Archive - 2010 - Article

Returning to Iran

Early last summer, the photographer whose work appears on the cover of this book was attacked on the streets in Tehran. He escaped serious injury and arrest but his cameras, including the one that shot this picture, were confiscated. He later emailed his friends a picture of what had remained of his cameras: a lens cover and a piece of chord. Those confiscated cameras had recorded a great deal over the years. The various accounts of these years, recorded from many perspectives, are crucial in understanding the recent events in Iran>>>

زمستان

زمستان خود را تنها طی می کنم
این روزهای کوتاه و شبهای بلند را

 در این سرمای سخت چیزی را نمی توان پنهان کرد
یکی یکی خاطره ها و فکرها آشکار می شوند >>>

Four scenarios and a nightmare

It is not possible to predict political developments in Iran, even over the short-term. It may be realistic to assume, though, that scenarios for Iran in 2010-11 will still be scenarios for the Islamic Republic of Iran – that, in other words, a replacement of the existing system by another is unlikely. True, changes within the Islamic Republic are to be expected. The precise depth and direction of such changes will depend on a variety of factors originating both within Iran and its external environment. A scenario is not a prediction; quite the contrary, it provides a picture or story of different possible outcomes>>>

Why does religion persist?

Throughout the history of humankind, we cannot find any phenomenon more enduring and more ubiquitous than religion. It has been with us ever since we started living in communities. While scientific investigations have not provided conclusive evidence regarding the origin of religion, many researchers believe that human beings have a natural inclination for religion because of their genetic makeup. In other words, believing in religion is rooted in our genes. We are predisposed to be spiritual beings and religion is the outward manifestation of our spirituality>>>

معنویت و پاکدینی روشنفکرانه

رویاروئی فکر روشنگری با جهانبینی دینی در سه جبهه بود. جنبه شناختی دیدگاه روشنگری کیهان شناسی جدیدی فارغ از پیشفرضهای متافیزیکی ارائه کرد، جنبه سیاسی آن به تفکیک دین از سایر حیطه ها منجمله سیاست انجامید و بالاخره در پهنه ذهنیت فکر روشنگر زیبائی شناسی و اخلاقی جدید را بارمغان آورد. این تقابل فقط در عالم فکر نبود. در عصر جدید با ظهور پروتستانتیزم و دولت- ملتها طومار سلطه کلیسای کاتولیک بر اروپا یکباره در هم پیچیده شد. >>>

Discovery in Ramsar

I occasionally go to Iran. During a visit in January 2009, I was taking a walk near my home in Ramsar's Katalom suburb, in Mazandaran Province. As I usually do, I analyzed sediments and rocks along the way. One day I noticed the existence of some rocks within the soft sedimentation of reddish soil (Aluminium Silicate). What caught my attention was the way they were positioned on the top of a hill. The rocks did not have earthly base, and all around the rocks was soft soil, and many of them had rather unusual shapes >>>

The Man on the Street

I don't know what the American man on the street thinks of an Iranian who is trying to squeeze every drop of poetry out of their encounter, who doesn't know what else there is for him to squeeze, because he came at age six and began an American moment which always placed the man on the street at its center, which found that center more precisely the more the man wore how lost and trembling he was, before an Iranian had even walked by. Before an Iranian had even walked by, it was the world that had him looking like that, and I'd walk by and want to tell him - you can make a country out of that, you know>>>

سراب

ای پرده نشین بی‌ حجا بم
وی رمز سوال بی‌ جوابم
از خواب گران رهایی‌ام ده‌
چشمم بگشا که مست خوابم
در حیرتم از تصور خویش
وز باور خود در اضطرابم >>>

وقتش رسيده

دنيا بايد بداند که فقط يک نيرو در ايران می تواند حامل و زايندهء حکومتی بر اساس اعلاميه حقوق بشر و همهء کنوانسيون های بين المللی باشد و آن هم نيروئی سکولار است... ما نبايد ملتمسانه دنبال آن باشيم که رهبرانی همچون «او با ما» براستی «با ما» باشند و صدايمان را بشنوند. ما بايد آنها را مجبور کنيم که به صدای بخش سکولار جنبش سبز توجه کرده و دريابند که اين سبز گسترده بر سراسر ايران ـ که به زودی، با سرزدن بهار، همه چيز و همه جا را به رنگ خود در خواهد آورد ـ نه سبز سيدی است، نه سبز قمر بنی هاشم، و نه سبز اصلاح طلبان مذهبی؛ سبزی ملی است که نيازی به بند و بست های مخفی با آنان ندارد.>>>

مادر بزرگ در سانتامونیکا

ـ تنها زندگی می کنی؟
ـ نه!
با خدا زندگی می کنم
آن بالا، یک، دو، سه
توی اتاقی که بوی ادویه می دهد
و به زمزمه ی دیگ آش دلبسته است. >>>

The Green Wave

Iran’s “Green Wave” received much international interest and support, both with the Iranian diasporas and the international community. Even certain foreign politicians, like the French president Nicolas Sarkozy, the German Chancellor Angela Merkel and the head of European foreign policy Javier Solana, showed their support to the Iranian people and condemned their oppressive regime. The interesting and different characteristic of this green movement is that it is not limited to a certain political group or a part of the population>>>

Hope for Humanity

Today, less than two weeks after Haiti first trembled, I sit in wonder as I meditate on the phrase which has been stamped on the conscience of every soul: "Hope for Haiti". I hear the words over the radio and see them plastered over every programme on television and flashed repeatedly over my computer screen. But I wonder if it is really hope that we are purchasing with such generous donations or an ointment for the wounds of guilt?! Is the Haiti catastrophe really a natural disaster or the bitter truth of poverty?!>>>

Grandma in Santa Monica

- Do you live alone?
- No
I am living with God
Up there: one, two, three
In a room filled with scents of spices
And the familiar sound of bubbling pottage >>>

حرامزاده - 4

لحظه ای کنترل فرمان موتور از دست بهرام خارج شد اما با مهارت زود آن مهار کرد و به حالت عادی برگرداند. دلیل این پیشامد الهه بود که در آن هنگام از سر جوانی شوخیش گرفته بود درحالی که پشت بهرام نشسته بود دو طرف کمر او را قلقلک داد. راننده اتومبیل مسافرکشی که عقب آنها حرکت می کرد و نزدیک بود آن دو را زیر بگیرد با خشم روی بوق کوبید و با صدای بلند انواع ناسزاها را نثارشان کرد. بهرام بمحض متعادل کردن موتور بر سرعت آن افزود و بتندی از آن اتومبیل دور شد. در طی دو روز گذشته یک بارش سنگین برف زمستانی همه جا را سپید پوش کرده بود>>>

Reporters Without a Home

Since the disputed 12 June presidential election at least 100 journalists and bloggers have been arrested and 23 are still being held. At the same time, around 50 have been forced to flee the country to escape the relentless repression. More are leaving every day. These are the brave and selfless folks that year after year pushed back and challenged status quo. They pressed against the system and pushed the envelop when there were no bright lights or world attention. One organization having nothing to do with any Iranian group has taken the lead to help these people>>>