these stunning images capture the way young people in iran are defying the country's hardline islamic image to create a more westernised society taken in the capital tehran, the photographs show teenagers and people in their early 20s kissing in public, drinking alcohol and living openly gay lifestyles some of those pictured are even seen wearing clothing adorned with the stars and stripes   something previously unthinkable in a country where the conservative religious and political leadership still regularly leads chants of 'death to america' at public meetings new era: people kiss and dance at a masquerade house party in the iranian capital where alcohol is being served and consumed  modern: a group of young iranians laugh as they wear fancy dress costumes at a party where they drink alcohol, kiss and dance  political: some of those pictured are even seen wearing clothing adorned with the stars and stripes   something previously unthinkable in a country where the conservative religious and political leadership still regularly leads chants of 'death to america' at public meetings  celebration: a group of young iranians are seen heading in to the country's desert where they have illegal, alocohol fuelled parties  peace and love: young people in iran are defying the country's hardline islamic image to create a more westernised society  young people represent the largest societal bloc in iran, with over 63 per cent of iran's population of 73 million people aged under 30 the iranian youth is also among the most politically active groups within the 57 nations that make up the islamic world as the most restive segment of iranian society, the young also represent one of the greatest long term threats to the current form of theocratic rule young activists have influenced the islamic republic's political agenda since 1997 after the 2009 presidential election, the iranian youth was the biggest bloc involved in the region's first sustained 'people power' movement for democratic change, which helped create a new political dynamic in the middle east in many ways the highly politicised largely shiite youth of iran can be seen as a forerunner of the arab spring movement that swept the sunni muslim world in 2011 change: a woman gives the peace sign as she poses for a portrait in front of a mural of the statue of liberty at a closed us embassy  head over heels: a young man is seen taking part in parkour, where contestants have to find unorthodox ways of moving around the city  young people represent the largest societal bloc in iran, with over 63 per cent of iran's population of 73 million people aged under 30  taken in the capital tehran, the photographs show people in their early 20s engaging in music, street art and living openly gay lifestyles  making a change: the iranian youth is among the most politically active groups within the 57 nations that make up the islamic world  unconventional: a young parkour performer runs, jumps and climbs on metal railings outside a mosque in the iranian capital tehran  the islamic republic of iran forcibly regained control over the most rebellious sector of society through detentions, expulsions from universities, and expanding the powers of its own young paramilitary forces following the rise of the 'people power' movement in 2009 but youth demands have not changed, and anger simmers beneath the surface the regime also remains vulnerable because it has failed to address basic socio economic problems among the young the will of young people in iran has also influenced iran's changing relationship with the us, which has just come to preliminary nuclear agreement with the islamic republic the biggest enforcement provision in that agreement is turning into one of the mostly hotly contested elements, however and the debate barely involves iran instead, it concerns the obama administration's promise to quickly re impose sanctions on iran if the country cheats on any part of the agreement to limit its nuclear program to peaceful pursuits this would be relatively straightforward for the sanctions imposed by the us, as congress is eager to keep the pressure on but it is far from clear whether president barack obama can guarantee such action at the united nations, which has imposed wide ranging penalties that all un members must enforce  as the most restive segment of iranian society, the young also represent one of the greatest long term threats to iran's theocratic rule  hip hop and break dance performers pose for the camera as the dance in the streets of the modern ekbatan neighbourhood of tehran  taking a stand: young activists have had a massive influence on the islamic republic of iran's political agenda since 1997  love and religion: a gay couple kiss one another while holding a copy of the koran as a symbol of the struggle for change in iran  a young iranian is seen driving in to the country's desert to join one of the many illegal, alcohol fuelled parties hosted there  at present, there's no firm agreement on how or when to lift the sanctions in the first place ayatollah ali khamenei, iran's supreme leader, and president hassan rouhani yesterday said they want all sanctions lifted on the first day of implementation that's not the position of us and other negotiators, a major issue that still must be worked out assuming it can be, that still would leave the big question of possible re imposition the disagreement on this issue is between the us and its european allies on one side, and russia and china on the other   all countries involved in the nuclear negotiations and even though all six world powers and iran agreed last week to the framework agreement that is supposed to be finalized by june 30, the 'snapback' mechanism for un sanctions remains poorly defined and may prove unworkable 'if iran violates the deal, sanctions can be snapped back into place,' obama declared last week controversial: a young iranian woman stands in front of an old piece of political graffiti reading 'down with usa' a young man is seen taking part in parkour, where contestants have to find unorthodox ways of moving around the city  bouncing around the city: a young man is seen taking part in parkour in the capital of the islamic republic of iran, tehran  westernised: the will of young people in iran has also influenced iran's changing relationship with the united states  superman: a young parkour performer runs, jumps and climbs over a concrete bench outside a mosque in the iranian capital tehran  defying the regime: it is illegal for people to kiss in public in iran   something man young people choose to ignore  obama went further this week, saying that restoring the international sanctions would not require consensus among un security council members and energy secretary ernest moniz, who helped seal last week's pact, insisted 'no one country could block the snapback' that assertion rests on an informal compromise reached at the talks in lausanne, switzerland, to bypass the typical un security council process if iran breaks the agreement normally in that body, any one of the five permanent members   the us, britain, france, russia and china, which are all party to the iran negotiations   can veto resolutions but many questions remain, including what would happen if two or more countries object russia and china have traditionally opposed almost all un sanctions measures, and, perhaps tellingly, neither country's foreign minister was present when the april 2 framework was unveiled washington and its negotiating partners plan to suspend or lift many sanctions after the un nuclear agency confirms iran has scaled back its activity in accordance with a final deal but the us and its european partners want the capacity to quickly reinstate the restrictions if iran reneges
63 per cent iran iranian islamic
people aged under 30 currently represent a staggering 63 per cent of iran's population of 73 million citizens . the westernised iranian youth is also among the most politically active groups within the islamic world . the young also represent one of the greatest long term threats to the current form of theocratic rule in iran 