|
Khayyam
Cover story
Sipping lattes in diaspora
Poem
By Shafagh Moeel
December 20, 1999
The Iranian
At my third birthday party
I must've felt so sure of my life
Of my place in the world
The apple of my parents' eyes
Family everywhere I turned
Friends over every night for dinner
And children like me
Like me
All around.
Then we turned four and five years old
And our world imploded
Off trampolines we jumped
And ended up in Germany, in Italy
In Sweden, in Holland, in France,
In Canada, and the U.S.A. >>> GO
TO FEATURE
Audio
Maryam Heydarzadeh
The Iranian
December 20, 1999
A couple of years ago Maryam Heydarzadeh, a blind
teenager, recorded "Mesl-e heechkas" (Like no other), a collection
of her own poetry, and immediately captured a nation's heart. The poems
alone are incredibly tender and sad and lovely. Her childish voice only
intensifies the emotional experience. Have lots of Kleenex handy >>>
LISTEN HERE
Outlook
Nouri defiant
December 20, 1999, (Azad) -- Abdollah Nouri, who is appealing a five-year
prison sentence, has written a letter to the Special Clerical Court reitering
his defense against accusations of undermining the Islamic Republic. Must
read (PDF file) >>>
FULL TEXT IN PERSIAN
Thanks to Payman Arabshahi
Zulu
Michael Taylor
writes to The Iranian:
We are manufacturers of a wide range of traditional and contemporary
bead work with special emphasis on traditional Zulu culture.
Our designs and colour combinations are stunning and are all hand made
by rural crafts people. The product is quality controlled in our factory
before being shipped.
We are particularly able to deal with large production and long runs
of a product. We would like to contact any person who could purchase from
us ...
If you wish to purchase our products ... click on our web site www.kwazulubeads.co.za where you will
be able to view a full range of our products.
More Letters
* Kish contradictions
Reza Mousoli writes: I
have just got back from Kish island in the Persian gulf. It had been many
years since I last visited and I was keen to see the changes. I went there
for a few days with 14 other colleagues from various nationalities. We
stayed in the Shyan Hotel that was built in mid 70's. The decoration, carpets,
curtains and everything else apart from few small items were all in the
70's style. But they have not been maintained. I was told that the hotel
was closed for 10 years during the war. You could see that the building
has many sad stories to tell.
The whole island looks like one big building site. There is a huge development
by a private investor by the name of Sabet who is constructing a theme
park. I was allowed to see it; he has good ideas. Like all Iran there are
few foreign tourists that are prepared to wear the scarf and tolorate other
difficulties and travel to Iran. Kish was no exception. But most Iranians
go there to buy duty free goods. In the hotel most were carrying goods:
TVs, computers, radios, cosmetics, etc. In a beautiful island with a crystal
clear sea and corol reef; there's hardly anyone on the beach. It almost
look deserted; no swimmers in site, not even with the Islamic dress! >>>
FULL TEXT
* Arabic names
Adanzan writes: I don't have any
problem with "pure" Iranian names and I mostly agree with your
article ["No
plain Jane"].
BUT what about those Arabic names that got into our history and culture
forcefully? Why do we have ABDOLHAMID or AHMAD? Even your last name is
MOHAMMADZADEH. Does it not sound strange? Do you find it acceptable? Why
is anything that sounds Western so strange to you?
I named my son Cameron but I was criticized by my friends and even relatives.
They said why not Kamran!? I think it's just prejudice. Remember: Persian
is Indo-European and NOT Semitic like Arabic!
* Petition: Against fingerprinting
Petition against the fingerprinting and photographing of Iranian nationals
by U.S. immigration >>>
GO HERE
* Petition: Against Lufthansa
Petition against Lufthansa for its discriminatory practice of searching
Iranian passengers >>>
GO HERE
SELL
TICKETS ONLINE AT YOUR SITE
Books of the Week
* Saaniyeh-yeh
aakhar (1999)
Y2K issues in Iran
By Dr. Ali Parandeh
* Barandeh-haa
ham baazandeh-and (1999)
A memoir by a former mayor of Tehran, with photos
By Ahmad Nafisi
* Jazireh
sargardaani (2nd edition, 1998)
Novel
By Simin Daneshvar
* Mumia
va assal (1996)
Novel
By Shahriar Mandanipour
* Mehr-e
giaah (1998)
Novel
ByAmir Hassan Cheheltan
See more
Iranian books for sale
THE IRANIAN
Bookstore
Video of the Week
Through
the olive trees
This is Abbas Kiarostami's most romantic film (English subtitles). It
is the third part of a trilogy set in northern Iran. For other Kiarostami
videos, click here.
THE IRANIAN
Video Store
Copyright © Abadan Publishing Co. All Rights Reserved.
May not be duplicated or distributed in any form
|
More
news
Defiant Iran cleric challenges leader from
jail
TEHRAN, Dec 20 (Reuters)- Jailed Iranian reformist cleric Abdollah
Nouri issued a new challenge to Iran's supreme clerical leader in an open
letter written in his prison cell and published by newspapers on Monday.
