Iran

Greetings

Men greeting Men - Common forms of greeting include a firm handshake, a hug (usually three hugs alternating the shoulders) and also a kiss or two or three on each cheek. A firm handshake is common at initial meetings.

Women greeting Women - A handshake and hug is common. Some women will exchange kisses on the cheek. A light handshake is common at initial meetings.

Men greeting Women - Greetings depend on whether the two people are religious or not. Those who are religious do not shake hands at all or make eye contact with members of the opposite sex when in public. They maintain distance, especially if they are not related. If they have to greet one another, a slight bow is made and some distance is kept; 3 feet apart or more. In other situations, a nod of acknowledgment will suffice. Handshakes may be common in certain situations, but it is always best to wait and see what action the person you are greeting takes.

Note: It is taboo for religiously observant men to touch women and vice-versa.

Communication Style

• Communication style tends to be indirect and it may be difficult sometimes to understand. For instance if you annoy someone, they are most likely not going to openly tell you that they are annoyed. Instead they are going to let you know about the vexation in a round about way that requires creative speaking and listening techniques.

• Most Iranian people would not be categorized as being direct communicators. Many are not very comfortable with saying NO to the requests of people whom they are not so close to because they think this answer might hurt their feelings. As they get closer in their relationships they become more comfortable with saying what they really mean or have in mind. Many Iranian people consider this attitude as being polite.

Personal Space & Touch

• The acceptable amount of personal space depends on the sexes involved when communicating and whether they are in public or not. People are usually more relaxed in their homes.
• In public places opposite sexes are more aware to keep distances when communicating especially if they are not husband and wife, about a little over an arms length is ok. Any closer interaction could offend those around you.

• Touching members of the opposite sex is a big No-No; especially in public. Also touching between family members is not too common; especially between those of the opposite sexes.

• Personal space tends to depend on three things: 1- Culture of the family that the person comes from 2- If the person is religious 3- Where people are interacting; in public or in private places. If they are not religious and are in a family or friendly atmosphere they shake hands or kiss on the cheek when they meet members of the opposite sex but in the working or public areas they would act more conservative and do not kiss or shake hands. For people who are religious there are always boundaries and hand shaking wouldn’t be appropriate.

Eye Contact

• Members of the opposite sex do not usually use direct eye contact. They would instead look to the ground, especially in public places. Too much eye contact could be taken the wrong way and cause trouble.
• Direct eye contact tends to be the norm between men and other men.

Gestures

• Common gestures are a high five between younger people, usually guys. They also do a typical greeting bow where the right hand is put on the left chest with a slight bow.

• Saying “ba-ba” means something is really good.

• Making a swishy, back-and-forth movement with your hand means, “sin on your head.”

• It is not polite to point someone from distance with the index finger, especially when that person is a stranger.

• It’s common to beckon with four fingers- excluding thumb- of the right hand bending downward several times. Beckoning with the fingers in a upward direction is not considered polite.

Views of Time

• Time does not tend to be viewed with too much of a fuss. People tend to be more relaxed about time. For example, if members of a family arrive an hour late for a meal it is not considered rude, it is almost expected.
• Public transportation often runs late and the buses wait till they are full of customers before departing, and they are usually crammed. However taking trains and air flights are more reliable with time.
• Most people doing business take planes and trains so they are a little less relaxed with time than those who take the buses.

• Buses are extremely crowded and traffic is a mess, so being on time is almost impossible. Also, men sit in the front of the bus and women sit in the back.

• Taxis are a cheap form of transportation, but once again, because the traffic is so bad, they are not a reliable way to arrive on time.

• When it comes to formal meetings, people usually try to take the appointment more seriously but overall Iranians are not usually considered very punctual people.

Gender Roles

• Today more women are getting integrating into male jobs, especially in cities, like Tehran. However, in rural areas things are still traditional and women are expected to do domestic work with not that many leadership roles.

• The traditional role of women in society consists of cooking, cleaning and watching the children.

• Before 1979, Iran was ruled by a Shah, or emperor. It wasn’t until after the 1979 Iranian Revolution, or Islamic Revolution, that became a theocratic country, forcing women to cover their heads in public and be accompanied by a male family member.

• Women can work, and do, but this now usually depends on the opinion and approval of the husband. Ultimately, in most families, a woman should always be supportive of her husband.

• Even foreign women visiting should cover their heads. A hat and long sleeve shirt should be sufficient, but there are officials who patrol the streets telling people who are inadequately covered to “respect Islam.”

• There is a lot of pressure on Iranian girls to be very beautiful. Therefore, most girls wear a lot of make-up and many have plastic surgery done to “improve” their appearance. Tattooing on make-up is a very common practice, such as eye liner or lip liner, and dying hair blond is quite normal.

Taboos

• Giving someone the middle finger is a rude gesture.

