# Poor Kids Of Tehran > Poor Kids of Tehran is a 2014 Instagram photo series created as counter-commentary to Rich Kids of Tehran, pairing street-poverty imagery with luxury goods to expose Iran's wealth gap. Poor Kids of Tehran is a satirical Instagram account created in October 2014 that highlights poverty and economic inequality in Iran's capital city. The account was launched as a direct response to Rich Kids of Tehran, a viral Instagram page showcasing the lavish lifestyles of wealthy young Iranians. By posting images of street vendors, homeless children, and cheap locally-made goods alongside their luxury counterparts, Poor Kids of Tehran forced a public conversation about Iran's wealth gap that drew international media attention from BBC, BuzzFeed, and Der Spiegel. ## Origin On September 13, 2014, the Instagram account Rich Kids of Tehran was created, inspired by the already-popular Rich Kids of Instagram format[4]. The account quickly went viral, amassing over 90,000 followers in less than a month by posting photos of affluent young Iranians driving Porsches and Maseratis, wearing Rolex watches, and partying in sprawling estates[5]. The images raised eyebrows because they included alcohol (forbidden in Iran) and women without hijabs, which is strictly prohibited in most public places[3]. On October 5, 2014, the Poor Kids of Tehran Instagram account appeared[4]. Its first uploaded picture featured a broken-down refrigerator. The account gained over 4,000 followers within two weeks[4]. The identity of the creator was never confirmed, though IBTimes UK reported that Twitter user @dshepherd1985 was behind the account. That user tweeted that 99% of Iran's riches go to 1% of the population[2]. - **Platform:** Instagram - **Creator:** Unknown (attributed to Twitter user @dshepherd1985 by some reports) - **Date:** 2014 ## Overview Poor Kids of Tehran was an Instagram account that served as a counterpoint to the glamorous world portrayed by Rich Kids of Tehran. Where the original account showed Ferraris, designer jewelry, poolside shisha sessions, and women in bikinis defying Iran's strict dress codes, Poor Kids of Tehran posted images of broken-down appliances, street children, and the everyday struggle of ordinary Iranians[1]. Many of the photos deliberately mimicked the framing and composition of their wealthy counterparts, creating stark visual contrasts between the two Tehrans[2]. The account's most recognizable images included side-by-side comparisons. One widely shared photo placed someone at the wheel of an Audi next to a man behind the dusty wheel of a locally-made Zamyad car[1]. Another showed homeless children asleep on newspapers in Tehran's Azadi Square[2]. ## How It Spread Coverage moved fast once international media picked up both accounts. On October 7, 2014, BBC News published an article covering the rivalry between the two Instagram pages[1]. That same day, Poor Kids of Tehran launched an official Facebook page, which gained over 1,000 likes in less than a week[4]. Elite Daily ran its own coverage on October 9[4]. BuzzFeed had already been covering Rich Kids of Tehran, reporting that the account gained over 10,000 new followers overnight after their initial story, pushing total followers past 98,000[3]. The Rich Kids account abruptly deleted all 300+ photos and announced on Twitter that it had "been shut down due to false publicity"[3]. The administrators later released a statement saying their purpose was not political and they were "trying to show the world how beautiful Tehran and people from Tehran are"[2]. The story spread to German media as well. Der Spiegel covered the conflict between the two accounts, providing additional context about Iran's economic situation. The outlet noted that Porsche sold more cars in Tehran in 2011 than in Dubai or Riyadh, and that the super-rich were often ex-Revolutionary Guards members, religious figures, or members of influential merchant families[6]. The article pointed out that while the Rich Kids' identities suggested genuine access to elite circles, the person behind Poor Kids was likely not an impoverished Iranian (who would lack camera equipment and internet access) but rather politically engaged Iranians pushing for social change, similar to those in the 2009 Green Movement[6]. BBC Persian debated the pages with viewers on a television news programme. One man told them the rich can spend their money "in whatever way they wish." His wife then grabbed the phone and called the wealthy subjects "bloodsuckers"[1]. Not everyone appreciated the satirical account. One commenter on Poor Kids of Tehran wrote: "Why make this page? The whole point of the Rich Kids of Tehran was to show the western countries that Iran isn't how it is portrayed in their media, and now you've made a page showing everyone the exact opposite." The comment was later deleted[1]. ## How to Use Poor Kids of Tehran was a specific Instagram account rather than a reusable meme template. Its visual approach can be described as follows: 1. Find or take a photo showing everyday poverty or modest living conditions in an urban setting 2. Frame the shot to mirror the composition of a "Rich Kids" style photo (car interior, wristwatch close-up, dining scene) 3. Post it as a direct contrast to the equivalent luxury image, often as a side-by-side comparison 4. The humor and social commentary come from the gap between the two realities shown in identical framing ## Cultural Impact The Poor Kids of Tehran account arrived at a