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Mumsnet has not checked the qualifications of anyone posting here. If you need help urgently or expert advice, please see our domestic violence webguide and/or relationships webguide. Many Mumsnetters experiencing domestic abuse have found this thread helpful: Listen up, everybody

DD has not met her dad yet as he is in Iran(long story) - feeling wretched

20 replies

poshsinglemum · 12/01/2009 07:12

I have posted my story on Multicultural families. Is a bit of a yarn I'm afraid.
My daughter's father is half Greek/half Iranian. I met him whilst doing teacher training up North. He was working in a local factory and studying English. I really liked him and he really pursued me but i was unsure if our cultures would be compatible as women in his country are treated differently. I also thought that he was excessively charming which I quite liked but didn't trust. fell for it anyway. I decided to give him a chance and fell in love. Just six months into the relationship I got pregnant. I was delighted and loved my baby straight away. I had been broody for years and thought that a baby would cement our relationship. (Please don't laugh- I have learned my lesson!)

I thought that he would be happy too because when we first met he kept asking if I wanted children and it was clear that he adored them. I'd never met a man like that before. He was horrified however and told me to get an abortion. He told me he would leave me if I didn't get and abortion. I was heartbroken and thought about his reasons (he didn't think our relationship was strong enough, we weren't living together and in seperate cities etc etc) but I decided to keep the baby as I loved her too much. I thought that he wasn't worth it. I just took it that he sadly didn't love me as much as I loved him.

During my pregnancy he kept blowing hot and cold. Then when I was four months pregnant he told me we shouldn't see each other until the baby was born and pick up our relationship from then. Charming. He told me he was in a state of shock. He did start to show an interest and started asking me how his 'little angel' was.

He was going through his own drama during my pregnancy. He is from a very close Greek family and his late mum was from Iran. His grandfather was very ill before my pregnancy and died when I was two months pregnant.His dad then went nuts and into a state of deep mourning. Ended up in hospital in Greece. ex spent a lot of time in Greece during pregnancy although I did wonder if he was running.

Then, eight months into my pregnancy his dad runs off to Iran in an unfirm state to be with his late wife's family. Uh oh, I thought.
His dad then wanted the whole extended family to join him in Iran. And guess what , my ex did just that. Left me,his job, his flat etc to go to look after his father. He didn't know when he's be back but I didn't beg him to stay as he was being an arse and was going it alone anyway.

I was fuming though as his dad has 8 or 9 other grown up children and a wife who also joined him. HE DIDN'T STAND UP FOR HIMSELF AND TELL HIS FAMILY ABOUT MY PREGNANCY BECAUSE OF THE SHAME! If he had they would have encouraged him to stay with me but he didn't want the responsibility I think.

Anyways, I gave birth alone, ds is 6 months old and amazing. Am so happy to be a mum but feeling wretched about her dad. I told him when she was born. He was thrilled. He has told his family. They are thrilled. I have sent photos-m he thinks she's georgeous. He desperately wants to see her- but guess what- HE CANT BECAUSE HIS STUPID PASSPORT HAS EXPIRED AND IRANIAN NATIONALS FIND IT HARD TO TRAVEL OUT OF THE SODDING STUPID COUNTRY!After doing my research, this seems quite likely or is he making excuses.

So- he does phone to see how we are. has tried sending us money for Christmas. He tried escaping the country illegally, gota sfar as Turkey but caught and imprisoned. He sounds so sad when he phones. Can't use e-mail as it is censored out there and he raelly hateds the country. He is not muslim but Christian (this I do know as went to church in England)

I think that he's weak and thick and I know I deserve bettre but I do love him and I can't get over him. I'm helping him by trying to contact various embassy's. I feel totally wretched as I want dd to know hher dad and I'm scared being a single mum. I am doing really weel though and dd brightens up my life. She IS my life atm.

So do I wait for him and see how our relationship does on his return. If he returns. Or do I pack it in and start to move onwards and upwards. Total limbo. He's been playing me around - I know.

