In many countries, especially the United States, the large crowds remind many people of the 1979 revolution that topped the former Shah Reza Pahlavi and installed the country's present system of government.

In Taiwan, the video footage reminds many people of the huge street demonstrations that took place in Taipei after accusations of fraud marred the results of the 2004 presidential election.

The vibrancy of the Iranian demonstrations and the sophistication of demonstrators on both sides has helped dispel stereotypical images of Iran and show people here that Iranians are also keenly supportive of democracy.

For now, no one can be sure whether the unrest in Iran might produce some kind of a change in government.

Most experts contend that since ruling and opposition camps both support maintenance of the current system, the outside world should not expect another repeat of the historic events of 1979.

Many people in Taiwan are especially interested in following events in Iran because Taipei and Tehran previously had close relations and there were many connections between Taiwan and Iran.

Before the Shah broke off relations with Taipei in 1971 following the R.O.C.'s expulsion from the United Nations earlier that year, Taiwan and Iran were both close allies of the United States.

Even after Iran cut off relations with the R.O.C., it continued to purchase military equipment from Taiwan up until 1979.

Ironically, the United States recently sold two Kidd-class destroyers to the R.O.C. Navy that were originally built for the Shah's naval forces but never sold because of the 1979 turmoil.

Even after Iran's relations with the United States turned hostile, Taipei and Tehran have maintained friendly, if unofficial, relations.

Trade between Taiwan and Iran has never been cut off and in recent years bilateral economic exchanges have flourished.

Today, Taiwan is a major customer for Iran's exports of oil, importing more than 40 million barrels of Iranian crude in 2007.

In that same year, trade between both sides exceeded US$4 billion, with nearly three-quarters of this amount consisting of Taiwan's imports from Iran.

While the R.O.C. does not maintain a de facto diplomatic representative office in Iran due to that country's relations with Beijing, the Taiwan External Trade Development Council operates a trade office in Tehran that actively promotes bilateral trade and serves as an unofficial conduit for relations between the two governments.Last year, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that personnel had been dispatched to Iran to study the Persian language in preparation for expanding contacts and exchanges with Tehran.

Taipei is especially keen to boost exports to Iran because of the huge trade imbalance in Tehran's favor.

And even though Iran remains close to Beijing, the Iranian government has actively encouraged economic and cultural exchanges with Taiwan, showing no signs of being pressured.

Last year, Germany's Spiegel magazine reported that Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad had personally approved plans to purchase high-tech electronic monitoring equipment from Taiwan to be used at Iranian border posts.

The report attracted some international attention because Western observers believed Tehran's security forces also wanted to obtain high-tech equipment from Taiwan to monitor domestic communications.

According to the unconfirmed Spiegel magazine report, Iran's government is presently keenly interested in expanding economic exchanges with Taiwan and is even considering opening an unofficial representative office in Taipei.

After the present unrest subsides, Iran should go ahead with plans to open a representative office in Taipei and expand its unofficial ties with Taiwan.

The R.O.C. should make sure not to export any sensitive or dual-use technologies that could violate the U.S.-led embargo against Iran or assist Iran with its ambitions to become a nuclear power.

But there is no reason to discourage ordinary economic and cultural exchanges with Iran and these ties should be encouraged.

Like most other governments, Taipei would like to see a dialogue opened between Iran and the United States that would ultimately lead to a normalization of Iran-U.S. relations.

U.S. President Barack Obama has opened the door to opening such a dialogue by agreeing to talk to Iran, but Washington's plans have been put on hold by the unexpected domestic turmoil in Iran.

After the turmoil subsides, Tehran and Washington should proceed with opening that dialogue so that 30 years of animosity can finally be laid to rest.

While the U.S. and Iran will surely continue to disagree on many important issues, the two countries should cooperate to stabilize the situation in Iraq so that tensions in the region can subside.