Traditions, customs you will only see in Iran – Part 8

To truly understand a country’s culture and people, it is imperative to have a basic understanding of their customs and traditions.

In Iran, there are plenty of customs that are as routine as drinking water for Iranians but they can leave a foreign traveler with a raised eyebrow.

Read on to discover the cultural customs only Iranians will understand and you will find only in Iran.    

8) Haggling (Chane Zani)  

Haggling is another unique part of Persian customs and traditions that plays a key role in everyday trades. In fact, if there was such a thing as the international championship of haggling, Iranians would take it all.

Iranians always try to find the thing they want at the lowest price. And this includes even the goods at a fixed price. This is because of the joy and pleasure they find in shopping, not because they are cheap people.

In fact, they almost always pay what they should pay, but they enjoy exchanging funny words such as “I could have bought these at a much lower price somewhere else”. These are jokes, of course, and mean nothing.

Over the course of recent years, tourists also engage in bargaining just for the fun of it.

If you are traveling to Iran and like every tourist, you are eager to fill your luggage with Persian rugs or handicrafts, it essential to learn how to haggle.

Haggling would come handy in many countries around the world, but due to the diversity of cultures, bargaining in every country follows unwritten strategies that you can find out by asking locals.                

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Part 1 – Soor Dadan or offering pastries

Part 2 – Charitable deeds (Kheirat)

Part 3 – Throwing water behind the traveler

Part 4 – Burning espand (seeds of harmala)

Part 5 – Parents calling their children ‘mom and dad’

Part 6 – Sitting backwards or with your back to someone

Part 7 – Cracking the wishbone (Jenagh)

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