Features>>> Archive LEBANON Photo essay: The impact of Israeli bombardments
Ahmadinejad's ideology of 'global chaos' is corner stone of Iranian state policy It is argued that "Presidential obsession" with 'mahdaviat' leads Mr. Ahmadinejad to "a conviction that leaves little room for compromise. He thinks that the Mahdi will come in near future as his knight in shining armour? The only missing link that in Presidents opinion delays Mahdi's arrival is that world is still far too peaceful, the degree of clash and disasters that will set the chain of celestial events of 'mahdaviat' have to gather speed. The recent mess in Lebanon by his proxies was a component of that uncompromising ideological fixation... Iranian President is duty bound to help create environ which is conducive to Mahdi return, unfortunately 'universal peace' does not help the prophecies that are integral part of his understanding of the scriptures >>>
As U.S. officials draft sanctions against Iran, there are a lot of unanswered questions. For instance, What will happen? What is the objective? Is it to prevent Iran from becoming nuclear? Is it for making Iran democratic? The US can follow the steps it has taken for Iraq and Afghanistan. It should state that it is trying to "liberate" the Iranian masses. It should also repeat that Iran is an "Evil" nation. The "Axis of Evil" terminology should be changed to just "Evil". The American government should equate Iran with Nazi Germany. The leaders of Iran, the people of Iran should all be demonized >>> ART Paintings
Jason Elliot's journeys in Iran in his recent book, Mirrors of the Unseen (London : Picador, 2006), is both entertaining and revealing. As he travels in various parts of the country he unobtrusively weaves the past into the present, informing the reader of the culture with a long history that has contributed copiously to the narrative of human civilization at various junctions of time. Elliot's observation and interaction with people draws a realistic picture of the Iranians today, with their proclivity for pleasure, protest and piety. Elliot has a great ear for humor as he diligently notes them down whenever he sees them, whether in the eccentric behavior of his individual guides, or the paranoia of his bourgeois hosts who believe Iranians leaders including ayatollah Khomeini are the puppets of the Western governments >>>
Training U.S. citizens and permanent resident International Medical Graduates for U.S. residency Since the year 2000, a Georgia based company co-founded by Dr. Pedram Mizani (Family Medicine) has been making a significant difference: Graduate Medical Consultants Group (GMC) has been an avid supporter of educating International Medical Graduates before they enter U.S. residency programs under controlled teaching environments in the U.S. hospitals. As a result, GMCGroup has supervised more than 19,000 medical student clinical rotation weeks in affiliation with U.S. teaching institutions and participating U.S. physicians. Here's an email interview with Dr. Mizani >>>
There's still so much more that needs to be said but I'm done thinking & talking and BEING with Iranian guys, til I find one that can truly be called a MAN I'm not going to hurt your head with complicated words & long paragraphs (not TOO long anyway).The only reason I decided to write this artice was to get this off my chest... & offend some Iranian guys. I know there's a lot of articles on Iranian guys and how much they suck. But that's only because they always piss us Persian girls (and everyone else I think) off and do the most stupid things. After spending 10 years outside of Iran, I have dated guys from other countries and even though you can find some real dumbasses & idiots & lowlives in them, I've never seen any that are worse than our own pretty (hairy) Persian guys. I hate to diss people from my own land but it's really getting to me and I need my voice to be HEARD... or at least my article to be read >>> PLAY Photo essay: Rehearsals for "Suitcase" going on stage in San Francisco
The God of War
Yes to sanctions on the Islamic Republic for refusing nuclear demands The sanctions must efficiently and directly target IRI’s means of suppression, in a higher proportion, their military plans, its repressive organs and its administration. Once again, the UN should punish the suppressive IRI, but cannot furthermore punish the suppressed Iranian people. We all Iranians should express concerns at the possible adverse impact of sanctions on our people, especially on the most vulnerable segments of the population, such as less protected poor people and children. Attacks on Iranian military installations are not only illegal under international laws, but they would also tighten the dictatorship in Iran and harbour incalculable consequences for the entire region. It costs many lives and seriously damages the national infrastructures. The UN along with the international community must initially try all non-military means to contribute their helps to free Iran from the plague of the IRI >>>
Forget debate, I want to see Bush and Ahmadinejad take it to the ring. Twelve rounds of full contact. Put your money were your mouth is. Let's see the two of you kick the shit out of each other. Resolve the problems while you're in there. Bite each other's ears off, kick each other in the nuts, poke eyes, pull hair, crack skulls, do serious damage and amuse us for once. While you're in there, resolve the nuclear crisis, solve the Palestinian homeland, reduce oil prices, secure the region, chat about the holocaust, work out the Iraq issues and disarm Hezbollah. A round kick in the head, a punch in the chin, a bite in the ass, a knee in the balls, a smack or two in between. Oh the entertainment ... Oh the entertainment. TRAVELERS Photo essay: Driving through Las Vegas
Stop sanctions and war against Iran The main purpose of sanctions, as an instrument of particularly U.S. foreign policy, is to damage the backbone of the Iranian economy and drown the masses of people into poverty by the way of unemployment and lack of sanitation, transportation, education facilities and health services. By doing so, the United States expects that these shortages of goods and services imposed through sanctions will lead the population to rise up against their own government, and carry out the Bush order of 'regime change'. But as the case of Cuba has proven to the world, this is clearly wishful thinking on the part of the instigators in Washington >>>