``What I have published...said in court and what I have written here are
only a small part of the righteous demands of the people,'' Nouri, jailed
on dissent charges by a hardline court, said in the letter addressed to
the prosecutor >>> FULL TEXT
6,800 register to run in Iran parliament
elections
TEHRAN, Dec 18 (Reuters) - About 6,800 Iranians have signed up
to run in crucial parliamentary polls in February, which will pit reformists
close to President Mohammad Khatami against conservative opponents, election
officials said on Saturday. It is the largest number of entrants in an election
in Iran since the 1979 Islamic revolution, but the actual number contending
for the parliament's 290 seats in the February 18 vote could be much smaller
after a two-stage screening >>> FULL TEXT
Parliament gives judiciary more power in
reformist setback
TEHRAN,
Dec 20 (AFP) - Iran's conservative-led parliament on Monday handed the chief
justice sweeping new powers and administrative and financial freedoms, sources
said, in the latest setback to the reform agenda of President Mohammad Khatami.
They said parliament on Sunday and Monday passed a series of measures giving
Ayatollah Mahmud Hashemi-Shahrudi licence to annul verdicts or request new
trials if he found court decisions went against sharia or Islamic law >>>
FULL TEXT
Pollution keeps old, sick and very young
at home in Tehran
TEHRAN,
Dec 20 (AFP) - Old people and children, and people with heart conditions,
were advised Monday not to venture out into Tehran's smog-filled streets
as pollution levels rose, the official IRAN news agency reported. The municipal
authorities repeated their request to residents to avoid using their cars
if possible >>> FULL TEXT
Iran plans for 11.8 billion dollars in
oil revenues next year
TEHRAN,
Dec 19 (AFP) - Iran is planning on almost 12 billion dollars in oil revenues
for the next Iranian year which begins in March, Vice President Mohammad-Ami
Najafi said in Sunday's press. Najafi, who is also head of the state budget
and planning organisation, said oil revenues were expected to reach 11.8
billion dollars under the plan, which covers the Iranian year from March
2000 to March 2001 >>> FULL TEXT
Iran to set up Y2K crisis centre
TEHRAN,
Dec 19 (AFP) - Iran has decided to set up a Y2K crisis centre to open from
December 25 to January 6 to deal with possible problems caused by the millennium
bug in essential computer systems, the press reported Sunday. The crisis
centre will be managed by the interior ministry and will be made up of representatives
from the energy, telec- ommunications, industry, mines, transport health,
defence and foreign ministries as well as radio and IRNA personnel >>>
FULL TEXT
Iran invites foreign banks to open in free-trade
zones
TEHRAN,
Dec 19 (AFP) - Iran's central bank on Sunday formally invited foreign banks
to set up operations in the Islamic republic's free-trade zones in the Persian
Gulf, officials said. "We are ready to accept requests from private
and foreign banks for the free zones," deputy central bank governor
Nasser Yussefi-Kia said, quoted by the official IRNA news agency >>>
FULL TEXT
Siavash to Party
Tehran (Asr-e Azadegan) - Mahmoud Kalari is one of Iran's best
cinematographers. His earlier work with director Saman Moqaddam produced
one of this season's bigggest hits ("Siavash"). Now the two are
about to collaborate a new film called "Party" >>> FULL
TEXT IN PERSIAN
Busy
Tehran
(Asr-e Azadegan) - Amir Aqaie is one busy artist. He has published novels,
poetry and plays. What is he all about. An interview: >>> FULL
TEXT IN PERSIAN
Russians no
Tehran (Iran Varzeshi) - The Russians have annouced that they will
not take part in the Takhti international wrestling matches in Tehran because
the date is too close to the world championships in February. Iran is considering
postponing the Takhti event >>> FULL TEXT IN PERSIAN
Americans yes
Tehran (Iran Varzeshi) - But the Americans are still committed
to the Takhti games and will send a wrestling team to Tehran >>>
FULL TEXT IN PERSIAN
Best
Tehran (Iran Varzeshi) - Mohammad Mayeli-Kohan and Nasrollah Abdollahi
select their best soccer players of the last two decades >>> FULL
TEXT IN PERSIAN
Chichinavardi?
Tehran
(Iran Varzeshi) - One of the main goals of the women's mountain climbing
association is to start a rock climbing league (sangnavardi) >>>
FULL TEXT IN PERSIAN
BBC
Persian Service
For the latest news,
interviews and features on Iranian current affairs ... LISTEN HERE
Exchange rate
Updated December 20
Buying: 860-870 tomans per dollar
Selling: 876 tomans per dollar
CALL TOLL FREE: 877-SEHHATY (877-734-4289)
or 800-995-0264
Mention this code for a better rate:
FA 37 B
Business
news
The Web
Iran
Azary music
Huge selection of Turkish songs from a wide range of artists.
Chokh mamnoon is in order.
Beyond Iran
Gallery
of Obscure Patents
Highlighting the bizarre and the unusual, from IBM's Intellectual
Property Network.
More
web sites
Quote Unquote
Illegal
The (supreme leader), like any other citizen, is subject to the laws
of the country and cannot tread outside the law. The activity of the Special
Court for Clergy...is a clear example of stepping outside the realm of law.
-- Abdollah Nouri
Reuters
December
20, 1999
Photo of the Day
Old
man & the donkey
Music
Musician of the Week
Maryam
Heydarzadeh
Music
artists index |
