Tehrangeles

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The largest Iranian community outside Iran can be found in the heart of LA. What is that diaspora's story? Iranian stand-up comedian and actor Maz Jobrani begins his journey on Westwood Boulevard, a street lined with Iranian stores, restaurants, beauty salons, cafes and businesses, where everyone speaks Farsi and all the shop signs are in Persian. People such as bookshop owner Bijan Khalili tell the story of how and why the LA community became such a draw for hundreds of thousands of Iranians, which now comprise 22% of the population of 'Tehrangeles'. How, against the backdrop of 32 years of hostility between America and Iran since the 1979 US hostage crisis, have they succeeded in making their mark? (Image: A street sign that says 'Persian Square', Credit: Getty Images)