Are Iranians sympathetic to their captors in Iran? The whole story about this Austrian woman makes me wonder about Iranians in Iran who had lived through and with the regime of the Islamic Republic. In a sense, the Islamic Republic captivated the country with all the people in it. Only this time the captivators were not strangers who came jumping from behind a bush, but were neighbors, friends or even relatives. With their unnaturally imposed religion, law and values they captivated their own people and turned their country into a dark and damp cellar! After a while the Iranian people being captivated by their captors gave up their fight, their resistance, their revolt against what was happening to them >>>
The significance of our friendships with others only grows. Why, then, do we have fewer and fewer friends? When is it too late to make new friends? By friends I don't mean your boyfriend's best friends girlfriend who you hang out with every Saturday night because your boyfriend wants to hang with his buddy and you by default have to make nice with his girlfriend, just so you could spend time with your guy. By friend, I mean real friends. The kind of friend who sat with you through third period study hall, so that you can cry on her shoulder about the guy who didn't call you when he said he would. By friends I mean the friend you made your first day on residence when you didn't know anyone and were terrified of life at your new school, or the ones you made in University when you were pulling all-nighters >>>
In the land of plenty
The widespread presence of borrowed words in the Persian language is irrevocable A spokesman for the Academy of Persian Language and Literature has been reported as syaing that Iranian president Ahmadinezhad has issued a decree banning the use of foreign words and urging to find substitutes for those words. I am not sure what Ahmadinezhad considers foreign words, but I assume he means any non-Persian vocabulary items or expressions that might somehow vitiate the authenticity of the language. This is a far-fetched and implausible proposition which, if taken seriously, will definitely lead the Academy into a linguistic quicksand. Let's take a look at some of the cicumstances surrounding the Persian language for the past thousands of years and see whether such ideas about its cleansing of the foreign words are viable >>>
The threat of the rise of radical Iran and the terrorist organization Hezbollah should be taken seriously by moderate Muslims and Western powers Hezbollah was founded in 1982 with a manifesto of driving Israel out of Lebanon and creating an Iranian-Style Islamic Republic in the multi-religious nation. The organization receives one hundred million dollars annually from the Iranian government to pursue their religious and social objectives. Besides financial assistance they also receive monumental moral, technical and logistical support from the Islamic Republic's Revolutionary Guards. During the recent conflict with Israel hundreds of Revolutionary Guard forces crossed the border of Iran to enter the battle. As confirmation of their presence Israeli forces discovered tens of Islamic Revolutionary Guards among the dead fighters in Southern Lebanon >>>
Details that have emerged from the previously hyped and front-page, wide coverage of the alleged terrorist plot to blow up airplanes between Britain and the U.S., and the patchwork of 'facts' have created more questions than answers, and forced even mainstream publications to throw a different light on the 'thwarting' of another 'terrorist plot'... This episode in London, like many others before it, is a fabrication aimed at restricting civil liberties at home, provoking national chauvinism against Muslim and Arab communities in the West and diverting attention of the public from the failures of U.S.-U.K. foreign policies in the Middle East >>> BOOKS Excerpt & images from Najmieh Batmanglij's Wine is seen as the natural partner of many great cuisines, but few people associate it with Persian food, one of the world's most sophisticated culinary traditions. The ties, in fact, are age-old. Iran was one of the nurseries of the wine grape, and, as empires rose and fell there, princes, priests, poets and people in ordinary walks of life all embraced wine in various ways. After Islam came to Iran, wine drinking sometimes slipped from public view, but it never disappeared >>>
Ahmadinejad's nuclear and regional policy
Israel’s possession of a huge arsenal of nuclear weapons and the means to deliver them (such as submarines) renders the military power imbalance in the region completely lopsided and proves that it does not need to add to its arsenal in order to defend itself During the bloody Iran-Iraq war, tens of thousands of Iranians became victims of Hussein’s chemical and biological weapons. Seventeen years after the end of the war, thousands continue to suffer unimaginable pain and grief. Throughout Iran, many men lie in bed and wait for death, the only way to escape the misery. Today we all know who supplied the Iraqi dictator with the deadly weapons and the means to deliver them into the lungs and the bloodstreams of Iranians. Putting greed before humanity, European and American companies provided the Iraqi army with weapons that have no defensive value, but are designed to terrorize and destroy human life in the most savage way. Germany was of course one of the largest suppliers of such weapons. The same Germany that talked of “diplomacy” then and talks of “diplomacy” now >>>
If the international community fails to end Iran’s nuclear weapon program, it will be left to Israel to deal with the menace, with all its catastrophic potential The failure of the Bush administration to persuade or coerce Iran to give up its nuclear ambitions for the past six years has increased the menace while decreasing the prospects for a peaceful solution. The United States must now develop a new strategy to end Iran’s nuclear program. Anything less will bring the Middle East ever closer to nuclear conflagration. From the start, Mr. Bush’s wishy-washy approach to dealing with Iran’s nuclear program has permitted Tehran to outwit Washington in the game of brinkmanship and gain the time it needed to make tremendous progress in its quest to acquire nuclear weapons. The administration’s refusal to conduct direct negotiations, obsession with regime change, and preoccupation with Iraq has given Iran the time and the leverage it needed to refuse to negotiate on America’s terms while emboldening it to defy Washington without fear of reprisal >>>
