The human side to a pariah state: Fascinating pictures shed light on the weird and wonderful ways Iranians live behind closed doors

15 young Iranian photographers welcome us into the 'Iranian living room'

Book lifts the veil on life for ordinary people living in repressive regime



With the new president there are signs social strictures may relax



It is almost impossible for westerners to gain access to Iran first-hand, but these pictures aim to take us right inside their private lives.

Iranian photographers have shared what life is like for ordinary young people by taking pictures of a place foreigners would rarely ever see - their living rooms .



Western understandings of Iran tend to be dominated by the aggressive rhetoric of outgoing President Mahmoud Ahmedinijad and controversy over the country's nuclear capabilities.



Beauty salon owner Zohreh, right, sits at her desk in her home with her customers - once they leave the salon they will have to cover their newly-done hair, and their arms

Zohreh has a last smoke before bed after having friends over for a party - the drinks will have been non-alcoholic to keep Islamic law

Saghi and Barbod love music and dancing, although western pop music would be very difficult to get hold of

Yasmin lets her hair down to dance around in her house

The outside world is used to seeing pictures of ordinary Iranians covered-up, or in crowd and street scenes, but rarely of them at up-close and at leisure.



The pictures published in a book called Iranian Living Room by 15 local photographers give an insight into everyday Iranian life, often on the edge of what is permitted by the Islamic regime.

In Iran Islamic law is strictly enforced, but in their homes many Iranians choose to relax the rules.



In public, men should wear long trousers and long-sleeve shirts, but pictures of them behind closed doors show them in their more western-style clothing, baring their arms and legs.

Teenagers Yasmin, right, and Negar, left, smoke and check Facebook. Iran's president-elect Hassan Rouhani has said that Facebook and other social networking sites should no longer be frowned upon

Young woman Saghi, right, puts on her modest outerwear to go shopping while the others talk and cook in the kitchen

Cultural strictures are even tighter for women.



In any public place they must cover their heads with a headscarf, wear trousers or a floor length skirt, and a long-sleeved tunic down to their mid-thighs.



Each summer as the heat bears down and makes it difficult for women and men to stick to their forced Islamic dress code, the religious police go out on to the streets to watch out for loose hijabs, inappropriate dress or hairstyles.

Zohreh checking her mobile phone in the beauty salon. In the summer months, women like Zohreh will sometimes risk abandoning their forced Islamic dress code

Zohreh, left, her sister and a friend smoke shisha on the floor without the presence of men

Yasmin in her bedroom, surrounded by make up and western accessories that would be frowned upon in public

In popular culture, women's magazines and many Western CDs and films remain illegal.

DVDs or videos depicting sexual relations are also forbidden.

However, for all the current strictures, newly-elected President Hassan Rouhani has signaled that he will take a softer line on web censorship and Islamic dress code .



An opponent of gender segregation and hardline cultural rules, President Rouhani says Iranians' freedoms and rights have been ignored under the rule of eight difficult years under President Ahmadinejad .

Maryam, 25, likes to go out onto the roof of her house at midnight in Tehran for some time in private

Amir, 25, is smoking in front of the TV, although he is not allowed to watch satellite channels Mojtaba, 26, relaxing in his apartment. When he goes outside he will have to wear long-sleeves and trousers however hot the weather His words have been taken as a hint that the Islamic republic could enjoy more freedom over the coming years. More openness both within the country and in its international relations could not have come at a better time. Fears over Iran's nuclear capability and Mr Ahmadinejad's militant rhetoric caused many neighbouring countries and western powers to fear the country. The level of mistrust was in fact demonstrated by this very photography book. Zohreh is looking at a hair colour catalogue, but women's magazines are forbidden Mojtaba, 26, making tea on a small stove in his pajamas at home in Tehran

The book, published by Fabrica, was temporarily blacklisted by online payment company PayPal for having the word 'Iranian' in the title.

One of the book's creators Dan Hill complained to PayPal who have since realised that it was not banned under any sanctions.