• When in public do not wear anything revealing that is anything above your ankles or wrists, especially for women. Wearing a scarf over your head along with a pant suit is okay.

• Wearing shorts may get you in trouble so it's best to avoid wearing them.

• The thumbs up sign is considered a rude gesture.

• Avoid any public displays of affection between genders. Holding hands in public or dating is not usually allowed.

• Talking about issues such as divorce is not acceptable and getting a divorce is extremely taboo.

Law & Order

• Alcohol is not permitted at all in stores. It is only found on the black market and when caught with it severe punishment is given, often a thrashing or jail time.
• Illegal use of drugs are severely punished with jail time and the jails are not pleasant at all.

Dress

• For Men – For foreigners, conservative suits and ties are common for initial meetings. Darker colors are the way to go. Jackets are not always a necessity. Business casual attire is becoming more and more acceptable in many industries.
• For Women - For foreigners, conservative yet stylish is a good choice. Avoid wearing overly expensive accessories, dresses/skirts cut above the calf, low necklines and sleeveless attire. Sleeves should cover at least to the elbow, up to the wrist tends to be the norm. Pants are generally acceptable. Women should always wear a head scarf when in public.

Titles & Business Cards

• Referring to people by their titles is important, for example Dr., Lawyer, teacher etc. It reveals the importance they have to society.

• Exchanging business cards is not that common but some businesses do exchange cards. It is a good idea to have cards translated into Farsi if possible.

Meetings

• You are expected to be on time for meetings even though the speaker or person with the highest position at the meeting can be late.
• Small talk is expected, inquiring about the persons health, family,etc., is common.
• Meetings may have an agenda but it may not be followed and be prepared for various interruptions. It is best not to appear frustrated or rushed.
• In the private sector, hand shakes between people of the opposite sex is appropriate, but in the government sector, which is under religious rule, this is not observed.

Negotiations

• There is a lot of negotiating involved in almost any level of business. Even when buying a car at a dealership it involves a lot of negotiating. There is a lot of back and forth communication and it is expected that one maintains a sense of humbleness as being rude will only make the price go higher.
• Always remain calm during negotiations and expect decisions to take some time.

• Your Iranian counterpart may display emotion such as anger or being flustered, or even leave the meeting, to try and persuade you to change your position.

• Be mindful about letting your Iranian counterpart know about any personal time deadlines as it may be used against you in away to persuade you to change your position.

• Foreigners should expect to negotiate when doing business. Also prices in the general stores are not that reliable or fixed that is why you have to negotiate. Televisions and other gadgets are usually second hand so you do not want to have to pay too much for them. Store owners are very proud of their goods and they will brag about them to up the price. You’ll find that every store owner will let you know that they carry the best commodities in town. However if you do not wish to bargain hunt and negotiate prices, most cities to have elite shopping malls where the prices are fixed and the clothes are hand made and of the highest quality. This includes jewelry, furniture etc.

Gift Giving

• Gift giving tends to be more common in social situations vs. business. Gifts in a business setting may be misconstrued as a bribe.
• If invited to an Iranian home you must always bring a small gift. Appropriate gifts include a plate of sweets, or cookies, or some nice flowers. Avoid bringing gifts of alcohol.

In the Classroom

• The school year usually begins in September or October. There is a very long summer vacation, generally about four months.

• Women and girls are expected to dress fully covered with a scarf over the head called a Maghnae. Men can wear trousers with a shirt. Dress tends to be upscale casual.

• Grades are usually given on a scale of 0-20. A failing grade is anything below 10.

• Lectures are a common form of teaching.

• Foreign students should be aware that teachers are highly respected and not to be challenged. Teachers also do not hang out with their students ot of class. This is to maintain respect.

Other Observations

• The cultural history of Iran is vast and varied and has influenced art and culture around the world. Many tourists come to explore the long history of art and architecture that have thrived in since ancient times.
• Contrary to what one might think, Iranian food is not spicy. Traditional Persian cuisine consists of rice and meat, generally chicken or fish, with vegetables, nuts and herbs. Fruits such as plums, pomegranates, quince, prunes, apricots and raisins are also common and can be flavored with herbs as well.
• There are swimming pools that are separated by sex, so that girls swim with girls and boys swim with boys.
• Be aware of prostitutes, as they are abundant in the big cities.
• 70% of present-day Iranians are Iranic people, the majority of whom speak the official Persian language. Arabic is spoken in Southwestern Iran and Turkic dialects are spoken in different areas.
• Iran is a diverse country about which many people know very little. Don’t settle for stereotypes and get to know local Iranian culture.

• 70% of present-day Iranians are Iranic people, the majority of whom speak the official Persian language. Arabic is spoken in Southwestern Iran and Turkic dialects are spoken in different areas.
• Iran is a diverse country about which many people know very little. Don’t settle for stereotypes and get to know local Iranian culture.