An airplane security incident An incident happened to a friend of mine about three weeks ago that might have forever changed the way the world travels. He was returning to USA from a trip to Iran, and he had brought back two sealed plastic containers with him in his carry-on baggage, one with polo, and one with ghormeh sabzi. The containers remained intact in the first leg of his trip from Iran to Europe, but after all the pushing and shoving he had to do to qualify his carry-on baggage as a carry-on bag, and the force he had to exert on it to fit it into the overhead consoles the container of the ghormeh sabzi had begun to leak >>>
International support for Iranian women’s Iranian women’s rights activists are initiating a wide campaign demanding an end to legal discrimination against women in Iranian law. The Campaign, “One Million Signatures Demanding Changes to Discriminatory Laws,” which aims to collect one million signatures to demand changes to discriminatory laws against women, is a follow-up effort to the peaceful protest of the same aim, which took place on June 12, 2006 in Haft-e Tir Square in Tehran. Preparation activities in support of this campaign commenced in June of 2006 and the campaign will be officially launched on August 27, during a seminar entitled: “The Impact of Laws on Women’s Lives.” >>> TRAVELERS Photo essay: A journey through the Utah wilderness
Under the legal terms of the NPT, Iran is well within its rights With the main stream media maligning Iran and its nuclear program, a discussion of facts is desperately needed. Listening to any talking head on any major American news outlet, and you'll undoubtedly hear someone bemoaning, "Iran’s nuclear weapons ambitions." Noticeably absent from all these statements is "alleged." and alleged is exactly what it is, but from the way the MSM presents it, we are left to conclude that Iran is but a few days from creating a Persian Gulf Godzilla. Let’s start off with Iran’s obligations under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation treaty (NPT) >>>
Portrait of an artist It is always difficult to stay objective about someone dear to one's heart, and in Antje Beyen's case, even more so because while her art is so transparent and folksy, her persona is relatively murky and difficult to grasp. Antje is a living example of how art closes its creater to an inner circle rarely allowing more than a peek by lucky intruders. A superb photographer, deft and delicate filmmaker, and creative graphic designer, Antje is by now a well-known name to many Iranians who have heard or seen her documentary about women and arts in Iran called Feminine Breeze. Her website, beyen.net, has a good collection of her works free of charge, including her incredible photo calendars -- in Africa, Tibet, and Sahara, displaying without ambiguity the text of Antje's unspoken existentialism >>>
In response to Hiedeh Farmani's "Belated apology": Hiedeh, I knew it was you. All these years I had to through the humiliation of evrybody thinking I had peed in class. Every time I saw one of our classmates I had to be reminded that they think I was the one who peed in the classroom. How do you dare writing this story with my name now and publishing it for so many readers? Your apology is not accepted. As far as I am concerned, it's a false apology just to attract more attention to yourself. Who do you think you are accepting me for a higher level English course and thinking that this will erase your sin? I don't need your pity thank you very much. Because of your 'ebtekar', now I can't even speak English and I had to leave the course. You always were 'toodar' and 'moozi' and now I know that you will always remain 'badjens' too. That is why I never liked you. You proved it again with what you have done. You are a very arrogant person. The day will come that other people will look down on you and you will see how it feels. I hope our paths will never cross again.
Iranian clergy's historic ties to shi'ites of southern Lebanon
Sloppy attempt to lay the ground for a potential rush to war against Iran The Subcommittee on Intelligence Policy has prepared a report to the House Select Committee on Intelligence that is sharply critical of US intelligence, implying that intelligence agencies are unwilling to draw the appropriate lessons about Iran... If you are going to take on the entire US intelligence community, it is a very good idea to at least get your basic facts straight. On a very quick reading, I found a statement on p. 9 claiming that the 164 centifuges at the Iranian Natanz site are "currently enriching uranium to weapons grade." There is no evidence whatsoever that this is true -- and a lot of evidence that the tiny bit of enriched uranium produced at this site was reactor grade (c. 2.5%? vs weapons grade c. 95%?) >>> FASHION Photo essay: Fashion, Spring-Summer 2006 LETTERS In response to Bozorgui-Nesbat's "How to make enemies": With regard to Mr. Bozorgui-Nesbat's article and other issues surrounding the Sharif University reunion, when I first read about the incident, my original thought was, "So what?" We've all had parents, uncles, aunts, and cousins who tried to come to the US and got rejected--and these were people who had American residents and citizens as sponsors! Indeed, Iran and the US haven't had diplomatic ties since the Hostage Crisis of 1979 and all Iranian citizens--including yours truly and thousands of others--have had to endure hardship in US embassies and consulates. From reading some of the articles, I get the feeling that some Sharif University alumni are rather conceited and erroneously thought that their alma mater would somehow make them immune to INS treatments >>>
