\u00a0<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Many years ago, back during the relatively moderate Iranian presidency of Seyyed Mohammad Khatami<\/a>, I was invited to participate as an all-expense-paid guest in a conference in Tehran that focused on the thought of the early seventeenth-century Iranian philosopher Mulla Sadra<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Then as now, going to Iran as an American was slightly unusual, and it remains one of the most interesting experiences I have ever had. \u00a0I think, accordingly, that I\u2019ll jot down a few reminiscinces of that trip. \u00a0Today will be the first installment, but probably not the last.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n I flew from Salt Lake City to Minneapolis\/St. Paul, and from there to Amsterdam. \u00a0In Amsterdam, I boarded an IranAir flight to Tehran. \u00a0I think that this was the first point at which the curiousness of what I was doing began to really sink in. \u00a0I\u2019ve flown many times on Middle Eastern or \u201cIslamic\u201d airlines, but it was something of a jolt to be tended to by flight attendants wearing chadors<\/em><\/a>. \u00a0(The uniforms were slightly more functional, actually, than the full chador<\/em>, allowing the flight attendants to do their work, but, still . . . )<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n When I landed in Tehran, I was greeted by a committee of officials and further attendants. \u00a0It had been a long journey, and I was extremely tired, but I was happy that I would soon be in bed. \u00a0The time was somewhat past midnight, and I looked forward to a reasonably good night\u2019s sleep.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n I was mistaken. \u00a0With others who had arrived on my flight (and whom I did not know until then), I was ushered into a reception, with scads and scads of food, as well as scads and scads of television cameras. \u00a0Getting a handful of Western (and especially American) academics to come to Iran was clearly a big deal. \u00a0The festivities went on for a remarkably long time, and I wondered whether those who had planned the affair had ever flown intercontinentally.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Finally, we were taken to our hotel. \u00a0While I was waiting to be assigned my room, I read the inscription around the base of the dome above the lobby: \u00a0\u201cAmerica,\u201d it said in Persian, \u201cis the common enemy of all humanity.\u201d<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n I felt very welcome.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n ***<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n News from the Middle East and the world of Islam, as well as some related items:<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cAnger erupts in Egypt after massacre of Christian pilgrims\u201d<\/a><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cCanadian broadcaster offers to sponsor Christian woman spared death in Pakistan\u201d<\/a><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cIn Pittsburgh, Muslims are eager to join Jews in fight against immigrant hate\u201d<\/a><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n This next one is a very thought-provoking piece:<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n![\"Tehran](\"https:\/\/wp-media.patheos.com\/blogs\/sites\/186\/2017\/02\/Down_with_usa_mural.jpg\")
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