THE IRANIAN
TIMES
Wednesday, March 4, 1998
Esfand 13, 1376
No. 425
Sa'di
Headlines
* By-elections controversy
* New directions for Iranian carpets
* Not a good day for -- alleged -- arms smuggling :-)
* Dollar down slightly
* Online: Cinema magazine & IRIB
Index
| * Majlis:
By-elections * Features: Canada's melting pot * Arms: Not a good day * News: Silk road * Economy: Turkey pipeline * Foreign Exchange: $ down * Noruz: Earth Day * Women: Democracy * Human Rights: Rights pact * The press: Warning * Ideas: Conspiracies * The Web: Cinema & IRIB |
THE WEB
* Online: Cinema magazine & IRIB
Cinema: An all Persian weekly magazine with the most recent issue covering news about the recent Tehran film festival. Click on "Baaygaani" and go to the previous issue to see information on all the films that were shown in the festival. Very nicely done -- by Neda Rayaneh, which also puts Hamshahri online: http://neda.net/cinema... Thanks to Payman Arabshahi <payman@arash.neda.com>
IRIB: That stands for Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting, the official Iranian radio and TV. Their site has a 24-hour live link to Tehran Radio, but I didn't see a link to the TV broadcast. You can also choose to listen to the daily news broadcasts when you click on the "News" button on the side bar: http://www.irib.com/
CHAT
Golestaneh
We have linked THE IRANIAN magazine's chatroom to a new site: Golestaneh. Check it out and let us know what you think. Click here
MAJLIS
* By-elections controversy
More than 100 candidates rejected, (Hamshahri)... full text in Persian... Get Persian fonts from Hamshahri or Payvand.
"No one has the right to disturb legal gatherings" - government spokesman, (Hamshahri)... full text in Persian... Get Persian fonts from Hamshahri or Payvand.
Letter from eyewitness to Monday's clash at Tehran University, (Hamshahri)... full text in Persian... Get Persian fonts from Hamshahri or Payvand.
Students condemn rejection of candidates, (Hamshahri)... full text in Persian... Get Persian fonts from Hamshahri or Payvand.
Editorial: A reasonable expectation, (Jomhuri Eslami)...full text in Persian... Get Persian fonts from Hamshahri or Payvand.
FEATURES
* Canada, long an immigrants' Mosaic, mulls the melting pot, (Washington Post) - Nasser Assaer came to Canada from Iran, expecting that the country would surely accept him as a refugee from what he felt was imminent arrest back home for his political activities. That was eight years ago, and the fact that Assaer's status is still unresolved suggests why many in this country feel their immigration and refugee system is badly broken... full text
* Swiss agreement aims to normalise Iran ties, (Reuters) - Switzerland plans to sign an investment agreement with Iran, an indication relations between the two countries are returning to normal, the Swiss federal office of foreign trade said on Tuesday. The signing is expected when a Swiss delegation, including private industry representatives, visits the country from March 6 to 10, led by Swiss government envoy Nicolas Imboden... full text
ARMS
Not a good day for -- alleged -- arms smuggling :-)
(New York Newsday): The Iranian-born owner of a Hicksville firm was arrested by federal agents yesterday on charges of conspiring to illegally smuggle fighter jet engines and their parts into Iran, according to officials. Parviz Lavi, 62, the owner of Omega Turbine Corp., 150 Express St., had been under investigation since 1991 by customs agents in Norfolk, Va., for a scheme to smuggle at least six turbine engines for the F-14 jet fighter and thousands of engine parts, according to Assistant U.S. Attorney Burton Ryan... full text
(AP): An aviation vendor tried to sell Iran about 20 batteries for long-range missiles used by its fighter jets, federal authorities said. Daniel Malloy planned to buy the batteries from their U.S. manufacturer in Missouri, then export them to an ally in Singapore, who was to send them to Iran, according to a complaint filed by the U.S. Customs Service that was unsealed Tuesday... full text
* Iran missiles still concern Israel, MOSCOW (AP) - An Israeli minister said Tuesday he had no reason to believe Moscow was supplying Iran with missile technology, but that Israel remained concerned that military know-how could still be seeping out of Russia. <P> Natan Sharansky, a former Soviet dissident who now serves as Israel's trade and industry minister, traveled to Russia this week to seek firm guarantees that Russia's dual-purpose technology -- that which has both commercial and defense uses -- does not find its way to Iran... full text
* EDITORIAL: Russia and Iran, (Jerusalem Post) - Today, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu's adviser Uzi Arad begins talks with US special envoy Robert Gallucci regarding ongoing efforts to convince Russia to clamp down on the transfer of missile technology to Iran. In January, Russia issued a decree giving itself the authority to ban the export of certain sensitive dual-use technologies. On March 9, Russian Prime Minister Viktor Chernomyrdin is to go to Washington for another meeting with Vice President Al Gore, and is expected to try to convince the US that the new decree means Russia is now serious about stopping the technology flow to the Iranian missile program... full text
NEWS
* Azerbaijan: International conference to revive silk road, (RFE/RL) - The dream of reviving the historic Silk Road across Central Asia has moved closer to reality with a decision by Azerbaijan to host an international conference to discuss plans to construct a highway linking Europe and China. Azerbaijan president Heydar Aliyev has announced a conference in Baku in May to discuss "the restoration of the ancient Silk Road", or the Eurasian Transport link, between Asia and Europe. The idea follows an initiative by the European Commission, pressed by former Netherlands Foreign Minister Hans Van den Broek... full text
* Warmer Iran-Saudi ties on Arab agenda, (Reuters) - Gulf Arab ministers are preparing to meet in Saudi Arabia on Saturday as a growing Saudi-Iranian rapprochement attracts attention in Gulf capitals, diplomats and analysts said on Tuesday. The two oil heavyweights and rivals for influence in the strategic region have exchanged high-level visits in recent months, prompting Saudi Arabian Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal to proclaim ``a new chapter'' in relations... full text
* Nine "monafeqs" killed in armed clash, (Hamshahri)... full text in Persian... Get Persian fonts from Hamshahri or Payvand.