More advice to Iranian men I have been observing our men and women behavior since I was very young. Although I agree that most Iranians did not know how to be a couple, I disagree that nowadays they do not. I do not mean to be biased but I am so impressed that some of the Iranian housewives who can not read English do watch Iranian relationship experts and read articles in Farsi about improving their relationship skills. Let's remember that our society for the most part wanted women to be mothers, wives and obedient (which meant follow husband's instruction no matter how stupid). The last one was considered great quality. I believe one can be a great mother, lover and partner if the man has enough confidence to see that an equal partner makes life a lot easier and more enjoyable >>>
Khoramshahr 1979 Ensy's dad was one of the wealthiest people in Khorramshahr, the Southern Iranian port on the border with Iraq. Working in the customs, dealing with all those goods coming by ships and carried by trailers into the country, Mr. Amir Kabiri had his own import-export business and a travel agency in the city too. Although his annual income from the customs was just a chicken feed compared to his private business, he never even dreamed of give up his prestigious job at the customs. He had just completed a beautiful five-bedroom impressive residence by the Shat which perfectly accommodated his family of four, including his wife Laaya, son Salar and his little ugly duckling of a daughter, Ensy, and of course the frequent visitors who came to stay with them all year round >>>
It had everything! Good guys versus bad guys, tons of explosions, and even tanks Going to the movies seems like such a simple thing to do nowadays. All I have to do is to call up a couple of friends, decide on a movie and off we go. But back when I was a 12-year-old kid in Iran, going to the movies was a rare luxury for me. You see my dad was 62 years old and my mom was 39 when I was born. So by the time I was approaching my teenage years, they were both too old and tired to even want to leave the house, let alone go to a movie. In fact, I wasn't aware of my dad ever having gone to a movie. He seemed very happy and content with staying home drinking tea and reading his books, and my mom loved to visit the neighbors and cook for the family. And no matter how much I begged or whined at my parents to take me to a movie, they never gave in >>>
– a dialogue -- I’m sorry which way is your ancient Persian?
Iran: Graveyard of those who think differently
SHOMAL Photo essay: Above clouds on Caspian Sea drive This file contains photos taken on a road that goes from the town of Baladeh in the Central Alborz Mountains of northern Iran to the coastal town of Royan/Alamdeh on the Caspian Sea coast (on a straight line, the distance between Baladeh and the Caspian Sea is 42 Km). The town of Baladeh sits at an elevation of 2050 m at the bottom of the Noor River Valley which runs east-west and is a major tributary of the Haraz Rive >>>
Scott Harrop At a time when nattering bloggers, columnists, traditional conservatives, and even neoconservatives are openly questioning our rightly guided President's mental and psychic faculties, we need you, oh wise and venerable Princeton high priest of neoconservative orthodoxy, to really show us the true straight path to enlightenment, to rally our troops around the "doctrine" that bears your name and directed us so brilliantly in liberating and controlling Iraq. We cannot think of anyone who has been so astonishingly consistent in his prediction accuracy about what would happen after the US invaded Iraq >>>
Reza Vessal-Shirazi Dear Hassan, The Jewish people will be celebrating the 5,767th year on this earth! Who would have believed this possible? If anyone had told Abraham that his people would be around this long he probably would have been astounded. Imagine, the Jews did this without beheading anyone, without a single suicide bomber, without kidnapping and murdering school children, without slaughtering Olympic athletes, without flying airplanes into skyscrapers, and without bombing the train or bus station in Spain and London >>>
G. Rahmanian As was expected not many people responded to Ganji's call for a hunger strike in defense of three political prisoners. This idea did not have the desired outcome for various reasons. Not many people know Ganji and knowing about him alone does not necessarily mean many would agree or even sympathize with his views; whatever they may be. Many Iranians living outside Iran are too busy with their lives and are not concerned with such issues that Ganji raises. For them it is inconceivable to spend three days fasting for those with whom they cannot identify or haven't heard of at all. Ganji does not seem to realize that there are people who do not care which group of politicians runs their country as long as they can lead a peaceful life. Not the peace that Ganji idealizes, but the peace of mind that has nothing to do with the issues raised in Ganji's writings or speeches. They hate provocation of any kind >>> LEBANON Photo essay: Clear picture of the destruction & Lebanese people's resilience Because of the closure of Beirut airport and the destruction of Lebanon’s highway system by Israeli bombardment, I returned to Beirut from Damascus to by bus on Friday, 18 August, 2006, traveling along Lebanon’s byways. The slow journey took us through beautiful villages and small towns that most passengers would not have visited otherwise. Perhaps we need a calamity to remind us of what is often sacrificed in high-speed development >>>
Iran’s non-response -- all of its 23 pages -- was delivered in Farsi. You’ve got to love it... The Iranian atomic czar, the light-complexioned Mr. Larijani (let’s hear it for the shomali everywhere!) summoned the ambassadors of the 5+1 (the pouting US was represented by Switzerland) to the palace and in a regal gesture sent them back to their offices with a document containing Iran’s non-responses to the aspects of the proposal. It is a delicious irony that the Iranians, who are notorious for being late and unpunctual, to demonstrate such sense of time. That cultural shift itself might be in the long run more important than any accomplishment that atomic enrichment could possibly garner for the Iranian psyche. Also noteworthy is that the formalities took place in Tehran -- not Geneva, or Vienna or New York, the institutional venues of Western hegemony and neo-colonial imperial structures peddled as necessaries of “peace and security.” Iran handed its response on its turf, on its terms and at the time of its own choosing and, no less, in Farsi -- and so, Iran 6 -- International Community (still) 0 >>>
