I've been to Egypt (a few weeks pre-revolution) - it was shockingly ill-run and undeveloped. I've also been to Turkey - judging from the statistics and technica

I've been to Egypt (a few weeks pre-revolution) - it was shockingly ill-run and undeveloped. I've also been to Turkey - judging from the statistics and technical accomplishments (adjusting for sanctions), a country on a similar level of development to Iran. The difference was astounding. The general level of education and development seemed lower than in developed and semi-developed societies (my frames of reference being, respectively, the United States and Israel) but it was most of the way there. More significantly, (though anecdotally) I know in the Bay Area several Iranians - educated up to Bachelor's level in Iranian universities - who are very capable of keeping up at the top of their fields.