Persian vs. Arab
There has been confusion after the Arab invasion of Persia between the two ethnicities, mainly because their shared religion of Islam. Iranians prefer to be identified as Persians to racially and culturally distinguish themselves from Arabs. Most Iranians also refer to themselves as Persian to Americans, because of the negative connotation associated with the country.
Female Oppression
Unlike neighboring countries, women in Iran can vote, can be elected to limited government positions (such as parliament for example), can drive, and a large portion of Iran's university student population. According to the research ministry of Iran, about 6% of full professors, 8% of associate professors, and 14% of assistant professors were women in the 1998–99 academic year. However, women accounted for 56% of all students in the natural sciences, including one in five PhD students. In total 60%–65% of the university students in Iran are women. Women can sing or play sports in public, but only in the absence of male audiences. Even though freedom for women is limited, it is considered very flexible relative to the rest of the region.
Stereotypical Portrayals of a Middle Eastern State
Western, particularly American, knowledge of Iranian society is typically limited. Although commonly viewed along the same lines as less stable Middle Eastern states that dominate Western news programs (Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, etc.), Iran is highly developed society. Relative to the rest of the region, it boasts uniformly high literacy rates, internet use, television ownership, and soundness of infrastructure. This development, combined with it's abundance of natural resources, large population, and military capabilities, make Iran a hugely important player on the international stage.
Censorship = Uninformed
When most people hear the word "censorship" they assume that Iran's populace is uninformed or inherently biased in its view of the world or universal issues. This could not be farther from the truth. While extreme censorship does exist, it actually forces Iranians to go outside of their own media market to find news that they can trust. This gives them a greater worldview and a more well-rounded approach to the world.
The Persian students we interviewed all said that they recognize their own flawed media system and will regularly stop tourists to get the "real story" about world events. Chances are, Iranians know more about the United States than we know about them.