AP | Mohammad Nasiri: Melika Aghaeis fingers move slowly across the keys of the digital piano as she softly sings a childrens song to the delight of the cafes customers, while Mehdi Khakian takes orders for espressos and lattes. Located near the bustling Vanak Square in north Tehran, the Downtism Cafe stands out from other coffee shops in ...

TEHRAN, IRAN Shoulder to shoulder, cheek to cheek, young women and men sit next to each other while a thick film of cigarette smoke fills the dimly lit cafe in central Tehran. Bob Dylan's "Knockin' On Heaven's Door" blares from the speakers. Young Iranians with slick smart phones and packs of American-made cigarettes who frequent the cafe come for ...