Politics and mountain climbing: Just another weekend in Iran

Mountain climbing has become more than a hobby in Iran. For many it provides the perfect opportunity to get out of the bustle of big cities often on high alert due to pollution and escape into nature.

Authorities in Iran have several times shut down offices and factories in the capital Tehran because of high air-pollution levels. Increases in Tehran’s population, its geographical location and car usage are all blamed for the city’s pollution.

Every Friday at sunrise, Iranians of all ages leave the hectic city life behind as they head to the picturesque settings of Darband mountain or the Kuh-e Darkeh Dasht for the day; some even chose to spend the night there in tents or portable shelters.

The climb to the top of the mountains usually takes four hours. Along the trail, climbers will find several rest stations as well as little restaurants offering kebabs and beautiful views.

Mountains and politics

Away from the prying eyes of the regime, the mountains also offer a perfect opportunity for supporters of the opposition to meet.

Journalists, writers and university students gather to discuss current affairs and the everyday politics of the Islamic Republic.

The government has attempted to counter this by creating the special “mountain police,” tasked with not only preventing political gatherings but also breaking up birthday or graduation celebrations that bring young men and women together in a country where mixing of the genders is strictly forbidden.

In their continuous battle to promote segregation, the government issued a decree last week, banning women from getting on the slopes without the presence of a male guardian.

But the mountains are not only for dissidents; members of the para-military Basij organization linked to the elite Revolutionary Guards, also get together to pray, listen to audio-tapes of speeches by their commanders or even to share memories of the Iran-Iraq war.

Iran’s mountains have a long history in politics. During the 2009 presidential election it became a platform for parties and candidates to give speeches and hand out leaflets.

Even prior to the 1979 revolution, Iranian leftists would gather in these remote areas to plot against the Shah, often leading to violent clashes with the notorious intelligence service Savak.

One of such encounters that turned particularly violent has become a milestone in Iranian resistance history. In 1963 in Sia Kal in northern Iran a group called the Fedayeen Khalq, took up arms against the Shah. When one of their leaders was arrested, a group of 13 men decided to set him free, resulting in clashes that left them all dead.

However their memory lives on amongst the Iranian opposition who use many of the Fedayeen’s slogans in their struggle against today’s theocratic rulers.

After the fall of the Shah, a large area in the Darband Mountains was closed off to the public since it had a direct view into the home of the leader of the revolution, the late Ayatollah Khomeini.

But for many the mountains are a source of recreation – be it climbing, sunbathing or even skiing. Iran’s Tochal resort is the world’s fifth-highest ski resort at over 3,730 meters.


(Additional writing by Sara Ghasemilee)