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Rumi
Poetry
A song for the old country
Poem
By Soma
September 17, 1999
The Iranian
Came upon this poem yesterday. It was written, in fact, in a night-club
off Esteqlal Street, downtown Istanbul in 1997 Don't know what to think
of it now. Once finished, you can only read your work from the outside.
Such is the case with this one. Nothing to write home about, but I remember
being emotionally struck at the time of its composition. And, to my surprise,
it does have bearing upon the current predicament.
Violence abound
Life in difficult lanes
The tumult of the hour
What is happening
to my country? ... GO
TO FEATURE
Poetry
Orlando
Poem
By Jamshid Bastani
September 17, 1999
The Iranian
Brooding boredom brews in the balmy batter of the big blue bay.
Soothing sobs that seldom seek their seats in eyes seared with sorrow,
Sneak their way in but seldom stay.
Green grows over groves of grass, ... GO
TO FEATURE
Outlook
Sweet agony
Alireza Davoud-Nejad's "Masaeb Shirin" (Sweet agony) has won
the Best Film award from Iran's House of Cinema. Based on this review,
it seems like a great film ... FULL
TEXT IN PERSIAN
Thanks to Pedram Missaghi
Oink oink
Iranian officials are asking senior clerics for permission to hunt wild
boar and export its meat, even though the animals are considered haram,
or impure, by Muslims ... FULL
TEXT
Thanks to Laleh Khalili
More Letters
* Small town in England
Chekavak Jallaei writes:
Sitting here reading your excellent piece ["I
was once an Iranian"] in a small town library in England, has
made my eyes swell with tears.
I am partly ashamed to say so, but even though you writing is cool and
sufficiently distant (seeming that you have had much time to reflect on
these issues) it still resonated with a certain emotion much familiar to
me.
However your experience is infinitely more broader and cross-cultural
and therefore must be worthy of a larger non-ethnically specific audience.
A current affairs periodical me thinks.
Anyway I wrote to regeister my appreciation and admiration
* Rude awakening
N. BaghaYaz writes: While surfing
the Net, I came across your website. I just wish to make the following
point about "I
was once an Iranian":
You consider yourself as an ex-Iranian who is now a naturalized Amercian.
Maybe so, as far as your identity papers are concerned, but is this true
as far as your adopted country is concerned? How deep are your roots in
your adopted country? How much did your parents (not to mention your grand-
or great grand-parents) have participated in making your adopted country
what it is now?
You may wish, understandably, to close your eyes on these facts but
your adopted country is most unlikely to do so. If you don't believe me,
read about the story of the Japanese-Americans who were interned after
the bombing of Pearl Harbor.
In brief, when it comes to the national interests of your adopted country
against the interests of your country of origin, you will experience a
rude awakening. Would it not be easier if you accepted your true identity
and left the question of Iranianness to be debated your second, third and
nth generations?
* Literature: Book reading at Asia Society,
New York
Please join Persis Karim (co-editor and author), Zara Houshmand, Roxanne
Varzi, Laleh Khalili, Mariam Salari for a reading and booksigning of "A
World Between: Poems, Short Stories and Essays by Iranian Americans"
(George Brazillier, Inc. May 1999) at: New York City's Asia Society (725
Park Avenue at 70th St. NYC), Tuesday, Sept. 21, 1999 6:30 p m. Book signing
and reception to follow the reading and discussion portion of the program.
For advance purchase of tickets and information, call 212-517-ASIA. Co-sponsored
with Center for Modern Iranian Arts.
Books of the Week
* Khaab-e
zemstaani (1998) (Sample
page)
From the author of the hugely successful Khaateraat-e paraakandeh
By Goli Taraghi
* Messel-e
hame-ye asr-haa (1996) (Sample
page)
Novel
By Zoya Pirzad
* Bichaareh
esfandiyaar (2nd edition, 1998) (Sample
page)
Late dissident's interpretations of the Shahnameh
By Saidi Sirjani
* Khaaneh-yeh
edrisi-haa (1998) (Sample
page)
Novel
By Ghazaleh Alizadeh
* Injaa
tehraan ast (1998) (Sample
page)
Documents about Tehran from the past century
By Mansureh Etehadiyeh
461 pages. $30.00
See more
Iranian books for sale
THE IRANIAN
Bookstore
Video of the Week
Noruz
1378 (On Sale!)
