Headlines

* Iranian of the Year: Rights activists
* Iran-U.S.: Clinton's Noruz message
* The Web: Iran data banks
* Letters: We're not THAT nice
* Nostalgia: Waterpolo champions
* Music: Sandy!
* Poetry: Moshiri on CD

IRANIAN OF THE YEAR

* Reuters news on "Iranian of the Year" - Iranian President Mohammad Khatami was named ``Iranian of the Year'' for 1997, beating runners-up Christiane Amanpour of CNN and the Iranian national soccer team in a worldwide web survey posted on Tuesday. ``His voice of reason and tolerance seems so out of place and vulnerable in a country where for years extremism and intolerance have reigned supreme,'' wrote the Iranian.com, a U.S.-based web magazine accessed mostly by Iranians abroad... click here

* Righsts Activists of the Year

To see who received most votes for their efforts in the areas of human rights, freedom of speech and political rights... click here

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THE WEB

* Iran: There are many sites which cover information about Iran's history, government, society, etc., but the Library of Congress Area Handbook Series "IRAN - A Country Study" steals the show. MUST SEE. Also, if you want to know the ins and outs of energy resources/policy in Iran, check out the U.S. Energy Information Administration up to date study on Iran. Thanks to Reza Farahani <davood@ix.netcom.com>

Any interesting web sites you would like to suggest?
Email us at Times@iranian.com

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IRAN-U.S.

* Clinton's Noruz message - Warm greetings to everyone celebrating the Iranian New Year. People from every region of the world have made profound and lasting contributions to our society. As we seek to become a more united people, we must remember our roots, for they remind us of who we are and of what we have to share with others.... full text

* Iran, U.S. trade in 1997... out of control!... full text

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FEATURES

* Washington rethinks sanctions, (Financial Times) - The US is being forced to rethink its plans to impose sanctions on foreign oil companies doing business in Iran as it seeks to shore up support in the Middle East and avoid alienating European allies and Russia, all of whom strongly oppose the move. Analysts say that recent conciliatory overtures towards the US by Mohammad Khatami, Iran's president, and the risk of military action in the Gulf if Iraq violates the new UN agreement on arms inspections are also contributing to a more flexible US approach... full text

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NEWS

* Oil prices drop after rally , (AP) - Oil prices were lower today amid skepticism over whether the world's top petroleum exporters will cut production enough to strengthen the battered market. Brent crude oil to be delivered in May was off by 28 cents at $14.76 per barrel on London's International Petroleum Exchange.... full text

* Iran to discuss Israeli offer with Syria, (Reuters) - Iranian Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi will visit Syria on Saturday to discuss regional developments including Israel's conditional offer to withdraw from south Lebanon, diplomats said on Monday. They told Reuters that Kharrazi would deliver a message to President Hafez al-Assad from his Iranian counterpart Mohammad Khatami.... full text

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COMMUNITY

* Do something: Each year, the BRICK Award in the U.S. honors ten outstanding leaders under the age of 30 who use their talents to take action that measurably strengthens their local communities. Each of the ten winners is awarded a grant to support his/her community work: the national grand prize winnder receives a grant of $100,000 and the nine other winners each receive a grant of $10,000. Applications are due May 1, 1998. For more information: see Do Something's website at http://www.dosomething.org or call 212-523-1175 or email brick@dosomething.org

Thanks to Sussan Tahmasebi < stahmase@acog.org>

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ECONOMY

* Economy faces new challenges, (Reuters) - The Iranian economy, racked by low oil prices, a falling currency and double-digit inflation, faces daunting challenges in the new Iranian year, economic analysts said on Monday. ``We need a dramatic restructuring of our economy to face these challenges. Without major reforms, the future will be bleak,'' said Fariborz Raisdana, a Tehran-based economist... full text

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DOLLAR RATE

Down slightly to 502

* To send money to Iran, the rate is 502-510 tomans per dollar, depending on how much you wish to send.

* To send money out of Iran, the rate is 514 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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ARTS

* Life may be like a `Taste of Cherry', (New York Newsday) - When "Taste of Cherry" played the New York Film Festival last fall having won the Cannes Film Festival, the ending, a video postscript showing the protagonist up and about and the soldier-actors waving flowers, caused more than a little consternation. But having seen it again, I find that same ending provides a perfectly modulated and necessarily cathartic closure - while opening up a raft of possible interpretations. Is it heaven? Maybe it's the result of the director's unwillingness to abet a suicide, even in fiction?... full text

* 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>

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HELP

Videographer needed in Bay Area

Videographer and photographer needed for Shahrzad Dance Academy's Noruz dance concert on March 28, 1998. Must have experience in creative arts (not just commercial work), and good equipment (or access to it). If interested contact Shahrzad Dance Academy at shahrzad@pacbell.net or call at (510)724-2425 ASAP! Thank you.

