webgardian

A Blog to Vote For

2006-10-01T03:28:00.000-07:00

Haitham is a great blogger who covers different issues in Middle East. He has been Middle East editor in Global Voices. I really enjoyed to collaborate with him. I learned a lot from him too.His blog is candidate on BOBs competition.I invite you to vote for him and read his great blog.

Door to Iranian dialogue creaks open

2006-09-27T12:27:00.000-07:00

Former secretary of State ( Bush family good friend), James Baker pushes for a US-Iran dialogue.

Khatami's Speech in Harvard

2006-09-27T05:54:00.000-07:00

REAL Player Only

Letter to America

2006-09-26T22:50:00.000-07:00

Ganji has published an article in Washington Post where he invites USA and Iran to direct talk.

I think it is great to see such a proposition.We should not forget during Iran Gate, these two countries have been engaged in direct talk. USA wanted hostages in Lebanon and Iran bought weapons.If you read USA Congress report on Iran GAte you realise things could move further between two countries but.....

Imagining Ourselves/ Submit your Photos

2006-09-25T13:12:00.000-07:00

What defines your generation of women? For the past few years, our team has been in touch with hundreds of thousands of young women around the world, asking them this very question.Read More

A Wallace Interview in 1974, guess with who?

2006-09-25T02:43:00.000-07:00

His interview with Ahmdinejad was not that good but what is about this one. Click Here, History is waiting for u.

Washington Post: A Virtual Dialogue Between Iran-US

2006-09-24T13:19:00.000-07:00

Washington Post:Proximity talks" is the phrase diplomats sometimes use to describe the process of indirect signaling and negotiation that takes place when two parties aren't actually talking. That's what has been happening over the past few weeks with the United States and Iran, and it has been an intriguing -- if somewhat opaque -- process for journalists like me to watch. Where is this non-negotiation leading? That's anybody's guess. But I can at least suggest some useful background reading, as we take our seats for the main event. And I'm looking forward to suggestions from Iranian bloggers about how to understand what's happening....

Join the dialogue and read comments.

Uncovering Iran

2006-09-23T07:54:00.000-07:00

Watch this on BBC

BBC takes a fascinating look at life for Iranian Jewish Community

2006-09-23T05:02:00.000-07:00

Click Here

Global Voices wins $10,000 Knight-Batten Innovations Award

2006-09-23T04:23:00.000-07:00

COLLEGE PARK, Md. – Global Voices Online, a web site about how news affects daily life and conversations in more than 130 countries, is this year's $10,000 Grand Prize winner in the Knight-Batten Awards for Innovations in Journalism.

The site uses skilled multilingual editors to find and publish thoughtful or entertaining bloggers who discuss what people are talking about in a given country. Blogs are organized by country and by topics. Global Voices Online also uses podcasts to inform readers and start conversations.

"It's an extraordinary site that allows for both editorial gatekeeping and wide access to news and information from underreported parts of the world," said the panel of judges.

The judges also credited the project and its corps of bloggers with helping to elevate standards in the blogosphere. Global Voices is sponsored by Harvard's Berkman Center for Internet and Society.

Oil Giant Total wants no Sanctions against Iran

2006-09-22T09:25:00.000-07:00

According to Le Monde, Total does its lobbying to persuade French government not to back any sanctions against Iran.

Total followed same starategy in Saddam's Iraq.

The NewYork Times & Ahmadinejad

2006-09-22T02:39:00.000-07:00

American Thinker:....Another aspect of Ahmadinejad’s leadership style that appeals to the New York Times is his economic populism. The article quotes Ahmadinejad as saying that “parliament and government should fight against wealthy officials,” who “should not have influence over senior officials” and who “should not impose their demands on the needs of the poor people.” As for the poor people, Ahmadinejad “promises to improve the lives of the poor” by forcing banks to lower interest rates, offering inexpensive housing loans, promoting “development projects” throughout the country, and trying to inject oil revenue into the economy.

Naser Zarafshan won a scholarship in Sweden

2006-09-22T02:11:00.000-07:00

Human right activist, writer and lawyer won a scholarship in Sweden. He can go to Sweden for a year now.This prize is given to him for his suffering as a writer and so on.

Zarafshan is a great human right activist who had been jailed for his ideas. Zarafshan recently called Fakhravar, so proclaimed student leader( NeoCons darling)a very suspicious case. He also mentioned he created a lot of trouble for political prisoners in Iran and had never sent to prison for political activities.

Dutch Money for Regime Change in Iran, this time is in Euro!

2006-09-22T02:07:00.000-07:00

According NRC HandelsBlad:Jennifer Windsor, director of Freedom House in the US has confirmed that
it received EUR 630.000 this year from the Dutch ministry of Foreign
Affairs. The Dutch money is meant to be used to set up a web platform
www.goozarorg for members of the Iranian opposition. The newspaper notes
that Freedom House absolutely opposes religious dictatorships such as that
in Iran. NRC also notes that an Iranian satellite channel was declared
illegal in Holland last year on the ground that it was disseminating
hatred. NRC refers to the Financial Times as a source for describing
Freedom House as one of the organisations receiving funding from the US
State Department for clandestine operations in Iran (it also refers to its
past support for the invasion of Iraq). Asked for a reaction, the
Netherlands ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Kees Jan Ouwerkerk
stated that recipients of Foreign Ministry aid could not be identified.
NRC also described an offical Nl program of EUR 15 million supporting a
training program for Iranian journalists, a radio station directing
transmissions at Iran and the World Press photo organisation.

The timing of this leak is interesting: on the same (front) page NRC
described the sensitive state of negotiations between the EU and Iran,
under the header: "Solana positive about nuclear consultations with Iran."

Hizbollah & Unlicensed Rally

2006-09-22T00:42:00.000-07:00

I just read that in Global Voices:

"Hizbullah is holding an unlicensed rally on Friday, which is expected to attract hundreds of thousands of their supporters celebrating their “divine victory” over Israel. The Lebanese Interior Ministry, which normally issues permits for such mass gatherings, has not even been approached or asked for permission. Security for this rally will be handled by Hizbullah, the militia that many still insist is not a state within a state, Abu Kais report."

Reuters: Conversation with Ted Turner

2006-09-17T08:50:00.000-07:00

Reuters Newsmaker:As the United Nations General Assembly convenes in New York this September, Reuters invites you to glean insight into the United Nations. This Reuters Newsmaker features A Conversation with Ted Turner. Nearly a decade ago, Turner pledged to donate $1 billion through the UN Foundation for United Nations programs over a ten-year period. As that anniversary approaches, Paul Holmes, Reuters Political and General News Editor, will sit down with Turner to discuss his investment, his views of the current state of the United Nations, and what’s next for the often controversial organization. The audience will participate in the conversation through an open microphone session followed by a reception.

Last year event was about Iraq war.

Look at Western Magazines in Iran

2006-09-17T00:15:00.000-07:00

Swedish Blogger shares us his photos from his trip to Iran

Abtahi, former vice president talks about 11 September

2006-09-16T10:17:00.000-07:00

I just received an email ( I think many others got it too) from Mohammad Ali Abtahi, blogger & former vice president.
He talks about 11 September, religion and media.

Religion and Media
Seyed Mohammad Ali Abtahi

I believe all those who have had “religion” or “the media” as their field of study or area of experience, in recent years, especially after the bitter catastrophe of September 11, are faced with two essential questions:

Why have the borders of religious “difference” become more prominent and why have the identity factors become clearer?
How can the media diminish religious alienation and support inter-religious dialogue?

