The introductory posting in this thread is one of the most confused things I've ever seen on Mudcat. Dianavan calls the thread, "Iranian women and the Koran," and then goes on and on about women in Iraq without mentioning Iran.

People in Iraq, who are (generally) ethnically Arab, are referred to as "Iraqi." People in Iran, who are (generally) ethnically Persian, are referred to as "Iranian." Iraq and Iran, which spent many years at war with each other, are not the same country.

Furthermore, Dianavan's opening paragraph says: "The question of rights and freedoms in Iraq make me wonder about the role of women in Iraq. Of course I fear the control of the Taliban but I'm not sure how or if the American idea of democracy in Iraq will or will not effect the customs."

Taliban? What does the Taliban, the former governing regime in Afghanistan, have to do with either Iraq or Iran.

Memo to Dianavan: Iraq, Iran and Afghanistan are three different countries. Your confusion is akin to referring to the United States, Mexico and Chile as the same countries.