What do iranians do for entertainment

Still, most of the citizens spend time in city parks. Entertainment in Iran. Entertainment in Iran 23 Apr Entertainment in Iran: Theater The most popular and large theaters are concentrated in the capital of Iran, and the main cultural life is also concentrated in Tehran. Entertainment in Iran: Zurkhaneh Another popular type of entertainment in Iran is zurkhaneh. Entertainment in Iran: Movies and cinemas The cinematography in Iran began to develop rapidly after the revolution.

Entertainment in Iran: Football Iranians love football, especially if Iranians play on the field. Entertainment in Iran: Horse Riding In the spring and autumn months, every Thursday horse racing is organized in Iran. Entertainment in Iran: open-air picnic Iranians are very fond of spending time outdoors. Leave a Reply Cancel reply. Tour Packages to Iran. Useful Articles. Waterfalls in Iran No Responses. National Restaurants in Tehran No Responses.

These have all been extended under the Islamic Republic, as has rural electrification. Mining and exploitation of Iran's extensive mineral wealth other than oil is largely moribund.

Moves to privatize industry have been slow; 80 percent of all economic activity is under direct government control. Aside from oil products, the nation's exports include carpets, caviar, cotton, fruits, textiles, minerals, motor vehicles, and nuts.

A small amount of fresh produce and meat is exported to the states of the Persian Gulf. Classes and Castes. Iranian society presents a puzzle for most standard social science analysis of social structure. On the one hand there is an out-ward appearance of extensive social stratification.

When one peers beneath the surface, however, this impression breaks down almost immediately. In Iran one can never judge a book by its cover. A traditional gentleman in ragged clothes, unshaven, and without any outward trapping of luxury may in fact be very rich, and as powerful as the mightiest government official; or he may be a revered spiritual leader.

On the other hand a well-dressed gentleman in an Italian suit driving a fine European car may be mired in debt and openly derided behind his back. Social mobility is also eminently possible in Iran.

Clever youths from poor backgrounds may educate themselves, attach themselves to persons of power and authority, and rise quickly in status and wealth. Family connections help here, and hypergamy marriage into a higher class for both men and women is very important. High status is precarious in Iran. There is a symbiotic relationship between superior and inferior.

Duty is incumbent on the inferior, but the noblesse oblige incumbent on the superior as a condition of maintaining status is often greater, as the last shah, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, discovered in the Revolution.

Nevertheless there are genuinely revered figures in public life. Public respect is largely accorded by diffuse and generalized acclimation, this being a form of status recognition that Iranians trust. The public has a tendency to dismiss awards, promotions, and public accolades as the result of political or social intriguing.

The clerical hierarchy in Shi'a Islam is a good model for genuine advancement in social hierarchy because clerics advance through the informal acknowledgment of their peers. Iran has made the transition in the last twenty years from a nominal constitutional monarchy to a democratic theocracy. As the United States has checks and balances in its governmental system, so does Iran.

There is a strong president elected for a four-year term, and a unicameral legislature majles of members, elected directly by the people, with some slots reserved for recognized minorities. The position of speaker is politically important, since there is no prime minister. Suffrage is universal, and the voting age is sixteen. Over and above these elected bodies there is a supreme jurisprudent selected by an independent Assembly of Experts—a council of religious judges. The office of chief jursiprudent faqih was created for Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini at the time of the Revolution.

It was designed to implement a controversial philosophy unique to Khomeini's teachings—a "guardianship" to be implemented until the day of return of the twelfth Shi'a Imam, Muhammad al-Mahdi, who is in occultation being hidden from view. Alongside the chief jurisprudent is a twelve-member Council of Guardians, six selected by the chief jurisprudent, and six by the Supreme Judicial Council ratified by the majles. The Council of Guardians rules on the Islamic suitability of both elected officials and the laws they pass.

They can disqualify candidates for election both before and after they are elected. Another council mediates between the Council of Guardians and the legislature. All members must be Shi'a Muslim jurisprudents. Islamic Shari'a law is the foundation for the court's decisions.

Freedom of the press and assembly are constitutionally guaranteed so long as such activities do not contradict Islamic law. The units of governmental division are the province ostan , "county" sharestan , and township dehestan. Each governmental unit has a head appointed by the Ministry of the Interior. Military Activity. Although there is a standing army, navy, and air force, the Revolutionary Guards Pasdaran-e Engelab , organized shortly after the Revolution, dominate military activities, often coming into conflict with the standard military forces.

