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Rumi
Tourism
Waking the friendly giant
Why is our tourism industry so dead?
By Khodadad Rezakhani
Economic issues have always been a big subject of controversy in Iranian
circles. Time and again we have been told that oil reserves will dry up
one day and we will become dirt poor. Family "economists", aka
grownups around the sofreh on lazy Friday afternoons, always had all sorts
of opinions. The most popular was: If this country is to get anywhere,
we better close the oil wells (dar-e chaahe nafto bebandim). Sounds good,
but how? There have been countless commentaries by economists and experts,
both in support and against this idea. I am neither supporting nor opposing,
just offering a possible alternative.
I know that many people talk about Iran and tourism, almost as often
as they talk about oil. We have beautiful beaches, amazing art, and ancient
buildings. And everybody wonders why we don't even have a fraction of the
tourists other countries attract every year ... GO
TO FEATURE
Economy
Oil & foreign policy
Short-term need for cash prompt excuses
By Guive Mirfendereski
The ultimate objective in penning "Just
pretend we have no oil" was to provoke debate about the debilitating
nature of Iran's dependence on revenues from international sale of oil.
The essay elicited a range of feedback, some brutally unkind, but most
raised issues which are worth exploring further on this occasion.
In an atmosphere of mistrust and suspicion, the government seems to
favor a "pump it or lose it" policy because of its short-term
need for cash and excuses the "pump it" policy anyway on ambiguous
geological grounds. In effect, the failure of the government to foster
good neighborly relations impedes mutually beneficial exploitation of a
shared reserve. The "pump it" oil policy therefore perpetuates,
encourages, subsidizes and finances failures in foreign policy. This observation
holds true and applies equally to Iran and any other neighboring country
seized by its peculiar brand of myopia ... GO
TO FEATURE
Outlook
Cancellation threat hangs over landmark Tehran poll
on last day of campaign
TEHRAN, Feb 24 (AFP) - Candidates in Tehran's first-ever municipal elections
spent the last official day of campaigning Wednesday unsure whether the
landmark vote would go ahead as the conservative-dominated election Supervision
Council threatened to declare it null and void.
A dozen supporters of moderate President Mohammed Khatami, including
the head of the main reformist list of candidates, Vice President Abdullah
Nuri, continued to present themselves despite an order from the Supervision
Council's head, conservative MP Ali Movahedi-Savoji, barring them from
standing.
The reformist-controlled interior ministry continued to include the
disqualified candidates in lists of hopefuls to be displayed at polling
stations around the capital ... FULL
TEX
Thanks to Payman Arabshahi
Royal snapshots
My name is Kevin Rafik Ghazarians, son of the late Rafik Ghazarians
-- portrait photographer to his Majesty (The Shah Of Iran) and the Royal
family.
I have a collection of photographic (original negatives) portraits of
his Majesty and the Royal Family, including His Majesty Reza Shah II. Over
the years, I have had several inquiries to the sale of these negatives.
However, I have not pursued any of these inquiries until now.
If you are interested in purchasing any of these original photographic
negatives, please contact me at this e-mail address <kghazarians@jcnis.com>
or call me [in the U.S.] at 213.422.9013 or 818.766.0252.
Sincerely,
Kevin Ghazarians
PS. These photo's are the last portraits taken of the SHAH, the Royal
Family, and Prime Minister's . I believe the majority of original signed
portraits done by my father have been destroyed as a result of the revolution.
More Letters
* Suspicions confirmed
Stephen A. Fuqua writes:
I am not an Iranian, but I am a Baha'i and I am always concerned for my
brothers and sisters in faith that live there. Thus I find it quite refreshing
and inspiring that your magazine is willing to publish the recent
articles on the Baha'i Faith. Thank you. It goes to show that Iranians
are the good people I've always suspected them to be.
* Poetry: Hafez class in Walnut Creek
Mr. Nooh will teach a Hafez poetry class in Walnut Creek, in California's
Bay Area. It will be on Monday nights from 7PM to 9PM starting March 1st.
Please contact Camelia for more information: cmahmoudi@earthlink.net
Book of the Week
Zoroaster
Life and Work of the Forerunner in Persia
Not really a collection of sacred texts, yet crucial to an understanding
of one of the world's great religious traditions, is Zoroaster: Life
and Work of the Forerunner in Persia.
