Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09ASHGABAT238
2009-02-18 12:51:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Ashgabat
Cable title:
IRAN: TEHRAN PHYSICIAN COMMENTS ON EVERYDAY LIFE
how-toVZCZCXRO5365 PP RUEHAG RUEHBC RUEHBI RUEHCI RUEHDBU RUEHDE RUEHDIR RUEHKUK RUEHLH RUEHPW RUEHROV RUEHSR DE RUEHAH #0238/01 0491251 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 181251Z FEB 09 FM AMEMBASSY ASHGABAT TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 2331 INFO RUCNCLS/ALL SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA COLLECTIVE RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE RUCNIRA/IRAN COLLECTIVE RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA 4846 RUEHDE/AMCONSUL DUBAI 0083 RUEHIT/AMCONSUL ISTANBUL 3090 RHMFISS/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC
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).
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
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