The Revolutionary Guards either accompany or lead all military activities, both internal and international. A national police force oversees urban areas, and a gendarmerie attends to rural peacekeeping. The Islamic Republic of Iran is replete with charitable organizations. It is incumbent upon all Muslims to devote a proportion of their excess income to the support of religious and charitable works. This contribution is voluntary, but the government collects this tithe and uses the income to support hospitals, orphanages, and religious schools.

The government is also committed to rural development projects. A movement called the "sacred development struggle" jihad-e sazandegi was launched early in the Islamic Republic and was successful in bringing important development projects—electrification, drinking water and roads—to remote rural areas. There are many small private charitable organizations organized to help the poor, fatherless families, children, and other unfortunate citizens.

The Iranian Red Crescent Society the local version of the Red Cross is active and important in the instance of national disaster. Iran is a net exporter of charity to neighboring countries. There are very few international nongovernmental organizations NGOs operating independent development or health programs in Iran at present, except in conjunction with Iranian governmental organizations. The current regime views independent NGOs with deep suspicion, and in its aim for self-sufficiency views the work of many international charities as unnecessary.

The United Nations UN is the one important exception. Iran has supported the UN since its inception, and a number of UN programs in health, development, population, and the preservation of cultural antiquities are active. The nation's Mostazafin "downtrodden people" Foundation and the Imam Khomeini Foundation have operated in the international sphere.

The Relative Status of Women and Men. The question of gender roles is one of the most complex issues in contemporary Iranian society. Women have always had a strong role in Iranian life, but rarely a public role. Their prominent participation in political movements has been especially noteworthy.

Brave and often ruthlessly pragmatic, women are more than willing to take to the streets for a good public cause. Moreover, although the world focuses increasingly on the question of female dress as an indicator of progress for women in Iran and indeed, in the Islamic world altogether , this is a superficial view.

In the years since the Revolution, women have made astonishing progress in nearly every area of life. Both the Pahlavi regime and the leaders of the Islamic Republic have gone out of their way to emphasize their willingness to have women operate as full participants in government and public affairs.

Women have served in the legislature and as government ministers since the s. The average marriage age for women has increased to twenty-one years. Iran's birthrate has fallen steadily since before the Revolution, now standing at an estimated 2.

Education for women is obligatory and universal, and education for girls has increased steadily. The literacy rate for women is close to that of men, and for women under 25 it is over 90 percent, even in rural areas. Female employment is the one area where women have suffered a decline since the Revolution. Even under the current Islamic regime, virtually all professions are theoretically open to women—with an important caveat.

The difficulty for the leaders of the Islamic republic in allowing women complete equality in employment and public activity revolves around religious questions of female modesty that run head-to-head with the exigencies of public life. Islam requires that both women and men adopt modest dress that does not inflame carnal desire.

For men this means eschewing tight pants, shorts, short-sleeved shirts, and open collars. Iranians view women's hair as erotic, and so covering both the hair and the female form are the basic requirements of modesty.

For many centuries women in Iran have done this by wearing the chador, a semicircular piece of dark cloth that is wrapped expertly around the body and head, and gathered at the chin. This garment is both wonderfully convenient, since it affords a degree of privacy, and lets one wear virtually anything underneath; and restricting, since it must be held shut with one hand. Makeup of any kind is not allowed.

In private, women dress as they please, and often exhibit fashionable, even daring, clothing for their female friends and spouses. Any public activity that would require women to depart from this modest dress in mixed company is expressly forbidden.

Professions requiring physical exertion outdoors are excluded, as are most public entertainment roles. Interestingly, film and television are open to women provided they observe modest dress standards. This has created an odd separate-but-equal philosophy in Iranian life. Westernized Iranian women have long viewed obligatory modest dress in whatever forms as oppressive, and have worked to have standards relaxed.

These standards certainly have been oppressive when forced on the female population in an obsessive manner. Revolutionary Guards have mutilated some women for showing too much hair or for wearing lipstick. But the majority of women in Iran have always adopted modest dress voluntarily, and will undoubtedly continue to do so in the future no matter what political decisions are made on this matter.

The emotional roles of Iranian men and women are different from those in the United States and many other Western countries. In particular, it is considered manly for men to be emotionally sensitive, artistically engaged, and aesthetically acute.