Designed for a general audience, this biography of Zoroastrianism's
prophet is sure to generate interest in the early religion of Persia from
which Judaism and Christianity drew so much. -- Publisher's Weekly
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Copyright © 1997 Abadan Publishing Co. All Rights
Reserved. May not be duplicated or distributed in any form
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More
news
Violence ahead of elections
February
24, TEHRAN, (AP) -- A gunman opened fire on a moderate party's election
headquarters Wednesday as reformers and hard-liners bickered over candidates
in Iran's first local elections in 20 years. Witnesses said there were no
casualties in the attack, in which a passenger on a motor scooter sprayed
bullets at the Servants of Construction offices in Tehran. Dozens of volunteers
were inside at the time. The gunman and driver escaped ... FULL TEXT
New intelligence chief approved by parliament
TEHRAN,
Feb 24 (AFP) - The Iranian parliament on Wednesday overwhelmingly approved
the appointment of Ali Yunesi, a 43-year-old conservative cleric, to head
the scandal-tainted intelligence ministry. A total of 197 members of the
conservative-dominated parliament, the Majlis, voted in favor of Yunesi
following two hours of debate while nine opposed his nomination and 18 abstained
... FULL TEXT
Khatami speech for Yunesi
Tehran
(Iran daily) - Here is a report in Persian on President Khatami's speech
in the Majlis today in support of Yunesi's nomination as the intelligence
minister ... IMAGE TEXT IN PERSIAN
Three killed in protests in Iranian Kurdistan:
Tehran Times
TEHRAN,
Feb 24 (AFP) - Three people were killed on Monday during protests in Sanandaj,
the main city in Iranian Kurdistan, a newspaper said Wednesday, as a Kurdish
MP criticized the handling of the demonstrations. The English-language Tehran
Times did not provide any details on the deaths, but quoted a member of
parliament from the region as criticizing the handling of the protests by
the provincial authorities ... FULL TEXT
Oil markets fixed on Saudi, Iran mystery
DUBAI, Feb 24 (Reuters) - Depressed world oil markets are asking
the big question -- are OPEC titans Saudi Arabia and Iran negotiating a
secret deal or does the silence in the Gulf mean that bad times are about
to get worse? Central to the mystery is Iranian President Mohammad Khatami's
travel plans, which could prove decisive in whether the Organisation of
the Petroleum Exporting Countries resolves the dispute over the baseline
from which Iran cuts its oil output under a cartel pact ... FULL TEXT
Pro-Ocalan demonstrations turn violent
in Iran
TEHRAN, Feb 23 (Reuters) - Demonstrations in Iran in support of
captured Kurdish guerrilla leader Abdullah Ocalan turned to violence on
Monday with protesters attacking government buildings and burning cars,
Iranian newspapers said on Tuesday. In Iran's biggest Kurdish town, Sanandaj,
police fired shots in the air to disperse demonstrators who had gathered
in violation of the governor's orders, the newspaper Arya reported ... FULL
TEXT
Pourheydari looking for a new goalie
Tehran
(Iran daily) - Iranian national soccer team's head coach is looking to replace
Gholampour as goalie ... IMAGE TEXT IN PERSIAN
Omid team going to China
Tehran
(Iran daily) - The under 21 national soccer team will go to China in early
March to play in a couple of friendlies ... IMAGE TEXT IN PERSIAN
$ Rate
Updated Feb 24
The
dollar now offered at up to 825-835 tomans
Source: Sehaty Exchange (U.S.) Tel: 602-595-0777
Business
news
The Web
Iran
British
Iranian Business Association
Newsletter to promote to promote British Iranian businessmen
in the UK.
Beyond Iran
Soldiers Without
Swords
Learn about the journalists who won
wars with words.
More
web sites
Quote Unquote
Who's who
In Iran's political arena we regard diplomats as spies, intellectuals
as mercenaries, leftists as instigators of coup d'etats or trouble-makers,
rogues as revolutionary elements, young people as corrupts, women as symbols
of satanic thoughts, and any person who wears a tie, as a monarchist.
Khordad newspaper's
critical commentary
Week of February 22, 1999
Photo of the Day
Fathali
Shah's children
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photos
Music
Musician of the Week
Vigen
* Beh khaater-e to * Mahtaab * Raghib * Saaqi
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