'What struck me most when I first met the twins was that they are two different people. On the right, Ladan is more extrovert - she certainly seems to control and dominate her sister. On the left, Laleh is quieter, but a strong person in her own right. They are very exuberant, extremely charming and filled with hope.

'It took me some time to reach an understanding of why they wanted to be separated so badly. Some people feel it's a cosmetic case. If they remain joined, their life expectancy is around 50. But if we put ourselves in their shoes, just imagine going through life superglued to another person. We begin to understand why they want to separate.'