In a way you’re correct about different parts of the country, including rules and acceptable behaviour.
Here is my bit of info:
>>”But what was surprising to me at the time, was that she was in western dress, no head covering and it showed her working on several men.”<<
I *personally* never have lived in Saudi Arabia.
Based on all I have heard from those who are either Saudi or others who have lived there, I should say *western* attire is not the norm or the rule in SA - not even in villages or rural areas. It is more an exception to the rule.
Of course many Westerners, also, are often surprised to know, for example, that (Islamic) ‘hejab’ as we see & know it today in many moslem countries, like SA, didn’t so much exist prior to Islam. Certainly was not *enforced* on women as a dress code in most “Arab” countries prior to Islam.
>>”Even in Iran, there are photos of women in more remote rural parts of the country, wearing their traditional regional dress, which doesn’t include the hijab enforced in the cities.”<<
I know Iran pretty well. From personal experience & since I still have relatives living there - not only in Tehran, but also in other Iranian provinces. Though my relatives are Zoroastrians. But, they live among mostly (officially) moslem people in Iran.
So, firstly, should say Iran is not comparable to a place like Saudi Arabia - neither historically nor today.
Iran, for many, many centuries has consisted of different *ethnic* grps, as you know. Each grp has its own traditional dress or costume. In Iran these traditional costumes or dresses for women (and men) were not “religiously” dictated, certainly were not Islamic. They still are not.
A CORE issue with the mullahs’ regime (IRI), unlike the Saudis, is that mullahs forcefully are anti-Western attire, often advertised as anti-Islamic. In remote or rural areas of Iran, the IRI doesn’t really care, and traditional *Iranian* (ethnic dress) for women is seen not to negate IRI’s anti-Western (by extension anti-Islamic) stance.
The Saudis (including many members of the Saudi Royal family) are not primarily anti-Western under the guise of Islam. They are primarily Islamic.
The reasons for why a particular practice may be acceptable in certain areas of the country and not others, or whether it is the norm or not, are varied & interesting.
I was pointing out that the exceptions exist, are observable & practiced out in the open, as the Saudi girl/woman commented about women driving in rural areas.
Most people get one picture of life in a foreign country, especially an islamic one, and assume the entire country is the same.
I have wondered if the mullahs of Iran are descended from the Arabian invaders. Is there an Arab aristocracy in Iran? I have read that the Arabs formed a ruling class in places such as Morocco and Algeria. The native people are the Berbers but their culture and language has been supressed by the Arabs. I was wondering if something like that took place in Iran.
I wrote to you some months ago about promoting Persian cultural identity, have you seen any examples of this?