The Double Life of Iranian Youth

Most young Iranians are living double lives as their country finds itself in the middle of a cultural clash between East and West.

For Iranian-German photojournalist Kave Rostamkhani, working on this photo project was very special. “I wondered what would have happened to me if I had not left Iran?” Having spent 2012 and 2013 in Iran, Rostamkhani gained access to the private life of middle-class youth, which he is ready to show us.

Despite the fact that, over time, small “loops” appeared in the system of strict Islamic rules, and now girls can smoke hookah on the water, and couples in love coo quietly on the hills of Tehran, many young people are still afraid to open their private lives to the prying eye.

(Total 14 photos)

Photo (C) Kaveh Rostamkhani

1. Samane and Shayan are resting on the hills of Kuhsar overlooking Tehran. (Kaveh Rostamkhani)

2. Young people sunbathe by the pool on a private property in northern Iran. Sexual segregation at the pool is strictly monitored. (Kaveh Rostamkhani)

3. Hamed, a local photographer from Isfahan, photographs models in his studio. (Kaveh Rostamkhani)

4. The bedroom of a girl named Atusa in the city of Keredj, near Tehran. (Kaveh Rostamkhani)

5. Young Iranians at a private party in Tehran. (Kaveh Rostamkhani)

6. Arezo and Negar smoke a hookah in a coffee shop in Tehran. Usually girls must be accompanied by men if they want to smoke. (Kaveh Rostamkhani)

7. Men in yoga classes in Tehran. (Kaveh Rostamkhani)

8. Girls play backgammon in a private villa in northern Iran. (Kaveh Rostamkhani)

9. Relatives photograph Shora during a wedding ceremony in Karaj. A wedding in modern Iran can cost $30,000. (Kaveh Rostamkhani)

10. Kasra and friends are relaxing in a villa during their vacation. (Kaveh Rostamkhani)

11. Girls before a party in a private house in northern Iran. (Kaveh Rostamkhani)

12. Group "Garage480" rehearsing in Isfahan. (Kaveh Rostamkhani)

13. Exhibition of modern clothing in Tehran. (Kaveh Rostamkhani)

14. Sina surfs the Internet in Tehran. Many sites, such as Facebook, are blocked, but some netizens are adept at overcoming government bans.