THE IRANIAN
TIMES
Wednesday, April 1, 1998
Farvardin 12, 1377
No. 447
Abu Saeed
Headlines
* News: Qatar sees Iran shift on Mideast peace
* Free speech: New Sarkuhi letter
* April Fools: Googooshgate reaction
* Lecture: NGOs & Iranian Civil Society
* Soccer: Piruzi in semis
* Satire: Keep up bad work
Index
| * Iran-U.S.:
Twisted news * Features: Policy change? * News: Fishermen held * Economy: Off to Moscow * Dollar: Up slightly * Sports: Piruzi in semis * Arts: Manuscripts * The Web: Law * Academic: NGOs |
THE WEB
* International Constitutional Law - Iran: http://www.uni-wuerzburg.de:80/law/ir__indx.html... Reza Farahani <davood@ix.netcom.com>
* Internet Law Library - Iran: At U.S. House of Representatives web site... http://law.house.gov/247.htm... Reza Farahani <davood@ix.netcom.com>
* Iranian Cultural Center of Dallas: "With an eye on the lively Iranian cultural community, free of any religion, race or political affiliation."... http://www.iranian-culture.org/... Ben Bagheri <Ben.Bagheri.bbagheri@nt.com>
* Institute for Earthquake Engineering and Seismology: In Iran... http://www.iiees.ac.ir... Payman Arabshahi <payman@arash.neda.com>
Any interesting web sites you would like to suggest?
Email us at Times@iranian.com
IRAN-U.S.
* Clinton orders gradual release of frozen Iranian assets, (Twisted News Network) - President Clinton has ordered a gradual release of frozen Iranian assets in the United States, the New York Times reported today.According to the story, sources at the White House have revealed that some $12 billion in Iranian assets frozen since the 1979 U.S. hostage crisis will be released by April 1999 to "Iranian citizens and humanitarian organizations." ... full text
* Iran-symposium in Los Angeles: "Totally neutral," (Los Angeles Times, March 28) - The World Affairs Council of Orange County will host a symposium April 2 addressing the two-decade standstill on diplomatic relations between the United States and Iran. Panel members will discuss whether U.S. and Iranian officials should resume a dialogue that ended in 1979 with the hostage crisis. Both sides of the debate will be addressed equally, and the World Affairs Council will not take sides. "The council is not advocating anything. It is totally neutral," said Sir Eldon Griffiths, president. Featured guests will include Hadi Nejad Hosseinian, Iran's United Nations representative. University instructors, a former U.S. hostage, past ambassadors and corporate leaders are among the other panelists... click for details
FEATURES
* Qatar minister sees Iran shift on Mideast peace, (Reuters) - Qatar's foreign minister said Wednesday he believed Iran was moving towards greater acceptance of the Middle East peace process, which Tehran has long opposed. ``I think...we can see some changes,'' Sheikh Hamad bin Jasim al-Thani told reporters after talks with U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright... full text
NEWS
* Iran charges Iraq with holding Iranian fishermen, (Reuters) - Iran said on Wednesday its former war rival Iraq has been holding nine Iranian fishermen since their boat sank near Iraqi territory last November. Iran informed the United Nations on Tuesday that Iraqi border guards rescued the fishermen from the Iraqi side of the Shatt al Arab waterway on November 5 but have yet to return them to Iran, the official news agency IRNA reported... full text
ECONOMY
* Iranian oil minister to visit Russia, (Reuters) - Iranian Oil Minister Bijan Zanganeh will visit Moscow on Saturday for talks with Russian officials who have so far refused to join an OPEC-led move to cut oil production, Iran's official news agency IRNA said on Wednesday. The Organistion of Petroleum Exporting Countries has urged Russia and other non-OPEC countries to join the cartel's cutback pact to counter a sharp fall in oil prices... full text
DOLLAR RATE
Up slightly since Tuesday
* To send money to Iran, the rate is 510-517 tomans per dollar, depending on how much you wish to send.
* To send money out of Iran, the rate is 524 tomans per dollar.
Source: Sehaty Foreign Exchange, call in U.S.: 602-595-0777 or 500-288-8881. Preferntial rates for readers of The Iranian Times. Mention this code: BAJ 07
HUMAN RIGHTS
* The era of expressive silence in Iran has passed, (new Sarkuhi letter): I have learned to write carefully about the disappearances of intellectual dissidents, writers, and poets in back alleys and dead end streets. I am familiar with the red lines, which mark the borders which can not be crossed without brutal punishment. I have learned that clear writing inevitably leads to arrest, torture, forced confessions, terribly wrong accusations, and even death... full text
ARTS
* On display at the Freer Gallery, Washington, DC: "The Seven Thrones: A Princely Manuscript From Iran," through March 29; Open daily 10 to 5:30. Jefferson Drive and 12th Street SW. 202/357-2700 (TDD: 202/357-1729).