The bastard child of the maid and the master's older son
History of the Iran-Iraq War for children This is a story of a war that happened long, long time ago. When grandpa was very young he lived in a country called Iran. Back then people in Iran, or anywhere else, did not have computers yet. Many of them didn’t even have a television, that’s how long ago it was. So, for entertainment they went to mosques, jeleseh, or rozeh khoni. Mosque is a place where people go to pray and exercise. jeleseh is like a meeting, and rozeh khoni is like singing a sad story song. In those places people did not talk about their king, because they were scared of him. The king had a secret organization called SAVAK, which is a short name for Security Agency of Very Awful Killers. If SAVAK found out that anyone had talked bad about the king, they would arrest him, and make him sit on eggs. That’s how bad they were >>>
Islam's brutalization of Bahais in Iran Islam, the "religion of peace," is anything but peaceful, particularly when it comes to other religions. To the oppressive Islam, there is no God but Allah and Muhammad is his Prophet: the seal of the prophets at that. Grudgingly, Islam barely tolerates people of the book: namely Jews and Christians: but no other faith is entitled to any fair treatment. In Iran, the force-imposed Islam finds it expedient to extend its limited tolerance to the original religion of the indigenous people: the Zoroastrians. The terrible plight of the Bahais in Iran is particularly heartwrenching >>> CHILDREN Photo essay: Children at Khaneyeh Koudak Shoush in south Tehran
Talking to Columbia University professor of Iranian studies and comparative literature Hamid Dabashi about picnics Peyvand Khorsandi: Hello professor. Do you like picnics?
Iran and Israel: Understanding the Middle East The Middle East events including those shaping the future of Iran are not as complicated as they may seem on the surface. We can obtain a clearer more cohesive picture by identifying the prime motivation that drives each player, beyond its facades and pretences. WHAT ISRAEL WANTS: Israel's policy has been quite explicit and clear for a long time. Israel wants neighboring nations that are either backward and chaotic OR are ruled by regimes that are obedient to it. A backward obedient regime would be the most desirable. WHAT THE US WANTS: Number one US foreign mode of operation is to help fulfill whatever Israel wishes. The US has other wishes, chief among them is geopolitical control of oil, but that is secondary to its primary motive. WHAT OTHERS WANT: It is not as important >>>
With so much pain & suffering in the world, I try, even if is only for a few minutes, to bring joy and happiness to my audience I’m a NYC based deejay who as of late has started concentrating mostly on producing music for movies, commercials and remixing for artists. I have been very much interested in music since my childhood and have been mixing and remixing music for last 12 years. It all started as a hobby and with time it became so enjoyable that I decided to take it to the next level >>>
We see and condemn the crimes committed by both sides This is my response to all mullah lovers and all the blind lovers of the west whose hate of one evil (mullahs) have pushed them to the arms of another one (west and Israel) or vice-versa. These people are the two sides of the same counterfeit coin. The unwise friend wannabes who never heisted to sell their conscience, nationality, identity or religion to the highest bidder. Like the Hezbollahis who are consumed by the obsession of going to heaven by becoming a martyr, where they would drink from rivers of honey and milk or shag virgins at will, the Westollahies dream of living in Hollywood movies, having many blond bimbos as their sex partners and loosing their identity by becoming an "equally accepted" western citizen. Well guys and girls dream on >>>
Unless they stay on their side of Mandela river Some dear friends invited me once to go on a pro-Palestine or anti-Bush or anti-Israel - some yapping-dogs-versus-civilization event with plenty of red flags - march in London. It was a breezy, lovely day for walking through Hyde Park and along Piccadilly (I miss London's grey skies). I chatted about religion with the mother of a marching friend, a Pakistani lady. She seemed a quintessential believer: with a smiling countenance, all courtesy and kind words. Her personality and conduct were an effortless Amr-e be-Ma'ruf >>>
If Iran, ever transformed into a federation, can solve not only the problem of identity, that could give the Iranians a stronger sense of belonging and patriotism One thing is for sure. Iran will stay a weak country as long as the problem of identity is not solved one way or the other. And one suggestion, which has worked quite well in India and many other countries rich or poor, would be to have a federal system. Iranian authorities would fear such an idea because of one real reason and another declarative reason. The real reason would be that central politicians would lose power. The declarative reason would be that federation would be the most serious threat toward Iran's territorial integrity. This declarative reason is absolutely wrong as history has shown that federations such as India and the US, let alone many other democratic countries, have been united and very strong >>> ART Paintings
A brief perspective of a Young Iranian-American's journey from Tehran to Amsterdam Tehran - Wearing my light teal manteau and pink with gold and black scarf draped upon my head I stood in Mehrabad's Airport parking lot at 3:30 am wondering where my uncle had gone to get a cart for our luggage. I was still a bit dazed by the fervent pace at which we were leaving Tehran. Just a few hours earlier we were dining with most of my mothers' family members, as we had done the night before. Now we were heading back, back to the US, back home to Dallas. Many of the questions my family had asked of my brother and I were if there was any chance of us coming back to live in Iran, permanently. "No" I responded "it would just be impossible." "Why?" they lamented "We've missed watching you grow up. Don't you miss us? Don't you want to be closer to your family?" I replied "Yes, of course I do." My roots will always be there with them. I had, have, and will always love them. Regardless, tonight I was about to rediscover why I just cannot live in Iran >>>
