The Iranian Times

Wednesday September 6, 2000 / Shahrivar 16, 1379, No. 1058


ARCHIVE

Sprint Long Distance

Sehaty Foreign Exchange

Iranian books

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 >>> GO TO FEATURE

Iran

By Sadaf Kiani Abbassian
September 6, 2000
The Iranian >>> GO TO FEATURE


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

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,

100 Books for Girls to Grow On
By Shireen Dodson

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Akvaan-e div va daastaan-e bijan va manijeh
Shahnameh stories by Dr. Dabir Siaghi

THE IRANIAN
Bookstore
Music store


    Poetry

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



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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)
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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.


Music

Leila Forouhar

Music artists index


Art

Davood Manteghi
Untitled