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HUMAN RIGHTS

* Letter from 51 Iranian writers - Faraj Sarkouhi, a literary critic and a prominent journalist, after one year of imprisonment, was released on January 28, 1998. Since then he has applied for a passport to attend several cultural conferences abroad. However, he has been denied the passport. We undersigned writers believe that the right to travel and free interchange of thoughts is essential rights of all. Therefore, by this letter, we are expressing our protest against this denial of passport... full text

* Noruz appeal from Committee for Humanitarian Assistance to Iranian Refugees (CHAIR)... full text

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THE IRANIAN

New: Sports section

We are gradually expanding our sports coverage. For this we have created a whole new section for sports, containing all previous and recent features on the subject... Go there

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NOSTALGIA

* 1974 Asian Games waterpolo champions

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SPORTS

* Iran, Ghana, Hungary, Jamaica in World Cup warm up games in Tehran, (Tamashagaran)... full text in Persian

* Iran's chances in winning the World Cup, (Reuters) - Brazil, who play Germany in a friendly in Stuttgart on Wednesday, are still firm 3-1 favourites to win this year's World Cup in France... full text

* Iran's team gets serious in training for the Cup, (Philadelphia Inquirer) - Iran, which for political reasons is the most interesting of the United States' opponents in the first round of this year's World Cup, is starting to get serious with its preparations... full text

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

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

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SATIRE

Closed shop

* Some chicken farms have stopped producing eggs and ... click here

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

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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.

* 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.

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CLASSIFIEDS

Seeking artist to draw for Sportestan site

We are looking for an artist who can draw sketches for Sportestan in color. The person we are looking for is a freelance artist who can take our old pictures and make a water-based drawing in color. There is some superposition work involved. The artwork will be the drawing of two people standing next to each other. We are looking for a talented person and we will pay him/her based on a modest budget we have. Perhaps a college artist who is about to graduate and would want to do this as an internship yet we will pay.

Email ish@sportestan.com
Tel (U.S.): 650-327-1919

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LETTERS

We're not THAT nice

Regarding "Iranian hospitality attack," is Mr.Taghavi talking about Iran? is he dreaming or what? I travel to Iran frequently but, I have never met anyone like what he has described. Will he give us some of those people's address please. It is true that we are nice people and "MEHMAN NAVAZ" but not to that extent. Leo Zandieh <odn_Zandieh@Ohio.Gov>

Thank you, Lily

Thank you very much for including me [Music: Lily Afshar] in The Iranian. I appreciate all your efforts on my behalf. The past few days I have heard from so many old friends. This would not have happened without your support. Lily Afshar, <lafshar@msuvx2.memphis.edu>

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LOST & FOUND

Golestan Koodak, Parthian

My name is Shirin Zavosh I am looking for classmates I went to school with from Golestan Koodak and Parthian International elementary schools in Tehran. My email address is <zen6@ix.netcom.com>

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BOOKSTORE

Book of the week

Borrowed Ware : Medieval Persian Epigrams
Dick Davis / Hardcover / Published 1997
See feature in THE IRANIAN. Click here

THE IRANIAN Bookstore

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EVENTS

* 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.

* From Nezami to Puccini: The Foundation for Iranian Studies (FIS) Announcement of the 1998 Noruz lecture by a distinguished scholar of Iranian studies: The FIS 1998 distinguished lecturer is Professor Peter Chelkowski, Hagop Kevorkian center, New York University. The topic is "Seraching for Turandokht: From Nezami to Puccini." Time and Place: Monday, March 23, 1998, 7pm - 8:30pm Ballroom, Marvin Center The George Washington University 800 21st Street, N.W., Washington, DC. All welcome, attendance is free. G. R. Afkhami <gafkhami@pipeline.com>

* 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

Simming joob

* It's hot, there's cool running water, and you're just a kid... full image

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

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MUSIC

Sandy, "Khadijeh"

(Get RealAudio)

Greatest pop CDs ON SALE!

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QUOTE UNQUOTE

The spirit that binds us

On March 21, all peoples of Iranian heritage will celebrate the first day of spring and the arrival of the Iranian New Year 1377. I join with Americans of Iranian heritage in celebrating the spirit of community that binds us together as one nation and in hoping that the day will soon come when the United States can once again enjoy good relations with Iran.

Bill Clinton
U.S. president
Noruz message, 1998
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