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Rumi
Drama
The drifter
Travelers in Bahram Bayzaie's work
By Kayvan Alikhani
June 24, 1999
The Iranian
I am only if I am moving,
If I stay, I do not exist.
-- Rumi
During the Iran-Iraq war in 1985, while studying for the college entrance
exam at Farhangsara-ye Niavaran in Tehran, a friend asked me if I was interested
in seeing a play by some art school students there. It was "Arash-e
Kamangir", an adaptation of one of Bahram Bayzaie's plays.
I was deeply moved by the play. I screamed in my car all the way back
home. I couldn't sleep ... GO TO FEATURE
Outlook
City Life - Iran's women make fashion a statement
The Independent, London
Tehran: Shokuh and Foruzan Zavieh run a medium-sized fashion outlet
in Tehran, catering to a large clientele of wealthy and stylish Iranians.
Fearful of being accused of promoting "depraved" Western culture
in a revolutionary Islamic society and beset by restrictions, the sisters
keep their operations discreet in a tucked-away garden and try to avoid
publicity... FULL
TEXT
Remember the driver who tried to send a bus-load of our country's top
writers down a deep valley? Guess where he is (rumored to be) now ... FULL TEXT IN PERSIAN
More Letters
* We sympathize, but...
Kev writes: Dear Sholom,
We sympathize with those protesting against the arrest of 13 Jews by
Iran's government on espionage charges. We, too, seek justice: If they're
innocent, free them and apologize. If not, imprison them and throw the
key away.
Your
letter indicates that you don't enjoy a high level of education or
tactfulness. Your remarkable depth of ignorance about Iranians and their
struggle against a despot government in Iran has probably led your underdeveloped
mind to stereotype all the Iranian individuals -- an action that I would
never commit toward my best friends, who happen to be Jews (Abraham and
Shalom), by mixing their actions with many unfair policies committed by
the Israeli government toward Christian Israeli's or Muslims living in
Israel ... FULL
TEXT
* Universal narcissistic tendency
Babak Makkinejad writes: Those
of us who have experienced the deep religious (and other kinds of) bigotry
displayed by the typical Muslim Iranian, would likely attest to its universal
hostility against non-Muslims including Christians, Bahais, Zoroastrians
and so on.
My own feeling is that there is a universal narcissistic tendency in
human beings to try to enhance their own standing by denigrating others;
"Even though I am a (X) beggar, I am still superior to that rich (Y)."
I recall Israeli Jews telling me how all dirty words in Hebrew have
come from Arabic since "Hebrew has been such a pure language"
etc. I also recall my sister being denied Hebrew instruction on the grounds
that only Jews should learn the Judaic language...
The most important thing, however, in my opinion, is not whether the
two religious communities like each other or don't like each other. The
most important thing is whether a Jew can live his life in peace; going
about his own business? ... FULL
TEXT
* Music: Shahin & Sepehr free concert
Simin Habibian writes: Shahin & Sepehr are going to have a free
concert on July 16th at Rock Creek Park, Washington DC, at 7:30 PM. The
gates will open at 7:00 PM. This concert is sponsored by the Washington
Post. The park is located at the intersection of Colorado & 16th. street.
Tickets can be obtained the same day. Those who want to get their tickets
in advance should get it from the Washington Post office. Information:
202-254-2468
Book of the Week
Iranian Nationality and the Persian Language
By Shahrokh Meskoo
Foreword by Ali Banuazizi
Translated by Michael Hillmann
In this insightful study of Iranian cultural history and national identity,
Shahrokh Meskoob, one of Iran's leading intellectuals, reviews the roles
of three social classes in the development and refinement of the Persian
language during the past one thousand years and gives the reader a fresh
perspective on Iranian cultural heritage and the struggle to forge a distinct
national identity ... GO TO BOOK
Recent
featured books
THE IRANIAN
Bookstore
Copyright © Abadan Publishing Co. All Rights Reserved.
