Mehran Rafiei

A Persian Odyssey Mehran Rafiei

In 2006, Mehran Rafiei, a Persian Aussie, takes a solo holiday in New Zealand. His trip coincides with Nowruz, the Persian New Year, and evokes a flood of joyful memories of his childhood in Abadan in the 1950s. As he tours the famous tourist hotspots, he engages eagerly with fellow travellers and locals, sharing impressions and stories. Every event and conversation triggers a memory of his homeland and he is determined to capture his own story. His memoir is an insightful, deeply moving and sometimes humorous personal account of the Iran he knew and was forced to flee. Through his eyes, we see the Oil Nationalisation Uprising and consequent CIA-backed coup d'état which changes the Middle East for ever. From his exile, Khomeini promises justice, freedom, and free public services. The authoritarian Shah flees abroad in January 1979, and weeks later, an alien creature is born: the Islamic Republic of Iran. Overnight, cruel mullahs extend their grip on power - and the crooks jump on the bandwagon. The nation suffers shortages, inflation, unemployment, unpredictable executions, and religious and racial discrimination. The crisis intensifies when Iraq invades in1980. The Cultural Revolution disqualifies Mehran and his wife from teaching positions. Their rented flat in Shiraz is confiscated; a new neighbour moves in: an anti-Saddam militia organisation. His home becomes an attractive target for enemy sabotage, so he finds refuge in their family farm in Kazeroon. The political and moral destruction of a nation is told warmly through human stories as families try to make the best of life - matchmaking, weddings, friendships, business deals - and courage shines through the worst moments. Mehran's unique story of finally getting a migration visa from the Australian Embassy in Tehran shows more ugly realities of war and the plight of asylum seekers - a story more relevant today than ever.