The Iranian Times

Wednesday, February 23, 2000 / Esfand 4, 1378, No. 923


Sehaty Foreign Exchange

Flower delivery in Iran

Iranian books


    Baba Taher


    Elections

He's history
Hashemi Rafsanjani has lost respect

By Maryam Farahvashi in Tehran
February 23, 2000
The Iranian

Regarding the "demise" of Mr Hashemi Rafsanjani much has already been said. What has happened, of course, was no surprise to me at all. I had predicted it exactly as it happened. The only unknown premise was the amount of success he might have in influencing the vote in his favor through his old connections.

As things stand right now, Rafsanjani is still trying. He may eventually succeed because he has had twenty years of experience. So he may still get a seat in parliament and could even become its speaker. What is important here, however, is the fact that he has lost the little respect this nation still had for him >>> GO TO FEATURE

    Elections

Dialogue among ourselves
An email to Mohammad Khatami

By Roozbeh Shirazi
February 23, 2000
The Iranian

Mr. President,

I write you tonight because I have a very strong dream. This dream of mine is to one day visit my motherland, Iran. I have never been there and my parents have not gone back for 25 years now...

In the 25 years that my parents have been here, both of my grandfathers passed away, and my grandmother recently passed away in November. My parents never got to go home to say goodbye because of the policies in place at the time. My father has not seen his brothers and sisters for 25 years now, and there is a whole family I only know through the telephone >>> GO TO FEATURE

Novel

Conspiracy at Desert One
A novel

By Bernace Charles
The Iranian

Chapter Sixteen, Seventeen & Eighteen >>> GO TO FEATURE


Outlook

Change in Iran slow but assured

By Gelareh Asayesh
USA TODAY
February 23, 2000

I know a young woman in Iran who got into trouble for eating a cheese puff. It came from a bag held by a member of the opposite sex. Those running the film club where this moral calamity occurred told her to make sure it never happened again.

I know a civil servant in his 20s who had to answer complicated questions on what circumstances would invalidate a fast in the eyes of God -- in order to get a job ...

These were the people who went to the polls Friday in the first round of the Iranian elections for parliament: women tired of restrictions large and small, the unemployed young and average Iranians inspired by the promise of change. >>> FULL TEXT


    Anyway

Yaa hazrat-e Abbas

Letter to The Iranian:

My name is Michael Chessman. I am the founder of The Coalition for a Humanistic British Canada ...

I have recently been asking (in national radio interviews as well as newspapers) for a recognition that Iranians are in fact a European peoples and deserve to be accorded this respect. Further that they are a really loving people, and ones that do not practice being whores as they do in North American culture where "families are disposable" and sex is the basis for morality ... >>> GO HERE


More Letters

* Insightful

Haleh Vaziri writes: I wish to congratulate the The Iranian for publishing the articles by Laleh Khalili and Rasool Nafisi, who offered two equally insightful pieces on the Islamic Republic's parliamentary elections.

Ms. Khalili's comparison of Iran's majlis race and the U.S. Republican primary in South Carolina is elegantly written and witty ["So alike"]. Although I think that she overstates the point that "we are all the same," I applaud her for underscoring our common humanity and long for more authors with the courage to stake out such bold positions.

Dr. Nafisi's essay ["Road to vicotry"] also resonates with me, for -- even at the risk of appearing cynical -- he reminds readers that President Khatami and his newly elected pro-reform allies in the parliament have a long road to hoe before Iranians can enjoy both the method and substance of democracy.

Another lucid piece that cautions readers not to become swept up by the appearance of change because the reality of enacting reforms requires the citizenry's patience and participation.

* Airy

Richard Sinkfield writes: Laleh Khalili's piece ["So alike"] was a bit airy, but points well-taken.

* Not worth it

Najmeh writes: I read your artical on "Persian work ethics" in Iran, and I agree with it completely. But one thing that has always made me mad as hell is the idea that we're lazy in Iran but work hard here in America, Canada, England or any other foreign country.

I've seen that in so many places, that Iranians who might work 10 hours a day somewhere else are all lazy bums here. Because they think "this damned country isn't worth it". Go Figure.


Noruz: In New York

Come celebrate Noruz with us in New York. An unforgetable night with of music (Kouros and magical daning (Tagrid) at Khane' Iran on March 18th, 2000 from 8:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. Place: The school of Art & Design (Khane' Iran Amphitheatre), 1075 2nd Ave , New York (btwn 56th & 57th). Call 818-342-0909.

SELL TICKETS ONLINE AT YOUR SITE


Books & Music from Iran

New books

* Collected articles on the Iranian President Khatami * The best of Shamlou's poetry * The best poems of Hooshang Ebtehaj, aka H.A. Sayeh * Novel based on the life of Molla Sadra * Soovashoon Simin Daneshvar >>> GO HERE

New music albums

* Taherzadeh, Manochehr: Aakharin barg * Eyvazi, Mohammad Reza. : Rangin kamaan * Banan.: Shaakh-e gol (2) * Ta'rif, Sadiq: Maah baanoo * Lachini, Fariborz: Paaeez-e talaaee ... >>> GO HERE

THE IRANIAN
Bookstore
Music store


Video

NEW: Champions: Iranian national soccer team

Three hours of interviews, trainings, matches, Biographies, and fans of Iranian National Soccer Team, covering Iran's soccer history from 1978-2000. Premium quality. Produced by: Alireza AmirGhasemi & Behrouz Deravi.