politically charged moment. Iran's youth unemployment rate was estimated at 46% in 2012, and only 36.7% of the population was economically active according to World Bank data[2]. International sanctions and the economic policies of former President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad had hit the economy hard, making even chicken a rare luxury for middle-class families[6]. The New York Post reported that many of the teens shown on Rich Kids of Tehran were allegedly children of Iran's ruling class. An IT consultant in Tehran told the London Times: "Most of them have fathers who are untouchable. If they get in trouble it will disappear"[5]. This context made the Poor Kids account's commentary hit harder, as it exposed a wealth gap protected by political power. The incident also raised questions about social media censorship in Iran. Despite concerns, several sources in Tehran confirmed to BuzzFeed that access to the Rich Kids account had not been blocked within Iran[3]. This was notable given that just months earlier, eight Iranians had received a combined 123 years in jail for insulting President Hassan Rouhani on Facebook, and seven youths were sentenced to jail time and 91 lashes each for posting a video of themselves dancing to Pharrell's "Happy"[5]. After the media firestorm, the original Rich Kids of Tehran account was effectively deleted by its administrator, though a replacement page with fewer followers but many of the same photos was set up afterward[1]. ## Fun Facts - Porsche sold more cars in Tehran in 2011 than in any other Middle Eastern city, including Dubai and Riyadh[6]. - The Rich Kids of Tehran account went from about 88,000 to over 98,000 followers in a single night after BuzzFeed's initial coverage, right before being shut down[3]. - Der Spiegel speculated that the Poor Kids account was likely run by politically engaged Iranians similar to those involved in Iran's 2009 Green Movement, not by actual impoverished citizens[6]. - The first photo posted to Poor Kids of Tehran was simply a broken-down refrigerator[4]. - BBC Persian's live TV segment about the accounts produced a memorable moment when a caller's wife physically grabbed the phone to call the rich kids "bloodsuckers"[1]. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### What is Poor Kids of Tehran? Poor Kids of Tehran was an Instagram account created in October 2014 that posted images of poverty and modest living in Tehran, Iran, as a satirical counterpoint to the Rich Kids of Tehran account[1]. ### Where did Poor Kids of Tehran come from? The account was created on October 5, 2014 on Instagram, directly in response to the Rich Kids of Tehran account that had gone viral the month before[4]. ### What does Poor Kids of Tehran mean? The account used visual contrast to draw attention to Iran's wealth gap, posting photos of street vendors, homeless children, and cheap goods alongside the luxury items flaunted by Rich Kids of Tehran[2]. ### How do you use Poor Kids of Tehran? It was a specific Instagram account rather than a meme template. Users engaged by following the account and sharing its side-by-side comparison images that highlighted economic inequality[1]. ### Is Poor Kids of Tehran still popular? No. Both the Poor Kids and Rich Kids of Tehran accounts went inactive after the media frenzy of October 2014. The Rich Kids account was shut down by its administrators, and Poor Kids lost its reason to exist[3]. ### Who created Poor Kids of Tehran? The creator's identity was never definitively confirmed. IBTimes UK attributed the account to Twitter user @dshepherd1985, who tweeted about Iran's wealth inequality[2]. ### Why was Rich Kids of Tehran shut down? The administrators deleted all photos and announced on Twitter that the account was "shut down due to false publicity" after receiving widespread coverage from BuzzFeed, BBC, and other outlets[3]. ### How many followers did Poor Kids of Tehran get? The account gained over 4,000 followers in less than two weeks after its creation[4]. ### What was the controversy around these accounts? Some commenters felt Poor Kids of Tehran undermined the Rich Kids' stated goal of showing Western audiences that Iran was more modern and glamorous than typically portrayed in media[1]. Others saw it as an important commentary on inequality in a country with 46% youth unemployment[2]. ### Was the Rich Kids of Tehran account real? Der Spiegel reported that the photos suggested genuine access to Iran's elite circles, as the super-rich were often ex-Revolutionary Guards, religious figures, or members of powerful merchant families[6]. The NY Post noted that many subjects were allegedly children of Iran's untouchable ruling class[5]. ## References 1. [Controversial "Rich Kids Of Tehran" Instagram Account Abruptly Deletes Photos]() 2. [#BBCtrending: Rich kids v poor kids in Tehran - BBC News]() 3. [#BBCtrending: Rich kids v poor kids in Tehran - BBC News]() 4. [Poor Kids of Tehran - Know Your Meme]() 5. [Second presidency of Donald Trump]() 6. ['Rich Kids of Tehran' Instagram Controversy Prompts 'Poor Kids' Campaign | IBTimes UK]() 7. [Iran: Die Richs Kids of Tehran verlieren gegen die Poor Kids - DER SPIEGEL]() 8. [Controversial "Rich Kids Of Tehran" Instagram Account Abruptly Deletes Photos]() 9. [Meet the ‘Rich Kids of Tehran’ | New York Post]() 10. [#BBCtrending: Rich kids v poor kids in Tehran - BBC News]() --- Source: https://meme.com/memes/poor-kids-of-tehran Published by meme.com — The Internet Meme Library