News from Iran

It's like the dream where you're naked in high heels

Borna Alikhani: Still high from last night's coup, we pull into Isfahan's main square. We felt like we owned it.

As I walked around the Blue Mosque with the normally frantic programme editor, I had the unavoidable emotional moment. I was very proud that he was seeing my country like this. I was proud of the achievements of my romping ancestors the Safavids.

The point of News from Iran Week was to give people an understanding of Iran beyond the rhetoric. As we wondered through the maze of domes, I realized that Ben of Barnes (the programme editor) had got it.

We were going to rock Qom

Borna Alikhani: As soon as the 30ft truck pulled into the sqaure and started unloading a 60sq ft. stage it was clear: We were going to rock Qom.

Within minutes a dumfounded crowd of pilgrims gathered, oblivious to the original purpose of their journey.

With their backs turned to the shrine, they were awestruck. A sci-fi van with a spinning sattelite dish and a motorcade which unleashed 30 raging Tehranis and a dozen Brits in varying levels of hysteria.

At 7.30 as the crew were losing their last shreds of hope, a yellow ice-cream van pulled up and revealed its contents. This was our OB van.

Despite all odds, we pulled off the first live broadcast from the nerve-centre of Iran's theocracy.

See also: Qom - the centre of Iran's theocratic state and Hearts and minds

The fortune teller and the wise man with an impressive belly

Borna Alikhani: I saw a fortune teller a few months ago who read my coffee.

She was supposedly one of the best in the business. The first thing she told me was that there was a sport which I passionately loved. Nonsense I thought and immediately stopped listening to her.

She lost all credibility.

Tonight as we were on the roof of the Basij (Islamic Militia) building, the corner of my eye caught one of many monitors lying around.

She told me I would undertake a project that everyone including myself believed impossible. She told me it would be a first and enormously difficult - but God was watching over me. There would be an older gentleman, very wise and influential, very large and an impressive belly.

She said not to fear and the wise man always delivered. I felt like pouring the coffee residue over her crazy head.

As that monitor flashed by me all she said came true. The bellied Magus is Jon Snow. We were live out of Tehran on the eve of Iran's Security Council referral.

As of tomorrow over 40 of us will be on the road for a week - The Magus, 2 correspondents, 4 cameramen, 5 producers, 5 fixers, 13 drivers, 5 engineers, 3 security guards, 2 soldiers, 2 gaffers, and a man from the electricity board.

Maybe I still can become World Heavy-Weight Boxing Champion one day.

Allah o Akbar- God is Great.

This blog is part of News from Iran week from Channel 4 News.

Borna Alikhani, producer at Crewhouse TV, is working with Channel 4 News' in Tehran.

The three-eared people of Khaveh

Borna Alikhani: After lengthy negotiations it is agreed that we can film in the next village across the valley. I have heard of Khaveh since birth and - though a mile away - have avoided going there in keeping with age-old traditions.

I tell my trusted sidekick and shepard Ali-Reza of our plans. He is horrified. On the drive over he tells me that there are boys in Khaveh with 3 ears and 6 fingers. Cynical Lindsey laughs it off. I am sure he's right.

Khaveh is the kind of place where you just wish you were invisible. On this quiet morning our group is led through the village by a seven foot black-clad Rhodesian in a velvet stetson (black). The people are wonderful and bemused.

We spend the morning filming in their homes, shop and mosque. They all keep inviting us over for tea. Smiles all round. They curiously and patiently watch our unlikely bunch, and discuss among themselves what we must be up to. Gas network installations, movies, plain weirdness.

As the morning and their patience wears on, one theory begins to dominate. Lunch time hunger pangs render us undesirables and it is decided we must be foreign agents.

"They're here to film us so they can come back and bomb." Ali Reza calls 'cut' and herds us back into the van. The three-eared, six-fingered people of Khaveh will have something to talk about for the next 50 years.

This blog is part of News from Iran week from Channel 4 News.

Uncle Haji and the dodgy soup

Borna Alikhani: Somewhere on a long list of ''I wants...'' was a picturesque village, pretty poor and full of friendly peasants. I knew just the place.

My ancestral birthplace Kolejar - truly idyllic. Nothing exciting has happened there since my great uncle "Haji" dropped dead after being offered some dodgy soup. That was in the 50s- and it's still a hot topic. Just my luck, I am informed by the powers that be, that the area is off limits.

My brethren have thumped the governor of the local township- hardly world headlines anyway.

This blog is part of News from Iran week from Channel 4 News.

'It's Jon Snow'

Borna Alikhani: An ecstatic Majid on the mobile again. "His name is Jon Snow!" It's all over the conservative newspapers. Jon Snow and an unprecedented group of 12 will be arriving in Tehran over the next few days.

It must be true. "My prayers have worked ... I will lay a red carpet from the main gate all the way to my shop." I should have wished for something more profound.

Borna Alikhani, producer at Crewhouse TV, is working with Channel 4 News' in Tehran.

This blog is part of News from Iran week from Channel 4 News.

Some insane plan

Borna Alikhani: My mobile rings. "You're in the bazaar" Majid tells me confidently. A million people will pass through Tehran's Grand Bazaar today - how the hell did this carpet dealer find out so quickly.

I'd hardly been in the labirynth five minutes. "There's a group of 12 journalists coming here next week - what do you know?"

I tell him precious little - I know C4 have some insane plan to anchor the news out of Tehran - the week Iran is likely to be referred to the security council. I tell him they haven't been granted visas yet - and my senses tell me its unlikely they will at this sensitive time.

"You better bring them to my shop when they come," Majid commands.I tell him it's all up in the air right now. "Don't you worry, I'm going to pray and give dinner to the poor at the shrine of Seyed Ismael - whatever you wish will come true."

This blog is part of News from Iran week from Channel 4 News.