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The Battle, Not the War

In the days leading upto 22 Bahman, the Iranian blogosphere was abuzz over whether a momentous turnout would mark a turning point in the Green movement. DC's policy and think-tank circles were excited, too, with many starting to see Iran's so-called "democracy clock" as outpacing its "nuclear clock" for the first time. The mainstream press also again took notice, putting aside its ceaseless coverage of the nuclear issue -- if only fleetingly -- to cover the another showdown in the first major social movement of the twenty-first century>>>

Any path will take you there

Almost everything that has been written about Iran these past months has made the assumption that one of the primary goals of the Green Movement is to transform Iran into a democracy. However, there exists a fundamental problem; everybody is making the assumption that Iranians in Iran know what democracy is and how the democratic process works. The truth is Iranians in Iran do not have the faintest idea how democracy works simply because Iranian culture and Islam, as practiced in Iran, are both undemocratic>>>

Green bourgeoisie

When on February 11, 2010, millions of Iranians from 818 large and small cities across the country and from all walks of life, young and old, men and women, workers and professionals, turned out to celebrate the thirty-first anniversary of the Islamic Revolution, it was despite the threats and demagogueries of the Western leaders and corporate mass media. For weeks prior to the anniversary day, all news agencies, the mainstream broadcasting media, and spokesmen of the offices of the U.S. president as well as the Congress and the European Parliament were all tirelessly engaged in demonizing the Iranian leaders>>>

Green Skies

Inside a small briefing room six officers of the Iranian Air Force, dressed in flight suits, are awaiting the arrival of a senior officer. The room is messy and unkempt, as if no one has paid it any particular attention for a few days. Two officers are scribbling data next to a crudely drawn map on the whiteboard. A few others are looking out the window at the light snow falling on the runway. In a corner, and away from everyone else, sits Maj. Reza Ahangar, a tall, dark haired man in his early 40’s. His head is resting on his crossed arms on a small writing chair that he is sitting on>>>

ژن های تاریخی و ملّی

برخی از وقایع دوران پادشاهی هرمزچهارم و پسرش خسرو پرویز را که بیست و دوّمین و بیست وسوّمین پادشاه ساسانی – اواخرقرن ششم و اوائل قرن هفتم میلادی (٥٩٠- ٦٢٨) – بوده اند می آورم و با وقایع مشابهش در زمان پادشاهی محمّد رضا شاه پهلوی و دوران پس از او مقایسه می کنم. و شما خود داوری کنید که اینها آیا فقط شباهتهائی ظاهری است و یا ژن های تاریخی و ملّی. فرستادن لباس زنانه - هرمز چهارم (٥٧٩ – ٥٩٠ میلادی) برای تحقیر مخالف سر سختش بهرام چوبینه که سرداری بزرگ و پهلوانی بنام بوده است لباسی زنانه با شلواری سرخ و سرپوشی زرد رنگ به عنوان هدیه برای او می فرستد: >>>

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راه دشوار دمکراسی در ایران

...>>>

Plan B

Does the fact that Thursday was a failure make the need for a Green triumph any less urgent? NO! Not if you are on the side of those innocent people who have shed blood in this struggle for democracy and freedom. Not if you think that a democratic Iran will be an antidote to extremism in the region and indeed the world. Not if you think that those who cheat, beat, rape and kill innocents should be held accountable. Does the failure of Thursday make the need for a reassessment of our approach a necessity? Yes! Yes, if you believe that strong leadership and clever planning are needed for a revolutionary movement to succeed against a foe who is brutal and who shuns all calls for local and internationally accountability>>>

The Unhappy Anniversary

Thursday, on the 31st anniversary of Iran’s Islamic revolution, Ayatollah Khamenei’s government was fighting for its survival, as leaders of the country’s opposition Green Movement sought to take back a revolution gone astray. Even as demonstrators participated in carefully choreographed pro-government displays, the fact that the Iranian authorities had to turn off the Internet, disable access to Gmail, and fill the streets with riot police and paramilitary Basij served to illustrate the dilemma in which the Khamenei regime now finds itself>>>

A question of survival

My involvement with the Persian secular democratic movement is motivated by a genuine compassion and empathy for the Persian people's appalling suffering at the hands of a barbaric totalitarian regime. In addition, I hold the leaders and members of the Persian secular democratic movement and some liberal Islamists in the highest admiration. On the other hand, as a Jewish Zionist, I naturally support Israel's right to strike Iran's nuclear plants in self-defense>>>

Society of Professional Dreamers

The 20th Celebration of Iranian Cinema kicked off this weekend at University of California, Los Angeles, featuring a collection of established and emerging talents from Iran. The goal of this greatly received show-case is, and has been, to present a diverse portrait of Iran’s variety of cultural communities, leading customs and expressions as well as ethnic minorities’ way of living. On Friday February 5th, the opening night was dedicated to Heiran (2009) Shalizeh Alizadeh’s first feature film>>>

Ali Farhang Opens Up

Ali Farhang was walking back from the park with his grandson Payman.  They had gone to the playground, where Payman had shown his grandfather the many things he could do with monkey bars and slides and swings.
    "Baba bozorg," Payman said.  "Why were you in jail?"
    "I was in prison because our people were not free and I thought that they should be." >>>

وای دلم

ای وای  دلم  که  رفته  از  دست  دلم
  هر کس که به دل نشست بشکست دلم
  دیوانه  دلم  اگر  کمی‌  عاقل  بود
  افسار  گسسته  دل  نمی بست  دلم >>>

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