ABSTRACT
This chapter explores some contextual differences between the Netherlands and the United States and the impact of these differences on the lives of Iranians in both countries. The United States was a preferred country of destination while the Netherlands was more of an accidental choice. It is often emphasized that Iranians in the United States are from a higher class than Iranians in Europe. Yet, the background of Iranians in the United States is much more heterogeneous than any other countries outside Iran. The history of immigration in the United States has been closely linked to assimilation theory, which has a hierarchical base of departure. The reason for the group of Iranian immigrants who entered the Netherlands was very political. The history of migration in the Netherlands, with the earlier presence of guest worker's and a subsequent focus on refugees as the main types of migrants in more recent history, has created a certain kind of understanding of migration.
