The Iranian Times

Thursday September 21, 2000 / Shahrivar 31, 1379, No. 1069


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Sehaty Foreign Exchange

Iranian books

Visa

By Sadaf Kiani Abbassian
September 21, 2000
The Iranian
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Sports

By Mohandes
September 21, 2000
The Iranian
>>> GO TO FEATURE


Outlook

Appeals court reduces sentences against Jews

BBC Persian Service

The appeals court in Shiraz gave its verdict in the case of 10 Iranian Jews convicted of spying for Israel. Here is a comprehensive report including reactions from the Jewish community inside and outside Iran >>> LISTEN HERE

Khatami underlines need for peace on Iran-Iraq war anniversary

TEHRAN, Sept 21 (AFP) - Iranian President Mohammad Khatami on Thursday said that although Iran won the 1980-1988 war with Iraq, it never was and is still not in favour of wars, the official IRNA news agency reported.

"We won the war because the aim of this war was the destruction of the Islamic republic, but the enemy did not win," Khatami said during a speech to mark the 20th anniversary of the bloody war with Iraq in Tehran >>> FULL TEXT

An Iranian Director Enters a Circle of Women

By Joan Dupont
International Herald Tribune
September 21, 2000, Thursday

TORONTO -- Jafar Panahi, director of ''Dayereh'' (The Circle), which made its North American debut at the festival, also thinks that the strength of Iranian film is rooted in an ancient storytelling culture: ''We are thousands of years old, like China; we ruled once,'' he said. ''Things have changed and will change again. Ours is a cinema of humanity that people all over the world can recognize. It stands out from the mountain of commercial cinema.''

''The Circle'' won the Golden Lion at the Venice film festival, an astonishing coup for a movie made without stars, special effects, sex or violence. Panahi, 40, born in Mianeh to a working-class family, meted out his words carefully. For him, success abroad is an uncertain blessing; the film has yet to be released in Iran >>> FULL TEXT


    Boxing ring

    Kayhan: Those who criticize the handling of the Iran-Iraq war want to weaken Iran's defenses >>> FULL PERSIAN TEXT

    Rah-e Kargar: Message on the start of the new school year >>> FULL PERSIAN TEXT


    Anyway

    Marhabaa!


Kuwait's version of Yahoo >>> SEE HERE



More Letters

* If Arabs had not invaded Iran?

Sassan Behzadi writes: Regarding dAyi's article "Okay, I'm a racist", it never seizes to amaze me when Iranians wonder "what would have happened to us if the Arabs never invaded Iran?"

Well, let's see...

India was not invaded by the Arabs. China and Greece were never invaded by the Arabs, and by any yardstick these ancient civilizations were at least equal to - and in the case of China and Greece far more superior to - Persian civilization.

As far as I can tell, China, India and even European Greece haven't turned into social, scientific or cultural centers of modern world >>> FULL TEXT

* Narrow-minded chauvinism

Cyrus Kadivar writes: I read the article "Okay, I'm a racist" with a pinch of salt... Being engaged to a beautiful Iraqi of Kurdish-Arab blood I realised how narrow-minded our Persian chauvinism can be. The modern Arab - Egyptians, Iraqis, Jordanians, Lebanese, etc - have a high appreciation of Persian culture and in my dealings with them they have all quoted Hafez and Saadi to me whilst to my shame I was hard pressed to quote any of their great poets until my fiancee handed me Nizar Qabani's (Syrian diplomat) poetry books which in parts was influenced by our culture. In fact despite the initial shock of the Arab invasion, many Persians were to form the cultural backbone of the Islamic empire >>> FULL TEXT

* Extreme poor taste

An avid reader writes: I find the item in your Anyway section Wednesday in extreme poor taste. What is disturbing is that the humor is lost on me and certainly the title leaves me perplexed. "Good taste in bad taste"? What on EARTH do you mean SIR?! I thought The Iranian was above toilet humor.


Poetry: Lecture on Hafez, Matyland

Dr. Mohammad Estelami, a prominent expert on Molavi & Hafez and professor of Iranian studies at McGill University in Canada, has accepted the Iranian American Cultural Society of Maryland's invitation to give a speech on the life and works of Hafez under the title of "The Key to the Divan of Hafez".

All interested in the Persian literature and Hafez in particular, are cordially invited. When : Saturday 30, 2000 at 4:00 PM. Where : Towson University, Smith Hall, Room 245.


Books

.

,

Case Studies in Reproductive Endocrinology
By Shahla Nader

.

Majmoo'eh ketaab-haaye aamoozeshie benevis
Ahamad Shamlou's last book

THE IRANIAN
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    Poem

    Translation of today's poem by Zara Houshmand:

    I went to my love on a moment's thought.

    She said, "Go away from my door. You are drunk."

    "Open the door," I said, "I am not."

    "Go away," she said, "You are what you are."

