Iran - Andrew Burke [332]
If you’re travelling with a man, you might find that Iranian men (and Iranian women in the company of Iranian men) will talk almost exclusively to the foreign man. This can be unsettling, especially if the conversation lasts for several hours over dinner, and you, as a woman, are rarely even acknowledged. However, attitudes like this are slowly changing. As their awareness of the world increases, Iranians are becoming more accepting of women travellers and more prepared to approach and engage them, especially in cities. As a foreign woman you will sometimes be considered an honorary male and be accepted into all-male preserves, such as teahouses, in a way that most Iranian women could not dream of being.
Some restaurants and teahouses have separate areas set aside for women and families. Where that’s the case, you’ll be directed straight to them. In some people’s homes, men and women eat separately when guests are present, although as a foreign woman you will often be regarded as an ‘honorary man’ in this situation.
On city buses, women have their own entrance in the middle of the bus, and must sit at the back. You give your ticket to the driver through the front door, then get on through the back. On intercity buses, Iranian women never sit next to men unless they’re related, and you should follow suit unless you want to give an Iranian man an embarrassing shock. Women should not shake hands, or have any other physical contact, with unrelated men. However, Iranian men who are accustomed to dealing with foreigners will sometimes make an exception to this rule.
Safety Precautions
Violence against foreign women is almost unheard of in Iran, even if the odd grope in a shared taxi is not. And while there’s a reasonable chance your bum will be pinched by some guy during the course of your trip, it’s important to remember that not every man who speaks to you has ulterior motives. Foreign women who’ve travelled through Pakistan, Turkey, Egypt or Morocco say they’ve felt more comfortable in Iran where the level of harassment is lower.
Of course, you should take normal safety precautions and avoid staying in the cheapest mosaferkhanehs. Sharing a room with a foreign man shouldn’t be a problem, even if he’s not your husband.
Try to avoid looking men in the eye unless you know them well, as this will almost certainly be interpreted as a come-on. If you’re travelling alone or with female friends, then to avoid the possibility of misunderstandings on anyone’s part, it’s best to be cautious about accepting invitations to ‘tea’ at a man’s house unless at least one of his female relatives will also be present.
If you are harassed, tell your persecutor firmly, but politely, to desist (English will do; your meaning will be clear from your tone), and try to enlist the sympathy of other Iranians. If they think someone is behaving badly towards you, they will probably stop him out of shame. Try to avoid screaming blue murder; it might make the situation worse. If the problem persists, a mere mention of the police (‘polis’) should have a sobering effect.
What to Bring
If you use tampons, take enough to last your whole trip. They’re hard to find in Iran and expensive. Sanitary pads are widely available. It’s also handy to take some plastic bags for carrying out your toilet paper, tampons and pads from toilets that don’t have rubbish bins.
What to Wear
Since the revolution of 1979 all women in Iran, including foreigners, have been required by law to wear long, loose-fitting clothes to disguise their figures, and to cover their hair. This form of dressing is known as hejab, a term that refers in general