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History
All about money
The birth of Iran's modern monetary system
By Shireen Mahdavi
September 6, , 2000
The Iranian
Haj Muhammad Hassan [Amin al-Zarb] became involved with the Mint in
1294/1877 in a decade of crisis for the Persian monetary system, which
was on a bimetallic standard. This crisis was related to both internal
and external causes as well as bimetallism. Prior to that date there were
local Mints in all the major towns of Iran: Tehran, Tabriz, Rasht, Hamadan,
Kirmanshah, Kashan, Isfahan, Shiraz, Yazd, Kirman, Mashhad and Mazanderan.
The provincial Mints were farmed out by the governor to the highest bidder,
and the Mint farmers were at liberty to mint coins of gold, silver and
copper. The major monetary units were the gold tuman, the silver qiran,
and the copper shahi >>>
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Iran
By Sadaf Kiani Abbassian
September 6, 2000
The Iranian >>>
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Outlook
Khatami on UN charm offensive
By Guy Dinmore
Financial Times
September 6, 2000
President Mohammad Khatami of Iran may have been weakened by serious
blows to his political reforms at home but senior officials say he still
has enough support from the conservative establishment to launch a diplomatic
offensive during his current week-long visit to New York.
Several of the president's closest supporters are behind bars and almost
all the liberal newspapers he fostered have been closed by the hardline
judiciary >>>
FULL TEXT
Iran's clerics defend the guided republic
By Geneive Abdo in Tehran
The Guardian
September 4, 2000
Iran's conservatives, forging ahead on the back of a series of political
triumphs, insist that they have no interest in relinquishing institutional
power or compromise their beliefs to reach an accommodation with President
Mohammad Khatami's reform movement.
In recent weeks they have flexed their muscles to demonstrate their
strength: they have closed nearly all the reformist newspapers, imprisoned
nearly all the prominent progressive journalists, and blocked a bill which
could have freed the press >>>
FULL TEXT
Police faced religious taboos in working with drug
sniffer dogs
KARAJ, Iran, Sept 6 (AFP) - Iranian police had to overcome Islamic taboos
on working with dogs before using them to combat drug smuggling, an Iranian
official said Tuesday, thanking France for its help in training the animals.
"Our thanks to France for allowing us to rediscover the use of
dogs in the battle against drugs. Let's hope it'll continue to help us
with resources and training," said Mohammad Fallah, Iran's number
one anti-drugs official, speaking at the opening of a dog training centre
in Karaj, near Tehran >>>
FULL TEXT
One step closer
I picked up my daughter Mahdiyeh from school earlier than usual. We
had an appointment at the Immigration and Naturalization Service office
near Washington >>>
SEE HERE
More Letters
* Sarah Wright's granddaughter
Laura McDowell
writes: To Robert Burgener, author of "Iran's
American martyr": My name is Laura McDowell, the granddaughter
of now-deceased Sarah Wrigh who grew up in Tabriz during the early 1900's.
She was the daughter of Presbyterian missionaries John and Mattie Wright.
She was also a personal friend of Howard Baskerville's.
I've had the great fortune to read a diary she wrote when she was 15.
In it, she details the news of Baskerville's death and his April 21 funeral.
The diary is a very interesting portrayal of the rich events and mosaic
of personalities and cultures in the area at the time.
Sarah ultimately married Phillip McDowell, who was also from a long
line of Presbyterian missionaries in Iran. They raised my father, David,
in Iran along with their other children: Martha, Phillip and Ed. I enjoyed
your article. It has helped me put my grandmother's diary in context.
* Why do we forsake each other?
An Iranian javan writes:
What I found most interesting about Mr. Mosadegh's piece ["Love
at first click"] was not even of his own doing. His piece is so
arrogant and egotistical that I was forced to laugh a little bit as I was
reading -- but it did make me think about the idea of human interaction.
What really makes this piece an interesting read is how Mosadegh characterizes
his marriage as "a happy marriage." He found a beautiful, humble
and submissive wife whom he sees as perfect -- yet he falls in love with
an anonymous confidante via the Internet. Technology is his culprit --
the cause of isolation and what drives us expose ourselves from the safety
of a modem connection.
I guess I'll leave this letter with a final question and thought: I
don't understand why we forsake each other in person and seek each other
from the safety of distance. And why choose a partner to build a life with
if that person does not engender your trust and rouse your emotions? Food
for thought.
* Putting down plumbers
Hossein Samiei writes:
Mr. Rezakhani's article ["Not
too deep"] is anything but deep. And isn't it a little insecure
to put down midwives and plumbers in an effort to obatin identity and make
a confused and incoherent point?
If Mr. Rezakhani is a historian, no wonder why "every midwife or
plumber" feels free to express views on the subject matter--while
not wasting time carrying out the necessary "research" of the
type that in any case apparently only Mr. Rezakhani knows how to do.
I also advise Mr. Rezakhani not to envisage lecturing an electrical
engineer (let alone a midwife) how to do their job! Signal processing (not
to talk of bringing people into this world) is too valuable for him to
pester with.
Music: Shajarian & Co. in concert
in Holland
Mohammad Reza Shajarian with Hossein Alizadeh, Kayhan Kalhor and Homayoun
Shajarian in concert in Delft, Holland, September 16 >>>
DETAILS HERE
Books
THE IRANIAN
Bookstore
Music store
Translation of today's poem by Zara
Houshmand:
If ever again you pass my humble mound,
Stop and say, 'My love, whom sorrow killed'
From the blood-soaked field I'll cry out loud:
'You are my Joseph, who was lost and now is found.'
-- Rumi
Previous
translations
Copyright © Abadan Publishing Co. All Rights Reserved.
