These photos show what it's really like in Iran, where - despite its antagonistic relationship with the US- life is surprisingly normal

Sahar Esfandiari/BusinessInsider

People taking selfies in front of a fountain in Honey Square in Khansar, Iran.

• Much news coverage of Iran focuses on geopolitics and its antagonistic relationship with the US. But people there have ordinary lives too.
• Here's what a recent trip to Tehran, its capital, showed me about life in Iran.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Iran is frequently the subject of intense international news coverage, be it political tensions with the US over broken trade agreements or oil tanker crises.

What we don't often see is how ordinary people live in the Islamic Republic.

People go to work, socialize, and generally live a pretty normal existence. Here's a look into everyday life in the country, based on my own personal experiences.

The pictures in this article were taken largely during two trips to Iran in March and August 2019.