A recent trip to Iran's scenic Kish Island in the Persian Gulf was a stark reminder of the opposing currents pulling Iranian society in dramatically different directions. The biggest casualty here is the country's failed Persian Gulf island tourism project, and a dream that at one point seemed feasible and achievable.
The first time I visited Kish, I was in my early 20s. It was vibrantly beautiful, and -- despite the Islamic Republic's nerve-racking hijab rules -- my family and I had fun on the beaches and in the shopping malls, which were well supplied with imported items such as clothes, sportswear, cosmetics and chocolates. The range of goods was incredible in comparison to Tehran, and prices were more reasonable.
