The Iranian Times

Friday, May 12, 2000 / Ordibehesht 23, 1379, No. 979


Sehaty Foreign Exchange

Flower delivery in Iran

Iranian books

Jews

Ups and (mostly) downs
The history of Jews in Iran

By Massoume Price
May 12, 2000
The Iranian

Iranian Jews are amongst the oldest inhabitants of the country. The origin of the Jewish diaspora in Persia is closely connected with various events in Israel's ancient history. At the time of the Assyrian king, Tiglath-pileser III (727 BC) thousands of Jews were expelled from Israel and forced to settle in Media. According to the annals of another Assyrian king, Sargon II, in 721 BC, Jewish inhabitants of Ashdod and Samaria in present day Israel were resettled in Media after their failed attempt against Assyrian dominance. Records indicate that 27,290 Jews were forced to settle in Ecbatana (today's Hamadan) in northwest and Susa in southwest Persia. These settlers are referred to as one of the 'Ten Lost Tribes of Israel' in biblical records. >>> GO TO FEATURE

Life

>>> GO TO FEATURE


Outlook

Iranian director makes history
Samira Makhmalbaf makes history at Cannes

By Pam O' Toole
BBC

May 12, 2000 -- Iranian film-maker Samira Makhmalbaf is making history at Cannes, becoming the youngest ever director to compete for the prestigious Palme d'Or with her film, Blackboard.

Although only 20 years of age, Makhmalbaf is no stranger to the glitter of the Cannes circuit - her first film, The Apple, directed when she was only 17, was well received when it was shown out of competition at Cannes two years ago >>> FULL TEXT


    Left hook

    Majlis run-offs: analysis

    * Chereek-haaye Fadaie comment on the second round of Majlis elections >>> FULL TEXT IN PERSIAN


    Anyway

Give me a break

Why is it that your music list does not include Baha'i songs? Is there any prejudice or discrimination against Baha'is here?

Thank you!

Fahimeh



More Letters

* Pie in the sky

K. Hoseini writes: I read with some amusement the rantings of Maziar Shirazi, who, in his fired-up mode, could be hard to match for not only verbosity, but outright ignorance. I also find it ironic he should call himself 'a real Iranian' when it is so obvious that he was the first to flee the kitchen when it got too hot!...

What is going on now is people are saying that the constitution, incidentally for Shirazi's information, ratified by Khomeini, should be the rule of law, and not self-styled militias who impose their own brand of justice at every corner. The people are saying certain things should be relegated to the public domain, and others to the private. Which brings me on to my final point, which is, incidentally, the clincher in Professor Shirazi's splendid argument >>> FULL TEXT

* Main point

Hasan Alizadeh writes: What you've written is a master paint of what we see very often on TV showing cops stopping drivers for one reason or another ["Beh salaamati"]. It is a great tragedy, for drivers and others involved, to die due to drunk driving. Nevertheless, it shows, as you've depicted, how satisfying it might be for the one on the long side of the stick to be in control of the one on the short end and this seems to be one of the main roots of problems in human relations.

* Funnier, if...

Roozbeh writes: Damet garm!!! I was laughing my head off as I read your story about the police stopping you for swerving ["Beh salaamati"]. Here in England, the police would just ask you to do the breath test without all the American formality.

It's a pity this did not happen to you in Iran. The story would have even been funnier!

-- "Hello mester. You vere esverving, you crossed red light, you are drunk!!! Oh oh. Very bad, you vill go to jail. Now vat you vant to do??"
-- " I thought you said I was off to jail"
- "vell der is a vay to avoid jail"
--" Oh I see. Okay. In that case here are my driving documents. Be carefull -- there is something in there that I think might be yours."

Policeman takes couple of "hezaree" notes, gives you a military salute and you are off!!!


Conference: Iranian Oil, Gas and Petrochemicals Forum in London

Under the patronage of the Institute for International Energy Studies (IIES), an affiliation of the Iranian oil ministry, IBC Global Conferences is organising a three-day international summit will take place in London, running from 12th July. The big British companies BPAmoco and Lasmo sponsor the conference. The Iranian participants of the forum are listed below >>> DETAILS HERE


Books & Music from Iran

Check our fourteen new books from Iran including an authoritative history of the Achamenid empire, writings by leading reformists, Forough Farrokhzad's complete works, exquisite books of classical poetry with miniatures, Manichaean psalms and more! >>> GO HERE

New music albums

* Taherzadeh, Manochehr: Aakharin barg * Eyvazi, Mohammad Reza. : Rangin kamaan * Banan.: Shaakh-e gol (2) * Ta'rif, Sadiq: Maah baanoo * Lachini, Fariborz: Paaeez-e talaaee ... >>> GO HERE

THE IRANIAN
Bookstore
Music store


Video

NEW: Champions: Iranian national soccer team

Three hours of interviews, trainings, matches, Biographies, and fans of Iranian National Soccer Team, covering Iran's soccer history from 1979-2000. Premium quality. Produced by: Alireza AmirGhasemi & Behrouz Deravi.

