3 arrivals 3 departures wide lane roads take us from Imam Khomeini International Airport to Tehran. The distance between the airport and the city center is approximately 30 kilometers.. In the light of dozens of prejudices, despite dozens of negative messages and all kinds of discouraging sentences, I am in Iran.
When several plans I tried to make did not work out, I met Shamil Bey at the passport queue with the logic of “whatever the city gives us,” and Iranian Mohammed, who greeted him. I find myself in the car of
Muhammad thinks I am Şamil Bey’s colleague.. While Şamil Bey and Muhammed were talking in the vehicle in a limited dialogue environment, I would like to satisfy my curiosity about Iran while I found someone who speaks Turkish by interfering with the occasional words.
The plane’s flight The images I saw during the descent never change.. There are neither trees nor greenery around.. Although we are in September, everywhere is dry and yellow color prevails all the texture except the road.. As you step on the gas, the intensity of the air flow entering through the open windows increases.. One step away, I can’t even hear what’s being said in the front two seats because of the noise of the wind. Drivers drive very badly in Iran. Few ride their lane. While someone can jump in front of you at any moment without signaling, those who go in the middle of the lane are also considered natural, as far as I understand from my first impression.
The number of new model vehicles in the country is very low due to international embargoes.. You can still see 60 model vehicles comfortably in traffic when the taxes on imports exceeding 300 percent prevent people from getting into imported cars.. Samand, Pride and Saipa brand cars, which are domestically produced in Iran, are everywhere.
In Iran, the third richest country in the world in terms of oil reserves and the second country in terms of natural gas reserves, gasoline is naturally cheap.. For this reason, it is difficult to come across a diesel or LPG vehicle.. However, due to the high consumption, the state has brought limitations by producing various formulas.. That’s why traffic in Tehran is inextricable.. Mohammad, rooting for gas every chance he gets, is forced to slow down as we approach the city.. In the middle of the traffic jam that burns Istanbul with candles, we are trying to combat the intense smell of exhaust gas coming into our noses.
The first answer to the question of how Tehran smells can be exhaust gas, in the clearest and shortest way possible.. Surrounded by the Elburz Mountains on three sides, Tehran was established at the lowest point of a ramp right in the middle of this encircled region.. The air pollution, which increases with the vehicles entering the city, is crashing on all humanity like a nightmare due to the absence of any air flow…. The cold water that constantly flows through the canals between the pavement and the street and streets cools the place a little.
With the increase in traffic, I start to hear what is being said in the front seat and get involved in the conversation.. Mohammed talks about it as we ask, and I take notes one by one from this different country in the little notebook.
Each vehicle owner has the right to 60 liters of gasoline per month, according to the quota imposed by the government.. In the system connected to the ration card method, a liter of gasoline up to 60 liters can be purchased for 30 cents/$.. However, in purchases exceeding 60 liters, the liter price of gasoline also rises to 55 cents/$. The single-double plate system spoken for. In the central areas of the city where traffic density is experienced, only single plates can enter on certain days of the week, and only double plates on certain days.. If we were to ask if this was the solution, I can talk about the exhaust smell that burns the throat once again.
Two airports in Tehran
Imam Khomeini International Airport, where it took us Muhammed states that Turkey is a much newer investment and it is aimed to make Tehran a transfer center especially for Far East flights.. I do not know when and how this idea will come to life, but it is certain that the airport has a lot of shortcomings.. I am also skeptical about how many airports there are in the world that are only used for international flights.. Because if you intend to fly somewhere in Iran, you have to go to Mehrabad Airport.. One of the two airports in the city is used only for domestic flights and the other is used only for international flights.. There is also a distance of 20 kilometers between the two airports.
As for the money account that makes every tourist go crazy…
Iranian Rial
Muhammad tells us in detail. The official currency of Iran is the Iranian Rial.. However, since the inflation has reached serious dimensions and the money is very zero, the unit that is expressed as monetary compensation against the use of Riyal in daily life is Toman.. Toman, on the other hand, tries the Riyal with a zero.
Although the most common foreign currency in the country is the US Dollar, there are also exchange offices that exchange Euro and Turkish Lira.. In addition, there is a difference between the exchange rate applied by the state and the exchange rate valid on the street.. Therefore, it is useful to remember that there will be losses when exchanging money at official places and airports.
1 US Dollar = 3,000 Toman = 30,000 Iranian Rials (2014/September)
I buy approximately 2 million 500 thousand Iranian Rials for 80 dollars with the money that Muhammed Bey has changed.. In other words, although I have 2 million 500 Riyals on paper, I have 250 thousand Toman according to the common discourse on the street.
Iran was also considering the practice of removing 6 zeros from money, which is expressed as one of the most important actions of the AK Party Government in Turkey.. However, there are rumors that their zero operation will be 3 zeros.
The fact that the humidity level of 90 percent in Izmir is 15 percent in Tehran makes our throats dry.. Although the low temperature felt comes to our attention, we realize that dry air also has other problems.
There are many motorcycles in Tehran, where everyone is trying to enter with their cars.. Motorcycle taxis are also used, especially those who want to go from one place to another in the city center in a shorter time.
The traditional taxis are the Peykans, Iran’s national car.. It is possible to encounter Peykans everywhere, which the Government is considering to eliminate gradually due to its insecure nature.. There seems to be almost no one of the Peykans that are actively used today, with less than 500 thousand kilometers.. You can have a drink, whatever you want comes to your feet. But if you don’t have money, life in Tehran is very expensive.” He summarizes life in Tehran.
Tea in Iran is one of the most important parts of daily life
being a woman in Iran
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While the traffic does not allow us to reach our destination, I detonate the bomb when I see many female drivers driving: “Can women smoke in Iran?” He says that there is no country like Arabia, that women can take part in business life on equal terms with men, can drive and smoke comfortably. I regret that I founded someone.
Muhammad takes us to his shop from the side streets as he is forbidden to enter the city center due to his plate.. He shows us the subtleties of the system and its similarities with Turkey, by saying, “He who has money can enter every day, I know very well where there is police and where there is no police.” While asking myself from time to time, we come to Muhammed’s shop in the Hardware Market.. Even though the aromatic nature of the large cup of brewed tea served with curdling sugar is a bit heavy, I say with a deep breath while sipping my tea.
