have good opportunities for work, and the salary and India does not compete with the remuneration that they will get from oth- er countries,” he said. But electrical engineering graduate Farzaneh Sedaghat thinks many graduates “choose the easier way: continue studying instead ENGINEERING TOPS I NEED A JOB I learnt more in six of getting a job”. “If one is well-trained, self-motivated and a fast learner, one can months working find so many jobs in Iran,” said the 28-year-old, who was hired by an industrial manufacturing company right out of university. part-time at a “It is a fact that many people in Iran are highly educated, but what research institute we need in the industry is the ability to solve problems.” than in my entire EXCESS OF ENGINEERING GRADUATES time in university. When Iran quadrupled its annual income during the 1973 oil price boom, the then-developing country started importing sophisticated technology to modernise its economy, creating a huge demand for st already scarce engineers. nd 1 MR MOGHADAM 2 “In response, the government allowed universities to increase en- rd 3 rolment in engineering degrees,” said Dr Nader Habibi, a Middle East economics expert at Boston’s Brandeis University. SOCIAL SCIENCE, ENGINEERING & HUMANITIES & But as the number of engineering graduates rapidly increased, Dr BUSINESS & LAW CONSTRUCTION THE ARTS Habibi added, economic sanctions on Iran disrupted its manufac- turing and industrial activity. “As a result, the number of job oppor- When it comes to choosing what to study, engineering tunities for engineers did not increase as fast as the supply.” % “There are more than 200,000 students enrolled in engineering and construction are No. 1 among undergraduates, 22 courses in this country,” noted Dr Ashtiani. “It’s a large number, es- of engineering graduates in comprising 31% of the cohort. Social sciences, Iran are unemployed. pecially for a country like Iran.” business and law undergraduates make up 23%, Nevertheless, both Dr Habibi and Dr Navabi feel engineering grad- while humanities students make up 14%. uates still have a future in Iran. 30% of computer science “Society has a lot of respect for individuals that graduate with an graduates and 26% of engineering degree,” Dr Habibi said. biological science students “Up until the recent decade, the income of engineers was very high are also jobless. and unemployment rate was near zero.” Dr Navabi added: “Our industries are just beginning to make some changes to start moving in a more productive manner. Sources: “In a few years, I’m sure there will be enough engineering jobs for Iran’s Statistics Centre 2011 everyone, not just those from the top-tier universities.” • The Business Year Iran 2011 World Economic Forum 2015, UNESCO Institute for Statistics GRAPHIC BY JIM CHAN

66 67 SECRETS & LIES Iran is still governed by strict Islamic laws, like the prohibition of women showing their hair, male and female students eating in the same cafeteria, and owning dogs. So, many are forced to come up with ways to get around the rules.

GRAPHIC BY LYDIA TAN n a tiny apartment in Tehran, Mr Amin tionship before marriage — an offence pun- ly referred to as “white marriage” — an il- IAnari, 34, and Ms Behnaz Beheshti, 30, go ishable under Syariah law. Many parents also legal practice that risks serious punishment. In Iran, youths to bed after a long day of brewing herbal tea disapprove of relationships before marriage. “Our neighbours and landlord think we — their co-owned business venture. They However, these restrictions do not stop are married,” Mr Anari said. They might fight over the blanket and kiss each other Iranian youths, who make up about 60 per not have succeeded in renting an apartment goodnight. cent of the country’s population of 80 mil- otherwise. Some couples resort to wearing They are not married, but their neighbours lion, from seeking romance. They cohabit fake wedding bands to pass off as an engaged cannot know. secretly, hide their relationships from fami- couple when meeting property agents. live and love in secret Love is a complicated affair in Iran where ly, and even pay to meet the right one. Then, they have to keep up the act in case men and women in a relationship face re- neighbours get suspicious and report them Romance can be a complicated affair, as society strictions in public. FOR LOVE AND INDEPENDENCE to the authorities. Even at university level, libraries and caf- There are no official statistics for the num- believes in marriage, not love. eterias are gender-segregated. In enforcing Mr Anari and Ms Beheshti are among the ber of unwed couples living together, but the Islamic code of conduct, Iran’s morality growing number of young Iranians who live the problem was widespread enough that STORY & PHOTOS BY CHONG KAI YAN police may arrest couples for having a rela- together without getting married, common- in November 2014, the office of Ayatollah

Mr Anari and Ms Beheshti spend Friday evening at a friend’s apartment. After a takeaway dinner, they are glued to their phones.

