Ramita Navai Boeken

Far removed from the picture of Tehran we glimpse in news stories, there is another, hidden city, where survival depends on an intricate network of lies and falsehoods. It is a place where Mullahs visit prostitutes, gangs sell guns supplied by corrupt Revolutionary Guards, cosmetic surgeons restore girls' virginity and homemade porn is bought and sold in the bazaars. It is also the home of our eight protagonists, drawn from across the spectrum of Iranian society: the gun runner, the aging socialite, the porn star, the assassin and enemy of the state who ends up working for the Republic, the volunteer religious policeman who undergoes a sex change, and the dutiful housewife who files for divorce. These are ordinary people forced to live extraordinary lives. plotted around the city's pulsing central thoroughfare, Vail Asr Street, City of Lies is an energetic, intimate and unforgettable portrait of modern Tehran and of what it is to live, love and survive under one world's most brutally repressive regimes.

Set against the backdrop of Tehran's hidden realities, the narrative explores the lives of eight diverse protagonists navigating a society steeped in deception and survival. From mullahs engaging in illicit activities to gangsters and housewives, the characters embody the struggles of ordinary people in extraordinary circumstances. Through in-depth interviews and research, the book offers a compelling portrayal of life, love, and resilience under a repressive regime, revealing a city rarely seen and often misunderstood.