May not be duplicated or distributed in any form
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More
news
Court jails senior Tehran official for
graft
TEHRAN, June 23 (Reuters) - An Iranian court on Wednesday sentenced
a top aide to Tehran's jailed former moderate mayor to nine years in prison,
a hefty fine and 50 lashes of the whip for graft, the official news agency
IRNA reported. Gholamreza Qobeh, who had been on bail, was immediately taken
to prison. He was convicted of charges ranging from embezzlement to mismanagement
and seizure of public property ... FULL TEXT
Reformist publisher is interrogated in
court
Teheran (dpa) - An Iranian reformist publisher was interrogated
Wednesday for several hours by a Teheran court over having expressed doubts
regarding Islamic values, informed sources said. Saaid Hajarian, the publisher
of the liberal daily newspaper Emruz, was interrogated by a court over ``having
expressed doubts'' over Islamic values in reply to a reader's question,
the sources said ... FULL TEXT
Oil Ministry official says buy-back oil
contracts key to economic growth
Tehran,
23rd June (BBC Worldwide Monitopring - IRNA) : Buy-back oil contracts due
to their characteristics including transfer of technical know-how, creation
of new job opportunities and broad involvement of contractors and domestic
producers will pave the way for economic blossoming, said an Oil Ministry
official Wednesday [23rd June]. The director-general of the public relations
department of the Oil Ministry and adviser to minister, Mohammad Sohofi,
was commenting on the recent remarks of the members of the board of directors
of the consulting engineers society who believe buy-back contracts harm
oil prices ... FULL TEXT
Japanese FM plans to visit Iran, to convey
loan resumption
TOKYO,
June 24 (Japan Economis Newswire) -- Foreign Minister Masahiko Komura plans
to visit Iran shortly after the current Diet session ends Aug. 13 to convey
Japan's plan to partially resume loans to Iran , a senior Foreign Ministry
official said Thursday ... FULL TEXT
Iran Says Drought Damage to Crops up to
$3.3 Bln
TEHRAN, June 24 (Reuters) - The worst drought in 30 years in Iran,
a major food importer, has caused as much as $3.3 billion in damage to crops,
Agriculture Minister Issa Kalantari said on Thursday. "A severe and
sharp drop in rainfall has so far cost 10,000 billion rials in damages to
orchards, farmlands and agricultural products," state television quoted
Kalantari as saying ... FULL TEXT
An old story gets new life
Tehran,
(Hamshahri) - "Ramin & Veys" a story that may have pre-Islamic,
Parthian origins was written by Fakhredin Asad Gorgani about a thousand
years ago. Now you can get it at a bookstore in Iran ... FULL TEXT IN PERSIAN
Fewer soccer teams?
Tehran,
(Hamshahri) - When the Azadegan League opens for a new season in a couple
of months, there may not be 18 teams. Officials may reduce first-division
clubs all the way down to 14 ... FULL TEXT IN PERSIAN
Show me the money
Tehran,
(Hamshahri) - State TV charges millions of tomans for the ads that are placed
around soccer fields. Where does the money go? ... FULL TEXT IN PERSIAN
BBC
Persian Service
$ Rate
Updated June 23
The
dollar now offered at 850-882 tomans in the U.S. and 890 tomans in Iran
Source: Sehaty Exchange (U.S.) Tel: 602-595-0777
Business
news
The Web
Iran
Iran
Media
New links and features in Pedram Missaghi's ever-expanding
Iranian media site.
Beyond Iran
Warner Bros. Hip Clips
Stop by for streaming video snippets of the latest Warner
Bros. releases, Looney Tunes moments, and celebrity interviews.
More
web sites
Quote Unquote
Nothing's perfect
gol bi khaar nemishavad.
(No rose without a thorn.)
"1001
Persian-English Proverbs"
By Simin Habibian
Photo of the Day
Rezaie,
Asian champion
Music
Musician of the Week
Vigen
* Dokhtaraan
* Gisooy-e kootaah
* Saari golin
* Jaay-e to khaali
* Yaass-e par par
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