The BBC World Service this month broke from their usually news and debate programs and showed an interesting documentary series on Iranian culture and flavour, in a four part series called The Taste of Iran. The host, Sadeq Saba goes through much of the country and explores the food which makes up a great part of Iranian culture. With each new reason for a meal, Saba also explores the history of the region of the country and festivals and traditions which come with each meal, tea and pastry. His adventure brings Saba from the top of mountains to cemeteries, from Mosques to Churches, and parks to tea houses across Iran.
In the most recent part of the series, Saba takes to Esfahan and explores many religious festivals surrounding different events and communities in the city. He discusses not only Shi’a festivals, but the history of Sunni and Armenian Christians in the city as well. The city, sharing a diverse past much like other Eastern cities such as Alexandria in Egypt in the 16th to 19th century and Damascus and Seville in the Medieval era, Esfahan was home to a mix of cultures and religions, which prospered under kingdoms of the past. Food of course, the focus of this programs was changed by this fact as well, but what stood out and what has become forgotten since after the First World War is that Eastern countries have had as much tolerance in the past as it is seen as having restrictions today. Addressing this past might help determine its future, not in Iran alone, but in the region as a whole.
While recent governments have moved more towards oil profits and agreements with Venezuela and North Korea as opposed to diplomacy with the West, the opening of culture and cooperation might help Iranian culture, and food, reach outside of the country and promote respected dialogue between the people in Iran and nations opposing the current government. Some important developments recently have taken place which might aid this progression. Firstly, former President Khatami had issued a statement that he will run again for the Presidency. While still part of the powerful elite in Iran, his pro-reform stance and support from a large youth community in Iran kept Iran on friendly terms for the years he was formerly leader of the government. Statements from many anti-Bush politicians also have taken place, offering some sense of a new dialogue with the US and Mr. Obama, likely a way to save face, but also a reality of unpopularity by many in Iran and other OPEC nations like Venezuela, and of course the cutting in half of oil prices worldwide. With so many negative relations due to past historical issues and threats of nuclear conflict surrounding the debate between the US, EU, Russia and Iran, a few positive developments in the region could not hurt. Culture, the root of pride for many Iranians can become a valued commodity outside Iran, and perhaps an export which is not produced by petrochemicals to boot.
If pride and culture is exported from Iran, and exchange of ideas and interest in the country will inevitably take shape. Much of the problems surrounding issues in the region is that whether speaking about Gaza or Israel, Iraq and Syria, or Lebanon and Iran, often the view from those in the EU and US are either limited, overly positive or overly negative, or completely enlaced in short term policy that may benefit elites in both regions, but do not take account of those communities in the Middle East that are is grave poverty, are oppressed minorities throughout the whole region, or oppose the common lingua franca of Middle Eastern policy by local governments, foreign diplomats and radical groups which produce current problems. With a new dialogue, comes the responsibility to protest in a just manner, progress in the golden age of Iranian culture would have never existed without this ability to encourage tolerance. With history, food, and politics, another Middle Eastern tradition is recognized, that of some discussion to ponder over dinner…