70 71 (From left, clockwise) Bridal studios line Nofel Loshato Street in Tehran.

Art students Ms Samin Mahmoodi, 20, and Mr Mohammad Hossin Lakzadeh, 24, often meet at cafes.

A couple with their toddler at Imam Square, Isfahan.

Dr Ardabili reviews applicants seeking his help to find a spouse.

Members meet their prospective spouses for the first time here.

Ali Khamenei, Iran’s Supreme Leader, issued a move out of their family home. fore marriage but dare not reveal them to THE CLERICAL CUPID “I started this institute because the work August 2016. She had wanted to stay single statement calling the arrangement “shameful”. “This is the degree of risk I am willing to their parents, said Ms Sarabadani, a transla- is important for Iran’s future. Because of the as marriage seemed “scary and uncertain”. The Guardian also reported that popular take to buy my independence and freedom,” tor . Typically, two families will meet for the For the more conservative, another option laws in Iran, it’s difficult for people to meet Now, Ms Mabubeh is optimistic about her women’s magazine “Zanan-e Emrouz” was said Mr Anari. first time to discuss the couple’s wedding. exists. For an application fee of about S$120, partners,” he said. prospective spouse whom she has met four shut down in April 2015 for publishing ar- For Ms Sarabadani’s family, her dates with singles can pay to find a partner. Every day, members can indicate up to five times. “I like that we share the same values. ticles on cohabitation. DATE, BUT NOT TELL Mr Sabet, a photographer, are group outings Over 16 years, matchmaker Jafar Ardabili partners of their choice from profiles post- He is religious and faithful,” she said. Despite the risk involved, there is an increas- with friends of the same sex. “My father helped a total of 2,094 couples tie the knot , ed on the institute’s website or a group chat It takes an average of four months be- ing number of “white marriages”, Mr Anari said. Mr Pouria Sabet and Ms Minoo Sara- doesn’t know about any of my relationships. all of whom are still happily married. Also on Telegram, Iran’s most popular messaging fore wedding bells chime. The pair will The couple moved in together two years badani, both 26, met through a photography You just don’t share your personal life with an Islamic cleric, the 52-year-old provides app. Only the member’s age, income and go through at least three supervised ses- after they started dating. This is their fourth group on Instagram. They go for dates at your father,” she said. matchmaking services under the Amin In- level of education are displayed — strictly sions and a meeting in public with Dr year together, but the couple have no in- cafes, watch movies at the local cinema and While on dates, the pair behave like friends ternational Family Cultural Institute. no photographs are allowed. Ardabili’s approval. Then, together with tentions of getting married. Mr Anari said: text each other until they fall asleep. — no hand-holding and no acts of affec- Dr Ardabili first played cupid during his Dr Ardabili and his team of counsellors him, the two families will meet to discuss “Marriage is not just about us. I’m not ready This arrangement, though far from the ta- tion — in case they encounter members of days as a teaching assistant at the University then pair couples who expressed mutual in- the wedding. to be someone else’s son.” boo “white marriage”, is still a delicate rela- the morality police. of Tehran. Back then, students spent “seven terest and whose qualifications match. Dr Ardabili sees about two unions a week. Other common reasons include the hefty tionship to manage. “This is Iran. But we’ve learnt to work lonely years” pursuing a degree in medicine Graduate student Mabubeh, 27, who de- “In Iran, there’s no falling in love — only cost of weddings and the desire for youths to Majority of youths have relationships be- around it and live with it,” she said. and had no one to share life with, he recalled. clined to give her last name, signed up in marriage,” he said. • 72 73 as they realised there was a woman among them. ager Farshid Ghorbanian‘s female relative, who requested not to be “At first they laughed about it, but when other spectators started named, was the only woman present at the Rah Aahan Stadium. speaking rudely, those people asked them not to curse because there Mr Ghorbanian explained that “the atmosphere is not fit for