On account of my personal experience in the media (radios, televisions, the press and weblogs) and also my involvement and employment in “the dialogue of cultures and civilizations” and “interfaith dialogue”, I am trying to account for these two questions.

September 11 signaled a new danger to our world: the danger of legitimizing identities transforming into resistance identities. Legitimizing identities can be constructed by influential cultural institutions such as religion, and be spread by social activists and through rational synergies. However, resistance identities are normally formed in dangerous unstable situations by excluded groups. Resistance identity is, in fact, a kind of extremist violent self-expression in circumstances where the possibility of peaceful and dialogue-based relations is denied. What the event of September 11 is a consequence of is the expression of resistance identity or more appropriately the reflection of violence and terrorism in the cast of fundamentalism. Such a type of fundamentalism can be explained and analyzed within the framework of the same process mentioned regarding identity.
Divine religions, by reason of their strong bonds with man’s nature, can construct his legitimizing identity both in his individual and social sides. The issue has started from where, instead of fulfilling this critical role, religion has taken form as “resistance identity”. “Resistance identity” is a social construction and is a product of unjust political, economical and cultural changes worldwide.

“Resistance identity” can be constructed with religious, ethnical, national and even gender-related bricks. In today’s globalized world we are seeing violent extremist types of alienation, narcissism and fundamentalist religious, national, ethnic gender-related phobias which, near and far, have tightened the ring of dialogue, tolerance and coexistence in the world. These alienations, phobias and narcissisms, although more dangerous when religious, are not limited to religion in the first place and moreover are not limited to a specific religion. The roots of their construction and aggravation cannot be narrowed down to religion in general or any particular religion. September 11 proved that the most advanced parts of the current civilization is prone to harm from its most marginalized parts and the source of this vulnerability should be found in different layers of politics, culture and economy. The power of “identity”, if understood clearly, is a destructive one under any given title including religion, nationalism, ethnicity or gender.

Globalization and inclination towards universal features is only one of the directions of today’s world. The other direction is localization and the growth of particularistic features. Religion, politics, culture and economy should think up solutions between these two worlds. Inclusivism and exclusivism are two different approaches that can involve religion as well as politics, economy and culture. The first approach does not view its borders of difference as closed and rigidified and believes in a flexible dynamic identity. However, the second approach defines its borders of difference as separation and distance from the others and relies on a violent fundamentalist identity. The world can have a dominant inclusivist direction, whereas after September 11 it has unfortunately had an exclusivist direction. The media can work to weaken or strengthen any of these directions as well.

After September 11, most media have functioned to strengthen the points of difference or violent identity-forming aspects. Such a function can be the consequence of various factors: firstly, the violent frightening voice of fundamentalism has been a very loud voice which has reached ears more quickly and clearly than the soft peacemaking voice of religions. Secondly, religious fundamentalists, unlike traditionalists, have made wide use of new technology and media and, as a result, the level of dominance of fundamentalist leaders such as Bin Laden and Zawahiri over the new media spaces and tools has unprecededly increased in the recent years. Thirdly, international media, due to their press methods, have looked for “oddity” and “conflict” and have, therefore, paid more attention to religious differences than similarities. Fourthly, the media image of the East in the West and the West in the East has been a distorted, caricatured, or at least collaged one than a realistic image in natural proportions. An analysis of the contents of the news conveyed by world’s most effective news agencies, the press, radios and televisions very well proves that Islamophobia, heterophobia xenophobia and other forms of alienation have been their dominant characteristic. Nevertheless, in this approach, the role of the element of politics and especially, the lobby of extremist religious-political groups can be considered prominent and effective.
In spite of this distorted image of the element of religion in the contemporary world, we can signify the role of inclusivism and inclination towards openness and dialogue, which is embedded in religion. Basically, religious texts have always provided the grounds for opening doors to dialogue, both in content and form. What religion considers a rule is dialogue and forgiveness and what it considers an exception is conflict. However, fundamentalists and the fundamentalist image of religion are against this old deep-rooted tradition. Human beings, on account of being of the same kind but having differences, turn to dialogue to find their points of similarity and it is natural that the system of religion recognizes this intrinsic disposition. Both in the holy Bible and the Koran we repeatedly see that we are addressed as “humans”. This address elevates us from “individuals” to “persons” or parties of dialogue who are addressed by the holy voice. As said by the Koran, people of hell and torture are those who have been denied the blessing of “listening to the truth and turning to rationality” ([67:10] they also say, "If we heard or understood, we would not be among the dwellers of Hell!"). In the Islamic outlook, inviting others to the truth and guiding them is basically of a dialogue nature. The holy Koran states, ([16:125] you shall invite to the path of your Lord with wisdom and kind enlightenment and debate with them in the best possible manner) – best in wisdom.
Even in other eastern religions we can extensively see the dominance of the wisdom of dialogue over the manner of force and violence. In the book “conversations”, Confucius includes different examples of religious grounds for dialogue. In his fourth book “the art of teaching and learning” he states, “he who possesses ethical virtues speaks softly … this softness and quietness in speech is not an easy thing. In this world, most people are aggressive towards one another. Restraining oneself from excitement, grudge or aggression is a very difficult task, to relieve oneself from such difficulty there is no other way than speaking quietly and softly. Dialogue, in its modern usage, which is the result of a number of changes in the modern man’s epistemological outlooks, also has a privileged status in modern religious literature and in humanistic and democratic versions of religion. Therefore, many contemporary Muslim, Jewish and Christian theologians have paid a lot of attention to it. Formulation of the idea of dialogue, in its modern sense, can extensively be seen in the works of Muslim thinkers and modern reformists from Iran or other Muslim countries. Christian and Jewish religious philosophers and thinkers have also been effective in the design and promotion of the idea of dialogue.

Can this religious approach not be an indicator of inclusivism and inclination towards dialogue in religions? Why has the rough rootless voice of the fundamentalists shadowed the noble soft voice of the dialogue? Replacing this voice of violence with a soft voice is the task of religious media in our current world. But unfortunately there are not so many media that care about this important duty and those which do care are rarely heard.

Can international dialogues, considering the political restrictions they have, give open, pluralist, multi-minded behavioral patterns a chance to be expressed? My answer to this question draws upon the new role of the media in the communication age and the manifestation of a positive network society.
Turning to “dialogue” with an all-inclusive humanistic approach is considered the dominant argument in the cultural domain. This argument is mostly based upon common global issues and “collective fears and hopes of man in today’s society”. In this assemblage of dialogue, although there is little reliance on “state-nations”, there is far more reliance on “humanity” in its universal sense, units smaller than a government such as civic societies and units larger than a government such as cultures and civilizations. The culture in this pattern has taken a basic role and there is more emphasis on cultural bonds than on political ties. The cultural turn to the pattern of dialogue and the stress on “networks” instead of monodirectional vertical relations has created the possibility of dialogue and manifestation of the inclusivist direction of religions.

In fact, reorganization of the global order is beyond dialogue in the real world and will not occur unless the world is viewed as different cultural and social networks.

