The purpose of this paper is twofold: First, it contrasts “ritual routines” in telephone
conversation openings in Iran and Germany. Specifically, it focuses on the interactional
organization of the ritual “how are you” sequence in both cultures. Furthermore, it illustrates
how the ritual “how are you” sequence is expanded in Iranian telephone conversation
openings: in opening a conversation on the phone, after inquiring about one another's well-
being, the Iranian co-participants move one step further and inquire about the well-being of …