Iran: history and today

During our ride to Rahst we've began to notice the insecurity in the country. You can feel the people's worries. A month ago there was an explosion in a gas pipe that leads to a secret nucleair power-station, there was an nucleair problem in another uranium enrichment plant and so on...

The nuclear programma in Iran started in the '50 with the help of the United States. In 1978 the revolution began with the sjah Mohammed Reza Pahlavi who was forced to step down as president of Iran. After the made of a constitution the Islamic Republic was formed in 1979. But during the unstable times of the country Iraq's leader Saddam Hoessein decided to invade the oil-rich country of Iran on the 22 of September 1980. Of course as his motive he didn't said that he wanted the countries oil but he said that the oil-rich area used to be part of the old Iraq. During this war chemical weapons were used by Iraq. 100 000 inhabitants died due to these weapons such as Sarin, Sulfur Mustard and Tabun. On 20 June 1988 the war ended by an agreement between Iran and Iraq by the United Nations Security Council.

Today there is still political insecurity in Iran since the elections in 2009. The currency has broken down, there's a lot of unemployement, there’s a high inflation and there are strikes all over the country.

Tourists are advised not to enter the country, but we did so… We were suggested not to go into the desert or into the area of the Semnam. Also the border next to Iraq is a dangerous area. Another area that has to be avoided is the area Sistan-Baluchistan where a drug cartel rules the streets. They kidnap tourists for money. We also have to pay attention to what we wear. We were advised not to wear juwelery or striking clothes. We keep ourselves out of the attention and we try to wear clothes like the locals.

We're enjoying this isolated country and hoping to return safe,

Amina