In order for us to reach “communicative understanding” we should put more emphasis on “communicative competence”. By communicative competence I do not only mean the techniques of the media and competence in the communicative language. Communicative competence means finding enough cultural competence in communication with our surrounding world and different minds and purposes. We are required to understand each culture internally and from within that culture in order to discover the language of dialogue with it.
This communicative competence is required for the fulfillment and maintenance of equal dialogue between religions, cultures and civilizations. The dialogue nature and features of each religion, civilization or culture are important. However, the way this nature and these features are interpreted, explained and, most importantly, understood by the parties is of more significance. “Communicative understanding” and “communicative competence” are among those synergies that can be used by the media in a way to pinpoint and strengthen dialogue values and traditions that are embedded in each religion, and to fortify the ethics of dialogue.

Global communicative media and tools, contrary to the universal human disposition that is against violence, have raced each other to aggravate violence and have practically been in the service of the growth of religious violence. Violence-seeking religious leaders have also used this possibility to organize extremist religious forces and introduce exclusivist figures, who automatically find the required charisma and attraction, as models and profited from the media that constantly prefer violence to other news and tend to expand the radius of violence. In the West, exclusivist churches took advantage of the media and made Islamophobia the main seat of the western mentality and in the Muslim society, as well, extremist movements profited from the media and aggravated the fear of the West. This race has escalated to pose the future of humanity a much higher danger than that of September 11.
At this juncture, as religion strengthened and formed bonds with the media, extremist religious leaders found it easier to make instrumental use of religion. Nevertheless, making instrumental use of religion and religious emotions to the political advantage of the strong is neither so complicated nor new. Although this dangerous game has always been started by political planners, it has never ended by its initial starters. An example of this would be Afghanistan, where the West organized the Muslims to overthrow the Soviet Union during the Cold War and meanwhile talked of Afghan guerilla fighters (the Mujahedeen) with high reverence. However, when political goals of the West were fulfilled the movement of the Mujahedeen in Afghanistan gave birth to the Taliban and al-Qaeda and this trend was not ended until the catastrophe of September 11.

Religious authorities and owners of the media should work hand in hand to replace the exclusivist religion with the inclusivist religion. Because advertising violence under the name of religion, more than anything else, causes religious values to lose color and is to the disadvantage of the shared religious essence, which has been sent down by God to carry the message of peace and life. Because most of the people who are interested in staying religious as well as living without violence will almost certainly sacrifice religiousness for better living.

The ethics of dialogue do not suggest negative tolerance but positive opposition and this is the essence of divine religions and the spiritual disposition. Only for the sake of observing dialogue ethics one should not just bear the others but work with them. Dialogue ethics, however, is a part of the current world’s urbanization and the foundation for democratic ties. This urbanization enables members of the society to listen to one another, and drives the political culture towards mutual respect, social and political contribution, freedom and observing the essential rights of the others.
Such urbanization requires powerful civic institutions, media and ties directed towards dialogue. In this approach, relationships have a “dialogue-opening” direction which means increasing the channels of communication between the listener and the speaker and deepening mutual understanding and democratic outlook and behavior.

“The communication age” as said earlier can become “the dialogue age” and the “Network society” can organize network order, on the condition that it can hear the silent voices of the world in cultural and urban domains. Life in the mediated world is not the need of our age. We can on one side see the virtual dominance of reality but on the other side there is possibility for speaking and listening in order to see the truth and turn to objectivity. Religions, also, can turn to the second side and the media, as well, can adopt fast, cheap and abundant distribution of information and knowledge in this direction.

So, there is a new vision for illustrating the role of the media and religion in promotion of inclusivism. And as Sohrab -Iranian poet- put it, we just need to wash our eyes and look in a different way.

Mohamadali Abtahi

Shargh newspaper was banned for this:

2006-09-15T12:16:00.000-07:00

Another Rule of the Game:

Khatami in USA

2006-09-10T09:46:00.000-07:00

I do not understand why many hate to see Khatami in USA.It seems President Bush gave order to give him visa and he has been invited by many universities and religious institutions.Khatami in an interview with an american journal said Holocaust is a reality and we should learn lessons from it.Well, he is not a saint and he lost a lot of opportunities during his persidential "rule" but there are many dictators visit USA without any problem....then why not Khatami.

I think we should not put all IR guys in a same basket.But we should not see in them a super hero either....If not disappointment will be at "rendez vous"!

Second Cultural Revolution!

2006-09-09T13:52:00.000-07:00

First cultural revolution happened about one year after revolution where leftwing students were attacked by Hizbollah forces. I remember Ayatollah Khomeyni said "we send our young Moslem students to the universities and they become Communists"!! Universities were shut down for two years and many students and professors were fired!One of islamist thinkers who led this "purification" was Dr.Soroush who was kicked out universities a few years later!! By the way, he always denied his role in cultural revolution but others remember him very well.

At present Ahmadinejad calls students to protest against secular professors.After he came to power, many changing happened in academic world. A cleric became head of Tehran University for the first time in history. Islamic Association in universities have been under pressure because most of them do not share Ahmadinejad's policy.Many university professors were obliged to get retired!!

I do not know it is second cultural revolution or not, but it hurts a lot!

Cool Sand Sculptures in Bruge

2006-09-06T12:36:00.000-07:00

Real art

Enjoy Beautiful Flower Carpet in Brussels

2006-09-06T12:28:00.000-07:00

Great flower carpet at the heart of Brussels. Next rendez-vous in 2008!

Dr.Ansari: US 75 MILLION Dollars to change Iranian regime is counter productive

2006-09-05T23:22:00.000-07:00

It was a great honour to interview Dr.Ali Ansari from Oxford University for Washington Prism.org. I asked him what he thinks about this 75 million dollar budget that USA government wants to use to change Iranian regime.

He said first to change regime 75 million is not a big amount of money. Second it will be counter productive. Ansari adds it is better to spend this money t o train American specialists to understand better Iran.

Freedom of Expression made Khatami a brave speaker in USA, ONLY!

2006-09-05T23:17:00.000-07:00

Former President, Mr.Khatami is a fearful man in Iran and he does not criticize Iranian government directly. If he does, he tries to use a "poetic language" in order not to become a conservative target. When his friends were arrested such as Nori, his own Minister & a cleric, he did not open his mouth!

Now he is in USA and he criticized American policy without any hesitation or a poetic language. If you want to see how freedom of expression in USA can give people chance to TALK, please look at Khatami case.

Western Media is an easy target for Iranian opportunists

2006-09-05T23:04:00.000-07:00

I think western media is a very easy target to be manipulated by Iranian opportunists. You need to have no value system and to be able to lie in a professional way. The rest of story, western media will do for you. Why? They are TOO LAZY to verify your stories and they are not in touch with reliable Iranian sources.

Who cares! A 10 minutes interview or a piece in an online magazine! We, Iranians, are a kind of fast food products. It is really funny that same magazines accused their own governments to investigate in a wrong Iranian opposition!!!Well, politicians are looking for their interests but what about u, lazy media!

Who cares! Two groups: 1- Many Iranians are really disappointed by stupidity of western media and do not see any interest to be involved with them.
2-Opportunists who jump in this easy business. Why not! Everybody is happy: Lazy journalists have their story for editorial, opportunists get their part of cake, poor western readers get completely upside down story of what really is going in Iran and continue to pay for its journal or send its donation.....

Our world is STUPID WORLD, PLEASE DON'T MAKE IT MORE STUPID!!!!!