This doctor shit is still hard I should be studying right now. But it’s been a long week and I’m tired, so I’m sprawled out in a room with a blasting AC unit and no furniture -- my room -- and decompressing. Steely Dan is playing over the sound of the AC, and I am typing with hands that smell of formaldehyde and will continue to do so until the end of the semester. The first week of medical school is almost over. I finished off the MCAT and thought I would be getting on with my life, but that wasn’t even half the battle. The summer that followed, I applied to some 12 schools, a tedious and drawn-out process that alternated between being totally enraging and -- in retrospect -- humbling >>>
Right or wrong, Iranians who were refused entry into the U.S. must have been deemed undesirable or a threat to the security of Americans This is in response to Saeid Bozorgui-Nesbat who shared his friend's story and the way he was treated at the airport by the U.S. Homeland Security officers. After the usual grumbling about the U.S. policies and chastising the U.S. government, he, as is common among many Iranians, mixed this incident with issues such as Hamas in Palestine and the infamous prison in Iraq and a few others that somehow he believes are all related to his friend's misfortune. While at it, Nesbat could have at least said something about the rights and the misfortune of the common criminals as well. But that does not seem to bother him at all. Who cares about such mundane issues when the highly respectable alumni of Sharif University are in trouble >>>
God lives inside this olive tree
Barmigardi
But they are not cats
I have completed the musical race I began as a boy and have untied myself for you
As we read the New York Times in air conditioned American cafes
The bombs, lights that blind and Damascus, burning after Tehran
(Her name was Gol-Anar)
Khabar chenaan daagh bood keh sardam shod
Hejrat va ghorbat
For Hamideh
Selected poems
Beh aatash kesham aayaa parat raa?
This time: there is a me
Az miyaane daryaaye aatash
We walk to our homes knowing of those displaced by powers beyond God
Qaasedak booye baaroot midaad
You do not hear me. Silence is not for me.
By Omar Khayyam, Knowledge Dropper Now we’re gonna do some analysis. What is this big deal about Hossein anyway? Yazid schooled his ass. Hossein was like, “I’m thirsty, please give me some water.” And Yazid went Sir Chop-a-Lot on his ass. I would argue that the big Hoser (much like his followers) was not all that. So he got his head chopped off -- but truth be told, anyone can go to Karbala these days and get decapitated, know what I’m sayin’? Ain’t no thang. They’re choppin’ heads over there like it’s going out of style. Dude ... maybe if he had actually done something besides getting killed like a biiiatch, he’d get more respect from the rest of the Muslims. But if you guys want to worship him, it’s cool -- but it’s not special, ok? Wanna talk about some Real struggle? You ever try to find a 900 square foot, two bedroom apartment with no broker’s fee in the tri-state area at the end of the summer? Apartment jihad -- now THAT is some gangster shit >>> NOMADS Photo essay: Nomadic life in Iran
A view from Beirut For the first time, the Israeli Army was confronted by a well-trained armed group, perfectly familiar with the local terrain, with a very clear ideology to which all of its members totally adhered. Its military intelligence is superior to that of most Arab armies, its theoretical and strategic thinking sophisticated. Its organization and planning is superior and not at all comparable to, say, the PLO’s, or even to Hamas’ or the Al-Aqsa Brigades’. In the field, it does not need sophisticated communications equipment (and thus is less vulnerable to electronic countermeasures). Hezbollah has digested the experience of many wars: the Vietnamese, the South American insurrections as well as the Iran-Iraq conflicts, for example. But also the Yougoslav conflict, and the current Iraqi insurrection. It learnt from the successes and mistakes of the PLO in Lebanon, but also of the Intifadas and the on-going actions in Palestine. Its fighters have no fear of death, quite the contrary, and their commitment to defending their allotted military positions is total >>>
Iranian clergy's historic ties to shi'ites of southern Lebanon
Iranian intellectuals: Challenges & opportunities
I am in my grandma, and my grandma is in me This was the fourth time that she agreed I can go to her Koran lessons. I feel more relaxed, and I am almost half way through the book now. The Mullah woman, Khanoum [Mrs] Emami, is wearing a white chador [long head cover]. A flimsy cotton with small red flowers. It is right in the middle of her head. Her hair is grey more above the ears, tangled up, and it seems it hasn’t seen the brush for days. She keeps the chador open in front of her bosoms -- huge drooping tits, like two onion sacks. She is not wearing a bra. If she were, she have to fold her breasts three times in order to get them into the bra. Her breasts are resting comfortably upon her bulging tummy. She is holding the two sides of the chador under her elbows, leaving the arms free to move around while talking. She is standing facing the women. She is short, round and cuddly like grandma -- two little Russian dolls >>> Same shit, different day... This week 3 events occurred that separately could have each had implications, yet as usual, they ultimately only amplified that nothing will ever change until free thinkers stop being arrogant cowards, and intellectually wary of one another. Oh for the day when they choose instead to flex their combined grey muscle in unison. The first event was the Sharif University reunion in California, and what was supposed to be just another chance to bang that hot engineering chick you missed years ago, turned sour as those attending from Iran were turned away at the Lufthansa gate at San Francisco International. Being instead led away in handcuffs, held in confinement for a day, and ultimately returned to the airport and shipped off back to Iran. That must have sucked. But Hey! Didn't anyone read the papers? >>>