* Iranian films in Washington DC: A festival of some recent Iranian films is planned in Washington, DC, during March/April 1998. The films are shown at the 300-seat Meyer Auditorium of the Freer Gallery. Tickets are free and can be obtained (up to two per person) on a first-come-first-served basis one hour prior to the program. Films being shown: March 8/13: Leila (Dariush Mehrjui), March 20/22: Det Means Girl (Abolfazl Jalili), March 27/29: Gabbeh (Mohsen Makhmalbaf), April 3: Beyond Fire (Kianoush Ayyari), April 5: A True Story (Jalili), April 17: The Abadanis (Kiarostami), April 26: Taste of Cherries (Kiarostami).
* "Taste of Cherry" U.S. screen schedules from the official Zeitgeist Film site... click here...Thanks to Payman Arabshahi <payman@fermi.jpl.nasa.gov>
THE IRANIAN
April Fools: Googooshgate
Transcript of an interview with Iranian pop singer, Googoosh, conducted by 60 Minutes correspondent Ed Bradley.
Ed Bradley: Good evening. Tonight we will be interviewing Googoosh, a popular Iranian singer who's at the center of what appears to be another scandal involving the president. Googoosh had come from Iran as a special guest to perform at a White House ceremony marking the start of the Iranian new year on March 20. The ceremony was part of a cultural exchange program first suggested by Iran's President Khatami to gradually normalize relations between the two countries after years of hostility. Here's what the Iranian singer told us about that evening in the White House... go to feature
NOSTALGIA
SPORTS
* Piruzi & Al Hilal in Asian Club semis, (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia's Al Hilal will be looking for a repeat performance from their in-form striker Sami Al Jaber when they meet defending champions Pohang Steelers of South Korea in the Asian Club Championship semifinals on Friday. In the other semifinal, Piruzi of Iran, third in the tournament last year, face Chinese champions Dalian... full text
"Dream Team" IRAN -- World Cup tickets now available!
Sportestan Publishing
(USA)
ish@sportestan.com
Tel: 650-473-9792
SATIRE
Keep up the bad work
* Artists and... greet the culture minister on Noruz... click here
Got something to make us smile?
Send it to Times@iranian.com
POETRY
* Fereydoun Moshiri on CD
Fereydoun Moshiri's poetry reading last October in Berkeley, California, is now available on CD. For more information and orders, contact Radio Havaye Tazeh at: 415-673-4726.
Listen to Moshiri's reading of "Kucheh"... here's the poem's text
* Contest
Omar Khayyam Poetry Society invites you to enter our poetry contest. Prizes: First place $100, Second $75, Third $50. Winners will be announced and printed in THE IRANIAN in June 1998.
Subject: Longing places, memories, love
Format: Poems must be in English and emailed to <matteof@msn.com>. Include your name, address and phone number.
Deadline: May 10, 1998
Entry fee: $5 for up to three poems. You may send cash or check payable to R. Macroberts. Send to 1045 Walnut Grove, Rochester Hills, MI 48306, USA.
QUESTION
Translating Iran experiences
If you are an Iranian who is 100% fluent in both Farsi and English, your help is needed. My mother is working on a book which details her life experiences from Iran to the United States and needs someone to make and accurate translation of her book to English upon completion. She is willing to pay someone a fair price for their services. If you are interested and can help, please email me at <Cia420@aol.com> or call me at home at 619 583-1750. Thank you very much.
Cia Tahmasebi
Cia420 <Cia420@aol.com>
LETTERS
* Booo!
Booo! Shame on you. You messed up a good April Fool's story with Googoosh's last remark ["Googooshgate"]. Using her to make fun of Clinton's womanizing was great: you had me on the edge of my seat not knowing whether something happened or not. And knowing how much you and many readers idolize her, made the story all the more interesting to read. But when her English became impeccable, she went from being a believable character in a satire to a propaganda pawn.
Certainly Iran has made gestures which in appearance support Khatami's desire to build better foreign relations and make Iran once again a respected nation. But not all of what the Googoosh-character said is true nor is it strictly about Iran building a sense of goodwill.
Don't get me wrong. Americans have been misled a lot about the US Government's involvement in the Middle East. But with Googoosh's last statement, the misleading was reversed to reflect Iran's interest and intentions. In politics and power there are always overt and covert messages to consider, and things do not always appear as they seem. In this, please do not play us for fools. Alex Bettesworth <Alex_B@pacbell.net>
* Awesome
First when I saw the ["Googooshgate"] email, I was like "Shoot- what's this?" As soon as I opened the page I realized it was a joke. But it was a damn good one! I loved the "You go girl" and the last comment by Googoosh! Awesome, you outdid yourself! Trita.Parsi <m74tp80t@students.su.se>
* Thanks for shock
I can't believe you did this to me! I missed one of my lectures because I wanted to read this article ["Googooshgate"]. I got the email... I couldn't belive my eyes... then I had to rush to a Netscape browser to read the entire thing. I even BELIEVED it.... well, the first paragraph at least! Thanx for shocking me on April Fools Day. Pedram Missaghi <pmissagh@sdcc13.ucsd.edu>
* Why not those idiots?