ECONOMY
* East-west pipeline: Oil and gas to be transported through Turkey, (Financial Times) - Foreign ministers from the Caucasus and central Asia yesterday signed a communiqué stating their support for an east-west pipeline network to carry oil and gas from the energy-rich region through Turkey to markets in the west. Turkey called the meeting of foreign ministers from Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan and Georgia to build support for its preferred pipeline route. Turkey favours a 1,700km link between Azerbaijan's capital of Baku and the Turkish Mediterranean oil terminal of Ceyhan at a cost of at least $2.5bn... full text
* 30-billion-toman bond issue for water projects, (Hamshahri)... full text in Persian... Get Persian fonts from Hamshahri or Payvand.
* Kazakhs send wheat to Iran, (Reuters) - Kazakhstan has sent a first test shipment of wheat to Iran in the hope that it could open a major new market for the former Soviet state's grainbelt, Kazakh officials said on Wednesday. The 5,000 tonnes now heading for Iran overland through Turkmenistan is a drop in the ocean of Iran's expected five million tonnes of imports for the 1997/98 trade year... full text
* Commentary: Noruz bonus for civil servants: Not much, (Hamshahri)... full text in Persian... Get Persian fonts from Hamshahri or Payvand.
* Hamshahri's Economy section, Wednesday... index in Persian... Get Persian fonts from Hamshahri or Payvand.
FOREIGN EXCHANGE
Dollar down slightly
* To send money to Iran, the rate is 500-510 tomans per dollar, depending on how much you wish to send.
* To send money out of Iran, the rate is 515 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
NORUZ
... is Earth Day
The Earth Day Ceremony at the United Nations in New York will feature the ringing of the Peace Bell at 2:55 p.m.EST -- the beginning of Spring. At the same moment (8:55 p.m. in Austria) the Peace Bell at the United Nations in Vienna will ring. This will be a time for people of all creeds and cultures to join for a brief two minutes in silent prayer, or reflection: One global common moment celebrating life with dedication of heart and mind to think and act as responsible Earth Trustees. We are one human family and have only one Earth.... go to Earth Day site... Thanks to Reza Farahani <davood@ix.netcom.com>
* Concern about chaarshanbeh soori fireworks in Iran, (Hamshahri)... full text in Persian... Get Persian fonts from Hamshahri or Payvand.
WOMEN
Democracy and Iranian Woman
Society of Iranian Professionals (SIP) in northern California in recognition of International Women's Day presents the March program this Friday, March 6, in the following two parts:
1. "A Woman's Guide to Prudent Investing: Preparing for Financial Independence" by Nancy Belza, VP, InterCapital Div., Dean Witter
2. "Democracy and Iranian Woman" by Homa Sarshar, Writer and Researcher
SPEAKER Ms. Homa Sarshar started her professional work in media in 1955 with "Zan Rooz" magazine followed by "Keyhan" newspaper, and Radio-TV in Iran. Since immigrating to U.S. in 1979 she started her activities in human rights and Iranian women's issues through authoring, lectures, talks, and conducting international seminars. She's members of AMEWA (Middle-Eastern Women's Association), MESA (Middle-Eastern Studies Association), and SIS (Society of Iranian Studies).
LOCATION Faz Silicon Valley Ballroom, in Faz Restaurant, next to Sheraton, Sunnyvale. 1108 N. Mathilda Ave. Sunnyvale, CA. 408-752-8000
DATE/TIME Fri, March 6, 1998 Women's Investment Seminar -- 6:30 PM Democracy & Iranian Woman -- 7:30 PM
ALSO Ms. Sarshar will be doing a radio interview with the San Francisco Bay Area's "Radio Havayeh Tazeh" on Friday morning around 9 and with "Radio 24 Sa'ateh" on Saturday afternoon.