wom- is a lady,” she recalled. en”, as raucous male fans chanted hamleh (Farsi for “attack”) and WOMEN “This was unbelievable for me, because I had heard that those who blared horns in the background. go to the stadium are not polite and that it is not good for women His relative remained seated quietly in the VIP box throughout, to go there. while male spectators next to her cheered and gestured wildly. “These gentlemen protected me like I was their sister.” Female journalists have also been allowed into stadiums on occa- Her initial fears melted away. She said: “Although I was terrified at sion, though in 2014 they were ordered to leave the Azadi Stadium, NO ALLOWED first, I really enjoyed the match after. I felt like I wanted to fly.” which hosted World League volleyball matches. Ms Hanieh posted a picture of herself on her Instagram page to But not all of these exceptions were successfully carried out. Women are barred from men’s games at stadiums. But some show friends who had scoffed at her for wanting to watch a match. In July 2016, Iranian authorities promised women that they could She went to her second match in September 2016, this time for buy tickets to watch World League matches, but as soon as the on- still watch their favourite sports, flouting Iran’s religious rules. the hotly-contested derby between Persepolis and Esteghlal. Again, line sale started, they were told that tickets were “sold out”. Even she piled on the layers, five this time, and posted online about being players’ family members with special accreditation were barred by STORY BY NICHOLAS TAN among 90,000 fans at the stadium with a female friend — though she security services from watching a game against the United States in PHOTOS BY SAMUEL HE admitted she was afraid of implicating her companion. June 2016. From a few hundred followers on Instagram before her first match, Nevertheless, activists fighting against what they perceive as an in- she now has almost 19,000 — many of whom cheered her on. justice against women refuse to remain silent. “I was so happy to know so many supporters were women. I really Filmmaker Jafar Panahi’s 2006 film “Offside” depicts Iranian wom- feel there are so many other women who want to enter stadiums but en disguising themselves to watch a national men’s football game. It can’t, so it felt like I was representing them,” said Ms Hanieh. won the runner-up prize at the 2006 Berlin Film Festival. According to women’s rights activist group OpenStadiums, there At the 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, Iranian volleyball have been many cases of Iranian women dressing up like men to fan Darya Safai held up a sign and wore a T-shirt that said “Let Ira- enter stadiums. The ban extended to volleyball in 2012. nian women enter their stadiums”, sparking a worldwide debate over The activist group, also known as White Scarves, comprises mem- women’s rights in Iran. bers who organise campaigns for female fans to enter stadiums Ms Safai, 35, is the founder and director of the activist group “Let through demonstrations and social media activities. They work Iranian women enter their stadiums”. anonymously for security purposes. However, the risk still remains. There have been cases of wom- A representative, who requested anonymity, said Iranian women en prosecuted for repudiating restrictions. In 2014, British-Ira- sometimes watch sports matches from high vantage points like roof- nian fan Ghoncheh Ghavami spent five months in Tehran’s Evin tops and hillslopes. “We watched beach volleyball from a rooftop last Prison for protesting outside the Azadi Stadium after she was winter. Some of us even sneaked into a stadium with Korean women refused entry. to watch a game with them,” she said. In May 2016, a 15-year-old Iranian girl was arrested and received Despite the ironclad ruling on local women, Iranian authorities death threats, after she had dressed up as a boy to watch the football appear to be more lenient with foreigners. season finale at the Azadi Stadium. In addition, exceptions are sometimes made for family members of The fear of running foul of the law does not appear to deter fans club officials and players. like Ms Hanieh. At a second-tier league game between Baadraan Tehran and Naft When asked if she was planning another visit to the stadium, she Masjed Soleyman in September 2016, Baadraan Tehran team man- replied: “100 per cent, yes.” •

