Although 98% of the population in Iran are practicing Muslims, not all of them share exactly the same beliefs. 89% identify as Shia Muslims and the other 9% as Sunni Muslims. In the past, Sunni Muslims were forced to convert, but currently, Iranian law allows for religious freedom in the country, as long as it does not break any laws.
The remaining 2% of the country mostly practice religions like Christianity, Baha’i Zoroastrianism and Judaism. And although there is not much diversity in religious beliefs, there are a variety of ethnicities. Iran is populated by Iranians (61%), Azeri, (16%), Kurds (10%), Lur (6%), Baloch (2%), Arabs (2%), Turkmen and Turkic tribes (2%).
The Persian Cat
Persian cats unsurprisingly originated from the highlands of Iran. They are one of the oldest cat breeds in existence and in response to the freezing cold temperatures in the Iranian mountains, developed the ability to grow long and luxurious silky fur.
They were brought over to Europe by Italian merchants in the 17th century and quickly became an exotic status symbol. Centuries later, Persian cats are still one of the most popular cat breeds in the world due to their doll-faced good looks.
They Will Rock You
Heavy metal has become very popular all over Iran, but especially in the capital city of Tehran. It may seem hard to believe, but the genre has been steadily gathering supporters for the past three decades with the emergence of new Iranian blues and rock musicians.
Although heavy metal is banned in Iran because authorities believe it is a symbol of the underground music scene, fans have come to know it from music festivals in neighboring countries like Georgia. The Iranians have embraced the music and believe it promotes love and unity. These days, all types of music can be found in the country, including jazz, pop, and even hip hop.
Eating in Iran
Iranian food is a mix of Middle Eastern, Greek and Indian flavors. They have found a way to balance out the styles by offering more varied dishes than typical Greek food and by using fewer spices than traditional Indian cuisine. They are also on trend with the rest of the culinary world with their preference for fresh ingredients.
The people of Iran are big fans of fresh fruits, vegetables, grains and nuts. The proteins they regularly use are lamb, sheep and chicken, typically served alongside rice and a variety of flatbreads. The Iranian drink of choice is black tea, and lots o
Aversion to Alcohol?
Alcoholic beverages are illegal in Iran, and the only beers that you will find on restaurant menus are of the non-alcoholic variety. However, like other illegal things, the prohibition doesn’t mean that alcohol cannot be found in the country.
Private celebrations often offer partiers plenty of booze, the most prevalent is a type of homemade wine known as aragh saghi. It is basically moonshine made out of raisins. In general, the business of illegally smuggling alcohol into Iran, is a $700 million dollar industry per year.