TEHRAN, Iran — At a trendy restaurant in Iran’s capital, customers sip Coca-Cola through bending straws as waiters bring caddies to their tables full of Heinz ketchup and two types of Tabasco sauce. ADVERTISEMENTWhether at upscale restaurants or corner stores, American brands like Coca-Cola and Pepsi can be seen throughout Iran despite the heightened tensions between the two countries. Coca-Cola held a 28% market share in Iran, according to a 2016 report by research firm Euromonitor International, while Pepsi had around 20%. Asked about Coca-Cola sales in Iran, the Atlanta-based company said it had sold concentrate to Iran for over 20 years in line with U.S. sanctions policies. “Iranians are very fashionable.”At Tehran’s massive Iran Mall, a store called TOMSon sells what appears to be the eponymous slip-on Toms shoes.

Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer July 11, 2019 09:33 UTC