02/03/2026
Iran 🇮🇷
Mongol Rally 2016 🚙
20 moments from a country far more layered than headlines suggest.
In no particular order:
[1] Azadi Tower, Tehran 🗼
Built in 1971 to mark 2,500 years of the Persian Empire. Formerly known as Shahyad Tower before the revolution.
[2] Tehran Metro station 🚇
[3] Women-only carriage, Tehran Metro 🚺
[4] Tehran tourist road train 🚂
[5] Tehran street life. Horse carriage meets modern traffic 🐎
[6] Tehran Bazaar alleyways 🛍️
[7] Emamzadeh Zeyd Mausoleum, Tehran ✨
[8] Gold trading on the black market 💰
I got shouted at for taking this pic 📸
[9] Naqsh-e Jahan Square polo grounds, Isfahan 🐎
One of the oldest recorded polo fields in the world. Polo as we know it today traces its roots back to Persia.
[10] Ali Qapu Palace, Isfahan 🏛️
17th century palace overlooking Naqsh-e Jahan Square, once used to host royalty and foreign dignitaries.
[11] Shah Mosque (Imam Mosque), Isfahan 💙
Completed in 1629. A masterpiece of Safavid architecture and Persian tile work.
[12] Si-o-se-pol Bridge, Isfahan 🌉
Built in 1602 during the Safavid era. Thirty-three arches spanning the Zayandeh River.
[13] Si-o-se-pol Bridge at dusk 🌆
[14] Tomb of Cyrus the Great, Pasargadae 👑
Founder of the Achaemenid Empire around 550 BC. Often credited with early principles of religious tolerance and governance.
[15] Persepolis with my co-drivers Oli and Ucci 🏺
Ceremonial capital of the Achaemenid Empire. Construction began in 518 BC.
[16] Wild camels near Damghan 🐪
[17] Shiraz gentleman with budgies and origami 🕊️
[18] Imam Reza Holy Shrine, Mashhad 🕌
The shrine of Imam Reza, the eighth Imam in Shia Islam. Mashhad is the holiest city in Iran and one of the most significant pilgrimage sites in the Shia Muslim world.
[19] Courtyard of Imam Reza Shrine ✨
Millions visit each year. The scale and atmosphere are something else.
[20] Library complex within Imam Reza Shrine 📚
One of the largest libraries in the Islamic world, housing centuries of manuscripts and religious texts.