Get two of the best-selling videos (total of 22 hours of entertainment)
for a combined price of just $99 and save $51. PLUS you will get two free
CDs (Googoosh & Moin) with your order!
THE IRANIAN
Video Store
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May not be duplicated or distributed in any form
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More
news
Austrian president first EU leader to visit
Iran
VIENNA, Sept 17 (Reuters) - Austrian President Thomas Klestil will
make a state visit to Iran on September 20-21, making him the first head
of state from the European Union to visit the country since the 1979 Islamic
Revolution. The president's office said on Friday that Klestil had accepted
an invitation from Iranian President Mohammad Khatami for an official working
visit to discuss developing and expanding bilateral relations ... FULL TEXT
Amnesty calls for judicial reform
Sept
16, (Amnesty International ) -- Amnesty International today condemned the
death sentences passed against four people arrested in connection with student
demonstrations in Iran in July 1999 and called for the immediate halt of
trials held in secrecy. "The trial appears to have been conducted in
complete secrecy and with no opportunity for a proper appeal procedure.
We are calling for immediate commutation of the death sentences, urgent
clarification of the names of those sentenced, fair re-trials and the release
of all those held for their peaceful participation in the demonstrations,"
said Amnesty International ... FULL TEXT
Police arrest several suspects in connection
with bomb blast
TEHRAN, Sept 17 (AFP) - Iran's security forces have arrested several
people in connection with a bomb blast which killed at least two people
Thursday at a holy site in the northeastern city of Mashhad, state radio
reported Friday ... FULL TEXT
Albright challenges Congress on Russia
WASHINGTON,
Sept. 16 (UPI) _ The Clinton administration is urging Congress not to abandon
Russia despite frustration over crime, a crumbling economy and the alleged
misuse of billions of dollars from the International Monetary Fund. Amid
Republican threats to slash the administration's programs for Russia and
the former Soviet states by up to a third, Secretary of State Madeleine
Albright chastised lawmakers for their ``hostile and dismissive'' attitude
toward Russia ... FULL TEXT
Iran says Revolutionary Guards build own
helicopter
TEHRAN, Sept 17 (Reuters) - Iran's Revolutionary Guards have taken
delivery of a new helicopter built by the elite force's own engineers, state-run
Tehran radio reported on Friday. It said the Shahed X-5, a four-seater designed
by a development and engineering unit of the Revolutionary Guards, joined
the Guards' air force fleet at a ceremony on Thursday. The radio did not
say how many helicopters were involved. ... FULL TEXT
Zarrinkoub
Tehran (Hamshahri) -- A brief obituary of Dr. Abdol-Hossein Zarrinkoub,
one of Iran's greatest historians... FULL TEXT IN PERSIAN
In the middle of nowhere
Tehran (Hamshahri) -- You rarely here stories of just ordinary,
GOOD people these days. Here's one. A man, a clergyman by chance, has made
his mission to bring books to children in the middle of nowhere ... FULL
TEXT IN PERSIAN
Who's on top, who's not
Sept 17, (Iran Sports Press) -- Latest Azadegan League Table ...
FULL TEXT
Soccer results
Sept 17, (Iran Sports Press) -- Today's Azadegan League results
... FULL TEXT
BBC
Persian Service
For the latest news,
interviews and features on Iranian current affairs ... LISTEN HERE
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Persian Gulf
Research Web Site
The Gulf/2000 Project of Columbia University announces a
new public web site devoted to the countries and issues of the Persian Gulf.
Beyond Iran
Bud's Travels
Bud is a mannequin and a committed tourist. This is his
travelogue.
More
web sites
Quote Unquote
Del
Por tapesh baashad deli keh khun beh rag-haaye tanam daad...
Googoosh song written by Ardalan Sarfaraz
"Hejrat"
The Iranian
Sept 17, 1999
Photo of the Day
Kiss
Mahdavi-Kia's...
Music
Musician of the Week
Googoosh
* Nafas
* Qesseh-ye do maahi
* Digeh nemigi duset daaram
* Beyn-e maa har chi budeh tamum shodeh
* Jomeh
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