I finally finished reading Nine Parts of Desire a couple of weeks ago, and found it disturbing and also enlightening. For instance, this article from the Beeb:

Iran’s government has launched a crackdown on women who flout the strict Islamic dress codes during the hot summer months.

And according to the book, Iran is actually strangely flexible in its rigidity – Khomeini was always more willing to extend more rights to women, so long as they observed the proprieties. At least they can work outside the home, for one thing. And drive, for another. Iranian women are better off than their sisters in Saudi.

On the other hand sidebar story claims that young Iranians are likely to ignore the edicts and political troubles and party, party, party.