EU members want more openness from Solana on Iran

2006-09-04T14:15:00.000-07:00

EUOBSERVER / LAPPEENRANTA - A number of EU member states are growing impatient with the secretive handling of the Iran issue by foreign policy chief Javier Solana and the EU's "big three," with most foreign ministers not having seen a key Iranian paper at a meeting in Finland.

The Iran nuclear dispute dominated the second day of an EU foreign ministers meeting in Finland on Saturday (2 September) and saw ministers agree to mandate Mr Solana to seek further "clarifications" from Tehran despite its failure to meet Thursday's UN deadline to suspend uranium enrichment.Read More

Ahmadinejad was invited to debate by bloggers

2006-09-02T14:09:00.000-07:00

Some bloggers invited Ahmadinejad to a debate.They say we are available here in Iran and it is not necessary you invite Bush to a debate.

A reformist journalist invited him to a non censored interview.

All are waiting for Presidential answer!!!

Elmar Brok ( EPP-CDU): Iran must stop to play further games

2006-08-31T07:09:00.000-07:00

Elmar Brok,CDU deputy from Germany Chairman of Committee on Foreign Affairs in European Parliament said today:

"Iran must stop to play further games with the world community", Brok stressed today in Brussels. "The World Security Council must therefore now send a strong signal to Iran and President Ahmadinedjad that the continuous offence of U.N. Security Council Resolution 1696 cannot be tolerated", Brok added.

Even though the U.N. Security Council ultimatum formally does not expire before midnight today, it is already clear that Iran has rejected the U.N. ultimatum not only verbally but has also proceeded with uranium enrichment in the meantime. "This development is alarming and requires an appropriate reaction of the U.N Security Council vis-a-vis Teheran. The reaction should, however, not run counter to possible future negotiations", Brok concluded

Ramin Jahanbegloo is Free

2006-08-30T08:41:00.000-07:00

Jahanbegloo,Iranian researcher is out of jail. He had been accused of planning a velvet revolution and collaborating with USA government.

A Letter from Iran

2006-08-29T08:51:00.000-07:00

WashingtonPrism: A Kurdish dissident remembers...

Newstatesman on Ahmadinejad's Blog

2006-08-29T05:17:00.000-07:00

Becky Hogge, Newstatesman:A friend and I used to share a joke about Iranian bloggers. Well, the joke was really on UK magazine editors. Their interest in the vast array of bloggers scrutinising the Tehran establishment came around about once a year, and each time they treated the discovery that Persian is the second most blogged-in language on the web as if they had come across Lord Lucan convalescing in a retirement village in Bournemouth. "What's hot on the net right now?" the joke used to go. "I know - Iranian bloggers!" Read More

Fear in Iran

2006-08-25T03:14:00.000-07:00

CNN:When we were last here a few months ago, everyone we spoke to, from the rich to the poor, from the moderates to the conservatives, told us they believed in their country's right to a civilian nuclear program. They felt insulted that the world wanted to withhold the chance from Iran to have nuclear energy produced by its own scientists. And there was a huge undercurrent of nationalist pride in the fact that Iranian scientists had figured out how to enrich uranium, that they would never have to be dependent on others to do that.

But now, with a new United Nations mandate to stop the program by the end of the month and in the immediate aftermath of the month-long conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, fear is creeping in to the Iranian streets.

In the past few weeks, I've been to all parts of Tehran.

In the blue-collar south, there remains defiance against the West. I was told repeatedly at a car parts market that Iran has endured sanctions before and can endure them again.

But in the north, university students spoke openly to us about their fear of the economic hardships Iran could soon face. Iran's youth make up the majority of Iran's population. The median age is 25. And there are large groups of college graduates who have no jobs. Inflation here keeps going up, so the economic situation is ripe for things to get dramatically worse if sanctions are imposed.

Elmar Brok (EPP-ED/CDU): Nuclear power row: Iran's answer is insufficient

2006-08-23T01:03:00.000-07:00

"Iran's refusal of the international Community's compromise package on its nuclear power programme is not acceptable", said Elmar Brok MEP, Chairman of the European Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee, in a first reaction today in Brussels.

"Tehran remains obliged to fulfil the United Nation's Security Council Resolution 1696. This means in particular the obligation to stop all preparations for uranium enrichment until August 31st at the latest", stressed Brok.

The Chairman pointed out to the fact that there had been more than sufficient time for Iran to answer to the compromise package proposed by the Sixpower-Delegation composed by the U.S., Russia, China, France, the U.K. and Germany. "Iran's attempt to ask for more detailed information and thus to gain further time, is detrimental to the country's credibility", Brok said.

Reza Abedini, Iranian designer Won Prince Claus Prize

2006-08-21T10:16:00.000-07:00

On Wednesday, 13 December 2006, the Iranian graphic designer Reza Abedini (1967, Iran) will be presented with this year’s Principal Prince Claus Award of €100,000 at the Muziekgebouw aan ‘t IJ in Amsterdam.

Reza Abedini (1967, Iran), Principal Prince Claus Laureate
Reza Abedini is a graphic designer and a professor of graphic design and visual culture at Tehran University. He emphasises the relationship between visual tradition and modern form, encourages research in the long and rich history of Persian art and calligraphy, and nurtures talent in the younger generations.
Read More & Watch More

Marjan Satrapi's Persepolis Becomes an Animation Movie

2006-08-19T07:47:00.000-07:00

I just read that in a Belgian newspaper.Satrapi's cult comic books become an animation movie.Catherine Deneuve is one of the voices! cool!

WashingtonPrism Filtered too

2006-08-18T00:45:00.000-07:00

Well well well...WashingtonPrism an online magazine in Persian & English was filtered two weeks ago.I have colloborated with WP for more than one year and I know how much Editor in chief was careful to publish balanced articles and interviews. Magazine was very polite regarding Islamic Republic authorities but never did any compromise.Some of WP's articles have already been republished in Iranian newspapers including conservative Keyhan.

Apostasy

2006-08-16T14:20:00.000-07:00

An Iranian Christian may face death penalty in Rasht,a northern city after being converted to Christianity seven years ago.

Iran's cyber-president

2006-08-14T08:02:00.000-07:00

Guardian We read at the end of article:"Ahmadinejad doesn't really get the point of blogging. A presidential blog is almost a contradiction in terms: blogs represent the voice of ordinary people, not politicians who are pretending to be ordinary people."

I can not agree with this kind of reasoning.There are many politicians who are blogging around the world including reformist Abtahi ( former Vice President) and Moin (former Minister of Higher education).A President or politician can blog and represent his/her personal ideas or have a direct contact with people.Blogs are out there for anyone:famous or not, politician or "ordinary citizen".

Mansour Osanloo, Bus syndicate leader is FREE

2006-08-12T10:11:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Kosoof, leading photo blogger we can see a few photos of Osanloo with family and friends after months of detention.

We Are Responsible for Ahmad Batebi

2006-08-08T12:47:00.000-07:00

Ahmad Batebi is on hunger strike and we don't hear a lot about him in Iranian sites or blogs. Many blogs are silent...what we are doing...just one week after the death of Akbar Mohammadi another student activist in prison.A life in danger and no mass reaction.......Shame on us...It is a silence that can kill and then we will have nice photos for funeral to post on our blogs.

Shirin Ebadi asks for Help in an Open Letter

2006-08-08T05:28:00.000-07:00

I just got this open letter written by Shirin Ebadi, Peace Noble Prize Laureate to ask help from international community.

