* FEATURES: Rafsanjani, Saudi king in rare talks
* IRAN-U.S.: American wrestlers leave smiling
* NEWS: Iran protests killing of Iranians in Pakistan
* HUMAN RIGHTS: The PEN open letter on behalf of Akbar Ganji
* THE IRANIAN: Zanan saraayandeh-ye mo'aaser
* IRANIAN OF THE YEAR: More suggestions
* THE WEB: Layla Kasra (Hedieh), poet
* FOREIGN EXCHANGE: Dollar up another 5 tomans
* SPORTS: Piroozi defeats Saudi's al-Hilal
* FILM: "Taste of Cherry" in L.A. & Victoria
* LAST CALL: Iranian diaspora anthology
* SMILE: Iraqi casualties
* AUCTION: Queen Soraya's diamonds
* PERSIAN GULF: Misuse of terminology - again
* LETTER: Jews: no desire to leave / Prejudiced against myself
* LOST & FOUND: Community High School
* BOOKSTORE: Iran's National Security Policy
* EVENTS: Scholarship Fundraising Gala / Farhad's last concert
* PHOTO OF THE DAY: Yaa saaheb-azzamaan!
* MUSIC: Dariush: "Saal-e 2000"
* QUOTE UNQUOTE: Why not?
* APOLOGY: Delay caused by flu

FEATURES

* Rafsanjani, Saudi king in rare talks, (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia's King Fahd and Iran's former president Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani discussed regional and bilateral ties and sagging oil prices in Riyadh in a sign of improving relations between the region's heavyweights. Talks at the level of Saturday night's meeting have been rare. ``The Saudi king told Ayatollah Rafsanjani that Iran and Saudi Arabia as two important nations of the world and also of the region must collaborate in every issue of their mutual interest including oil... full text

* Iran sides with former enemy against U.S., (Washington Post) - An outsider might suppose that the bitter memory of Iraq's 1980 invasion of Iran, which led to eight years of war, would make Iran eager for the United States to punish Iraqi President Saddam Hussein militarily in the standoff over United Nations weapons inspections. Not so. Tehran has opposed the use of force against neighboring Iraq, and on this issue there appears to be no split between moderate President Mohammed Khatemi and Ayatollah Ali Khameini, Iran's spiritual leader and main voice of the nation's Islamic fundamentalists... full text

* Interior minister on the "certain defeat of closedmindedness", (Hamshahri)... full text in Persian... Get Persian fonts from Hamshahri or Payvand.

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IRAN-U.S.

* American wrestlers leave smiling, (Reuters) - An American sports team left Iran on Saturday just hours after competing in an extraordinary wrestling tournament in Tehran that saw the visitors cheered on by an adoring Iranian crowd.The final night of the Takhti Cup freestyle wrestling tournament at Tehran's Azadi (Freedom) sports hall brought public displays of warmth between people of the two countries unseen in Iran since the revolution. ...full text

* Iran papers give front pages to U.S. wrestlers, (Reuters) - Pictures of American wrestlers ran on the front pages of nearly half of Tehran's major newspapers on Saturday, a day after an extraordinary sporting event in the Iranian capital. A sample of 16 leading newspapers gave extensive coverage to Friday night's Takhti Cup amateur freestyle wrestling tournament which saw the first American sports team compete on Iranian soil since the 1979 Islamic revolution...full text

* Wrestling diplomacy breaks barriers, (Reuters) - A visit by American wrestlers to Iran has emerged as one of the most intriguing diplomatic maneuvers seen in the tortured relations between the two nations in the last 20 years. Iran-watchers and diplomats in Tehran Sunday said the participation of five world-class U.S. athletes at an emotion-packed wrestling tournament that ended Friday had broken some long-held taboos... full text

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NEWS

* Iran protests killing of Iranians in Pakistan, (Reuters) - Iran has protested to Pakistan over the killing of two Iranians in Karachi, the official IRNA news agency reported on Sunday. Iran's foreign ministry warned that relations between the two countries could be affected if the assailants were not found and punished, it said ...full text

* Iran "determined" to export $5.7 billion in non-oil goods in coming Iranian year, (Hamshahri)... full text in Persian... Get Persian fonts from Hamshahri or Payvand.

* Paper recycling day declared by Green Front, (Hamshahri)... full text in Persian... Get Persian fonts from Hamshahri or Payvand.

* Largest agro-industry project to go on line in 1998, (Hamshahri)... full text in Persian... Get Persian fonts from Hamshahri or Payvand.

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* The PEN open letter on behalf of Akbar Ganji

On behalf of the 2,700 writers who are members of PEN American Center, we write to express our concern at the arrest of Akbar Ganji, publisher of the literary monthly magazine Rah-e No. We understand that in the absence of due process, Mr. Ganji was arrested and remains in detention. According to our information, Mr. Ganji, who is both a writer of the monthly Kiyan, and the publisher of Rah-e No, has spent more than two months incarcerated with no formal charges... full text

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THE IRANIAN

Zanan saraayandeh-ye mo'aaser

From a new collection of poems by women poets, compiled by Parvin Shakiba. More poems will be added during all this week. (in Persian) ... go to feature

THE IRANIAN Cover Stories

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IRANIAN OF THE YEAR

More suggestions

The votes are still coming in... If you haven't sent in your vote, do it soon.

