From Persia to Tehr Angeles: A Contemporary Guide to Understanding and Appreciating Ancient Persian Culture

More than 1.5 million Persians have left Iran for the United States alone. Of course, an estimated 700,000 to 800,000 have relocated in the Los Angeles metropolitan area, causing this population to be dubbed “Tehr Angeles.” And this term has stuck, even when they live in other parts of the United States.

For those who have made the journey from Persia to Tehr Angeles, much has gotten lost in translation. The younger generation may have little or no idea of the cultural wealth that was left...