We flew out to Iran in the early part of 1978, landed at at Tehran Airport and caught a taxi to our house which was situated in the northern suburbs of Iran at the foot of the Alborz mountains (top left image). Looking down onto Tehran you could see the polution mist hanging over the city, I think it was the second most poluted city in the world, if you were downtown you could taste it, nice!

Our job was the refurbishment of the Hyatt Crown hotel which was a few minutes drive away. The area where it was situated was on an earthquake belt  which ran through the north of Iran. Basically, when the hotel was built, a big hole was dug, filled with concrete, and the hotel built on top. so in theory, there was more weight below ground than above, so it shouldn't fall over.
One of our jobs was to hang the curtains on the massive windows in the reception area. The curtains arrived and were unloaded. When we went to move them, "Fuck me sideways, they're heavy!", someone said (it could have been me!).  When we unwrapped them we found out the were made out of metal chainmail. If there was an earthquake and the windows gave way, the glass wouldn't fall inwards, luckily they weren't tested.

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When we arrived in Iran it was was still being ruled by the Shah, who had a western outlook on the way the country was run, you could go out in the evening, go on the piss, and, if you wanted, get personal with the local ladies.
But, after the revolution, it all changed from one extreme to the other.