Women, by contrast, can be emotionally distant and detached without seeming unfeminine. Open weeping is not shameful for either sex. Both sexes can be excessively tender and doting toward their same-sex friends with no intention of eroticism. Kissing and hand-holding between members of the same sex is common. By contrast, physical contact between members of the opposite sex is assiduously avoided except between relatives. Western men offering to shake a traditional Iranian woman's hand may see her struggling between a desire to be polite, and a desire not to breech standards of decency.

The solution for many a woman is to cover her hand with part of her chador and shake hands that way. Under no circumstances should a proper man or woman willingly find themselves alone in a closed room with a member of the opposite sex except for his or her spouse. In Iran women control marriages for their children, and much intrigue in domestic life revolves around marital matters.

A mother is typically on the lookout for good marriage prospects at all times. Even if a mother is diffident about marriage brokering, she is obliged to "clear the path" for a marriage proposal. She does this by letting her counterpart in the other family know that a proposal is forthcoming, or would be welcome.

She then must confer with her husband, who makes the formal proposal in a social meeting between the two families. It is therefore extremely important that the families be certain that they are compatible before the marriage takes place. Marriage within the family is a common strategy, and a young man of marriageable age has an absolute right of first refusal for his father's brother's daughter—his patrilateral parallel cousin.

The advantages for the families in this kind of marriage are great. They already know each other and are tied into the same social networks. Moreover, such a marriage serves to consolidate wealth from the grandparents' generation for the family. Matrilateral cross-cousin marriages are also common, and exceed parallel-cousin marriages in urban areas, due perhaps to the wife's stronger influence in family affairs in cities.

Although inbreeding would seem to be a potential problem, the historical preference for marriage within the family continues, waning somewhat in urban settings where other considerations such as profession and education play a role in the choice of a spouse.

In , 25 percent of urban marriages, 31 percent of rural marriages, and 51 percent of tribal marriages were reported as endogamous. These percentages appear to have increased somewhat following the Revolution.

In Iran today a love match with someone outside of the family is clearly not at all impossible, but even in such cases, except in the most westernized families, the family visitation and negotiation must be observed.

Traditional marriages involve a formal contract drawn up by a cleric. In the contract a series of payments are specified. The bride brings a dowry to the marriage usually consisting of household goods and her own clothing.

A specified amount is written into the contract as payment for the woman in the event of divorce. The wife after marriage belongs to her husband's household and may have difficulty visiting her relatives if her husband does not approve. Nevertheless, she retains her own name, and may hold property in her own right, separate from her husband. The wedding celebration is held after the signing of the contract. It is really a prelude to the consummation of the marriage, which takes place typically at the end of the evening, or, in rural areas, at the end of several days' celebration.

In many areas of Iran it is still important that the bride be virginal, and the bedsheets are carefully inspected to ensure this. A wise mother gives her daughter a vial of chicken blood "just in case. This is more common in rural than in urban areas. Iran is an Islamic nation, and polygyny is allowed. It is not widely practiced, however, because Iranian officials in this century have followed the Islamic prescription that a man taking two wives must treat them with absolute equality.

Women in polygynous marriages hold their husbands to this and will seek legal relief if they feel they are disadvantaged. Statistics are difficult to ascertain, but one recent study claims that only 1 percent of all marriages are polygynous.

Divorce is less common in Iran than in the West. Families prefer to stay together even under difficult circumstances, since it is extremely difficult to disentangle the close network of interrelationships between the two extended families of the marriage pair.

One recent study claims that the divorce rate is 10 percent in Iran. For Iranians moving to the United States the rate is 66 percent, suggesting that cultural forces tend to keep couples from separating. Children of a marriage belong to the father. After a divorce, men assume custody of boys over three years and girls over seven. Women have been known to renounce their divorce payment in exchange for custody of their children.

There is no impediment to remarriage with another partner for either men or women. Domestic Unit. In traditional Iranian rural society the "dinner cloth" often defines the minimal family. Many branches of an extended family may live in rooms in the same compound. However, they may not all eat together on a daily basis.

Sons and their wives and children are often working for their parents in anticipation of a birthright in the form of land or animals. When they receive this, they will leave and form their own separate household. In the meantime they live in their parents' compound, but have separate eating and sleeping arrangements.

Even after they leave their parents' home, members of extended families have widespread rights to hospitality in the homes of even their most distant relations.

Indeed, family members generally carry out most of their socializing with each other. Inheritance generally follows rules prescribed by Islamic law. Male children inherit full shares of their father's estate, wives and daughters half-shares.

