The Iranian Times

Friday, October 2, 1998 / Mehr 10, 1377, No. 575


Alefba

Sehaty Foreign Exchange

Shahin & Sepehr

CDnow


    Khayyam


    Iraj Mirza

    Blowing our cover
    Beware of people's various facades, be it a chador or...

    By Hamid Jalili

    Poetry is a "play" that a poet directs in our mind to express messages of love, pain, passion, and yes, at times, social injustice. Whether you take Iraj Mirza's poem literally or symbolically, the characters of the play and its message are worth analyzing. As a reader, you are at the liberty to or not to identify with either character.

    From the very beginning of the play, the poet gives us a crystal and clear picture of a scoundrel male character. The woman, on the other hand, is introduced to us as a character obscured by her chador which is covering and protecting her against men. Other than the message of chastity which she is radiating by her chador, initially no other preconceived opinion is suggested by the poet about this woman.

    What should we expect from an immoral yet honest man? Immoral, because he is trying to seduce a married woman. Honest, because in advance, he is informing us (the audience, the readers) of his ultimate intention which is - through various schemes - to sleep with the woman.

    As the pursuit progresses, although through different means, the intention of this manipulative rascal stays focused on the prize. The woman's principles however, alters and changes as she approaches the final act... GO TO FEATURE

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    Anyway

    Are they talking about us?

    Tips to foreigners visting Iran (from "Gestures around the World"):

    * When you shake hands with a child, you are showing his or her parents respect.

    * When entering someone's home, especially if there is carpeting, it may be customary to remove your shoes first. Always remove your shoes before you enter a mosque.

    * Men and women rarely show public displays of affection.

    * To signal to someone, put your hand out with your palm down, and curl your fingers in and out in a scratching motion.

    * The "thumb's up" gesture has a vulgar connotation in Iran.

    * To signal "NO", move your head up and back sharply. To signal "YES", dip your head down with a slight turn.

    * Try not to blow your nose in public. Also, try not to slouch in a chair or stretch your legs out in front on you. As in other Arab countries, avoid pointing the sole of your shoe to others.

    Thanks to Siamak Namazi


    History

    Revolution: 1979-1999

    People under gun fire


    More Letters

* Bitter truth

Farhad Homayounpour writes: I believe Ms. Khalili in her recent article "Forgiving Salm and Tur" has been extremely courageous and honest about our national psyche regarding race issues.

At the risk of being unpopular, I have always said that a lot of us Iranians are as racist as the KKK. How many times have you heard your fellow Iranians refer to Blacks as "those damn Barzangis" or call Mexicans some other demeaning names?... FULL TEXT

* Sweet memories

Nader Ghoujeghi writes: Thank you Mr. Kasraian ["Envy": Photos from Turkman Sahra]. I am a Turkman from Gonbad-a-Kavous and certainly appreciate your pictures a great deal. It brought sweet memories from the distance past. Thanks again...

* Radio show: Shahin and Sepehr on Radio Velayat

Join the dynamic duo as they help celebrate Radio Velayat's second anniversary. You may call (703) 876-9753 in the U.S. during the Silk Road radio show and talk to Shahin and Sepehr live on the air on Saturday October 10, between 11 am - 1 pm U.S. Eastern Standard Time.

Listen to cuts from their new CD "World Cafe" and hear about their upcoming tour schedule. Silk Road is rebroadcast every Wednesday, 10 am - 12 pm EST on the Internet at www.fcac.org/webr and click on "Listen Now."

You will need RealAudio to listen to this show. For more information about the shows on Radio Velayat you can call (202) 672-7203, or write to: Radio Velayat, P.O. Box 16275 Washington DC 20041, or email: babak@fcac.org


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Music CDs
Persian and general music CD store

 More news

Death sentence against editor lifted - unconfirmed

WASHINGTON, Oct 2 (THE IRANIAN) - The death sentence against newspaper editor Morteza Firoozi has been lifted, sources in Tehran said. Judicial authorities have made no official announcement and there has been no independent confirmation. But sources close to Iran News, where Firoozi worked, said they had received word from the judiciary that Firoozi is no longer facing the death sentence. Firoozi had been condemned to death in January after being convicted of adultery and spying.

Taleban accuse Iran of violating air space

ISLAMABAD, Oct 2 (Reuters) - Afghanistan's Taleban Islamic militia said Iranian jets and helicopters violated Afghan airspace three times on Friday, a Pakistan-based Afghan news agency reported. Afghan Islamic Press (AIP) quoted a Taleban official as saying that between 8.30 to 11 a.m. (0400-0630 GMT) Iranian jet fighters in three separate instances entered Afghan air space in Nimroz province bordering Iran... FULL TEXT

Iran accused of crackdown, arrests of Bahais

PARIS, Oct 2 (Reuters) - Members of the Bahai faith in France accused the Iranian authorities on Friday of launching a major crackdown against Bahais in 14 cities across Iran, arresting 32 people and breaking into and looting many homes. All those arrested were professors and teachers conducting ``open-university'' type courses for young Bahais who their French fellow believers say are banned by authorities from attending universities and other institutions of higher learning, a Bahai spokeswoman in France said... FULL TEXT

Britain making "fresh start" with iran

LONDON, Oct. 1, (IRNA) - foreign secretary robin cook said thursday that the deal he secured with his iranian counterpart kamal kharrazi in new york last week means britain making "a fresh start with iran and the wider islamic world." "iran is currently president of the organisation of the islamic nations, britain is currently president of the g-8 nations," he said ... FULL TEXT

Oil's infant recovery takes a blow

LONDON, Oct 2 (Reuters) - Battered world oil markets edged lower again on Friday after a heavy price slump on Thursday triggered by a wave of speculative selling by investment funds. London futures for November Brent blend crude limped nine cents lower at $14.00 a barrel by midafternoon after losing 59 cents on Thursday. The slide came as a blow to oil producers who have carefully nurtured a recovery in prices from August's 10-year low of $11.55 a barrel ... FULL TEXT

Iran defeats Singapore and Thailand - in ping pong

TEHRAN, (Hamshahri) - The Iranian national table tennis team -- competing for ninth place in Asian championships in Japan -- defeated Singapore and Thailand ... FULL TEXT IN PERSIAN


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Quote Unquote

Our own Taliban

The continuation of presecution of religious minorities or any minorities in Iran goes to show, we have our own Talibans, but we call them...!

S. Sohrab
Letter to The Iranian
Oct 2, 1998


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