Here are some more suggestions from readers on The Iranian of the Year: Dr. Lotfi Zadeh (father of "fuzzy logic") , Mahvash Yazdi (CIO, Southern California Edison), and Dr. Mohammad Ali Mojtahedi (the late headmaster of Alborz High School).

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FOREIGN EXCHANGE

Dollar up another 5 tomans

* To send money to Iran, the rate is 495-500 tomans per dollar, depending on how much you wish to send.

* To send money out of Iran, the rate is 504 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

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THE WEB

* Layla Kasra (Hedieh): Poems posted on Farhang.com

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SPORTS

* Piroozi defeats Saudi's al-Hilal, (Hamshahri)...full text in Persian... Get Persian fonts from Hamshahri or Payvand.

* Hamshahri Sports section, Monday... index in Persian... Get Persian fonts from Hamshahri or Payvand.

"Dream Team" IRAN -- World Cup tickets now available!

Sportestan Publishing (USA)
ish@sportestan.com
Tel: 650-473-9792

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FILM

* "Taste of Cherry" in L.A. & Victoria

- In LA: Relief International and Zeitgeist Films Present "Taste of Cherry,"a film by Abbas Kiarostami, Winner of the Palme d'Or 1997 Cannes Film Festival. A benefit screening and reception in honor of Mr. Kiarostami and to support Relief International's humanitarian relief efforts worldwide. Date: Thursday, February 26, 1998, at 7:30 pm. Place: Laemmle's Music Hall, 9036 Wilshire Blvd., Beverly Hills. A champagne and dessert reception will follow the screening. For ticket information please call Relief International (310) 441-0097 $100 donation for film and reception to support RI's relief efforts worldwide. All donations are tax deductible. Relief International <102375.706@compuserve.com>

- In Victoria, Canada: WED & THURS, MARCH 4 & 5 (7:15 & 9:10) Cinecenta, UVic. With discounts for the club & community members. UVic Persian Club : <wr855@victoria.tc.ca> : 250-472-8699

* Sharp criticism of Fajr Theater Festival, (Hamshahri)... full text in Persian... Get Persian fonts from Hamshahri or Payvand.

* Iranian film festival organized by Stanford University's Persian Students Association will run through mid-March... click here for details

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LAST CALL

Iranian diaspora anthology

This is the last call for submitting works of literature and art to be considered for "Echoes of the Iranian Diaspora Anthology." Deadline: March 1, 1998.

"Echoes of the Iranian Diaspora: Writing by First and Second Generation Iranian-Americans," is seeking submissions of fiction, poetry, essays and graphic or photographic art publication (forthcoming Jan. 1999).

This collection reflects the diverse experiences of first and second generation Iranians in the U.S. and Canada and reflects the complex identities, affinities, and experiences of this community in light of the twenty year anniversary of the Iranian revolution and the more than three million Iranians now living outside of Iran.

Please see the call for submissions on the Art and Literature section of The Iranian magazine. No email submissions please!

For more information or contact: Ms. Persis Karim at the University of Texas at Austin (persis@mail.utexas.edu) or Dr. Mehdi Khorrmami at New York University (mmk4@is4.nyu.edu).

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SMILE :-)

* Iraqi casualties

Click on image to... See cartoon

By Robert Mitchell

Got something to make us smile?
Send it to Times@iranian.com

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LETTERS

* Jews have no desire to leave Iran

I just finished reading the article about Jews in Iran. I must say that I personally feel that Persian jews are pretty much enjoying the same type of lifestyle as are Muslims. There is a Jewish hospital in Iran, 40 temples, 10 Jewish schools, and Jewish religious practices are allowed. Many of the Jews of Iran own and operate very lucrative businesses and make a great deal of money. With the new moderate president, it is very possible that Persian Jews will be allowed to go and visit their relatives in Israel. I really encourage all the persians that are Jewish to continue to have pride in Iran. Many of the ones that live in Los Angeles are always putting down Iran and some even deny that the Persians in Iran live there by choice. The other day at temple, this man told me that all the Persians in Iran are there because they cannot get out. He also said that the Jews in Iran are being tortured. I have relatives in Iran and they are all living comfortable lives, and most of them have no desire to leave. Though I cetainly agree that there is room for improvement, not just for the Jews, but for everyone in Iran. Shiva < SNobar00@aol.com>

* Prejudiced against myself

I was touched by your article called "An incident in Boston" that appeared in Thursday's issue of The Iranian Times. It is most unfortunate that one has to conceal ones nationality because of the political situation. I thought I may share with you an incident that occurred while I was a teaching assistant at the University of Illinois at Champaige - Urbana back in 1981. As a Chemistry TA, I would meet with my students twice a week. One day I had to be out of town and subsequently I asked an American colleague to cover my class while I was away. Next time that I met my students, I asked them casually if they liked the substitute TA and jokingly told them they must have had a better time with him since after all he was an American. One of my students who happened to be a female quickly interrupted me and said, "of course not, you seem to be prejudiced against yourself." Well many years have passed since that incident. She was perfectly right. I was prejudiced against myself. Those students did not care If I was an Iranian or an American. I was the one so concerned about my nationality. She taught me a great lesson. Abbas Saffari <Abbas_Saffari-Fard@biogen.com>