    * Also see more Rumi translations

    Rumi book

Rumi: The Life Teachings and Poetry of Jalal al-Din Rumi
By Frankin D. Lewis



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More news

Jews' lawyers unhappy with appeal verdict

SHIRAZ, Iran, Sept 21 (AFP) - Lawyers defending 10 Iranian Jews convicted of spying for Israel said Thursday they were unhappy with an appeal court verdict on the case, even though it cut several years off jail sentences imposed in July >>> FULL TEXT

U.S. says Iran should free Jews jailed for spying

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States said on Thursday it was disappointed by Iran's decision to merely reduce jail terms on 10 Iranian Jews for spying for Israel, saying they should be released as their trial was unfair >>> FULL TEXT

Iran test-fires first missile

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) - Iran has successfully test-fired its first solid-liquid fuel missile, the official Iranian news agency reported Thursday. Defense Minister Vice Adm >>> FULL TEXT

Iran celebrates Iran/Iraq war

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) - Iran on Thursday marked the 20th anniversary of the beginning of the Iran-Iraq war with a military parade in Tehran, calls for a just peace and - for the first time - no anti-American slogans >>> FULL TEXT

UNHCR chief says Afghan programme extended, cuts short Iran visit

TEHRAN, Sept 21 (AFP) - The UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), Sadako Ogata warned that the international community was becoming "increasingly disillusioned" about the fate of the roughly 2.6 million Afghans who have fled their war-torn homeland to Iran and Pakistan >>> FULL TEXT

Party says Khatami will defeat "political mafia" in elections

TEHRAN, Sept 21 (AFP) - An Iranian pro-reform political party has termed President Mohammad Khatami's conservative rivals a "political mafia" with no chance of winning next spring's presidential elections, a press report said Thursday >>> FULL TEXT

Khatami criticizes discrimination against women

TEHRAN, Sept 21 (AFP) - President Mohammad Khatami called Wednesday for Iranian society to let go of habits which lead to discrimination against women, the official IRNA news agency reported >>> FULL TEXT

Reformist weekly magazine banned: press

TEHRAN, Sept 21 (AFP) - Iran's special religious court has banned the reformist weekly magazine Khalij-e-Fars (Persian Gulf), published in the sourthern city of Boushehr, the reformist daily Afta-e-Yazd reported Thursday >>> FULL TEXT

Russia freezes Laser deal with Iran

MOSCOW (AP) - Russia has frozen a deal to sell laser technology to Iran - equipment the United States said could be adapted to a nuclear weapons program >>> FULL TEXT

Richardson: Time for OPEC to raise production again

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Energy Secretary Bill Richardson said Thursday that the United States will urge OPEC (news - web sites) to again consider ramping up oil production to head off a supply crunch this winter >>> FULL TEXT

Gore, Bush tangle over releasing oil

HOLLYWOOD, Md. (AP) - Democrat Al Gore (news - web sites) proposed tapping the nation's emergency oil reserve to force down gasoline and heating oil prices, pushing fuel costs to the front in the presidential campaign Thursday >>> FULL TEXT

Ayari in New York?

Tehran (Aftab-e Yazd) -- Kianoush Ayari is planning to go to New York to shoot a film he has been wanting to make for a long time: "Dokhtar-e sharqi" (Eatern girl) >>> FULL PERSIAN TEXT

Bitter but real

Tehran (Hamshahri) -- Khosro Sinai's "Aroos-e aatash" is bitter but real. It discusses social ills (traditional marriage customs in Khuzestan) which need fundamental solutions >>> FULL PERSIAN TEXT

Movies & social issues

Tehran (Aftab-e Yazd) -- "Some think that movies should praise the status quo. They don't understand that discussing social issues can have a positive impact on society," says directior Rasoul Sadr Ameli >>> FULL PERSIAN TEXT

Miran: Iran's hope for a medal

SYDNEY, September 21 (Iran Sports Press) -- With video: Iran's only remaining hope for a medal in Judo competitions lies on the shoulders of 26 year old Seyed Mahmoudreza Miran, competing in the Men's Heavyweight +100kg. With Sarekhani and MirEsmaeili unsuccessful in their weight categories, Miran is Iran's hope for a medal in Judo at the Olympics >>> FULL TEXT

Minavand's Sturm thrash Galatasaray

VIENNA, September 20 (Iran Sports Press) -- Sturm Graz beat Galatasaray Istanbul 3:0 on Wednesday evening. Juran, Schopp and Schupp were the scorers in a good match. Mehrdad Minavand played the full 90 minutes and was one of the best players on the pitch! >>> FULL TEXT

Mahdavikia's Hamburg lose to La Coruna

HAMBURG, September 20 (Iran Sports Press) -- And again the HSV lost very important in the last minutes - in this case in the last 25 seconds. In the last two matches vs. Juventus and Dortmund Hamburg got the deadly goal. Iranian forward Mahdavikia was to cause several problems down the right flank for Hamburg when they ventured forward >>> FULL TEXT


BBC

Iran's intellectuals call for banned press to resume

In an open letter to Iranian officials, more than 300 Iranian intellectuals have asked for the lifting of the ban on reformist newspapers and for the immediate release of imprisoned journalists. Habibollah Peyman is one of the signatories. Saeed Yekta talks to him: >>> LISTEN HERE

BBC Persian Service


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The Web

Iran

Safari Tours

"Safari International tour & travel agency is a private agency, established by a team of professionals in Iran... From our office in Tehran, we serve a prestigious diverse group of clients throughout the world."

Beyond Iran

The Trammell and Margaret Crow Collection of Asian Art

This ambitious tour from the Dallas-based art museum exhibits artwork from China, Japan, India, and Southeast Asia, spanning several millennia. It's a treasure trove of exquisite images and flashy web design that sometimes feels like a labyrinth of menus and pop-up windows.

More web sites


Quote Unquote

Real culprit

What has held Iran back is not a 1,400-year-old invasion by the Arabs, or a 50-year-old coup by the CIA. To see the real culprit, just take a hard look in the mirror. We've done it, it's our fault, and only we can fix it.

-- Sassan Behzadi
Letter to The Iranian
Sept 21, 2000


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