HUMAN RIGHTS
* Asian states draw up rights Pact in Iran, GENEVA, (Reuters) - Thirty-three countries including several which have come under international pressure over their human rights record have agreed on Asia's first joint program to protect and promote human rights, a U.N. spokesman said Tuesday. The agreement was reached Monday after three days of talks at an Asia-Pacific human rights workshop in Tehran which brought seven years of efforts to fruition. ``It is the first regional agreement (for Asia) and a small but significant step,'' United Nations human rights spokesman John Mills told a news briefing in Geneva.
* Shirin Ebadi urges universities to establish human rights course, TEHRAN, (Iran News) - An Iranian lawyer interviewed by BBC radio urged Iranian univer-sities to establish a course on human rights as a regular subject. Shirin Ebadi, a participant at the Sixth Meeting on Human Rights for the Asia and Pacific Region, asserted the necessity of informing the public about their basic human rights.
THE PRESS
* Editorial: Warning Bell - "Salam" reporter summoned to court, (Hamshahri)... full text in Persian... Get Persian fonts from Hamshahri or Payvand.
THE IRANIAN
New directions for Iranian carpets
By Murray Eiland Jr.
There is considerable Western interest in new Iranian rugs. European countries can import Iranian rugs without restrictions, and there is a vast trade in Iranian rugs there. Clearly Iran wishes to expand its carpet exports, and - because of the current embargo on Iranian handicrafts - the United States is now a major untapped market.... go to feature
SPORTS
* Eight thousand women taking Karate classes, (Hamshahri)...full text in Persian... Get Persian fonts from Hamshahri or Payvand.
* Iran-Bosnia soccer match cancelled, (Hamshahri)...full text in Persian... Get Persian fonts from Hamshahri or Payvand.
* Hamshahri's Sports section, Wednesday... 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
FILM
* Film makers trash critics! (Hamshahri)...full text in Persian... Get Persian fonts from Hamshahri or Payvand.
* "Taste of Cherry" U.S. screen schedules from the official Zeitgeist Film site... click here...Thanks to Payman Arabshahi <payman@fermi.jpl.nasa.gov>
* "Taste of Cherry" in Victoria: 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
* Iranian film festival organized by Stanford University's Persian Students Association will run through mid-March... click here for details
IDEAS
* Believing in conspiracies is bad, but that does not mean there are no conspiracies... Former Prime Minister Mir Hossein Mousavi's speech at Tehran University, (Jomhuri Eslami)...full text in Persian... Get Persian fonts from Hamshahri or Payvand.
SATIRE
* Completely exclusive interview
Frustrations of being a journalist in Iran today: lot of questions, no answers. From "Jame'eh" newspaper (in Persian)... Click here
Got something to make us smile?
Send it to Times@iranian.com
LETTERS
* Emotional diarrhea
This article ["Around a world of broken promises"] is such an emotional diarrhea; and I doubt the factuality of the following statement: "Didn't the French and Germans sell the chemicals that Iran might be using for alleged chemical warfare?"
While Germany and France both have sold chemical weapons to Iraq, which it then used against its own people and also Iranians, I yet have to hear that Iran has either used, or even possessed chemical weapons. What are Mr. Azad's sources? N.B. Fazel <neil.fazel@csfb.com>
* Oops!
Just wanted to point out that Masood Jabbar ["SUCCESS" section of The Iranian Times on Monday] is apparently a Pakistani, according to a PR Newswire report about his appointmaent. [Jabbar was appointed president of Sun Microsystems Computer Company (SMCC), Sun's business unit that develops, manufactures and markets powerful desktop and server computer systems.] Arash Alavi <arash__@hotmail.com>
LOST & FOUND
Community School
Does anyone have a yearbook from Community School in Tehran the late 1970s (upper or lower grades, or both)? I am looking for info about the school as part of research for a book, and I would really appreciate it if I could look at a yearbook, either in the NY City area or in the San Francisco Bay Area. Tara Bahrampour <tara@tigris.com>
BOOKSTORE
Banking
and Empire in Iran
(History of the British Bank of the Middle East, Vol 1)
Geoffrey Jones / Hardcover / Published 1986
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
EVENTS
* Globalization, Political Islam, and Urban Social Movements: March 6-8, 1998, Institute of International Studies, UC Berkeley, Townsend Center Conference Room, 210 Stephens Hall. To see the schedule of speakers and topics ... click here
* Khuzestani Noruz in LA: This year's Khuzestani Noruz party will be on March 14 at the LAX Marriott Hotel. For more information contact Hassan Alesafar <NAKHLAK@aol.com>
* 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
PHOTO OF THE DAY
Omar Khayyam... in a bottle
* Sparkling white wine fro India ... full image
Got any interesting photos?
Send it to Times@iranian.com
MUSIC
Aqassi: "Vaaveylaa Lailee"(RealAudio)
Greatest pop CDs ON SALE!
QUOTE UNQUOTE
For rich people only
What they want to do is bring all the rich people from Third World countries," while accepting as few poor ones as possible, said Mohsen Alband, a Canadian citizen who emigrated from Iran and now works with the Federation of Iranian Refugees. "This is only for rich people."
Washington Post
"Canada,
long an immigrants' Mosaic, mulls the melting pot"
March 4, 1998
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