Rick Steves' Travel as a Political Act Blog

Red Tape and Fear

My hope to film a TV show about Iran was fraught with challenges. The permissions had been so slow in coming that the project only became a certainty about a week before the shoot. Because the US does not maintain a diplomatic relationship with Iran, the only way we could communicate was indirectly, via the Iranian Interest Section at the Pakistani Embassy. It was strange to go into a relaxed, almost no-security Iranian Embassy in Athens...and walk out with visas.

Why did Iran let us in? They actually want to boost Western tourism. I would think this might frighten the Iranian government, since tourists could bring in unwanted ideas (like those that prompted the USSR to restrict tourism). But Iran wants more visitors nonetheless. They also believe that the Western media have made their culture look menacing, and never show its warm, human, and gracious side. They did lots of background research on me and my work, and apparently concluded that my motives were acceptable. They said that, while they'd had problems with other American network crews, they'd had good experiences with PBS film crews.

Not that we were planning to glorify Iran. While I was excited to learn about the rich tapestry of Iranian culture and history, I also recognized that I couldn't ignore some of the fundamental cultural differences. I felt a responsibility to show the reality women face in Iran, and to try to understand why Iranians always seem to be chanting “Death to America.” We wanted to be free-spirited and probing, but not abuse the trust of the Iranian government.

As my plane touched down in Tehran, I felt a wince of anxiety. This was a strange land for me — and therefore frightening. We had considered leaving our big camera in Greece and just taking the small one. Nervous even about the availability of electricity, I had made sure all my electrical stuff was charged up before leaving Greece. And there were questions: How free would we actually be? Would the hotel rooms be bugged? Was there really absolutely no alcohol — even in fancy hotels? Would crowds gather around us, and then suddenly turn angry? I was about to get my answers.

About This Entry

You are reading "Red Tape and Fear", an entry posted on 24 February 2010 by Rick Steves.

3 replies to this entry. Add your comment below.

Previous Entry, The Pilot Said, "We’re Taking this Plane to Tehran"...and Nobody Was Alarmed, posted Feb 19 2010

Next Entry, Tehran: Iran's Mile High Metropolis, posted Feb 26 2010

Comments [ top ]

It's more than just the U.S. media which depicts Iran's government as threatening. Countless academics who have lived there, have family there and who write extensively are worried about its rigidity, its fundamentalism, its militarism and its hegemony. It is also tremendously well armed. Further, it seems to me the biggest benefactor from the U.S. involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan has been Iranian influence in the region. Depending upon the fairness and balance among Iraq's Sunni's, Shiites and Kurds resulting from Iraq's elections March 7,2010, Iran could control Iraq by allying with the Shiite majority. And the elephant in the room is oil. The U.S gets its oil today from Canada, Saudi Arabia, Mexico, Nigeria and Venezuela in that order. But more than half the planet's remaining oil RESERVES are in Saudi Arabia, Iraq and Iran. Iran's Green Party (dissenters) may get stronger, or not, because it's very disorganized. But Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps is definitely getting stronger as an influencer of state policy. We need all the help we can get from the Iranian people to encourage their govt. to engage with us in diplomatic solutions. And anything we can do to lessen our dependence on oil post haste is also going to help. Iraq and Iranian ambitions, good or bad, have been funded by our own profligate consumption of petroleum.

Posted by: Bill Kester - Feb 24, 2010 11:10 AM

In the spirit of balance and objectivity, I think RS readers might appreciate the following info about Iran. Author Chuck Thompson is a freelance writer and has a new book titled "To Hellholes and Back: Bribes, Lies, and the Art of Extreme Tourism" He was interviewed by Jayne Clark in the Travel Section page 12B, of the Friday, 26 February 2010 edition of USA Today. On Iran, the interviewer said "Yes, we've had our political dust-ups, but not only does Thompson find Iran 'friendly and safe and dedicated to hospitality,' but it's capital, Tehran, has one of the 'most amazing' grand bazaars anywhere. 'This is a society built around almonds and dates and hummus and backgammon. We should have all learned by now, no matter what side of the political divide you're on, it's ignorant to impugn and entire population because of a politician you don't like.' AFTER reading the above I went to the U.S. State Dept. warning site for U.S. travelers and learned that although Iran is one of the 29 (out of 244 nations) where U.S. citizens are urged to consider carefully before traveling to Iran (we have no diplomatic relations and Iranian Americans are considered especially at risk), we are not PROHIBITED from visiting Iran. The book's author also talks about other places with "bad-boy" reputations which may be exaggerated: Mexico City, Johannesburg, Caracas and last but not least the place my wife was born, Queens, NY adjacent to Manhattan.

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