Mr Ghorbanian’s female relative keeps a close eye on the game between Baadraan Tehran and Naft Masjed Soleyman.

eing headstrong was always Ms Hanieh’s (she only wanted to be evision. In May 2016, she disguised herself as a man to sneak into Bknown by her last name) most identifiable trait. Tehran’s Azadi Stadium for Persepolis’ match against Rahahan. While other girls played with stray dogs, she played football with “It is terrible that men can watch games at stadiums but women boys. While her family wanted her to take up teaching, she chose to can’t. It’s my right to watch my favourite team, it doesn’t matter that study architecture. others don’t like it,” she said. So when the avid football fan, now 21, decided to watch a football To conceal her figure, Ms Hanieh wore seven layers of t-shirts and match at a stadium, nothing was going to stop her — even if it meant trousers. She then painted her face red, the colours of her beloved flouting the country’s religious rules. team, and donned a cap to hide her hair. Since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, women have been banned from Using a friend’s brother’s identification card, she bought a ticket attending men’s games as the rowdy atmosphere is deemed unsuit- at the stadium. The hardest part was maintaining her composure in able for them. front of policemen in the stadium. She tried to “act like a boy” as she Girls are not allowed in once they start wearing the hijab — a headed to her seat. head-covering veil worn as a symbol of modesty — typically when She had planned against being overly enthusiastic so as not to they hit puberty. attract unwanted attention, but her emotions got the better of her Ms Hanieh, who has supported Persepolis Football Club since she when Persepolis scored the opening goal. was four, was not content with watching her sporting heroes on tel- Ms Hanieh’s outburst of cheer led men sitting around her to stare, A young girl sits among fellow supporters. When the time comes for her to don the hijab, she can no longer do so.

74 75 onning flamboyant pink gloves, boxer Kickboxers Leila and Mazanin, who only DSK, who only gave her initials, aims wanted to be known by their first names, rapid jabs at her male coach’s focus mitts, remove their veils and dress down to fig- Female fighters go her broad shoulders testament to the shift ure-hugging tights and tank tops when they she puts in during training. train in the basement gym. To most people, this is a typical training “It is much more comfortable to train routine. But in Iran, women are not allowed without being impeded by hijab,” said Ms to train with their male counterparts in Mazanin, 27. “Nobody will intrude on us or closed spaces like gyms due to the Islamic offend us unlike in the parks, where we have country’s religious rules. to tolerate the criticism of others.” When training in open areas like public Introduced to the sport by friends, the duo UNDERGROUND parks, women must be clothed from head picked up kickboxing as a way to keep fit, to toe, and no physical or close contact be- and also as a method of self-defence. tween men and women is allowed. They train every two days for two to three Despite this being the case since the 1979 hours. The workout includes power exercis- Islamic Revolution, Ms SK, 22, defies the au- es like barbell lifts, striking punching bags, thorities by training in an underground gym and sparring with men and women. in Varamin, a city south-east of Tehran. “Women usually have rivalry with other There, the 70 kilogramme, 1.73 metre women, and we prefer not to exchange in- bodybuilding enthusiast spars with men, formation with each other. With men there and is trained by a male coach. is more honesty and better feedback,” said “There isn’t any female boxer in my weight Ms Mazanin. category (68kg) in Iran that has stepped up to The gym, run by martial arts instructor spar with me. I am unable to challenge my- Mohsen Talebi, has 22 female students, the self, and have a suitable evaluation. youngest being 18 and the oldest, 45. “I have no choice but to train with men.” Mr Talebi, 47, who has done martial arts When Ms SK was 19, she started boxing to since he was five years old, has run the gym improve in basketball, a sport she had been since 2011. playing for a decade. After an injury forced “There is no difference between women her to choose between the two, she gave up and men. Sport is regardless of gender,” said her Nike Hyperdunks for boxing gloves. Mr Talebi, who set up the gym after friends While the sports engineering undergrad- asked him to start a place where both gen- uate at Tehran’s Islamic Azad University is ders trained together. “always up for a fight against female boxers”, Male kickboxer Shayan Mazaheri, who she sees nothing wrong with training with also works out at Mr Talebi’s gym, said that the opposite gender. men also benefit from training with the op- “In my view, there are no problems train- posite sex. ing with men. Both my bodybuilding and “Men, being competitive, will be more mo- boxing coaches are male, and training with tivated to train harder because we don’t want male boxers has helped me progress in my to lose to women,” said the 25-year-old. career as a boxer,” she said. According to Mr Talebi, there are under- She also hopes to attract sponsors, and ground gyms that have been around for plans to take part in international compe- more than 20 years. titions against women abroad, starting with He said: “The police have never caught the United Arab Emirates or Armenia. us. For that to happen, someone must have Despite training away from the public eye, complained about us, and we are a very Ms SK chooses to cover up whenever she friendly family. It is a very safe secret.” steps into the ring. But Ms Leila desires more than these clan- “I always train with complete hijab like destine workouts. The 29-year-old hopes to in a business meeting,” said Ms SK, who is one day flaunt her golden-brown locks dur- also a fitness coach at Karen Fitness Club in ing training without fear of reprisals. PHOTO COURTESY OF SK Tehran. “It’s hard to train with hijab, but it “I have seen so many women who want to is possible.” train like us. Being Muslim does not prohib- Women at other underground gyms have it people from training like us,” she said. fewer reservations about how they dress. “There is no relationship between sports Some at Akademi Razmi Armin, an under- and religion, we are all human beings. Some female boxers, like Ms SK (above), train behind closed ground gym in Tehran, choose to let their Hopefully someday, men and women train- doors so they can choose to ditch the hijab and train with men. hair down. ing together will become legal.” •

