A personal view of recent medical and educational developments in Iran.

Abstract

Last summer, six years after my last visit, 1 returned to Iran, and during the nine weeks of my stay, I visited four universities, met a number of university and high school teachers, and witnessed many of the changes that have taken place in Iran. Land redistribution, mass education, and the public health programme have changed the country. A new spirit of constructive work, positive thinking, and cooperation is replacing the pessimism that formerly prevailed. Here I would like to report some of my experiences and impressions of a country that is so little known in the United Kingdom. My recollection of Iran at the time I left for England 15 years ago was that of an attractive Middle Eastern country that had absorbed the wave of westernization in much the same way as it had absorbed the onslaught of Alexander, Genghis Khan, Timur, and the Arabs. Isfahan, Shiraz, Teheran, and other Iranian cities, although experiencing some of the effects of the post-war awakening and westernization, were still places of great attractions. The wide treelined avenues with running streams on both sides, the hansom cabs competing successfully with the newly introduced taxis, the groups of camels bringing fruit and vegetables from the country were part of Iranian life. Although modern buildings were going up, the characteristic Iranian home had a large garden with trees and rose-bushes, a pool, and running water to cool the air for the family sitting in the veranda having tea from the samovar. On the other hand, communications were poor, the roads were bad, and the health service could hardly look after the city dwellers let alone the country folk. The economy, in spite of the oil revenues, was frequently boosted by foreign aid. The government was unstable and frequently changed. The religious hierarchy had a strong hold over the masses, as did the rich landlords, who owned most of the land in the country. The gap between the rich and the poor was immense, but the first signs of the emergence of a new group to fill this vacuum were appearing. The intellectuals and professionals were increasing in number and beginning to exert some influence.