Well, well, well. I suppose your story about Bradley's interview with Googoosh is an April Fools joke. It was very stupid. Why Googoosh and why not one of those idiots [Iranian pop singers] in the U.S.? Sirous Mehrgan <sirous@omcs.com.au>
* Not so low
Is this ["Googooshgate"] for real? I can not believe that Googoosh is so low class that she would even give an interview like this. Is this interview going to be on TV anytime soon? Please let me know. Mojgan <HMFAB@aol.com>
* Khodeti
Yeah right ["Googooshgate"] . Come on... maa khodemoon hamaro siaah mikonim. But I have to give it to you, it was very creative. Ramin Tabib <rtabib@worldnet.att.net>
BOOKSTORE
Book of the week
Barnameh-ye enerji-ye atomi-ye iran, talash-ha va tanesh-haa
Foundation for Iranian Studies, 1997. Available from Iranbooks.
A history of Iran's Atomic Energy Program as told by Akbar Etemad, the
first head of Iran's Atomic Energy Organization, edited by Gholam Reza
Afkhami.
See feature in THE IRANIAN. Click
here
THE IRANIAN Bookstore
ACADEMIC
* I would like to inform you of a talk on the "Emergence of NGOs in Iran and their Contribuitons to Iranian Civil Society." This talk will be given by Baquer Namazi at the Middle East Institute located at 1761 N Street, Washington, DC 20036 on Monday, April 6, 1998, from Noon-1:30 p.m. Mr. Namazi has worked with NGOs through the Middle East and Africa as UNICEF's representative to Somalia, Egypt and Kenya. As senior advisor to the Population Council regional office in Cairo, he initiated and NGO consultation in Iran which was supported by the UN and other international NGOs working in Iran. Mr. Namazi perviously served as deputy executive director for regionalization in the Plan and Budget Organization of the Iranian Goverernment. He also served as undersecretary to various ministries. His last post before leaving Iran was as Governor General of Khuzestan. Mr. Namazi currently serves as a consultant to UNICEF, Population Counsil, UNDP, Ford Foundation and various other international organizations. Atousa Raissyan <atousa@ttimail.com>
* Working in-and with -Iran The State of the Art, Presented by the Gulf/2000 Project and the School of International and Public Affairs of Columbia University. Wednesday, April 1, 1998 SIPA Building, 15th Floor 118th and Amsterdam Ave., New York City.
* Davis on Sufism and Sufi poetry: The Department of Near Eastern Studies at Princeton University Presents: Lecture by Professor Dick Davis, professor of Judaic and Near Eastern Languages and Literatures at Ohio State University, titled "SUFISM AND SUFI POETRY". Date/time: Thursday, April 2, 1998 at 8:00 pm. Address: The Woodrow WIlson School, Bowl 5.
* Symposium on Iran, in Houston: The James III Baker Institute of Rice University, Houston, Texas, is organizing a symposium on Iran, April 2, 1998. The speakers include Congressman Lee Hamilton, Hooshang Amirahmadi of Rutgers University, and Bruce Ridel, Special Advisor to President Clinton.
ENTERTAINMENT
Poetry & Music, San Francisco
April 4, 1998 Palace of Fine Arts, San Francisco -- XDOT 25 Productions Concert Series:
* Hafez Modirzadeh on soprano, alto sax, ney, karna * Habib Khan on sitar * Yussi on accoustic guitar * Alan Koushan on santour * Tim Witter on tabla & Percussion * Michael Lewis on tabla * Koorosh Angali on keyboard, poetry reciting * Indian classical vocalist Shafqat Ali Khan * And dance performance by Shahrzad * Tickets $15 & $20 * Get your tickets by telephone. Call 800-710-8600
PHOTO OF THE DAY
Bivafa
* A very public message to a no-good lover ... full image
Got any interesting photos?
Send them to Times@iranian.com
MUSIC
* Mohammad Reza Shajarian, "Jaan-e Jahaan"
(Get RealAudio)
Greatest pop CDs ON SALE!
QUOTE UNQUOTE
A lie, love & life
Since Nima [Yushij] does not believe in any kind of finalism, either is or secular, and is not partisan to any "eternal" existence beyond this "moment," from the very beginning he admits that his motive force of the universe, i.e. love, is a lie, albeit a pleasant one, without which life is not worth living.
Majid Naficy
"Modernism
and Ideology in Persian Literature; A Return to Nature in the Poetry of
Nima Yushij"
University Press of America, 1997
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