The Iranian Times

Friday July 9 1999 / Tir 18, 1378, No. 765


Sehaty Foreign Exchange


    Rumi


Minorities

Saving Jews
The Iranian "Schindler List"

By Fereydoun Hoveyda
July 9, 1999
The Iranian

Amid all the distressing news about possible extremist motives behind the arrest of 13 Jews in Iran, one wonders why some 30,000 Jews have chosen to remain in Iran despite the often hostile religious fervor of the post-revolutionary era. The fact is that prejudice and discrimination towards Jews has been relatively mild and Iranian Jews have strong nationalist feelings. The following is not an example of just one man's kindness towards Jews, but an example of the close bond between Iranians in general, even under very dangerous circumstances. Thanks to Farhad Sepahbody for forwarding this piece. -- Editor

In June 1940, embassies were transfered from Paris to Vichy which had become the capital of the new French Government. In each embassy residence in Paris a caretaker was left behind...

At that unfortunate time many Iranian Jewish families lived in Paris. My uncle who liked to entertain, established close contacts with the German authorities and at the outset made it clear to them that Iranian jews were Iranians since the time of Cyrus the Great and therefore fell under the protection of Iranian laws like any other Iranian ... GO TO FEATURE

Poetry

But a sigh
Ahmad Shamlu's "Beh joz aah-e hasrati keh baa man nist"

Translated by Laleh Khalili
July 9, 1999
The Iranian

The following poem was published in Iran daily (July 6, 1999) following Ahmad Shamlu's recovery from recent ailments. It is dedicated to his many admirers.

The first that I saw the world
I howled in exultation:
"I am -oh!-
that ultimate miracle
upon the small planet of water and verdure!"... GO TO FEATURE


Outlook

Iranian engineering students ready for 21st century

IEEE magazine
July 1999

To outsiders, Iran seems a country sometimes at odds with the 20th century, but during a recent visit, [U.S.] Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers President Ken Laker found its engineering students ready for the 21st century.

Laker joined Region 8 Director Rolf Remshardt on a four-day visit with the IEEE Iranian section this February. He visited the universities of Tehran and Isfahan as well as a communications research center ... FULL TEXT

Thanks to Anoosh Hosseini


    Anyway

They're MEIN!

By Susannah Herbert in Paris
Daily Telegraph, London
July 8, 1999

AN exiled Iranian diplomat has laid claim to a pair of early Adolf Hitler watercolours discovered in Teheran and called on the Iranian government to "give back these stolen goods".

Dr Amir Aslan Afshar, former chief of protocol to the late Shah of Iran, was astonished this week to see that the two views of Vienna he bought as curiosities from an art dealer have been put on display in Teheran by a state-run body, the Mostazafan Foundation.

Dr Afshar said yesterday from his summer home in Nice: "They are definitely mine. I bought them on May 8, 1969, and on Nov 20, 1971, from a picture dealer called Imhoff in Vienna. I have all the documents to prove it. They have both been authenticated as the work of Hitler and naturally I would like them back."

Thanks to Reza


More Letters

* Khaaleh & Khaalu

Hossein B. Zadeh writes: In reference to the quote of the day on July 7th (Khaalam agar reesh daasht daaeem meeshod = If my aunt had a beard she would be my uncle), this is not really how the saying goes. The original is this: "Khaalam agar khaayeh daasht khaalu meeshod" (If my aunt had balls, she would be my uncle.). Note the repeated use of "kh" beginning.

Reply from Simin Habibian the author of "1001 Persian-English Proverbs": Yes, you are right, that is another way of saying it and maybe the original one.

In the first edition I had some proverbs such as: "Aadam-e beekar javaldouz beh kha.. khod meezanad" or "Bad bakhty keh baaz aayad g... vaghte namaz aayad", "G... beh shagheegheh che rabti daareh?" and some others.

A few people called me and said their children read this book and these words should not be there. Since I wanted the kids be able to use the book, I decided not to use some or use the polite version of them in the second edition. Thanks for noticing.

* We have you...

Azadeh Azmoudeh, Sofiya Azmoudeh write: Good job. I really enjoyed reading your articles specially one about the root of the words ["Khiyaar chambar"]. Some of them are silly, but the rest was marvelous. I agree: I mean why should we hang on to our past to say we are someone and have this and that kind of culture?As long as we, ourselves, don't believe in who we are those words are worth nothing.

We have you -- and more sophisticated than that -- we still have writers like Hooshang Moshiri whose writings put Faulkner to rest! Thanks for the work and keep it up. You have our support.


* Reading: Nahai's reading in Los Angeles

Gina B. Nahai, author of the best-selling "Moonlight on the Avenue of Faith" will be reading at the Skirball Cultural Center in Los Angeles on Tuesday, July 13, 7:30 p.m. (2701 North Sepulveda Blvd. 405 Freeway: Exit Skirball Center Drive). Tel: (310) 440-4500. This will be her last reading before the Fall.