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LOST & FOUND

Community High School

Salaam! I'm seeking people who were either on staff, or in boarding as students at the American Community High School in Tehran in the early 1970's. Robbin Levens, <robweb@gte.net>

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AUCTION

Queen Soraya's diamonds

We have in our possession a set of emerald and diamond jewellery owned by Queen Soraya, at the time of her divorce from the Shah in 1958. It was apparently sold by Sotheby's in London to an American who brought it to South Africa. It has changed hands three times since then, and will be offered by public auction on Tuesday, 24th February. Please contact us should you know anybody who might be interested. Clide Cannon<cannons@alpha.futurenet.co.za>

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PERSIAN GULF

Misuse of terminology - again

Honorable William S. Cohen
Secretary of Defense
1000 Defense Pentagon
Washington, DC 20301-1000

Dear Honorable Secretary Cohen:

On Tuesday February 17, 1998, a large number of Iranian (Persian) and Iranian-American were disturbed to hear you referring to Persian Gulf as Arabian Gulf when you were defending the US position against Iraq.

Even though we are reluctantly obliged to consider your misuse of this terminology as an inadvertent isolated oversight, we can not nevertheless, deny our deep concern that a high ranking US official would incorrectly use a nomenclature for such an important region of the world. Persian Gulf is an official name which has been used for millennia (Sinus Persicus in Classical Greek and as referred to by the Greek Historian Herodotus 350 BC) and is recognized and endorsed by the United Nations.

We urge you and other members of the administration to properly use the names of important regions of world such as the Persian Gulf, by their official names as have been recognized by the world community.

We thank you in advance for your attention to this matter.

Respectfully submitted,

Names of individuals who have signed this letter:

Mr. Trita Parsi, Stockholm, Sweden <M74tp80t@students.su.se>
Dr. Mohammad Ala, Professor of Management, Los Angeles, <Mala@calstatela.edu>
Mr. Vahid Naraghi
Dr. M. Sarram

More than 100 people have signed the letter so far. You can write your views to the White House

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BOOKSTORE

Iran's National Security Policy : Intentions Capabilities & Impact
Shahram Chubin / Paperback / Published 1994

Books available through Amazon.com, the world's largest online bookstore. THE IRANIAN is an associate of Amazon.com. Click on the links for more information.

THE IRANIAN Bookstore

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EVENTS

* Iranian American Scholarship Fundraising Gala: The Iranian Federated Women's Club invites you to attend the 1998 Iranian American Scholarship Fundraising Gala, on Saturday February 28th, 1998 at the Quinlan Community Center (10185 North Stelling Road, Cupertino, CA), for a reception at 6:30 and Dinner, Music, and a Fashion Show at 7:00 p.m. with Master of Ceremonies: Dr. Anthony Shay.

Society of Iranian Professionals is proud to be one of the Host Committee Members, along with various State Assembly men and women, a few Supervisors of Santa Clara County, Payvand Cultural School, Persian Center, a few U.S. Senators, President of De Anza College, Cyrus Travel, and Pine Press.

Proceeds of this program will benefit an Iranian-American Scholarship Educational Fund to be utilized at De Anza or Stanford University. We invite you to join us in sponsoring this great event. SIP would like to sponsor a table and invites you to contact us at officers@sip-ca.org if you would like to participate in this worthwhile cause. Donation: $100 per person. For more information: please call (408) 381-4268 or (408) 781-5675.

* Farhad's last concert: Farhad, the legendary singer, is currently in the U.S. and will perform his last U.S. concert on Sunday, March 8, 1998 at the Wilshire Ebell Theatre in Los Angeles. Farhad will return to Iran after this concert. This is the last chance his fans will have tio see him in their lifetime. For information and reservation those interested can contact: 310-704-5700.

* Iranian film festival organized by Stanford University's Persian Students Association will run through mid-March... click here for details

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PHOTO OF THE DAY

Yaa saaheb-azzamaan!

* Pray before you get to the infamous Kandavan tunnel ...full image

Got any interesting photos?
Send it to Times@iranian.com

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MUSIC

Dariush: "Saal-e 2000" (RealAudio)

Greatest pop CDs ON SALE!

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QUOTE UNQUOTE

Why not?

I came here for sport and friendship. But you know what, it will probably go further than that, and why not? I hope it does.

Zeke Jones
U.S. wrestler on trip to Iran
At Tehran airport heading back to U.S.
Reuters
February 21, 1998

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APOLOGY

Delay caused by flu

I have been ill for the past few days, apparently stricken by some sort of flu virus. For this reason I was not able to complete Monday's newsletter on time. My apologies. jj

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