An individual may make a religious bequest of specific goods or property that are then administered by the ministry of waqfs. Kin Groups. The patriarch is the oldest male of the family. He demands respect from other family members and often has a strong role in the future of young relatives. In particular it is common for members of an extended family to spread themselves out in terms of professions and influence. Some will go into government, others into the military, perhaps others join the clergy, and some may even become anti-government oppositionists.

Families will attempt to marry their children into powerful families as much for their own sake as for the son or daughter. The general aim for the family is to extend its influence into as many spheres as possible. As younger members mature, older members of the family are expected to help them with jobs, introductions, and financial support. This is not considered corrupt or nepotistic, but is seen rather as one of the benefits of family membership.

Infant Care. The role of the mother is extremely important in Iran. Mothers are expected to breast-feed their babies for fear the babies will become "remorseless. Child Rearing and Education. Mothers and children are expected to be mutually supportive. A mother will protect her children's reputation under all circumstances. Small children are indulged, and not just by their parents. They are magnets for attention from everyone in the society. Some parents worry about their children becoming vain and spoiled, but have a difficult time denying their wishes.

Older children often raise younger children, especially in rural settings. It is very common to see an older child with full responsibility for care of a toddler. Children are usually more than up to this task, and develop strong bonds with their siblings. There is some rivalry between children in a family, but the rule of primogeniture is strong, and older children have the right to discipline younger children.

The father is the disciplinarian of the family. Whereas most fathers dote on their small children, they can become fierce and stern as children approach puberty. It is the father's responsibility to protect the honor of the family, and this means keeping close watch on the women and their activities. A girl is literally a treasure for the family. If she remains chaste, virginal, modest, and has other attributes such as beauty and education she has an excellent chance of making a marriage that will benefit everyone.

If she falls short of this ideal, she can ruin not only her own life, but also the reputation of her family. Boys are far more indulged than girls.

Their father teaches them very early, however, that the protection of family honor also resides with them. It is not unusual to see a small boy upbraiding his own mother for some act that shows a lack of modesty. This is the beginning of a life long enculturation that emphasizes self-denial, collectivism, and interdependence with regard to the family.

Families place a very strong emphasis on education for both boys and girls. For girls this is a more modern attitude, but it was always true for boys. The education system relies a great deal on rote memorization, patterned as it is on the French education system. Children are also strongly encouraged in the arts. They write poetry and learn music, painting, and calligraphy, often pursuing these skills privately.

Higher Education. All Iranians would like their children to pursue higher education, and competition for university entrance is fierce. The most desired professions for children are medicine and engineering. These fields attract the best and the brightest, and graduates receive an academic social title for both professions doktor and mohandess.

The social rewards are so great for success in these professions that families will push their children into them even if their interests lie elsewhere. Many young people receive an engineering or medical degree and then pursue a completely different career. The social lubricant of Iranian life is a system known as ta'arof , literally "meeting together.

The system marks the differences between andaruni and biruni situations, and also marks differences in relative social status. In general, higher status persons are older and have important jobs, or command respect because of their learning, artistic accomplishments, or erudition.

Linguistically, ta'arof involves a series of lexical substitutions for pronouns and verbs whereby persons of lower status address persons of higher status with elevated forms. By contrast, they refer to themselves with humble forms. Both partners in an interaction may simultaneously use other-raising and self-lowering forms toward each other.

Ritual An Iranian family eating a meal in Shiraj. Even after they leave home, members of extended families have hospitality rights in the homes of their most distant relatives. In social situations, this linguistic gesture is replicated in behavioral routines. It is good form to offer a portion of what one is about to eat to anyone nearby, even if they show no interest. One sees this behavior even in very small children. It is polite to refuse such an offer, but the one making the offer will be sensitive to the slightest hint of interest and will continue to press the offer if it is indicated.

Guests bring honor to a household, and are eagerly sought. When invited as a guest a small present is appreciated, but often received with a show of embarrassment. It will usually not be unwrapped in front of the giver. It is always expected that a person returning from a trip will bring presents for family and friends. An honored guest is always placed at the head of a room or a table. The highest status person also goes first when food is served. It is proper form to refuse these honors, and press them on another.

One must be very careful about praising any possession of another. The owner will likely offer it immediately as a present. Greater danger still lies in praising a child. Such praise bespeaks envy, which is the essence of the "evil eye. The correct formula for praising anything is ma sha' Allah , literally, "What God wills. Iranians can be quite physically intimate with same-sex friends, even in public.