STORY BY NICHOLAS TAN

76 77 Dog owners on a tight leash

More Iranians are choosing to own dogs despite the threat of prosecution.

STORY BY EMILY JOOSTEN PHOTOS BY JIM CHAN & EMILY JOOSTEN

hen any of her four dogs requires medical attention, designer Maryam Taheri hires a Wdriver to chauffeur them to a veterinarian, so as to minimise the danger of abduction. “Just a few years ago, the authorities took a dog away from the owner, put it in a van and disappeared. The owners never found out what happened to the dog,” said the 45-year-old. While owning a dog isn’t illegal in Iran, it is still a contentious issue. “The problem with dogs is that in Islam, it’s najis,” said Ms Taheri, using the Arabic word for “unclean”. Many Muslims avoid owning pet dogs as many Islamic jurists, who are learned experts in Sharia law, consider the animals impure. As such, Ms Taheri can only walk her dogs when she believes it to be safe. She said: “Sometimes the authorities are on the streets for two months, checking on cars and homes to see if there’s a dog. Then the tension is released and it’s a bit calmer. That’s when I take them out.” Most of the time, Ms Taheri keeps her husky, German Shepherd and two mongrels within the compound of her two-storey home, which is equipped with a garden large enough for them to “run, play and dig”. Despite the problems of owning a dog, more Iranians are choosing to do so. Since 2013, dog shelters and hospices such as MRT have experienced an increase in adop- tion among Iranians, said MRT founder Maryam Sanei, 37. While there are no official figures, Ms Taheri thinks there are more dogs in her neighbour- hood now. “My neighbour living opposite me has a dog, and a few others around here have quite a few big dogs too,” she noted. The growing popularity of dog ownership also seems to be especially prominent among the wealthy who have had access to foreign education. Ms Taheri explained that growing up in Paris provided her a different perspective of dogs. “We used to have animals in class, and each of us were responsible for taking care of them. We were introduced to domestic animals in a nice way, unlike in Iran where we avoid them.” Still, she conceded, the country’s stance on animals is changing, as evidenced by the in- creasing number of veterinarians in Tehran alone. “Twelve years ago, when my mother was alive, there were maybe three veterinarians in the city of Tehran. Now, we have so many; there’s one just down the street,” she said. Veterinarian Iman Memarian says there has been an increase in the number of dogs he has treated since 2011. He operates with a license for “small animals” that allows him to practise legally. His clients, however, are embroiled in a turbulent political climate. “The political situation in Iran changes every year — with a different president we have a different situation. With the previous president, it was very difficult. You could find police- men waiting in front of the clinic to catch dog owners,” said the 33-year-old. Even official organisations like Vafa Shelter, Iran’s biggest dog shelter, face their share of bureaucratic red tape. Policemen often come by under the guise of investigating alleged noise complaints. Point- ing to his wallet, Vafa Shelter employee Ali Sho’eybi said: “We usually handle it. They just want something.” According to retiree Assa Hodjat, however, the authorities are not the only hurdle. Societal stigma is another problem that dog owners in Iran face. “After I got my third dog, I wouldn’t dare to bring my babies out because people steal them Shop owner Hadi Masoumzadeh (left) with a dog outside in Shiraz. “We’re lucky that while you’re walking them. They come over, they threaten you with their knives and they people here are open-minded,” he said about being seen in public with the pet. take your dog away,” the 50-year-old owner of five Chihuahuas said. 78 79 Ms Taheri keeps her dogs in separate parts of her house since they don’t all get along.

