iran

IRAN

A Different PerspectiveMohammad Morovati, Nov 2007

m.morovati@gmail.com

Preface:

• This presentation is prepared to be presented in 30 minutes for Introduction to Macroeconomics class students.Eco304L, University of Texas at Austin, Fall 2007.

• This is not necessarily a usual approach to the topic but more customized to what course instructor, professor Norman requested to be covered and compared with some other Islamic countries. This presentation does not necessarily reflect the composer’s opinions.

The wrong picture…

The wrong picture…

Outline of this presentation

• Some pictures of Iran

• Location, climate and demographics

• Political system

• Islam and other religions

• Women

• References

Some pictures: Historical sites

Pre-Islam palaces

Some pictures: Historical sites

After-Islam palaces

AaliGhapoo palace 40sotoun palace

Some pictures: Historical and religous sites

Yazd Jame mosque Imam Reza Shrine

Some Pictures: My old classmates!

Some pictures: Where I was born, Tehran

Some pictures: Tehran (a rare clean day!)Not always you can see the mountains which are covered with snow.

Ski resorts near Tehran

Tehran: Azadi Square

Tehran at night

Tehran: Traffic jam

Tehran: Highways

Iran:Nature

Iran: Nature

Iran: Geographical Location

Climate and Demographics• Population:

70’000’000 (2006)

• Median age: 26 years

• GDP per capita (PPP):$9000

• Major government income:Oil and Gas

• Labor force : agriculture: 30% industry: 25% services: 45%

Political System: Islamic republic

Parliament President Judiciary system

Election Assembly of experts (86 Islamic clerics)

Supreme Leader

Political System (detailed)

Political parties:

• Reformists

• Former President: Khatami

• Conservatives

• New President: Ahmadinejad

Islam and other religions

Religions in Iran

– Muslim 98% • Shi'a 89%• Sunni 9%

– other (includes Zoroastrian, Jewish, Christian,…) 2%

Zoroastrians

• The old religion of Iran before Islam

• Iranians converted to Islam 14 centuries ago

• 20’000 Zoroastrians live in Iran now

• They are free to have their temples and ceremonies

• My Father was born in a Zoroastrian neighborhood!

Historical Zoroastrianism

Zoroastrian Temple in Yazd

Islam and Christianity

• Muslims believe in Jesus, prophet Mohammad as his successor

• 19th chapter of Quran is named “Mary”

• Christians are free to have their religious activities and ceremonies

• They have their own schools and churches

Churchs

Islam and Jews

• Muslims believe in Moses

• 17th chapter of Quran is named “Bani Israel” (The Jews)

• Around 30’000 Jews live in Iran (Second in middle east after Israel)

• They can have their school and temples

• There is no conflict with Jewish people.

Khatami meets a jewish center in Tehran

Iran and Israel conflict:Political rather than religious

Minorities in Government

• Each of the main minorities (mentioned above) have one guaranteed seat in Parliament.

• Minorities can vote for muslims or their candidate

• 1 out of 270: Much more than their population ratio

Women

• Dress Code

• Sports

• Right to Vote

• Government

• Universities

• Driving, etc…

Women:Dress Code• compliance with Islamic Dress Code is

enforced in law

• However, The interpretation of Islamic Dress Code is not unique

• Let’s see some pictures….

Typical youth group

Typical youth group

More religious women in streets

More religious women: Islamic Dress show

Typical women: Islamic Dress show

Typical women in streets

Less religious women in streets

Less religious women in streets

Shirin Ebadi, Peace Nobel Prize, 2003

• Khatami and his daughter • Ebtekar, Khatami’s vice-president

Women dress code

• More or less cultural rather than political enforcement

• Rageh Inside Iran, documentary from BBC4, watch 33:15

Women:Sports

• Free for any kind of sport but NOT in presence of men: separate sport facilities

• Thus, No photos of women swimming pools available!

• Women should wear Islamic sports dress in presence of men

Islamic Sports dress (for public)

Islamic sports dress (for public)

Islamic Sports dress (for public)

Stadium

Women

• Right to vote:According to constitution women and men have the same political rights.

• Government: a few women in cabinet a few women in parliament

relatively more in other positions

Women

• Education:• Same 12 level education before college.

• Since 2004, more than 60% of university entrantswere female!

• Parliament insisted in 2004 that there can not be any gender limitation in admission to universities.

• Universities are not separate and classes are mixed

Women

• DrivingLaw is the same for men and women regarding driving.

• Labor participation:50 (as % of male rate) 75% increase since 1990

81% for USA

source: Human Development Report, UNDP

Women,On-going Struggle to ensure equal rights

• Despite all above, the law is not completely fair in some cases and women activists struggle continues.

• There have been some improvements but there are more issues in law to be resolved related to:– Marriage

– Bequest

– Judge position

– etc…

References:

• To have a better understanding of Iran, I would recommend the following sources:

Recommended Videos about Iran• Rageh Inside Iran, (90 min, BBC 4 documentary)

• The Jews of Iran (8 min, Australian SBS)

• Daily Life (4 min, video clip)

• Skiing in Iran (13 min, documentary about skiing by a foreigner tourist)

• Beautiful Iran (4 min, Video clip)

• Nature (9 min, Iran nature)

• Iran, historical Treasure (10 min, Iran history)

• Maz Jobrani (5 min, Comedy standup about Iran!)

Recommended Pictures from Iran:

• Iran (Great Gallery of life, art and nature)

• Daily Life

• Tehran

• Nature

Recommended Websites:

• CIA World Factbook

• Wikipedia, Iran

• Wikipedia, History of Iran

• About Iran, A flash file

• Iran Tourism

Thank you!

• Comments or questions?

m.morovati@gmail.com