Amidst what appears to be a growing drum-beat for war with Iran, a recent Foreign Policy on-line pictorial titled “Once Upon a Time in Tehran” captured my attention and, if I am honest, a bit of my hope as well.  In the din of opinions about what we should do with Iran (certainly not the topic of this blog), the Foreign Policy reminded me to wish for happier times between Iran and the West.  When that moment ultimately comes (hopefully peacefully), Iran will be an emerging economy with a strong cultural history of a vibrant middle class.  The pictures show the beauty of Tehran, the Persian culture, and a handful of Western brands like Pepsi that have historically been successful selling to the Persian market.  Several brands, including Coke and Pepsi, currently sell into Iran through non-US franchises, but the challenges of connecting with the Persian market in the face of possible hostilities from western powers will be an awkward balance to strike once peace comes.  Think this is an outlandish thing to hope for?  Then let me suggest you haven’t thought enough about what it is like to market in Vietnam as an American or French company.  Regardless of the commercial opportunities this blog is focused on, let’s all hope for a peaceful resolution to a crisis that could easily spiral out of control and ignite the Middle East, drive a new energy crisis, and likely throw economies around the world into recession.