May not be duplicated or distributed in any form
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More
news
Clinton stays at U.N. to hear Khatami
UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - In a further sign of a slow diplomatic
thaw between the United States and Iran, President Clinton stayed overtime
in the U.N. General Assembly hall Wednesday to hear Iranian President Mohammad
Khatami speak about democracy. Khatami's speech was moved up to the morning
session from its scheduled afternoon slot and appeared to dovetail intentionally
with Clinton's continued presence in the Assembly hall after Clinton addressed
the historic U.N. gathering attended by more than 150 heads of state or
government >>> FULL TEXT
Majlis to probe attacks
TEHRAN, Iran (AP) - Iran's reformist-controlled parliament voted
Wednesday to investigate attacks on a student pro-democracy seminar last
month that led to rioting and the death of a policeman. A majority in the
290-seat parliament voted in favor of launching an investigation into clashes
that erupted in the western city of Khorramabad when hard-line vigilantes
attacked the meeting of Iran's largest reformist student group >>>
FULL TEXT
Annan seeks justice and "traditional
Islamic mercy" for Iranian Jews
UNITED
NATIONS, Sept 6 (AFP) - UN Secretary General Kofi Annan told Iran's President
Mohammad Khatami on Tuesday that he hoped 10 Iranian Jews convicted of spying
would receive justice and mercy on appeal, UN officials said >>>
FULL TEXT
Thousands of US-based Iranians rally against
Khatami
NEW
YORK, Sept 6 (AFP) - Thousands of protesters gathered here Wednesday to
denounce the presence of Iranian President Mohammad Khatami at the United
Nations Millennium Summit >>> FULL TEXT
Worrying jump in criminality in Iran
TEHRAN,
Sept 6 (AFP) - Criminality is rising at an alarming rate in Iran, where
jails are now taking in "an average of one prisoner every 59 seconds,"
the Iran daily reported Tuesday. " >>> FULL TEXT
Iran daily retracts report parliament speaker
to launch new newspaper
TEHRAN,
Sept 5 (AFP) - Iran's government-run daily retracted Tuesday a report that
parliament speaker Mehdi Karubi plans to launch a new reformist newspaper
in the coming days >>> FULL TEXT
Crude oil hits 10-year high
Sept 6, (AP) - Crude oil prices raced to their highest level in
10 years Wednesday on the New York Mercantile Exchange and analysts said
they may go much higher if OPEC doesn't step up production significantly,
and soon. For consumers, that could translate into pricier gasoline and
heftier home heating bills this winter.>>> FULL TEXT
Abolishing book permits: In favor or against
free expression?
Tehran, (Hamshahri) -- The Guidance Ministry intends to submit
a bill to the Majlis to abolish issuing permits for books. Critics say the
bill may seem in favor of freedom of expression, but it will expose writers
to pressure from the judiciary >>> FULL PERSIAN TEXT
Rational book in irrational times
Tehran,
(Hamshahri) -- Morteza Mardiha has a book out called "In defense of
rationality: Intellect's precedence over religion, politics and culture."
Enough said >>> FULL PERSIAN TEXT
Yazdis get more movie houses
Tehran, (Jam-e Jam) -- Six new movie thesters will open in Yazd
province soon, brining the total in the entire provice to 11 >>>
FULL PERSIAN TEXT
Iran U-17 defeat Thailand
VIETNAM, September 6 (Iran Sports Press) -- With audio: The Iranian
Under 17 National Football Team thrashed former Asian Champions Thailand
on Wednesday 3-0 in the 9th Asian Youth Championships. In a telephone interview
with IRIB, Hamid Darakhshan, the head coach of the Iranian Under 17 Team,
said >>> FULL TEXT
Parvin: "Esteghlalis Should Come Out
and Support Us"
TEHRAN, September 6 (Iran Sports Press) -- With video: Persepolis
head coach, Ali Parvin, called on all Iranians to support Persepolis in
its Asian Club Championship match against Al-Wakreh on Thursday. "We
must all support one another. We are friends with Esteghlalis >>>
FULL TEXT
Azadegan League: Week five roundup
Tehran, September 6 (Iran Sports Press) -- Only four games were
played in the short schedule of the Azadegan League. Perspolise and Esteghlal
were awarded time off due to national team's trip to Austria >>>
FULL TEXT
BBC
Number of Prisoners Increases
Deputy for Organisation of State Prisons of
Iran, Morteza Alvandi, says prisons are now taking in an average of one
prisoner every 59 seconds, which represents an alarming increase >>> LISTEN HERE
BBC Persian
Service
Exchange rate
Updated September 1
Buying: 813 to 818 tomans per dollar
Selling: 822 to 827 tomans per dollar
CALL TOLL FREE: 877-SEHHATY (877-734-4289)
or 800-995-0264
Mention this code for a better rate:
FA 37 B
Business
news
The Web
Iran
Digar: Shamlou Special Issue
A magazine in Iran has net published it's
special issue on Shamlou's funeral. Very well-written.
Beyond Iran
Expeditions
into Myth: In Search of Seaman
The cryptozoological search team at the American
Science Journal Online is committed to chasing down "truth in life."
Their scientific expedition, based in Alexandria, Egypt, presents new research
on the sphinx-like Seaman of the Nile, a 4500-year-old mystery.
More
web sites
Quote Unquote
Race
[When Iran turned Islamic] Iranians became Muslims but
not Arabs.
-- Comment by President Khatamiin his address to Iranian-Americans
in New York which received the loudest applause
September 4, 2000
Photo of the Day
Protests
at U.N.
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Leila
Forouhar
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Art
Davood Manteghi
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