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U.S.-Iran
Tried Baba Karam?
U.S. needs a different strategy to get Iran's attention
By Babak Yektafar
June 30, 2000
The Iranian
Not long ago a friend told me that he overheard Secretary Albright joking
with her protégé James Rubin prior to his celebrated marriage
to almighty cable news goddess Christiane Amanpour, that he now needs to
learn how to dance like an Iranian. Although I can not verify this alleged
comment, the idea may not be a bad one after all. I believe that it will
do the Secretary and her staff of advisors a world of good to take the
time and learn how to groove to "Baba Karam," a quintessential
Iranian dance number >>>
GO TO FEATURE
Outlook
Spy Trial of 13 Leaves the Jews of Iran Shaken
By SUSAN SACHS
The New York Times
June 30, 2000
HAMADAN, Iran -- In his spare time, Nejad Rassad, one of only 35 Jews
left in this ancient city, tends a building believed to be the mausoleum
of Esther, the Jewish queen of Persia who saved her people from annihilation
2,400 years ago. He is happy to unlock the thick granite door, bend low
to enter the dim vaulted crypt, translate the Hebrew words carved on the
queen's ebony tomb and then recount in colorful detail the biblical story
of Esther and the endangered Jewish community redeemed long ago by royal
intervention. But Mr. Rassad, a gaunt 52-year-old teacher impeccably turned
out in a summer business suit, became abruptly silent this week when the
drama of modern Iran's Jews was mentioned >>>
FULL TEXT
Private Golshiri
BBC Persian Service
Sadeq Saba's interview with author Houshang Golshiri, who died recently.
Very personal. Highly recommended (go to six minutes and 14 seconds) >>>
LISTEN HERE
'Surviving Paradise': Iranian Kids on the Loose
By KEVIN THOMAS,
Los Angeles Times
June 30, 2000
Kamshad Kooshan's "Surviving Paradise," a well-intended but
awkward first film, turns loose two Iranian youngsters in Los Angeles who
have to fend for themselves. The idea of seeing the city through the eyes
of foreign children, free of the stereotypes and prejudices that fragment
our multicultural society, is inspired and the film's key strength. But
Kooshan sets up his story so hazily and is so given to sending messages
in such heavy-handed fashion that he bungles his promising premise >>>
FULL TEXT
Boxing ring
Right hook
Jomhouri Eslami: June 29, 2000 -- The divisive tactics of Behzad
Nabavi's group (Saazmaan-e Mojaahedin-e Enqelaab-e Eslaami) >>>
FULL TEXT IN PERSIAN
Left hook
Ettehad-e Chap-e Kargari: On the future of the leftist movement
>>>
FULL TEXT IN PERSIAN
Anyway
I have come
Nasary writes: I'm
from Saudi Arabia and I have listened to Googoosh songs since I was child
. Her style is something else. I have one request if you could help me:
How can I get her songs -- especially "man
aamadeh-am" -- translated into Arabic or English? I need the translation
of this song urgently, if you don't mind . I'll be so glad for your help.
More Letters
* Joan of Ark?
Emil E. writes: Googoosh
is not just a singer/actress, she is an idea/way/thought. We see ourselves
in her. She is a bridge to the good days, good times meaningful cries,
kindness.
GOD bless you Googoosh since you cann't be a regular person and - the
biggest power chose you to be the "Joan of Ark" of Iranians and
all others who seek peace and love.
We know you have a mission and we know you're powerful enough to carry
it home. Your reappearance will be the start of the biggest event for Iran
in a century -- without lies and politic games but rather with the message
of love and understanding. Thank you for being Googoosh.
* Hit dog will always bark
Patricia Jones
writes: Unfortunately, blind-ignorance and emotionalism seem to go
hand-in-hand (globally) and even in our 'modern' world today, we still
'kill the messenger' for what we don't want to face. When terminal medical
diagnosis is given to a patient, the patient 'turns' on the doctor or when
a teacher reports a child's poor academic performance, we state the teacher
is the reason.