There is a very important matter I would like to discuss with you. I
conduct my human rights activities through the Defender of Human Rights
Center (DHRC). I am the president of this center and we have three
important responsibilities:

a. We report the violations of human rights that take place in Iran.

b. We defend political prisoners pro bono -- about 70% of the political
prisoners in Iran are clients of our center and we do not charge them for
our services.

c. We support the families of these prisoners both financially -- if they
require financial aid -- and spiritually.

This center is a member of the International Federation for Human Rights
(FIDH) and has been registered there. It has also been awarded a human
rights prize by the Human Rights National Commission in France. This
center is very well known and credible in Iran. Two days ago the
government of Iran announced that this center is illegal and provided we
continue our activities, they shall arrest us. Of course me and the other
members of the center do not intend to shut down the center and we shall
continue our activities. However, there is a high possibility that that
they will arrest us. The government's action in this regard is illegal.

Therefore, I kindly request that you broadcast this message by all mean
and gather spiritual support for our center. This center has been
established and working for more than four years now. I believe this
decision of the government has been triggered by my memoir being
published. In any case, I am happy that my memoir has been published, for
the truth must be told.
Many thanks,

Shirin Ebadi

Sean Penn Supports Ganji & Democratic Movement

2006-08-06T13:50:00.000-07:00

After Noam Chomsky and some top intellectuals, now it is Hollywood stars turn to back Akbar Ganji & Democracy in Iran. Sean Penn met with Ganji and told Iranian democractic movement can count on him.Photo and news come from Roozonline:

Beyond Poverty: Photos & comments from Khoraamshar

2006-08-04T03:48:00.000-07:00

There are 32 great photos from Khoraamshahr that I discovered thanks to Haftan site.SOURCE
18 years after the end of Iran-Iraq war, it seems no real investment was made in this great city.Khoraamshar was considered as a resistance myth during war with Iraq.
Dr.Djalili, International Relations Proofessor from Switzerlad says after war no real investment was done in Khozestan province ( Khoraamshar is one of its main cities). Because of this lack of care & investment many people did not back to this province and the number of Arab speaking raised sharply and Persian speaking population declined.Djalili adds this will create real problems in future.

Iranian Reformists talked about Mohammadi

2006-08-04T01:27:00.000-07:00

Several Iranian reformists such as Abtahi, former Vice President and Moin,former Minister and Presidential candidate talked about Akbar Mohammadi's, activist student, death.Some called him a political prisoner and some ask for investigation to know why & how he died. Many other reformist personalities took part in a Student Association ( Tahkim Vahdat) meeting to remember him.

The Neocons' next war

2006-08-03T09:55:00.000-07:00

READ HERE

Rafsanjani writes a letter: We are not a rich family!

2006-08-03T09:18:00.000-07:00

Rafsanjani who has symoblised corruption for yeas, has written an open letter to religious students to say he is not the one you think.He explained he & his family never had any priviledge and if his sons have got high position it is just because they are smart...I do not want to say Rafsanjani is right or not but to ask a question: Why he writes the letter now? For two decades people and western media say this kind of things about his family and his fortune.He always made fun of them...now it seems things are becoming serious and he feels the heat.Ahmadinejad during Presidential election said all oil money is for one family...everybody understood he meant Rafsanjani family.I think he is not the strong man who made the IranGate deal but just another brick in the wall.

From Akbar Ganji to Akbar Mohammadi:International Pressure made a difference

2006-07-31T08:03:00.000-07:00

Today Akbar Mohammadi, student activist died in prison because of hunger strike in Terhan.Unlike Akbar Ganji, Akbar Mohammadi did not get any media coverage or strong international support when he was isolated in his cell dying from hunger!Ganji is out collecting prizes and chatting with Chomsky thanks to international pressure and domestic mobilization.Mohammadi did get none!Even when Ganji made a hunger strike call to liberate three prisoners,Mohammadi was not on the list!

Too much Busy to see it is coming....

2006-07-30T09:06:00.000-07:00

Roozna, Bozorgmehr HuseinPour

Guardian journal is wrong about Ahmadinejad's popularity

2006-07-30T08:37:00.000-07:00

I just read an article in Guardian:A year on, Ahmadinejad's popularity is soaring 21 June 2006

I think the writer is wrong: 1- The journalist quotes a political science professor in Iran and another one from a government-affiliated Institute for Political and International Studies. I think first one is going to lose his job if he criticize Iranian President and second one gets his bread directly form government.
2-The journalist talks about unknown sources too:Independent Iranian sources....how we know that they are independent...or if they are independent,are they qualified ones...

By reading Iranian blogs I can not agree with this article.There is no independent name was mentioned in this article.Maybe Ahmadinejad has become more popular but we can not come to this conclusion by reading this article!

Ganji & Chomsky

2006-07-27T13:59:00.000-07:00

It seems that Noam Chomsky & Akbar Ganji met each other in US.In mid August Ganji will announce a platform for Iranian Democratic Movement!Chomsky will join him in a press conference at that moment!

An Original Demonstration

2006-07-27T09:54:00.000-07:00

Thanks to NasleFards blog I learned about a very original demonstration against war in Lebanon.70 to 80 leftwing Iranians in red t shirts came together in Tehran and demonstrated for 50 minutes.No death wishes for Israel but just wishing peace and condemning war anywhere. At the end red tshirt demonstrators sang International song!!! Some have George Habash photos!!

Global Voices: Finalist for Innovations in Journalism

2006-07-25T05:22:00.000-07:00

Read Here

Hezbollah Site in Persian English & Arabic!

2006-07-25T04:57:00.000-07:00

A very new site from Iran

Fashion in Tehran or Show girls!

2006-07-22T03:25:00.000-07:00

See More on BBC

The List: Clerics of Consequence

2006-07-22T02:21:00.000-07:00

In mosques from Cairo to Jakarta, influential Muslim clerics shape the opinions of the faithful. Their edicts can make or break governments, drive markets, and even incite violence. In this week’s List, Foreign Policy presents a guide to some of Islam’s leading holy men.Ayathollah Montazeri is the only Iranian on the list:READ MORE

Too Much Talk about Ganji

2006-07-19T12:04:00.000-07:00

It is fascinating to read different opinions about Ganji's trip, hunger strike and speech.Here first I mention Hoder's, Canada based blogger,idea ( it has already been mentioned on Gary Sick's Golfe 2000 and Global Voices:

Is Ganji Joining Sazgara

Things have been changing in the past few days for Akbar Ganji.

Since he arrived in London, he's started using the term 'regime change' more often and also, despite what he had previously said, it's very likely that he meets with Bush. So I suspect he's now joined the "Regime Change" campaign.

There are also other evidences.