Football has maintained a role in symbolizing the struggle to achieve the respect and recognition of others in the global community A fascinating feature of the captivating spectacle of the recent World Cup is the way in which it illustrates that modern sport has assumed an existential and political function. The performances of national teams in such competitions occupy an imperative role in lives of millions of spectators, providing a special dignity and meaning. Great social significance is attributed to the individual spectator of the sporting event, whether he or she views directly from the stadium or from a further vantage point via mass media coverage. Football has lent a hand to the foundation of a burgeoning spectator culture. In the Western hemisphere, where community and family relationships are in turmoil, the person-to-person closeness engendered by being part of the crowd has provided a valuable surrogate companionship >>> PEOPLE Photo essay: People in Iran
Sivand dam in Iran has been destroyed by the children of kourosh and Dariush. On Wednesday August 13, 2006, supporters of Anjomane Padeshahi Iran in a daring attempt successfully completed their mission by destroying the sivand dam in Iran. This project was the most threat and damaging project to the ancient Iranian heritage by Tazi Mullah occupiers. More than 100 of Iran's potentially most important but least examined archaeological sites, including fringes of Pasargaad, the city built by Kouroshe Kabir was to be flooded after completion of this dam. Iran will soon be free of 14 centuries of occupation and destruction by Tazi Mullahs. Dorood be those Iranians who took part in this nationalistic mission and dorood be those Iranian who support freedom of our motherland. Payandeh Iran Bargharar baad "Derafshe Kaviani"
Sacred crimes For totalitarian systems, a more intricate discussion is not about whether the crime is ever justified or not, but under which circumstances it should be committed. Inside arguments are just made that the system must be saved in any price; this is the only logic and even moral. In the concept of ideology, there is no logic banning authorities from engaging in or conspiring to engage in any political crime. It is a mistake to believe that the greed for power is the only factor taking over the reasoning faculties of political crimes. As far as we know, the worst dictators, like Stalin, Hitler, Pol Pot and especially the IRI not only kill to monopolise the political power, but also to impose their ideological purposes upon the society. They consider the crimes are their justified struggles. Furthermore, they are convinced that they are doing nothing wrong when they kill or order to kill, hurt and oppress people >>> ART Paintings
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I just saw the 60 minutes episode with Mike Wallace and Ahmadinejad. The whole interview was nothing but a meaningless argument, Ahmadinejad said the same things since he became the president and Wallace asked the same questions that Condi Rice did in her UN speech. However despite all that, there was one moment that could have potentially impacted the modern history, as we know it. Wallace asked Ahmadinejad, if he is willing to start a direct talk with the U.S and heal the bridge that was broken after the 1979 revolution. This question was huge, although Ahmadinejad ignored it and one might say, “what did you think he was going to answer?”, I have to say: Mr. Wallace why now? >>>
A conversation with Iranian philosopher Ramin Jahanbegloo Ramin Jahanbegloo, one of Iran’s preeminent intellectual figures, is currently behind bars in Tehran’s notorious Evin prison, where he has been held in solitary confinement for over three months with no formal charges brought against him. He is effectively acting as a kind of philosophical ambassador between Iran and the outside world. The following interview was conducted via e-mail in January and February of 2006: You’ve talked about a “renaissance of liberalism” taking place in Iran. Can you talk about this “renaissance”? Where does liberalism stand in Iranian intellectual and political life today? >>> CAMPING Photo essay: Camping at Portola Redwoods, California
Tracks from "Dokhtaram" Iraj Mehdian became an overnight sensation with his songs "Ghafele del" and "Bejamalet Minazi" about 35 years ago (I remember because I had just turned fifteen and that year we went to Ramsar camp grounds which was every teen-ager's dream place to go to. I have written about that experience "A Trip to Ramsar"). Mehdian did not produce any albums in the late 70s and his connection to the music was limited performing at a small club in Tehran (that is where I last saw him in 1978). I loved his voice and to this day have not heard any artist's voice remotely resemble Mehdian's uniquely beautiful voice >>>
To be sure, there are lessons to be learned from humiliating Iranian engineers at U.S. airports Here is a perfect recipe for creating new enemies for the United States: Issue visas to the moderates, intellectuals and pro-Western people from the Middle East, enticing them to visit US. But when they arrive handcuff them and send them to jail for a night. Put them in a crowded cell with common criminals to humiliate them. Then, after their dignity has been completely eroded and they are truly antagonized against our land of law, order, and freedom, send them back. If you think that only our adversaries will concoct a recipe like this, think again, since this is exactly what our government did with over one hundred Iranian technocrats who came here to attend a university reunion. One of these people is my friend Mohammad. He is a successful engineer and entrepreneur, who has founded several thriving software companies in Tehran >>> TRAVELERS Photo essay: Summer in Turkey