Consider yourself in good company regarding the unfortunate negative
remarks you received regarding your article ["Let's
face it"]. I can understand constructive criticism or an intelligent,
rational and well worded objection to your point of view; but, to threaten
someone for their perspective is evidence of their inability to effectively
communicate at the least >>>
FULL TEXT
* Not freethinkers
Sheema Kalbasi writes:
I read Mr. Gholi's letter accusing me and
I wanted to congratulate you on your free press. I also would like to let
you know how unfortunate I think it is for our people to be so distant
from freethinking.
I am accused of being a member of a political group, although I have
never believed that any political group, past or present, has had good
intentions toward our people and our country, inside or outside Iran.
I hope there comes a time when our people respect differences in ideology,
religion, and race without accusations and killing one another and elect
their representatives in a peaceful manner.
My only hope is that these accusations would stop and we choose a peaceful
and intellectual path to debate ideas -- a path closer to love rather than
any kind of censorship and taking of human lives.
Festival: Annual Iranian festival in
Washington State
Come join thousands of other Iranian and American friends in celebration
of the Iranian culture.The Association of Iranians in Washington State
is proud to present the biggest and best ever Iranian festival at Woodland
Park - shelter #3 (new Location for this year) on August 5th. 11 AM - 7
PM >>>
DETAILS HERE
Books
THE IRANIAN
Bookstore
Music store
Translation of today's poem by Zara
Houshmand:
To be tangled, oh so briefly, in your love
Is to know disaster, close at hand and real.
Honest Mansour spoke true, as love must do,
And he was hung by the rope of his zeal.
-- Rumi
Previous
translations
Copyright © Abadan Publishing Co. All Rights Reserved.
May not be duplicated or distributed in any form
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news
Iran, Egypt may announce full ties -Iran
official
CRANS-MONTANA,
Switzerland, June 30 (Reuters) - Estranged Middle East heavyweights Iran
and Egypt may announce within weeks the resumption of full diplomatic ties
after 21 years of strained relations, a senior Iranian official said on
Friday. ``As far as I know there is a plan in the next few weeks to announce
the official resumption of full diplomatic relations,'' Iranian Deputy Foreign
Minister Mohammad Hossein Adeli said during a panel discussion at the Crans-Montana
business forum >>> FULL TEXT
Parliamentarians head for OIC meeting in
Egypt
TEHRAN,
June 30 (AFP) - Two members of the Iranian parliament headed for Cairo Friday
for a conference of counterparts from other Organisation of the Islamic
Conference (OIC) member states, amid warming relations between Iran and
Egypt. Mohsen Mirdamadi, head of the parliament's national security and
foreign policy commission, and his deputy Mohsen Armin, were making the
first official trip abroad by Iranian MPs since the new reformist-dominated
parliament opened on May 27 >>> FULL TEXT
Low turnout inrun-off elections
TEHRAN, Iran (AP) - Turnout appeared low in Tehran's legislative
runoff elections, held Friday to fill two seats for which first-round reformist
victories were annulled by the hard-line election council. The two vacant
seats in greater Tehran were being contested by four pro-reform candidates
who narrowly missed victory in the February polls. Turnout was light because
of the absence of conservative candidates in the mix. Results were expected
to be announced Saturday >>> FULL TEXT
U.S. Welcomes Iran's Halting of Two Iraqi
Tankers
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States on Thursday welcomed Iran's
statement that it had impounded two tankers carrying smuggled Iraqi oil
and was holding the vessels off the coast of Kish Island. ``We consider
Iranian actions in support of U.N. Security Council resolutions a positive
development, which we certainly welcome, and we hope that that would continue,''
State Department spokesman Philip Reeker told reporters >>> FULL
TEXT
Iran Jews pray for accused spies
SHIRAZ, Iran (AP) - Iranian Jews converged Friday on a synagogue
in the heart of this ancient city's Jewish quarter, offering prayers on
the eve of a verdict for 13 Jews accused of spying for Israel. ``I'm going
to pray sincerely for tomorrow, and whatever happens I accept that it is
God's will,'' said Daniel Bent-Yacoub, the 14-year-old son of Javid Bent-Yacoub.
