In Iran, nothing is what it seems to be. There are layers upon layers of meaning attached to every word, to every gesture, to every action. It is as fraught with political meanings and intentions as it has ever been.
Women use it to signal their political ideology or to defy authority.
I learned this lesson in July on a visit to Iran, when I found myself caught in the midst of riots in Teheran. Accompanied by my friend Mariam, I had gone to the main bazaar to purchase a rug. After we finished our shopping, we decided to have a kebab at an old and established restaurant in the heart of the bazaar. We had not even touched our food when the restaurant's owner suddenly snapped off the lights and locked the door. A sense of horror filled the air.