These photos show what it's really like in Iran, where - despite its antagonistic relationship with the US- life is surprisingly normal

I live near London, but the current geopolitical situation means that there are no direct flights available. Instead, it is common to fly via connections somewhere like Istanbul or Dubai.

Media coverage of Iran often focuses on how different it is from the West: the rules about what women can and can't wear, its anti-American politics, and how it uses its military.

This photo — often seen illustrating US news coverage of Iran — is not a particularly typical scene, and has drawn criticism for being overused and misleading.

But for most Iranians, everyday life is more similar to somewhere like the UK or America than you might think. One example: Iran has bad traffic too.

As well as catching up with friends and family, when I’m in Iran I spend my time much as I do in London, going out to eat with friends, shopping or reading a book in a local cafe.

A meal shared with friends at Japanese restaurant Kenzo in Vanak, Tehran.

Many Iranians enjoy going to the mall. This is the Iran Mall in Tehran, which is open despite not being totally finished.

When complete, it will have more than 15 million square feet of floor space.

That's three times the size of the biggest US mall, Minnesota's Mall of America, which is 4.8 million square feet.

According to global travel website Atlas Obscura, the mall will have a mixture of retail stores, cultural centers, public spaces, car parking, and also a hotel.

There are relatively few shops open at the moment. However, unlike US malls, one of Iran Mall's central features is a large library.

Here it is from another angle.

Having a library in a mall isn't surprising considering the Persian language has a strong literary tradition and people love to read. I also went book shopping at this store in the Bagh Ferdows park.

The sign painted on the television says 'read books instead,' which is funny considering it is located right next to the cinema museum.

At another store, Shahre Ketab (Book City), foreign novels in translation are featured on a table at the front. Titles include George Orwell's '1984.'

"1984" is at the back on the right.

This store is in the affluent Pasdaran neighborhood.

I also spotted the Persian translation of Michelle Obama's 'Becoming'.

The rest of the titles are mostly self-help and psychology.

When I was in Iran back in November 2018 I also saw the cover for the Persian version of Bob Woodward's 'Fear: Trump in the White House.'

People like to hang out in cafes like this one, Sam Cafe, which has good WiFi.

I'm vegan, which is not a very popular lifestyle in Iran. But some places are starting to embrace it: this cafe had soya milk and vegan carrot cake cookies.

During my last visit a family friend bought us tickets for a concert. We saw Macan Band, a pop group kind of like an Iranian One Direction.

There were many screaming girls. But, unlike a Western concert, everybody was sitting down, since getting up to dance is not allowed.

Here's another shot of the band, whose biggest songs include 'Ki Bodi To' (Who Were You?) and 'Ye Asre Khoob' (One Nice Evening).

Food is very important to Iranians. I share my name with Iran's most popular bakery chain 'Sahar Bakery'.

Lots of storefronts have logos using English words — like with Sahar Bakery here.

Sahar Bakery is best-known for its many types of bread.

The bottom shelf shows walnut-stuffed bread, a particular specialty. The bakery also has gluten-free bread, a relatively new phenomenon.

According to the shop's website the company was started in 1971 and there are now a total of 11 branches across Tehran and in Mazandaran, a nearby region.

More evidence of mainstream veganism: this is the menu from Zamin Vegan, in the residential Shahrake Gharb district.

'Zamin' translates to earth in Persian and is the first all-vegan restaurant in Tehran.

The menu also tells you something about social media in Iran — Zamin's menu has contact details for Instagram, and Telegram, two of the most popular apps in the country.

Facebook and Twitter, probably the most widespread networks in the UK and US, are difficult to access in Iran.

The menu is in both Persian and English, and features traditional Persian food as well as pizza, pasta and lots of desserts.

Here is what I ordered:

Mirza Ghasemi (bottom right) is traditionally made with tomato and eggs, which were replaced in this recipe with what tasted like aubergine.

Kashke Bademjan (top right) is a smoked aubergine dish usually mixed in with kashk - a milk product. This was replaced with a soya-based milk substitute instead.

Both dishes are served with bread.

There was also a vegan kebab, and traditional saffron rice (the orange part in the top-left).

People get food by app as well: These bikes work for Snapp Box, Iran's answer to Uber Eats.

One difference from a lot of the west is that religion is a more visible part of life. Locals often head to the Imamzadeh Saleh mosque in Tajrish Square to pray on Fridays.

The shrine houses the tomb of Imamzadeh Saleh, the son of the revered 8th-Century Imam Musa al-Kadhim.

The inside of the mosque is pretty spectacular. It's like walking into a kaleidoscope.

The shimmering walls are thanks to a traditional craft called ayne-kari, a mosaic of mirrors, which extends across the whole building.

Sermons, including from Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, are broadcast on a big TV in the courtyard.

But sometimes they run into technical difficulties.

In their free time Iranians in Tehran often travel to different parts of the country. This is a picture of Khansar in Isfahan province, some 230 miles from Tehran.

Most Iranians have Thursday and Friday as their weekend.

Although its ordinary to have a two-day weekend, some people have a six-day week with only Friday off.

This is the Baghkal Dam, near Khansar, a local beauty spot.

This is 'Honey Square,' named in honor of one of the city's main exports.

Part of the water feature on the left looks like a beehive.

People liked the fountain and were taking selfies in front of it.

An alternative to travelling on the weekends is visiting somewhere like Darband in the very north of Tehran.

It was once an old village, but now functions as one of the most popular destinations for people needing an escape from city life.

It is essentially a hiking trail up into the mountains, on to Mount Tochal which looks over all of Tehran.

Along the way are many restaurants and cafes built into the mountain. These seats are on top of a running river, and people use them to sit on while drinking tea and smoking hookah.

People shop for everyday items such as food at local shops. This shop selling fruits and vegetables is in Vanak, a residential neighbourhood in northern Tehran.

As per the advertisements hanging in the shop, a kilo of Askari grapes are 16,500 toman ($1.50), yellow plumbs are 17,500 toman ($1.60) and white nectarines are going for 25,900 toman ($2.35) a kilo.

Following US withdrawal from the Iran Nuclear Deal in May 2018, inflation rates have been unusually high and have driven up the price of food.

According to the latest report from the Statistical Center of Iran, the price of fruit, vegetables and meat are said to have risen higher than other, non-food commodities.

As well as inflated food prices, access to medicine has also been affected by the severe US sanctions.

According to The New York Times this is due to banking restrictions which make it hard for foreign pharmaceutical companies to continue working in the country.

When I was in Iran I witnessed many conversations about medicine shortages amongst people I know personally.

One way people have been trying to get around the problem is by travelling to nearby countries such as Turkey to get what they need, or asking friends and family to go on their behalf.

Despite the tough economic environment, Tehran-dwellers are still making the best of the situation, and finding cheap things to do. Like this art exhibition, which is free.

This is an exhibition at Seyhoun Art Gallery from November 2018.

It features a series on large-scale ink work by Iranian artist Masi Divandari.

Another artist whose work is well worth seeing in Tehran is Monir Farmanfarmaian—one of the most prominent Iranian artists in the contemporary period.

This the Monir Museum, which is home to over 50 works for the artist's personal collection which are currently open to the public.

If you're more interested in what an average night in on a weekday might look like it would be something like this. Tea, fruit and a Turkish drama on the TV.

Meanwhile, relations between the US and Iran do not look likely to improve soon, especially as tensions continue over Iran's nuclear program. But, in the country of 81 million people, life goes on.