This paper will be concerned with the social problems and economic struggles experienced by Persian immigrants in the United States. The immigration of Persians to the United States was greatly increased following the 1979 Iranian Revolution in which the Ayatollah Khomeini took over leadership of the government from the Shah. Khomeini's new government was strongly based on the values of the Moslem religion. As a result, severe restrictions were placed on virtually every aspect of Iranian life. This change disrupted the lives and security of many of Iran's citizens. This was especially true in the case of the nation's nonMoslem minorities, such as the Bahais, Zoroastrians, Christians and Jews. As a result of the Moslem takeover in Iran, all men, regardless of their beliefs, were forced to adhere to Moslem religious customs and to abandon any elements of Westernization in their lifestyles. Even stronger restrictions were placed on women, who were no longer permitted to wear makeup, expose their hair, or wear flattering clothes. In order to avoid the stimulation of sexual excitement, women were expected to wear the traditional chador, a long black cloth covering the entire body except the eyes.
By merging religion and government, Khomeini's government began to systematically destroy the cultural values of Iran's nonMoslem minorities. Furthermore, for the nation's religious minorities, "the new Muslim nationalist state was a hostile environment" (Reimers 118). Many people who opposed the new regime were brutally executed. The persecution and killing of religious minorities such as Jews was particularly widespread in the years following the Iranian Revolution (Metz 129). As a result of this situation, millions of Iranians emigrated to other countries in search of freedom. It has been estimated that as many as 2 to 3 million Persians have fled their homeland as a result of Khomeini's repressive regime (Beauchamp 60). The ma...