Book of the Week

The Stone
A Persia Legend of the Magi

By y Dianne Hofmeyr, Jude Daly (Illustrator)

This exquisitely illustrated story spins anew the famous tale of the Magi. It is a retelling of the Persian legend, as told to Marco Polo in the 13th century, whereupon three astronomers, Jasper, Melchior, and Balthasar, who are also healers and holy men, follow a bright star in the sky to witness the birth of a king. Upon greeting the child, the three men present gifts of gold, incense, and myrrh. The child accepts their gifts, but also endows the three men with his own offeringa stone. It proves to be a solid symbol of belief that gives off a fervor of fire. Daly's illustrations perfectly capture the arid landscapes and the starry night sky, and her intriguing perspectives and inventive use of the page combine ancient, simplified forms with more elegant lines. The book has broad appeal, giving a fresh new shape and texture to a familiar story -- Kirkus Reviews ... GO TO BOOK

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Video of the Week

Ragbaar

Bahram Bayzaie's unforgettable love story starring Parviz Fannizadeh, Parvaneh Ma'sumi and Ali Keshavarz.

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More news

Intelligence Ministry drops charges against newspaper

TEHRAN, July 8 (Reuters) - Iran's powerful intelligence ministry on Thursday withdrew a complaint against a leading moderate newspaper, raising hopes that the banned daily would be allowed to resume publication. ``The intelligence ministry withdraws its complaint in line with its firm policy of non-partisanship...and for the sake of maintaining calm, avoiding tension and backing the government's policies on political development and legal press freedom,'' it said in a statement carried by the official news agency IRNA ... FULL TEXT

Rafiqdust to quit as head of Foundation for the Oppressed

Tehran, 7th July (IRNA - BBC Worldwide Monitoring) -- The head of the Foundation for the Oppressed and War-Disabled [Mohsen Rafiqdust] said on Wednesday [7th July] that he was "ready to leave the post to a younger and more powerful" person ... FULL TEXT

Leading Iranian dissident dies

July 8, (BBC) - A leading Iranian dissident, Ayatollah Mehdi Ha'eri- Yazdi, has died in Tehran at the age of seventy-five. He was an acclaimed Islamic philosopher, theolgian and author and taught in several foreign academic institutions, including Oxford University. Mr Ha'eri-Yazdi was a former student of the late Ayatollah Khomeini but was critical of the country's clergy which came to power following the Islamic revolution in 1979.

Britain says Iranian government reforming itself

WASHINGTON, July 8 (Reuters) - Britain believes the Iranian government can reform itself from within and sees signs it is moving in that direction, a British minister said on Thursday. Foreign Office junior minister Geoff Hoon also said he had assurances that Iranian Jews detained on suspicion of spying will receive family visits and legal representation ... FULL TEXT

Israel denies holding Iranians

JERUSALEM (AP) -- The Israel army today denied an Iranian claim that it has been holding four Iranians since they were kidnapped in Lebanon in 1982. ``Israel never held and doesn't hold any kidnapped Iranians,'' the army said. ``The Iranian government knows this and is apparently spreading these lies. This is an attempt by Iran to shirk its responsibility for the fate of Ron Arad.'' ... FULL TEXT

Iran private ``bank'' says thriving

TEHRAN, July 7 (Reuters) - Iran's first private credit institution aims to improve banking services and help lift the country's huge property market from stagnation, its vice-president said. ``We are after a banking system without bureaucratic red tape,'' Shahram Salmasi of the Credit Institution for Construction Development told Reuters in an interview late on Tuesday ... FULL TEXT

Iran sees OPEC output cuts until March 2000

DUBAI, July 8 (Reuters) - Iran said on Thursday that OPEC states would maintain oil production cuts until March 2000. ``All member countries are for full compliance (with the cuts) until March 2000,'' Iran's OPEC governor Hossein Kazempour Ardebili told Reuters by telephone from Tehran ... FULL TEXT

Book on Iranian cinema

Tehran, (Neshat) - "Life & Art: The New Iranian Cinema" is a book published in London by the National Film Theater with reviews of the top 50 Iranian films ... FULL TEXT IN PERSIAN

Makhmalbaf's latest "bombs" in Italy

Tehran, (Neshat) - Mohsen Makhmalbaf's new film "Sokut" (Silence) was screened in Italy but it did not sell many tickets. Jafar Panahi hope's his film "Ayeneh" (The Mirror) will do better ... FULL TEXT IN PERSIAN

Parvin should be careful

Tehran, (Neshat) - News reaching from the Persepolis camp is that Ali Parvin is become a little testy, threatening his players that if they do not do as he says, they may not be wearing a red jersey after the mega match with Esteqlal on Sunday. Hmmm... bad karma ... FULL TEXT IN PERSIAN

Din-Mohammadi going to...

Tehran, (Neshat) - ... Germany! Yes. Another soccer star will leave for Deutchland after Sunday's Persepolis-Esteqlal match. He prodicts his team (Esteqlal) will win ... FULL TEXT IN PERSIAN


BBC

Persian Service


$ Rate

Updated July 9

Buying: 880-915 tomans per dollar

Selling: 920 tomans per dollar

Source: Sehaty Exchange (U.S.) Tel: 602-595-0777

Mention this code for a better rate: FA 37 B

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The Web

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Iranian Yellow Pages in Stockholm

Impressive... if you have the Persian font to read it.

Beyond Iran

Hunger Site

Make a FREE donation of food for the hungry, paid for by corporations.

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Quote Unquote

You go girl!

Half the engineering students that the IEEE officers met in Iran were women, a far higher percentage than in the west.

-- Feature on the visit to Iran by the president of the U.S. Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers.
IEEE magazine
July 1999


Photo of the Day

With the Brazilian soccer team


Music

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Siavash

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* Chikeh chikeh

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