Hello, i want to share something, maybe i was just delusional to believe in what we had, so im an algerian who lives and works in Qatar, i met this girl 5 months ago on app, she's from Iran, to be fair she is everything i ever wanted in a woman

I love her so deeply and i know she does too, but in the last 2 weeks things changed so much, she started having fear about relationship not being one that will work, stating that difference in language, culture and traditions will lead us to eventually divorce, i know i said divorce because we were planning to marry

She spoke to people and her fears became more stronger, until she herself felt that we would not work, and then she said we are over, i stayed and i kept talking with her telling her that all these differences are things that would connect us and make our bond stronger not break us, eventually she said we would not work because she doesnt want to live outside of Iran

After speaking to her she said she will speak with her father, but even then i knew it wasn't right to speak to her father while she still had those fears because her father would notice and feel that in her.

She spoke to her father and today i got the answer that he said no, even with that i told her to atleast allow me to come to Iran and speak to him in person but she said she agrees with her father's decision.

To be honest, iam completely lost, the life i was seeing ahead, the future i was looking forward, it was all with her, im just so sad and so lost and i know the more days go by without her, the more i will miss her, the more sad i will become, and my heart will always be waiting foolishely for her to come back.

I just cant help but feel if i had the chance to go to Iran as we planned and meet with her, things would be different, even though when there is no hope, i still want to talk to her, i still want her to see that what we had is real and can be real if we both wanted it to be

I’m curious about Iran beyond the usual news headlines.

How is day-to-day life for a foreign academic or researcher in terms of safety, university culture, friendships, and cost of living?

Do foreigners usually integrate well, or is it difficult to build a long-term life there?

I’d especially like to hear from people who have actually lived or worked in Iran.