India, March 9 -- Among the many memories that remain vivid from my early years in journalism is a recollection that has little to do with politics or conflict. It concerns people. I have always considered Iranians among the most beautiful people in the world. At the risk of being accused of sounding politically incorrect, I must confess that their skin tone and features struck me uniquely. It was not merely appearance but a certain grace in their bearing that left an impression on me.

In the mid-1970s, when I worked as a reporter with The Hitavada in Bhopal, I frequently saw groups of Iranians in the city. They moved around together, spoke among themselves in a language that sounded musical to unfamiliar ears, and spent their leisure ti...