To Kobra Maleki On a scorching summer afternoon, I am running placement tests for a language school. Seated across from me there's a matronly thirtyish-looking woman nervously clutching her purse, waiting to have her command of English assessed. There is nothing familiar about her until I check her ID -- in order to prevent interviewees from taking the test for another person! Believe me they would do anything to be accepted to a higher level! And bang, on her ID there is a picture of a teenage girl with a name that has haunted me ever since second grade: Kobra Maleki >>>
Ever tighter and stronger and more intrusive controlling of public life and domain is not the answer to terrorism threat The plot that was foiled in the UK scared some people. It was quite stressful for the passengers and their families. The government is banning more and more stuff to be taken on board airplanes, and also checking people more and more to make sure that there won't be terrorist attacks on airplanes. It seems to be reasonable for the British government, and other governments such as the US, to take such measures to protect their citizens. But are they any more than public relations maneuvers! These actions such as ever more controlling passengers and luggage and many many other types of check-and-control measures are quite open to debate, and as I will explain, actually counter-productive >>>
A response to Ali Sina’s article “Viva Oriana!” Mr. Ali says that he doesn’t call himself an atheist and that: “I see nothing wrong in religions. There is nothing wrong with Christianity, Hinduism or Buddhism. If an ideology is tolerant of other beliefs, that ideology needs to be respected.” So he is actually trying to tell us that if there is something wrong with Islam is actually its “intolerance”. Should I inform him about witch burnings of Christianity? Should I remind him of what happens to children raised in Christian religious families? Should I tell him that our history has been formed by renaissance and enlightenment against the holy Bible? Should I tell him of what happens to women in Hinduist Caste system in Asia? Never mind. This is not classified as “intolerance” since they are only bothering their “own” people. The fact that a little girl born into a Hindu family has to obey all her life to her family with her only crime being “being born into a religious” family has nothing to bother Mr. Sina. After all it is their “own” affair and they are not bothering “others!” >>>
This year's Melbourne Film Festival featured Panahi's retrospective, The White Balloon, The Mirror, Crimson Gold, The Circle and his most recent film Offside. Offside has won the Silver Bear at Berlin this year and is liked by both the critics and audiences alike. Panahi himself was the guest of the festival as part of the program, Filmmaker in Focus. Panahi maintains a good pace of satire and irony throughout the dialogue driven film. Offside is another slice of life in an Islamic society that stubbornly refuses to wake up to the modern world and yet is surrounded by it and as the result it has become contradictory, irrelevant and oppressive. Offside is more reflective, clearer and direct than Panahi's previous films. He addresses the civil rights of his fellow citizens in this case the oppressed women in the Islamic country ruled by the elite clergy >>> PLACES Photos: Places, yesterday & today SATIRE Cartoons
Ensy is just another a call-girl Ensy is just another a call-girl in the streets of Tehran whose path crossed mine one day. Although her once fascinating looks still attracts people and turns heads, her days at her current job are numbered, regarding the fact that young flesh is saturating the market in the Iranian capital. She confided me with the details of her misery in three different occasions. I did not record her voice and did not take any note. Just listened and listened and got carried away with her story. Then I asked her if it was OK to make a story based on her lugubrious fate. She shrugged and agreed. "No names" she almost begged with her eyes and I promised. There would be no name or any indications that would lead to her recognition. So this is the first part of the story I have made out of her story. I did not intend to make a sob story out of it, nor did I try to fall into the trap of eroticism. This is just another life story of a woman next door in the Iranian capital >>>
Global oil output to surge 25% by 2015 Oil prices have been severely exaggerated through manipulation. We have been pounding the table stating that there is plenty of supply to meet worldwide demand, and soon those hedge funds that are now driving up the price of oil will be dumping their oil contracts like there is no tomorrow. I am not alone in making this clarion call but certainly ahead of the pack. Recently Steve Forbes, editor of Forbes magazine predicts that skyrocketing oil prices are just temporary and that a massive price collapse will dwarf the Dot-Com crash that began in 2000. British Petroleum recently reported that current oil reserves would last for at least half a century. And contrary to dire warnings that oil production has peaked and the earth is running out of oil, Daniel Yergin-chairman of Cambridge Energy Research Associates says there will be a large, unprecedented buildup of oil supply in the next few years >>>
Diane let me know just how different I was when she told me she was going to teach me all about Christmas or “get me up to speed” Diane can sleep for days. As soon as I bring her back from work, she’s in there snoozing away. I have never seen anyone sleep so much. I figure she’s depressed about something. And it’s got to be more than money. Nobody gets that upset, and if they are, they should just let it out, not clam up and snort when I mention it. It’s gotten to the point where I’m even asking friends what’s wrong.
... of war in the Middle East Today, more than ever before, it is common knowledge throughout the world that the U.S.-satellite state of Israel has violently refused the right of return of some 6.5 million Palestinians to their homeland. It is disturbing to know that the identity card of a Palestinian living in the U.S., Britain or Australia, for example, says nothing about his or her nationality, that is, the individual cannot claim a country as his o |
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