Amir Taheri, a Paris-based journalist close to the American Neo-conservatives, reports that the hunger strike is a project organized by a new coalition of Iranian opposition groups in which Ganji only plays a symblolic leadership role. Because, as the well-connected Taheri suggests, "there is agreement that the initial phase of action against the Ahmadinejad administration must be led by independentpersonalities with no partisan affiliations." Then he notes that "the new consensus is already facing its first test over the campaign launched in favour of political prisoners."Read More

Majid Mohammadi a US based scholar wrote an answer to it but Dr.Gary Sick refused to publish that. With Mr.Mohammadi's persmission I publish it here:
New wave of imaginative speculations about Ganji's agenda outside Iran reminded me of the literature and approach of Iranian security agents who connect and interrelate everything and everyone, without any evidence or empirical support, to disqualify whoever they do not like or reject any action they do disapprove. These speculations are way beyond pure conspiracy theory; they are more deceptive, pseudo-analytical and fictional, using terms like "he does not know what he is doing", "he is new to this", and " he is consciously joined this and that." The sources
of these speculations are more notorious than the claims. These speculations show that you can glue some lies (e.g . Ganji has never lived outside Iran),misinformation and stories and make yourself a pundit who sees what famous and intellectual people cannot even imagine. To put Ganji and some names in a room that Ganji has never heard of, only to support your fiction- that does not even worth a dime- not only is amoral, but also disqualify the story-teller. Khamenei would surely use these speculations to imprison Ganji for another six years. For the love of Pete, let's do not make trouble for people who do not make trouble for us.
Majid Mohammadi
SUNY-Binghamton

Wakeup, It was just a PHOTO!!!!

2006-07-18T07:57:00.000-07:00

One interesting thing in Iranian "intellectual" planet is to talk about Ganji and his hunger strike,speculating about his meeting with US President and so on. Aramesh Doostar is a Germany based philosopher whose two key books about religious influence on Iranian way of (non)thinking have been very influential on Iranian philospohers & writers.This man who has never talked about politics took a photo with Ganji and this photo was seen by thousands of wired people. Now he wrote a political piece on Gooya.com to say Hey guys it is just a photo and do not support Ganji's ideas.
Doostar writes Ganji is a brave man and journalist but his thoughts are not going on the same direction that his: 1- Ganji just mentioned we do hunger strike for liberation of three people. Doostar said why just 3 names? What about the forgotten political prisoners? 2- Ganji says we should forgive but not forget. he means we should forgive torture, oppression and security agent guys who tortured us!Doostar remind us Ganji took part of Islamic Republic establishment for many years and he participated in repressing.Doostar says Ganji can forgive who he wants but he can not talk in other people's place.

Iranian Blogger is Free

2006-07-11T13:45:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Nasle Farda blog I learned Abed Tavanche is free. Tavanche, blogger & studnet leader was jailed after a student protest movement in AmirKabir University.
He was in jail for 40 days.

When could Iran get the Bomb?

2006-07-09T00:30:00.000-07:00

The Bulletin of Atomic Scientists,David Albright, READ THIS:Answering the question of how soon Iran could produce enough HEU for a nuclear weapon is complicated and fraught with uncertainty. Beyond the technical uncertainties, several other important factors are unknown. Will Iran develop an enrichment capability but produce only LEU for use in nuclear power reactors and not any HEU for use in a nuclear weapon? Will Iran withdraw from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), expel IAEA inspectors, and concentrate on building secret nuclear facilities? How does the Iranian regime perceive the political risks of a particular action, such as trying to make HEU in the pilot plant? What resources will Iran apply to finishing its uranium enrichment facilities? Will there be preemptive military strikes against Iranian nuclear sites?

Time to Arrest Friends!

2006-07-07T22:48:00.000-07:00

In last two weeks, Iranian government arrested interesting people: Ayatollah Abtahi and Mr.Shokohi. First one whose son was a reformist Vice President, had been a supporter of Ahmadinejad during Presidential election.He & his son were sent to jail because of their belief and...regarding Hidden Imam.71 years old Ayatollah was in contact with people who have been in contact with Hidden Imam!!!Some say by putting old man in prison government wants to put pressure on his reformist son who writes what he (almost) likes about Ahmadinejad.

Second interesting case is Mr.Shokohi, editor (manager) of conservative Farda site. This man was considered for many years as a hardliner and intelligence agent.It seems Farad's hard words regarding Ahmadinejad's government & Co, led Shokohi to prison.

Ganji & Hunger Strike

2006-07-06T08:39:00.000-07:00

Ganji proposed a 3 days hunger strike all over the world if 3 political prisoners (Asdanlou, Mosavi Khoeni & Jahanbeglou) do not get liberated.He wants to attract international attention to Iran.Some political groups, blogs and ...have already supported his idea.BUT the main question is why he does not mention other political prisoners such as student leaders...Does he want to start with these three and then extend his demand to other ones? may be but we do not read such a thing in his proposal...It is a real bad mistake...Another question is what will be the world reaction and its influence on Iranian State? Honest with you I think there will be no influence on Islamic Republic.The action has more than symbolic value...it shows how many Iranians around the world are ready to follow Ganji's way...Is he "the leader" that opposition has been waiting for...or another face in the crowd...

Ganji in Germany: A Photo with Philosopher

2006-07-03T10:18:00.000-07:00

photo: Akhtar Ghasemi source:Jomhouri

Ganji took a photo with two Germany based Iranian philosophers,Aramesh Doostar & Nikfar.Doostar (older one)has written two radical philosophy books against religion & religious thinking. The books are available in Iran in underground market!

Islamic Republic: Jahanbegloo a US agent!!

2006-07-02T09:37:00.000-07:00

According to BBC Persian, Iranian scholar,Ramin Jahanbegloo is accused by the Minister of Intelligence, Ejehi, to be a US agent. He was accused to prepare an Orange Revolution ( Soviet Union style). No document to back this accusation was not revealed. Jahanbegloo's new book about India will be published in UK by Oxford in August.

A short report from European Parliament

2006-06-28T03:53:00.000-07:00

1-Several European deputies talked about human rights issues in Iran and twice Jahanbeglou's name was mentioned.

2-Iran ambassy had send a representative to attend the conference.He was surrondered by many Iranains from opposition. He said Europe always say what Iran will lose but once she should think what Europe will lose...not only 24 billion dollar business but she will lose our confidence.

3-Several Azeri seperatists were present and asked questions about how Europe will back Azeri nationalists demands!

4-British deputies were tough on Iran and one of them said we can not HAVE CIVILISED
dialogue with Tehran's regime.

A Survey about Iranian Blogs in Persian

2006-06-26T10:18:00.000-07:00

Dear friends,here is a survey, in Persian, about Iranian blogs.

دوستان گرامی لطفابه پرسشنامه زیر درباره وبلاگهای ایرانی پاسخ دهید

پرسشنامه

European Parliament: Dialogue with Iran

2006-06-25T09:48:00.000-07:00

Tommorow, Monday European Parliament will organize a conference about dialogue with Iran, human rights...all participants (as far as I know) are European Union deputies or officials. Mr.Gahler, Christian Democrat deputy from Germany, is the main man behind this conference. He is a member of European Parliament delegation for Iran.

How Iran Might answer the West

2006-06-24T06:23:00.000-07:00

Time magazine:Listen to who...Ahmadinejad, Larijani....

But the Iranians feel they're in a position of strength
Iran's leaders believe the strategic balance has shifted in their favor since the previous talks with the Europeans. Rising world oil prices and the difficulties faced by the U.S. in Iraq have increased Tehran's leverage. Iran is also aware that the consensus reached in Vienna by European leaders and China remains fragile; while the Bush Administration insists that no military option is off the table, for example, Russia's foreign minister Sergei Lavrov said the agreement rules out the use of military force against Iran "in any circumstances." These factors could embolden Tehran's negotiating stance in the hope of extracting further concessions......

Nahavandi's new book is to READ!