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poshsinglemum · 12/01/2009 07:15

dd sorry

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poshsinglemum · 12/01/2009 07:18

He is out of prison now btw but the Embassy in sodding Tehran has told him not to bother them anymore as he wont be leaving.

Whys has he done this to himself? Why do I always pick the complete wierdos.My ex boyfriends have all been wierdos even if they seemed normal at first. Am not trusting my jusdgement.

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HeadFairy · 12/01/2009 07:21

Does he have a British passport? Was he born here? If so I'm pretty sure the Iranian's can't hold a British citizen unless they're charged with something. As he's out of prison then that would appear to be the case. Have you contacted the Foreign office?

Sorry you're going through this, I hope you get some help soon. It sounds like he was scared by the prospect of fatherhood, but now he's even more scared by the prospect of being stuck in Iran for the rest of his life. It might have been a bit of a wake up call for him.

HeadFairy · 12/01/2009 07:24

fair trials abroad might be able to offer some advice if he's been charged with an offence, but I think that might only be if he's a British citizen. They might be able to point you in the direction of someone who can help if they can't. I would deal with the issue of getting him out of Iran first, then you can talk about your relationship. A note of warning, and tell me if I'm totally out of order here, but make absolutely sure neither he or his family attempt to take your dd to Iran. Sorry to be overly suspicious, but it's not unheard of for this to happen.

poshsinglemum · 12/01/2009 09:59

no- i'm a bit confused about the passport situation tbh. i think whilst he was working here his passport was greek/iranian. no idea but as half greek he's an eu citizen, However, when out in iran they ignore the dual citizenship bit so he is now subject to sharia law.

headfairy- that is what i am most scared of and i want to have the correct legal barriers put into place. should i go to a family lawyer here first.

i think that i do want to split and make sure that he never takes her out of this country. i love him but i have to face reality-it just won't work.

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HeadFairy · 12/01/2009 10:30

hmmm now I'm heading out of my depth. As an EU citizen he should be entitled to some kind of legal support, did you say you'd spoken to the Greek embassy?

I would most definitely speak to a family lawyer, or the CAB about his rights with regard your dd. I'm not a lawyer, but that would be my first concern. Is his name on the birth certificate?

I have to head to bed now, I'm on nights at the moment. I will check in later, but I hope in the meantime someone else will come along with better advice.

slug · 12/01/2009 10:58

Poor you. Please give the guy a bit of slack though. He is probably doing the best he can. The moving to Iran with his father sounds entirely typical of people from that sort of patriarchial culture. He may find it extremely difficult to stand up for himself because simply that is something you do not do. He's obviously suffering the consequences now. Is there anybody in the local Iranian community who may be able to find out what is happening or give you some support?

fuzzywuzzy · 12/01/2009 11:08

Where is he now, Turkey or Iran?

If in Turkey could he not go to the Greek embassy and have a new Greek passport made?

As for your DD speak to a solicitor who specialises in family law and see if you have a good enough case to have a prohibitive steps order taken out just incase.

I also think you should move on, he really doesn't sound all that great a catch to me given his behaviour when you were expecting his child.
Live your life be happy, enjoy your little girl, if he turns up and your single and still willing to give it a go then great, if not at least you don't let any oppurtunities go by in the meantime.

Tortington · 12/01/2009 11:13

he sounds like a twat

NotADragonOfSoup · 12/01/2009 11:16

What custardo said.

TotalChaos · 12/01/2009 11:20

I don't know anything about the technicalities. But agree with fuzzywuzzy. Try and move on.

poshsinglemum · 12/01/2009 12:20

Ha ha custardo! You don't mince your words!That's what I think but I still love him. Sigh- I have this tendancy to fall for twats. Serves me right then!

He's in Iran. He got caught in Turkey and then sent back to Iran. I hate to say it but when he got put in prison I thought taht it serves him tright although not fair on dd of course.

I am trying to move on but he phones me now and again to see how we are and/or to moan about how difficult his circumstances are. Makes it difficult.