Defense attorneys have said Daniel's father, a 42-year-old shop owner, testified
to collecting military information for Israel but insisted his actions weren't
espionage >>> FULL TEXT
24 Iranian illegal immigrants found in
eastern Croatia
ZAGREB,
June 30 (AFP) - Police discovered a group of 24 Iranian illegal immigrants
hidden in the back of a truck, near the eastern town of Slavonski Brod,
HINA news agency reported. Nineteen adults and five children were hidden
in the truck driven by a Croatian citizen, stopped by the police at the
Zagreb-Lipovac highway toll booths >>> FULL TEXT
Japan to resume new project lending to
Iran--paper
TOKYO,
June 30 (Reuters) - Japan will resume government loans to Iran for new projects
for the first time in seven years, in a bid to improve ties with the oil-rich
nation ahead of a visit by President Mohammad Khatami, a Japanese newspaper
said on Friday. The business daily Nihon Keizai Shimbun said the government
later this year will lend Iran more than five billion yen ($47.55 million)
for an anti-pollution project in Teheran >>> FULL TEXT
Official says private ownership of aircraft
permitted
BBC
Monitoring, Source: IRNA news agency -- Text of report in English by Iranian
news agency IRNA: Tehran, 28th June: Head of the Technical Aviation Training
Centre Hoseyn Arya'ipour said on Wednesday [28th June] that the Iranian
citizens could possess and use small personal planes >>> FULL TEXT
New cinemas will show foreign films "without
restrictions"
Tehran,
(Hamshahri) -- Modern cinemas planned for contruction in the third economic
plan will have permission to screen foreign films without current restrictions
and charge people as much as theu want, said Deputy Culture Minister Seyfollah
Dad >>> FULL TEXT IN PERSIAN
Film: "Mehr Mah" gets high marks
Tehran,
(Hamshahri) -- More (high) praise for Ahmareza Darvish's latest film "Motevaled-e
Mehr Maah" which tackles issues facing young men and women >>>
FULL TEXT IN PERSIAN
Film: "Democracy Test" in Venice
Tehran,
(Hamshahri) -- Shahaboddin Farrokhk-Yar and Mohsen Makhmalbaf's "Democracy
Test" -- based on the Majlis elections -- will be shown at the Venice
Film Festival >>> FULL TEXT IN PERSIAN
FIFA: Persepolis must settle dispute
Tehran
(Iran Varzeshi) -- Persepolis is not allowed to trade any player until it
settles with Qatar's al-Sad club, FIFA has ruled. Al-Sad claims Ali Daei
was legally their player when Persepolis traded him to Germany >>>
FULL TEXT IN PERSIAN
Qatar U-17 demolish Kyrgzestan 11-0
(Iran Sports Press) -- Qatar demolished Kyrgzestan 11-0 while Kazakhstan
managed to thrash Lebanon 4-0. Iran defeated Kyrgzestan 11-1 and Lebanon
2-0. Iran meet Qatar in the final game of the qualifiers on Saturday at
6:30pm Tehran local time >>> FULL TEXT
Possile investments in Abadan & Khorramshahr
Tehran
(Iran Varzeshi) -- An industrial group has shown interested in investing
in sports facilities which are badly needed in Abadan and Khorramshahr >>>
FULL TEXT IN PERSIAN
BBC
Private Golshiri
Sadeq Saba's interview with Houshang Golshiri
prior to the author's death. Very personal. Highly recommended >>>
LISTEN HERE
NOTE: BBC link content changes every 24 hours
BBC Persian
Service
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pottery of Susa
"Thus the primitive pottery of Elam in
Sialk, which seemed a few years ago to be an isolated phenomenon in the
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Quote Unquote
Egypt
As far as I know there is a plan in the next few weeks
to announce the official resumption of full diplomatic relations.
-- Mohammad Hossein Adeli, Iranian deputy foreign minister
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