2006-06-22T10:57:00.000-07:00

Houshang Nahavandi, former Minister of Shah and university professor in Paris,has published a new book: Le Choc des Ambitions 750 pages English version will be out in October. You will learn a lot about iranian history. Most of the book is about Pahlavi's dynasty.We learn about Farah, Shah,Savak ( Iranian CIA), power struggle....
US ambassy hostage taking...EXCELLENT

Climbdown as Hamas agrees to Israeli state

2006-06-21T23:16:00.000-07:00

Guardian:Hamas has made a major political climbdown by agreeing to sections of a document that recognise Israel's right to exist and a negotiated two-state solution, according to Palestinian leaders.

I would like to know the reactions in Iran. Another "friend" is lost for Islamic Republic or Hamas attitude may encourage Iranians to become rational too?

Fascinating Photo

2006-06-19T06:18:00.000-07:00

click here for more

Shanghai Summit: A World to Catch!

2006-06-18T10:09:00.000-07:00

Iranian President Gives Football Lessons

2006-06-18T04:36:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Iranian.com I got it :CLICK HERE

"Don't you care if your husband takes a second wife?"

2006-06-14T14:45:00.000-07:00

BBC:
Iran Bloggers back women's protest:an eyewitness called the confrontation between the women police officers and protesters "very interesting" - and described one protester being chased by a policewoman, shouting back at her: "Don't you care if your husband takes a second wife?"

McCain on Iran

2006-06-14T14:40:00.000-07:00

The WashingtonNote:On Iran, McCain said that if he was President, he would go to Putin in Russia and Hu in China and make sure that they understood in every sense that if they continued to oppose American efforts to sanction iran's nuclear weapons efforts that their respective ties with the United States would come under tangible, real stress. I personally wasn't convinced by McCain's views on Iran, but I do believe that he realizes that taking the wrong step here or there in this brewing crisis could dramatically impact the power order in the world. He seemed to imply that America could not succeed in its objectives with Iran without getting Russia and China in line with the U.S.READ MORE

Photos: women's protest & violence

2006-06-12T13:57:00.000-07:00

Go to Kosoof for more

A Swedish Blogger Back from Iran with News!

2006-06-12T07:29:00.000-07:00

Do not miss this fascinating blog.Censored Magazines

No Ticket for Many Iranians!

2006-06-11T08:26:00.000-07:00

According to some news many Iranian could not find or buy ticket to go watching Iran's first match against Mexico.

ASM, an Iranian run Educational Center in USA

2006-06-08T23:10:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Washington Prism article, I found out Moghadam family who has started and managed a top Educational Center in USA, despite ups& downs of life.Most courses are about IT.

A Logo for World Cup

2006-06-06T23:45:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Iranian.com:

Photos: No Break for Rafsanjani

2006-06-06T05:33:00.000-07:00

According to Aftab news Rafsanjani could not deliver his speech in Qom. Some chanted
slogans such as death to anti Velayate faghi(Spiritual leader). He was forced to leave the conference place.He was used to be called strong man of regime but in recent months he tries to survive!

Give Peace a Chance!

2006-06-03T09:01:00.000-07:00

I hope Iranian government makes a compromise and accept to suspend enrichment. Fred Halliday, great academic, told me (during an interview for WashingtonPrism, that Iranian leaders in last one hundered years at important moments, made miscalculations.From Reza Shah (ignored Russian invasion) to Ayatholah Khomeyni ( continued war after 1982 to conquer Iraq).I really wish this time REASON wins.PLEASE!

Black & White Brain of Shirin Ebadi! We are lucky she was not Afghan!

2006-06-03T08:40:00.000-07:00

Mrs Shirin Ebadi, Peace Nobel laureate, symbolized Iranian culture: Black & White thinking. She, who believes in reforms and not revolution, did not take part in presidential election and boycotted that. She felt no difference between reformist Moin and Rafsanjani or Ahmadinejad! Now she says she is an Iranian and as Iranian she will defend Iran against any foreign intervention. We are lucky she was not afghan then she defended Taliban regime against American forces and afghan Northern Alliance. Imagine she had been born in Cambodia, and then she would have fought against Vietnam to protect Red Khmers in 70's!

Women's Struggle to Watch a Football Game!

2006-06-02T11:38:00.000-07:00

Photo:Omid Salehi Source: Zannevesht Blog
They wrote their slogans on their scarves.They were not allowed to watch the match and even some got beaten up.............

Remember Jailed Journalists in Iran

2006-06-01T23:04:00.000-07:00

Source is RSF ( Reporters Without Borders)Iran (12)

28 May 2006 - Ali Hamed Iman, Shams Tabriz

27 May 2006 - Vahid Dargahi, Avay Ardabil

27 May 2006 - Ali Nazari, Araz

27 May 2006 - Reza Kazemi, Araz

26 May 2006 - Ourouj Amiri, freelance journalist

25 May 2006 - Amin Movahedi, freelance journalist

23 May 2006 - Mana Neyestani, Iran

23 May 2006 - Mehrdad Qassemfar, Iran

28 April 2006 - Ramin Jahanbeglou, Indépendant

23 January 2006 - Elham Afrotan, Tamadone Hormozgan

23 January 2006 - Mohessen Dorstkary, Tamadone Hormozgan

31 October 2002 - Hossein Ghazian, Norooz

T Shirts for World Cup

2006-06-01T13:27:00.000-07:00

Click Here

The Pursuit of Pleasure: Drugs and Simultant in Iranian History, 1500-1900

2006-06-01T11:42:00.000-07:00

Rudi Matthee is Professor of History at the University of Delaware. He has published recently “ The Pursuit of Pleasure: Drugs and Simultant in Iranian History, 1500-1900”.
Our interview with Dr.Matthee is based on his book 1 and articles that he, kindly, made available for Washington Prism.Interview was published in Farsi in WashingtonPrism.

You wrote in an article 2 that conspiracy theory, a very popular theory in Iran which speculates that foreigners are manipulating the country’s affairs, is a 20th century theory, and it did not exist in the 19th century in Iran. What were the reasons which gave rise to this theory in the early 20th century in Iran?

First of all, I think it is true that there was no such a theory until the late 19th or early 20th century, but I will say that the context of Iranian history and its social ambiance was a fertile breeding ground for such a theory. Iranians were suspicious about foreigners coming to Iran. If these foreigners claimed that they had come for curiosity or to learn about Iranian culture, Iranians would not have believed them. Rather, Iranian were convinced that such foreigners had hidden motives.

Another important element is the realisation that, Iranian culture is complex; it's actually built on ambiguity but it also has a tendency to see the world in stark dichotomies, everything is either black or white. In the pre-Islamic period, there was good and bad, but with Shi’ism it became Yasid/Imam Hussein, and then, in the contemporary period, the Shah/ Khomeini. But an influential event happened in the early 20th century: a secret accord was reached, an Anglo-Iranian agreement that would have given the British control over Iran. The agreement, of course, was suspended after the Majlis refused to ratify it when various forces mounted enormous opposition to it. In the early 20th century, Iranian students came back from Europe, especially Berlin, greatly influenced by anti-Britain propaganda in Germany. After World War I, Germany was present in Iran and spread anti-British propaganda there, too. I explained that these are some of the elements that explain the emergence of a conspiracy theory, but in order to understand more of the reasons, more research must be done. Ahmad Ashraf has done great work on this issue, and he also believes that a conspiracy theory is a 20th century creation.

During the Safavid dynasty, there were clerics who declared, during the absence of the Hidden imam, that they must guide the Moslem community, rather than the Shah. Can we say that Khomeini’s theocracy (Velayate Fagihe) has its roots in this idea?

