Dear Readers and Friends of Tehran Magazine,
Every week, thousands of copies of Tehran Magazine make their way into homes, offices, businesses, waiting rooms, and gathering places throughout our community. For many people, picking up the latest issue has become a habit—a familiar part of their weekly routine.
But today, we would like to pause for a moment and ask you a simple yet important question:
Do you like the new direction and style of Tehran Magazine?
Do you feel that we are covering the issues that matter most to you?
Are we providing the type of articles, reports, features, and community news that you want to read?
And perhaps most importantly, does Tehran Magazine still represent the voice and interests of our Iranian-American community?
For more than three decades, Tehran Magazine has had the privilege of serving readers throughout Southern California and beyond. During those years, countless publications have appeared and disappeared. Many newspapers and magazines that once seemed permanent are no longer with us today.
Yet Tehran Magazine remains.
The reason is simple.
It is not because we have large corporate investors.
It is not because we receive government funding.
It is not because we are backed by powerful political organizations.
The reason we are still here is because of you.
Your trust.
Your loyalty.
Your support.
From the very beginning, our mission has been to provide something different.
We have always tried to deliver real news, meaningful community coverage, cultural stories, human-interest features, educational articles, entertainment, health information, and thoughtful commentary without becoming trapped by political agendas or sensationalism.
We have never believed that journalism should be for sale.
We have never believed that a publication should sacrifice its integrity in exchange for a few advertising dollars or political favors.
Instead, we have tried to earn your trust one issue at a time.
Over the years, we have covered major events affecting our community, celebrated our successes, mourned our losses, highlighted our achievements, and provided a platform for voices that deserve to be heard.
Our goal has always been simple:
To inform.
To educate.
To entertain.
And most importantly, to serve.
In recent months, many readers have noticed changes in the style and content of Tehran Magazine.
Our editorial team has worked hard to produce deeper reports, stronger feature stories, more engaging social commentary, and articles that address issues affecting Iranian-Americans today.
Rather than filling pages with outdated material, recycled content, or meaningless filler, we have focused on creating a publication that respects your time and your intelligence.
We know there is a difference between simply producing pages and producing quality.
A magazine can easily be filled with large photos, oversized headlines, and brief summaries that say very little.
That has never been our goal.
We believe readers deserve more.
We believe our community deserves more.
And we hope that is what you are finding in the pages of Tehran Magazine today.
But now we want to hear from you.
Are we succeeding?
Do you enjoy the new format?
Do you feel the articles are more informative?
Are the topics relevant to your life and interests?
What would you like to see more of?
What would you like to see less of?
Your opinion matters because this magazine ultimately belongs to the community it serves.
Many readers may not realize the true cost of producing a weekly print publication in California today.
The cost of paper continues to rise.
Printing costs continue to rise.
Postage continues to rise.
Fuel costs continue to rise.
Distribution costs continue to rise.
Virtually every expense involved in publishing has increased dramatically over the past several years.
Yet Tehran Magazine remains one of the most affordable publications in our community.
While many publications now sell for four or five dollars per issue, Tehran Magazine continues to be available for only two dollars.
What many readers may not know is that the actual cost of producing and delivering each issue is significantly higher than the cover price.
In fact, the true cost of printing and distributing each copy exceeds what readers pay at the newsstand.
The difference is made possible through advertising support and the loyalty of our subscribers.
Without that support, continuing publication would be extremely difficult.
There is another chapter in our history that deserves special mention.
The COVID-19 pandemic.
Those were difficult and painful years for everyone.
Businesses closed.
Families were separated.
Communities were isolated.
Fear and uncertainty affected nearly every aspect of daily life.
During that time, many Persian-language publications temporarily suspended operations.
Some stopped publishing for weeks.
Others disappeared permanently.
But Tehran Magazine continued.
Week after week.
Issue after issue.
We made the decision to keep publishing because we believed our readers needed information, connection, and community more than ever.
While many people were isolated in their homes, we worked to provide news updates, health information, community resources, educational articles, and stories that could help people stay informed during one of the most challenging periods in recent history.
It was not easy.
The financial challenges were enormous.
Distribution became more difficult.
The future was uncertain.
But we believed that abandoning our readers during their time of need was simply not an option.
Looking back today, we are proud that Tehran Magazine remained by your side during those difficult years.
That decision was not merely a business decision.
It was a commitment.
A commitment to our readers.
A commitment to our community.
And a commitment to the values that have guided this publication for more than thirty years.
Today, more than ever, we need your support.
If you are already a subscriber, we thank you from the bottom of our hearts.
If you are not yet a subscriber, we invite you to become one.
If you enjoy reading Tehran Magazine, please share it with friends and family.
Tell others about us.
Help us continue growing.
And if you own a business, we encourage you to consider advertising with us.
If your children own businesses, please introduce them to us.
If your friends are professionals, doctors, attorneys, real estate agents, restaurant owners, contractors, retailers, or entrepreneurs, please recommend Tehran Magazine as a trusted advertising platform.
The truth is simple:
We still need additional advertising support.
To continue providing the quality publication that our readers deserve, we need more businesses to join our advertising family.
Every advertisement helps.
Every new advertiser helps.
Every referral helps.
When you recommend Tehran Magazine to a business owner, you are helping two organizations at once.
You are helping that business reach thousands of potential customers.
And you are helping Tehran Magazine continue serving the community.
That partnership benefits everyone.
The reality is that independent print media faces tremendous challenges everywhere in the world.
Social media has changed reading habits.
Digital platforms compete for attention every minute of every day.
Many traditional publications have disappeared entirely.
Yet we continue to believe there is value in a trusted community publication.
We continue to believe there is value in thoughtful journalism.
We continue to believe there is value in stories that bring people together.
And we continue to believe there is value in maintaining a publication that serves the Iranian-American community with pride, integrity, and independence.
But our future depends on you.
That is why we are asking for your feedback.
Tell us what you like.
Tell us what you dislike.
Tell us what should change.
Tell us what should stay the same.
Tell us which topics matter most to you.
Tell us how we can serve you better.
We promise to listen.
Every suggestion, every comment, and every piece of constructive criticism will be carefully considered by our editorial team.
As we look toward the future, our commitment remains unchanged.
To provide meaningful journalism.
To support our community.
To preserve our independence.
And to continue earning your trust.
Thank you for your support.
Thank you for your friendship.
Thank you for allowing Tehran Magazine to be a part of your lives for more than three decades.
With your continued support, we hope to remain by your side for many years to come.
Respectfully,
Shahbod Noori
Publisher & Editor-in-Chief
Tehran Magazine