Physical contact is expected and is not erotic. In restaurants and on buses and other public conveyances people are seated much closer than in the West. On the other hand, even the slightest physical contact with non-family members of the opposite sex, unless they are very young children, is taboo. A downward gaze in Iran is a sign of respect. Foreigners addressing Iranians often think them disinterested or rude when they answer a question without looking at the questioner. This is a cross-cultural mistake.

For men, downcast eyes are a defense measure, since staring at a woman is usually taken as a sign of interest, and can cause difficulties. When I finished high school in the late s, an underground rave scene was forming in Tehran. We smuggled in techno and house CDs when coming back from holidays abroad. On weekends we gathered at someone's basement or villa, played music and danced. But many of these parties were raided and most of my friends and I have been jailed at least once for attending an underground party.

If a party is busted and alcohol is found, "culprits" can end up getting corporal punishment. I know many people who received up to lashes after a night out. I was once at a party in Shemshak, an hour's drive from Tehran.

We nicknamed it "Shibiza", after the world-famous party resort of Ibiza. The room was dark and the strobe light was the only thing that made the other dancers visible to us every few seconds. In one flash of light I saw an unfamiliar bearded face on the dancefloor, followed by another flash and an unfamiliar aggressive face.

All of a sudden the lights were on. People were screaming and running around. The party was raided by the hardline Basij militias, a volunteer security force. They had batons and were smashing things. My friends and I locked ourselves in the bathroom. We could hear women screaming and crying, and men begging for forgiveness. The pandemonium went on for an hour - and then there was silence. Their nightlife will give you the chance of meeting people from all walks of society, enjoying their time off from work.

As a popular night resort, walking on 30 Tir Street is among the cool things to do in Tehran. Being replete with Van Cafes, kiosks, and food stalls, 30 Tir Street is the popular center for Tehran street food, where people can have cheap and delicious meals, such as fast foods, Iranian snacks, and traditional foods.

Visiting 30 Tir Street, you can see hundreds of people hanging out, eating, chatting, and laughing every night. Shopping in Tehran is another entertainment you can experience in the city. Purchasing handicrafts and souvenirs is among the funniest things to do in Tehran, Iran. Thousands of people enjoy visiting Tehran shopping malls and bazaars every day, where they can have fun and eat delicious cousins as well.

If you want to explore Tehran bazaars, the Grand Bazaar will be a perfect choice offering architectural attractions as well as Iranian-style shopping traditions. Tehran Grand Bazaar hosts thousands of customers and visitors daily, who enjoy shopping, wandering the labyrinthine lanes, and watching the beautiful Persian carpets.

Being one of the most popular destinations for almost all Tehran tours, Tajrish Bazaar is a small sample of Tehran Grand Bazaar, where you can find everything but the chicken sink. Buying Persian spices, nuts, and dried fruits, visiting the traditional grocery stores parallel to the super modern shopping centers, and seeing tons of gold and jewelry are among the fun things to do in Tehran Tajrish Bazaar. Going to various Tehran parks is another way to have entertainment in Tehran.

Tehran parks offer old trees and fresh air, refreshing landscapes and water-fountains, mouthwatering foods and drinks, running and hiking paths, galleries and museums, live theatrical and musical performances, and fun games.

Located in northern Tehran, Jamshidieh is a stone park in the foothills of the Alborz Mountains. Having fresh air, you can also enjoy hiking the Kolakchal skirts and watching an outstanding view of Tehran. Jamshidieh is a perfect option to have free things to do in Tehran. If you want to have a refreshing walk in Tehran, besides visiting two famous Tehran museums, Laleh Park will be the best choice.

The Museum of Contemporary Art and the Persian Carpet Museum are the places you can visit while watching the beautiful sightseeing and live musical performances at Laleh Park Tehran. Hanging out in Tehran popular resorts is among the top things to do in Tehran. Darband, Darakeh, and Farahzad are the places, where most people have entertainment in Tehran. Taking a traditional seat in Darakeh recreational center and having a traditional Iranian meal, along with tea, nuts, dried fruits, and hookahs, is a popular way of having entertainment in Tehran.

Very similar to Darakeh resort, Darband is also a recreational center in northern Tehran, where people have meals by the river, listen to live Persian music, and eat different Iranian snacks at the colorful stalls.