Tehran changes its cloths, when will it change its mind?

 Autumn has arrived at Tehran. The city has gone cold and the face of the city has gone colourful with changing colours of leaves. I always advice people if they want to visit Tehran to travel in October as it is wonderful.

Now, it has even snowed. As you can see the mountains which embrace Tehran have gone white. . Soon there will be snow in the city and ordinary flow of life will be disrupted. Transportation would stop for a couple of days and one wonders: hummmm … life could move on differently too.

This is life for those who can afford a roof over their head and warm food. Winter is monsterous for those who sleep in the streets, for child pedlars who work till late and shiver in the brutal sharp wind after the sunset and for those who are not able to pay for their heating bills after the removal of energy subsidise.

Look at this city. It was stuffed in a valley, expanded into the mountains from the northern side and into the heart of southern desert. They say -reformist and conservative, young and old- it cannot grow more, that Tehran cannot bear the burden of further urbanisation and overpopulation. But it can. There is enough space for everyone, the problem is that the space is not divided fairly. The problem is the imbalanced development.

I close my eyes. I’m driving my mum’s car, we go up the Niyayesh bridge and here it is: the white mountains in snow, with open arms embracing whatever exists. We don’t go down the bridge, instead mum’s car fly up to the mountains and we disappear in the white …