THE IRANIAN
Video Store



Copyright © Abadan Publishing Co. All Rights Reserved. May not be duplicated or distributed in any form

 MIS Internet Services

Web Site Design by
Multimedia Internet Services, Inc

 GPG Internet server

Internet server by
Global Publishing Group.

More news

One dead, 11 hurt in alleged attack by elite troops on air base

TEHRAN, Feb 23 (AFP) - Armed attackers alleged to be from the elite Revolutionary Guards killed one airman and wounded 11 in an assault on Iran's biggest air base at Shiraz, the Iranian daily Sobh-e emruz reported Wednesday >>> FULL TEXT

Tehran police face court martial next week over bloody unrest

TEHRAN, Feb 23 (AFP) - Tehran's sacked police chief and 19 other officers face public court martial next week over the violent suppression of a student demonstration last July, Tehran University said Wednesday. In an official statement quoted by the official news agency IRNA the university said the first hearing against Farhad Nazari and his colleagues in open session would be held Tuesday >>> FULL TEXT

Iranians study election results

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) - Iranian conservatives blamed themselves and ``a wave of lies'' in the press for their stunning defeat at the hands of reformists in Iran's legislative elections. Conservatives also conceded that their policies had failed after it became clear that the reformist coalition would win the elections, ousting them from the legislature after a 21-year domination >>> FULL TEXT

European leaders rush to Iran in wake of elections

TEHRAN, Feb 23 (AFP) - European foreign ministers are rushing to Tehran in the wake of the sweeping election victory of reformists in last weekend's parliamentary elections, with Italy and Germany leading the pack and Britain not far behind. The Italian foreign ministry said Wednesday that Lamberto Dini will pay an official visit to Tehran March 4-6, the first by a European Union minister since Friday's polls >>> FULL TEXT

Kharrazi: Iran will be more liberal

TEHRAN, Iran ­­ Iran's foreign policy will become more liberal following last week's defeat of hard-liners in parliamentary elections, Iranian Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi said Wednesday. "The positive actions of other countries will receive positive reaction from the Islamic Republic of Iran," he was quoted as saying by state television >>> FULL TEXT

Khamenei pardons students jailed for "blasphemous" play

TEHRAN, Feb 23 (AFP) - Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has pardoned two students jailed for publishing an allegedly blasphemous play in a university magazine, press reports said Monday >>> FULL TEXT

Reformist Nuri returns to prison after three-day leave

TEHRAN, Feb 23 (AFP) - Former Iranian interior minister and leading reformist Abdullah Nuri, who is serving a five-year sentence for "anti-Islamic propaganda", returned to prison Wednesday after three days leave >>> FULL TEXT

France's Valeo signs air conditioning deal with Iran

PARIS, Feb 23 (AFP) - French automobile equipment supplier Valeo on Wednesday said it had signed a letter of intent with two Iranian firms to create a joint venture in Iran to manufacture car airconditioning units. The deal was signed with Iran Khodro, through its Sapco subsidiary, and Iran Radiator, Valeo said in a statement >>> FULL TEXT

Critics' awards

Tehran (Asr-e Azadegan) - Iran's film critics' association has given out its own awards for the best films at the Fajr film festival. The categories are unusual but the winners include Mohammad Reza Honarmand's "Mumiaie 3" and Khosro Sinaie's "Aroos-e aatash" >>> FULL TEXT IN PERSIAN

52 plays

Tehran (Hamshahri) - University students in Tehran will hold a theater festival later this month and perform 52 plays >>> FULL TEXT IN PERSIAN

Suicide

Tehran (Hamshahri) - Mehdi Miami, a film, tv and theater actor, has taken his own life >>> FULL TEXT IN PERSIAN

Verrrry unhappy

Tehran (Hamshahri) - Esteqlal has crossed out Javad Zarrincheh from its roster. And the management is verrrrry unhappy with him for not returning from the U.S. >>> FULL TEXT IN PERSIAN

Tae-kwan-do

Tehran (Hamshahri) - Vahid Abdoillahi won five gold medals in tae-kwan-do championships in Germany and earned the title of best sportsman >>> FULL TEXT IN PERSIAN

Boxing

Tehran (Ettelaat) - Results of boxing matches in Tehran >>> FULL TEXT IN PERSIAN


BBC

Persian Service

For the latest news, interviews and features on Iranian current affairs ... LISTEN HERE


Exchange rate

Updated February 23

Buying: 815-823 tomans per dollar

Selling: 826-835 tomans per dollar

CALL TOLL FREE: 877-SEHHATY (877-734-4289)
or 800-995-0264

Mention this code for a better rate: FA 37 B

Business news


The Web

Iran

Razi High School

One of the best schools in Tehran has gone online, thanks to its pre-revolution students.

Beyond Iran

Way Too Personal

The site's author, a single woman who spent most of her time in front of a computer, decided one day to post her own personal ad online. The responses were good, bad, and ugly -- and what began as a a handful of emails among friends turned into this web site.

More web sites


Quote Unquote

Didn't the Shah say that?

The poor showing of the right-wing candidates was due to a coordinated campaign by reformist newspapers and foreign radio stations. A wave of lies is responsible for this situation.

-- Kamal Daneshyar, outgoing Majlis deputy
AP
February 23, 2000


Photo of the Day

Leading Majlis reformist


Music

SilhoueTTT

Music artists index


Art

Aydin Aghdashlou
Memories of Destructions