The answer is both yes and no. There were clerics who said that Iran was a Shi’te country but that the Shah drank and his behaviour was not Islamic. For them, he could not be a good shepherd for a Moslem community. A few clerics wanted to be consulted more by the Shah regarding the country’s affairs. But the Shah’s authority was never questioned. At the end of the day, the Shah was there to lead country and Ulama Moslem’s spiritual life. I think Khomeini’s idea is a new one.

During the Qajar period, we saw clerics mobilize against tobacco consumption but never against opium. What are the reasons for this?

For the answer, we should look back before Qajar’s period. Opium was deeply integrated into Iranian social and daily life. People consumed opium each morning in order to be in a good mood to go to work. There was no mention of either opium or tobacco in the Koran or Hadith. Opium functioned in Iranian society the way that wine does in French society. Many French travellers noticed this, and observed that Iranians didn’t exaggerate their opium consumption. In the Qajar period, the Shah allowed an English company to have a monopoly on the production and distribution of tobacco. Suddenly, tobacco, which was a very important thing to people, was controlled by foreigners, unbelievers, and it came to be considered impure. Of course, the economic side of this affair was important, too.

During the Safavid period, wine was drunk by the elite, while the masses consumed opium. In the Qajar period, can we consider that, for some Iranians, wine consumption became a sign that they were accepting modernity and rejecting tradition? In other words, did wine take on a cultural value?

I believe that it did. In the Safavid period, wine was consumed by the elite, and the masses drank water, Doogh. During the Qajar period, the upper middle class started to drink wine and other alcohol. There are other groups, such as the Sufis, which existed centuries before the Qajar, but during that period they were much more prevalent. They were drinking wine to defy traditional clerics, and their ideas are well present in Iranian poems such as Hafez writings.

At the beginning of the Safavaid, clerics were greatly subordinate to the Shahs. Even they justified Shah Ismail’s drinking. At the end of the Safavid’s dynasty clerics became a far more influential force in the country. How can we explain this evolution?

It had to do with the evolution of the state and politics. The Safavid was tribal and semi-tribal at the beginning, with unIslamic behaviour such as heavy drinking. Then the Safavaid shahs came to power and become urbanised. Their main revenue came from agriculture and trade. They started to marginalise the tribal forces, like the Qizelbash. Moreover, they became dependent on clerics, and on Persian speakers who were bureaucrats and who knew how to run the country, as they sought a new legitimacy. The Ulama played an important role by teaching people about Shi’isme and legitimate dynasty.

She is Iranian and She Plays Great Tennis

2006-06-01T11:16:00.000-07:00

Aravane Rezai is a 19 years old Iranian tennis player in Roland Gaross in France. She
is now at third round.According to Figaro, family borrowed money to send her to tennis tournement.

Ahmadinejad's Interview with a German Magazine

2006-05-30T06:27:00.000-07:00

Here is how a blogger look at this interview.

Interview with Elmar Brok, WashingtonPrism

2006-05-29T13:56:00.000-07:00

Interview:Elmar Brok, a member of Germany’s Christian Democrat Party, is the Chairman of the Committee for Foreign Affairs at the European Parliament.Do you think spending $85 million to promote democracy is productive or counter productive for Iran-West relations?
Democracy and human rights are universal issues. Promotion of democracy can not be counter productive to any relationship............

Jailed Blogger back Home for 10 Days

2006-05-28T13:07:00.000-07:00

Mojtaba Saminejad was sent home for 10 days:For Photo Click Here

Why Referendum Proposition did not attract People?

2006-05-28T12:47:00.000-07:00

Mr.Mohsen Sazgara's referendum proposition (Iranian people get chance to say they want Islamic Republic or not) did not attract Iranians and it can be considered a forgotten proposition. But why?

1-Never be Happened: Many believe Islamic Republic will never accept this because it means the end of regime.Then it is useless to sign petition....

2-A Bad Experience: After Revolution, a referandum was organized by Islamic leaders:
"Islamic Republic: Yes or Not".Yes won.Many now say they were not offered many options and they feel to be trapped.Outcome of referandum was Islamic Republic and the rest is history.People fear to repeat bad experience again.

3-Referandum ok, then What: Some say imagine people say no to a referandum to Islamic
Republic...then what? Will it be another one: Monarch:Yes or Not? Republic:Yes or Not?....Many believe royalists will win. First they have money to advertise Second many think a back to Shah regime can bring pre revolution prosperity

Cartoonist Affair: UnBearable Stupidity of Iranian Political Parties

2006-05-26T13:21:00.000-07:00

Several political parties or groups...better I say clubs condemned cartoonist and insult to Azeri population. Nobody explains what is the insult and why they call it insult!!!They accused Mr.Ahmadinejad of populism...they are not better.
At present many in Iran sign petition to hang cartoonist...more that 150 writes journalists supported poor guy!

Free Mana blog

2006-05-26T12:37:00.000-07:00

Here is a blog to back Mana Neyestani, jailed cartoonist. He was arrested after his cartoon in Iran newspaper provoked riots in Turkish speaking cities.

Fighting in Universities!

2006-05-24T07:00:00.000-07:00

There has been fighting between students & security forces in University of Tehran & University of Amir Kabir (Tehran) for two days.Main reason is that several professors in university of Tehran were fired without reason by government.Supporting Azeri community in cartoon affair is another reason.

When Cockroach Told Namana!

2006-05-23T05:04:00.000-07:00

In Iran newspaper, a cocroach,in a cartoon,said Namana (means What in Turkish language). Look at results: Riots in several big cities in Turkish speaking region such as Tabriz where banks were burned.Azeri students protested in Tehran.NewsPaper editor and cartoonist were arrested.Newspaper was suspended.Demonstartions go on.
Newspaper offices were burned in several Azeri cities.Reason is Azeri people say Persian speaking ones insulted them and compared them to cocroaches!!!Cartoonist is an Azeri & Turkish speaking.

Look at the cartoon which shakes country!Read More on Global Voices

Bus Syndicate Letter to International Transport Federation

2006-05-22T05:53:00.000-07:00

You can Read Letter in English Here, Thanks to our Iran based blogger.

Who Wrote Ahmadinejad's Letter?

2006-05-21T23:23:00.000-07:00

According to conservative Farda News, Mr.Djalili, deputy Foreign Minister for European & American affairs, wrote the letter without informing Motaki, Foreign affairs Minister, or Larijani,National security's speaker.

Ahmadinejad's Angels!!!

2006-05-21T23:04:00.000-07:00

ISNA ( Islamic Students News Agency)published this photo with this sentence: President's meeting with clerics in Indonesia!!!

A Few Facts About Religious Minorities

2006-05-21T12:59:00.000-07:00

Jewish, Armenian & Asyrian communities have lost more than fifty percent of their members after 1979 revolution. Most of these people left Iran because of discrimination.I remember in 1990's food stores run by religious minorities had to put a paper on their door:This store is run by a religious minority....why is that? Because for many Islamists religious minorities are "Najes" or dirty!!!Christians & Jews lost their own private schools and Islamic government controls all.To get a job first thing is to believe in Islam & Theocracy( Velayate faghi). if you are a Moslem and you are not a believer you can pretend to be a good Moslem but for somebody who belongs to other religion...game is over...or better I say game never starts.Other minorities such as Bahais or Sunnites or Evangelical Protestants or Sufists...get persecuted too.