THE IRANIAN
Video Store


    Poetry

Translation of today's poem by Zara Houshmand:

Time will soon silence the clamor of bleating cries,
And the wolf of doom devour the whole wooly herd.
Each of their heads is stuffed with bloated pride,
But death's slap on the back of the neck will knock it out for good.
-- Rumi



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More news

Khamenei calls for conciliation amid political battle

The Association of Ex-Deputies of the Majlis, today May 12 2000, called on Iran's Judiciary System to confront what they described as 'crisis makers'. They referred to incidents over the last two years including the Tehran University demonstrations, the assassination attempt on Saeed Hajjarian, and last month's shut-down of 17 newspapers and magazines >>> FULL TEXT

Simin Behbahani: Heart attack

Tehran, (Ham-Mihan) - Poet Simin Behbahani has been hospitalized following a heart attack >>> FULL TEXT IN PERSIAN

Albright warns Iran on trial of alleged Jewish spies

WASHINGTON, May 11 (AFP) - US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright on Thursday delivered Washington's strongest warning yet to Iran over the controversial trial of 13 Jews there accused of spying for Israel >>> FULL TEXT

Uncertainty persists over Tehran parliamentary election results

TEHRAN, May 11 (AFP) - Iran's election watchdog body failed Thursday to end the uncertainty hovering over the Tehran election results, nearly three months after parliamentary elections, despite indications earlier this week that final validation was close >>> FULL TEXT

Caspian Sea states should keep outsiders out: Khatami

TEHRAN, May 11 (AFP) - The Caspian rim states should cooperate to promote stability in the area, and not allow any foreign power to become involved, Iranian President Mohammad Khatami said Thursday in a speech reported by the official IRNA news agency >>> FULL TEXT

Emirati press accuses Iran of "stealing" in gas dispute

DUBAI, May 12 (AFP) - Iran's drilling operations in an offshore gas field subject to rival claims by Tehran, Riyadh and Kuwait amount to "stealing", Emirati newspapers charged Friday, adding that regional relations with Tehran should be reviewed >>> FULL TEXT

Reporting from Cannes

Tehran, (Ham-Mihan) - Ham-Mihan reporter's exclusive coverage of the Cannes film fest. Some strange details >>> FULL TEXT IN PERSIAN

Shajarian prefers Western Pop

Tehran, (Ham-Mihan) - Persian classical vocalist Mohammad Reza Shajarian says he perfers Western Pop music to Iranian >>> FULL TEXT IN PERSIAN

Persepolis win Azadegan League title

(Iran Sports Press) - With video clip: Persepolis are officially the winners of the 1999-2000 Azadegan League season, an accomplishment truly worthy of praise as Persepolis have yet to be defeated this season >>> FULL TEXT

Iran wins Asian Futsal Championship

(Iran Sports Press) - The Iranian National Futsal Team won the 2nd Asian Futsal Championship for the second consecutive time after defeating Kazakhstan 4-1 in the final >>> FULL TEXT

Mohsen Rasouli scores in Saipa's thrashing of Irsoote

(Iran Sports Press) - With video clip: Saipa thrashed an unmotivated and relegated Irsooter Nowshahr 6-1 in Tehran on Friday. The half time result between the two sides was 3-1 for Saipa. The sixth and final goal of Saipa was scored by none other than Mohsen Rasouli, whose pants recently made headlines in Iran and around the world >>> FULL TEXT


BBC

Confront 'crisis makers'

The Association of Ex-Deputies of the Majlis, today May 12 2000, called on Iran's Judiciary System to confront what they described as 'crisis makers'. They referred to incidents over the last two years including the Tehran University demonstrations, the assassination attempt on Saeed Hajjarian, and last month's shut-down of 17 newspapers and magazines >>> LISTEN HERE

BBC Persian Service


Exchange rate

Updated May 11

Buying: 842 to 850 tomans per dollar

Selling: 856 tomans per dollar

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Business news


The Web

Iran

Los Angelesian

A site that shows how Iranians in Los Angeles are frozen in time -- somewhere around 1979. What's wrong with that?

Beyond Iran

Vikings: The North Atlantic Saga

The Smithsonian's Museum of Natural History exhibition traces the journeys of Eric the Red and Leif the Lucky around the turn of the first millennium. These mariners sailed from their Scandinavian homeland to Iceland and then established colonies in Greenland that remained populated for centuries.

More web sites


Quote Unquote

He's also a poet

The two factions, the progressives and the faithful, are as necessary as the two wings of a bird.

-- Ayatollah Khamenei
AFP
May 12, 2000


Photo of the Day

Ahmadreza Abedzadeh


Music

Dariush

Music artists index


Art

Sadegh Tabrizi
Untitled