Fascinating photos reveal life in Iran before the revolution

From students sporting mullet haircuts and flares to colourful VW Beetles careering down tree-lined avenues into central Tehran - surprising images of Iran, taken before the revolution, have emerged online.

The stunning photos of life across the vibrant country in the 60s and 70s portray a seemingly cosmopolitan kingdom on the brink of change.

Locals are pictured doing the 'Tehran twist' to Iranian rock 'n' roll bands, families sunbathe by a swimming pool and mosques and bazaars still popular today are also caught on camera, revealing the tension between modern and traditional influences tussling for supremacy.

The 1979 revolution saw the ousting of King Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi and the instalment of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini - a shift that would have long-lasting and far reaching implications.

In 2015, following a historic nuclear deal and the lifting of economic sanctions against Iran by the US, the UK, France, China, Russia and Germany, many travel industry experts have pointed to the epic scenery and rich cultural attractions of the country as ripe for tourist exploration this year.

Now as the international gaze rests on Iran once more, MailOnline Travel rounds up some archive images of this fascinating country, which has long been shrouded in mystery and misunderstanding.

See the pictures:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/travel_news/article-4148684/Stunning-photos-reveal-life-Iran-revolution.html