IRAN: TEHRAN PHYSICIAN COMMENTS ON EVERYDAY LIFE

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ASHGABAT 000238 SIPDIS STATE FOR NEA/IR AND SCA/CEN E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/18/2019 TAGS: IR PGOV PREL TX SUBJECT: IRAN: TEHRAN PHYSICIAN COMMENTS ON EVERYDAY LIFE AND PREOCCUPATIONS IN IRAN ASHGABAT 00000238 001.2 OF 002 Classified By: Classified by DCM Sylvia Reed Curran. Reasons 1.4 (b) an d (d). ¶1. (C) Iran Watcher recently met with a Turkmenistan-trained physician who has lived and worked in Iran for most of the last ten years. XXXXXXXXXXXX, originally from Ashgabat, has practiced medicine in Tehran since settling there with her husband, the son of a retired XXXXXXXXXXXX. They recently transferred to the XXXXXXXXXXXX city of XXXXXXXXXXXX, where XXXXXXXXXXXX is employed at a hospital that is partially financed by the government and her husband has his own XXXXXXXXXXXX. The couple have a ten-year old son and XXXXXXXXXXXX. ¶2. (C) XXXXXXXXXXXX, currently in her early thirties, met her husband in medical school XXXXXXXXXXXX. Before moving to Iran, she studied Farsi at the Iranian Cultural Center to be able to pass medical equivalency exams in Iran. She said that western-trained physicians, especially with U.S. degrees, are in extremely high demand there and charge a premium for consultations. She enjoys living in Iran, especially the vibrancy and fast pace of Tehran and finds Iranians extremely kind, hospitable and sociable. Nevertheless, she and her husband, also at the urging of his parents, have high hopes of emigrating to the U.S. Without exception, she said, every professional she knows in Iran, particularly doctors, would leave Iran "in a heartbeat" if given an opportunity to move to the United States, for "freedom and an opportunity to advance professionally." GRAMMAR SCHOOL INDOCTRINATION ¶3. (C) XXXXXXXXXXXX mentioned that her son attended the first grade when they were in Turkmenistan, but has gone to school since then in Iran. She was shocked, she said, when she saw the level of indoctrination of young children that goes on in Iranian schools, at the expense of teaching essential academic subjects. The authorities "use Islam as an ideology" (i.e. much more than just religion) to "brainwash" children in the schools, a practice that reminded her of her own early schooling in the former USSR, where the ideology of Lenin was venerated above everything else. IRANIANS LOVE THE OBAMAS ¶4. (C) Iranians, according to XXXXXXXXXXXX, maintain a very positive view of both the United States and U.S. foreign policy, not withstanding the Iranian government's constant criticism. The only issue about which many still feel resentment towards the United States, she said, is for its support of Saddam Hussein during the Iran-Iraq war. For this reason, Iranians hold the United States responsible for the deaths of "so many young men and boys." Like most Iranians she knows, her preferred source for international news is CNN and BBC. She noted that Iranians are very taken with President Obama, whom they find "good-looking, charming and smart," They also think that Mrs. Obama is "beautiful and stylish." In the last two weeks, she said, Iranian women have been flocking to one Tehran boutique and paying between 3000 and 4000 USD apiece for replicas of Mrs. Obama,s white inaugural ball gown. RESIGNED TO ANOTHER AHMADINEJAD TERM ¶5. (C) Asked about people's views about the upcoming presidential elections in Iran, XXXXXXXXXXXX said that most Iranians she knows see the re-election of Ahmadinejad as a "foregone conclusion." She added that it makes little difference who is elected president because, "in Iran, the Supreme Leader decides everything." In general, she said, the Iranians she knows are fearful of the government and avoid involvement in political matters. Instead, they focus on everyday concerns: family finances, the education of their children, and health care. Even within her husband's family, she said, there was little discussion of politics or her father-in-law's work XXXXXXXXXXXX; everyone understood that the subject was off-limits. ¶6. (C) COMMENT: Our interlocutor, a Turkmen woman "happily" settled in Iran, is by her own admission not particularly engaged politically and more focused on her career and raising a family, a reaction to the dismal state of internal politics. Despite enjoying a comfortable lifestyle, she and her husband hope to emigrate to the United States to enjoy the freedom and professional development, a trait that appears to be broadly shared among their contemporaries. END COMMENT. MILES