Fan Death is a Korean idea. Some Koreans think that sleeping with a fan on can kill you, either through asphyxiation or hypothermia. I bring it up not because it’s silly, but because it’s something that some people fear (aided by the media), while others can’t imagine it being scary.

EDIT: a much better example is skydiving. Statistically not risky, though it seems risky, because jumping out of a plane!

So here I’d like to address some of the possible fears associated with Iran travel, and either refute them or reduce them to a risk that I’m already taking. Instead of general fear of Iran, let’s concentrate on what it is that we’re afraid of.

What could go wrong?

• Petty crime, getting my things stolen or whatever. I have no reason to believe this is more likely in Iran than in other places, like India.
• Violent crime. Again, this is no more likely in Iran than elsewhere.
• Getting caught up in a protest or something. Well, of course I won't be trying to find anything like this; the trouble would be if I stumble into one. Iran is the first place where I'll have a guide, who will know the situation on the ground and help me avoid stumbling into one. (compare to India where there are people protesting stuff all the time.)
• Iranian government harassing me. I wouldn't be hearing so much "Iran is safe" if there were a possibility that the government would harass me. Unlike those hikers a few months ago, I won't be going near borders or away from my guide. I won't take photos of official things. And again, there's a guide whose job it is to keep me safe.
• US government harassing me on re-entry; one two sites reporting no problems, or a little badgering but nothing serious.
• US government harassing me somewhere down the road (e.g. on a "terrorist watch list"). The only reason I have to believe that this would happen is due to someone I haven't met, whose words I've heard only secondhand via a rather exaggerated email.