People are friendly and help each other even if they are strangers. When a person asks an Iranian something, he or she always get an answer, but it doesn’t mean that it’s the right answer. Interrupting people is considered very rude. We shake hands, wave goodbye, and make eye contact. We try to be respectful in conversation. In general, we keep a fair amount of distance between us when talking. The distance is greater when people of opposite genders are having a conversation. Unlike in the U.S., Iranian men hug and kiss when greeting each other.
Respect for the elderly is very important to Iranians. The nuclear family structure is strong, and children are raised to listen to and obey those who are older than they are. People of all ages are opinionated, which means they share their ideas about everything, including politics. Iranians can get a driver’s license at age 18, as that is the generally accepted age of adulthood.
People must marry before moving in together. Kissing in public is illegal. According to the Iranian constitution, men and women have equal rights. They have equal power in the family; of course, this varies with the specific situation. Women are supposed to have the same access to education and job offers as men. Women can vote and several women have been elected to public office. In reality, the exact extent of women’s rights is often contested, especially after the introduction of sharia, Islamic law, following the 1979 revolution. Certainly, there are women who are treated unfairly. However, in our experience, this has not been the case.
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Age structure:
0-14 years: 23.2%
15-64 years: 71.4%
65 years and over: 5.4