Muslims comprise 99 per cent of Iran’s population, something Ms Hodjat thinks is the She said: “When I travelled to the United States for six months, I had a friend stay over at main reason for the stigma. “When you’ve been taught from young that it’s bad, it doesn’t my previous apartment to take care of my dogs. Within a month, she called to tell me that matter what it is exactly — you will always think it’s bad,” she said. my neighbour had started a petition complaining about how noisy my dogs were. I’d lived But she believes the growing popularity of dogs is encouraging. “It’s only when you start in- there for years and nobody said anything. teracting with dogs that you start to see how friendly and cute they are. That’s the difference. “I confronted her, but if I was a tenant, I wouldn’t have the guts to do that. I have friends You need a chance to understand it. Once you form a close relationship with a dog, how can who are tenants, and when their neighbours complain about their dogs, they just move.” you not love these things?” In addition, dog food is not cheap either. Most owners resort to preparing food for their Most dogs are imported and sold through veterinarians or “official breeders”, said Ms Ta- canines instead of buying from stores. heri. Chihuahua breeds cost upwards of 31 million rials (S$1,394), while a Pomeranian costs “One small can of food is about the price of a hamburger. Of course it’s expensive. I mean twice that. many families in Iran, even in Tehran, have difficulty including meat in their daily meals. So Many dog groomers and trainers advertise their services on image sharing platform Insta- of course having a dog is a luxury,” Ms Hodjat said. gram, but Ms Hodjat is careful to point out that not all of them can be trusted. She showed a According to the Iran’s Statistics Centre, the average monthly salary of Iranian families in trusted list of groomers and warned: “You go to the others at you and your dog’s risk.” 2014 was 17 million rials (S$749). A can of dog food costs between 50,000 to 100,000 rials Ms Taheri, however, remains sceptical about the trend, believing that it is a temporary fad. (S$2.20 to S$4.40). “The nouveau riche like owning dogs to show their wealth, but they don’t know much about Fortunately for both Ms Hadjat and Ms Taheri, they have not faced major problems with grooming and disciplining them,” she said. owning their dogs, but they know that others have not been as lucky. Most Iranians agree that owning a pet dog is easier for those with financial means. For one, Mr Sho’eybi prefers to keep his dogs at the shelter. For Ms Taheri, living in a neighbourhood of bungalows complete with private gardens “I go there five days a week for work, so I’m always with them. There, they can play with the provides the luxury of privacy. other dogs, they are provided for, and there are no neighbours around to complain.” “Quite a number of people here have dogs, so even if my dogs bark once in a while, they Whatever the case, the growing number of employees and volunteers at animal shelters can’t say for sure that it’s mine,” she said, with a laugh. shows a promising sign for dog lovers — there is a growing tolerance. And for Mr Sho’eybi, But, for apartment-dwellers living in crowded city buildings, Ms Taheri pointed out that that is good enough. owning a dog presents a new set of challenges, like the presence of “security guards, neigh- He said: “It’s difficult for change to happen when people use religion as a reason. But at least bours from their own building and neighbours from the surrounding buildings”. more children are playing with dogs at the shelter — that’s nice to see.” Ms Hodjat, who recently moved into her new apartment in the upscale Tajrish neighbour- Meanwhile dog lovers will continue to do as they have — finding opportunities within hood in Tehran, counts herself fortunate that her mother owns both the current and previ- restrictions. Ms Taheri takes pride in how resourceful they are. ous apartment buildings she lives in. “Iranians are clever people; they will find a way to get what they want,” she said. •