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littleducks · 12/01/2009 12:28

tbh it all sounds dodgy, if he was in turkey when he was caught he should/would have renewed passport then

agree with fuzzywuzzy

poshsinglemum · 12/01/2009 12:34

ha has apologised and told me he dosn't blame me for being mad. bit late for sorry though. i will move on in time. been grieving a lot though.

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MadameCastafiore · 12/01/2009 12:41

Why the hell are you goignt o so much trouble for a man who upped and left you when you were pregnant and before that told you to get an abortion.

If he really wants to see you and his daughetr I would leave it to him to sort himself out.

ANd what the fuck have you got to apologise for - this mess is his and his alone to sort out - you concentrate on your little one and leave him to concentrate on sorting himself out.

poshsinglemum · 12/01/2009 14:18

Hi Madame,
I guess you are so right. I know that I deserve better than him tbh. The trouble is he started to be nicer once he realised that I was going to keep the baby for sure. I guess taht I wanted to keep our family together. Chances are if he came back we would not get on anyway. I keep getting stuck in the denial part of grief- then the anger, then the depression. I grieve the 'perfect' family that all my friends seem to have and I'm frightened of choosing the wrong man in the future. I can't afford to next time as it's dd at stake.
Sod it, I'm not going to wait anymore. He's a looser.

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poshsinglemum · 13/01/2009 20:23

Hi slug,
sorry i didnt get back to you. ive been thinking about what you said,l when i got pregnant he was terrified of his father's wrath as having a baby out of wedlock in greece and iran is frowned upon more than if it happened yet. still not ideal and i do feel wierd. i do believe that his culture has made it very difficult for him to stand up for himself. i think that he was surprised when i decided to go it alone as it's just not what girls in his country would do.
his name is not on the birth certificate.
i feel totally bereft by all this but am loving being a mum to my amazing dd so it makes it all worthwhile. it's the best!

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quinne · 13/01/2009 22:05

I think there is a rule for people with two passports that whatever country's passport they enter a country on, then that's the country they are considered as belonging to for the duration of the visit.
So if he used his Iranian passport at the airport on arrival in Iran, he would fall under their rules. If he used his Greek one, then he'd be able to get help from the Greek embassy if he got into trouble in Iran.
I bet he used his Iranian one out of either pride or just wanting to by pass a long queue...

ukrainianmum · 14/01/2009 08:53

Hi!!
You know about being an Iranian/Greek and not being able to ahve a child out of wedlocl
My bestest best frind lives in Germany, she is Ukrainian, he is iranian from Irak. She got pregnant, they went to mulla, did some sort of thing and sent a copy of their so called marriage to his parents in Irak. So all those men from those countries who live in Europe know their way around and how to get around family issues...

I feel for you and understand you. My dh lives in UK(ukrainian, he cannot come here, I cannnot go there due to visa problems) and our dd will be 4 years old in March. the last time he saw her and hold her was when she was two months old. It is difficult. So I really understand how difficult for you is this time. But it will pass later..

poshsinglemum · 14/01/2009 12:52

hi quinne- yes he did use an Iranian passport- that he has admitted.

Ukranianmum- I really do feel for you. How awful. I think that it must be worse for you in fact because you are married. As I only knew my ex for a short time and he treated me like shit I am gutted but if we had a really strong relationship I would be DEVBVASTATED. Do you ever go to see him? Are you waiting for him? Do you not feel like moving on? How long are you prepared to wait or do you feel that you will always be with him even if you can't see each other? Do you ever feel tempted to find someone else? If not, then I applaud you.
If I was married I think I would wait forever. Burocracy can tear people apart. So sad and frustrating.
I am certainly not looking for romance at the momnent but in the future I want to be married with lots of children so I am wondering if and when to move on and how. I just feel stuck in an awful limbo. Part of me will always love her dad. I see him in her evryday and I am thankful that we met or else I would not have her but I cannot wait forever and sacrifice my chance to find lasting happiness in a more traditional setup.

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