80 81 @iraninlove

From love that blossomed in a hospital to a couple that grew up next to each other, @iraninlove is an Instagram project that showcases stories of romantic relationships. In a country where public displays of affection are frowned upon, @iraninlove is a manifestation of how love triumphs all.

Iman and Azam Sasan and Behnaz Maria and Mehdi

Mostafa and Maedeh Esfandiar and Aysa Zahra, Parham and Nemat For Danial, 21, and Niosha, 20, it was He is an aspiring actor who idol- How Do I Love Thee? Let me count love at first “like”. Their relationship ises Bruce Lee. She is a photogra- the ways… It was a love for sonnets bears the hallmarks of a new-age phy student who prefers Brad Pitt. and poems that brought Taniya, 18, couple. They met on Instagram and They have been dating for a year and Pedram, 20, together. “Do you he sent a direct message. “At first, I and meet up to four times a week. know why you love photography? said no, but I thought he was a cool They spent this date playing with Or the colour blue? For me it’s the guy,” said Niosha. “We’re just taking stray cats in Laleh Park. Amin, 21, same. I don’t know why I love her, things slowly.” plans to marry Hiva, 19, soon. I just know that I do,” says Pedram.

Zohreh and Reza Sara and Ghasem Mehrdad and Azerdat

82 83 THE TEAM From chasing cheetahs to posing at Persepolis, our 10 days as student journalists in Iran were busy, rewarding and full of surprises.

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1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. Kai Yan Sharanya Samuel Matthew Asyraf Xue Qiang Hedwig Sherry Emily Jim Louisa Nicholas Yu Wei Bingyu Haziq Clifford remembers chanced stumbled on shocked the spent several got curious rushed spent three was sur- had the best may have saw how stopped got up close shared life was the the warm upon a live the prepara- team when hours in and glances back to the days feeling prised to and worst lost her Iranian many young and personal stories and team’s go-to reception film shoot. tion of a reli- he was held out of the when he hotel every trapped — have been 30 minutes wallet in the football fans couples for with two learned guy for all she got in While the gious festival back at shops of the staked out afternoon to and a little offered a of his life all-women put their interviews Asiatic chee- about Iran tech prob- cafes, where crew spoke at midnight Changi Air- Vakil Bazaar the office of remove her scared — as glass of wine riding pillion section of a Singapore on social tahs, all the through long lems. By the locals were no English, in Yazd port because in Shiraz, a newsmak- headscarf. “It she docu- in a coun- through bus, but did counterparts media. Most while worry- chats with end of the always ready she had tea during one of a high getting the er for three weighed me mented the try where the streets not lose her to shame, couples ing he could newsmakers trip, even Ira- to talk to and “talked” of his night fever. No, he best deals hours sitting down, and I lives of wom- alcohol is of Tehran cool — even after a lucky ended up be their next and trans- nians were her. to them photography did not have for his buys. by the road- forgot what en dancers banned. without a when the encounter inviting her meal. lators, with asking him with hand walks. MERS. side. my hair in under- helmet. police failed that got him home for a whom he for help. gestures. looked like.” ground to show up. a seat in a meal. still keeps in studios. VIP box. touch.

84 85 OUR OUTTAKES

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