News

mehdi

well said.  it really pretty much speaks for itself.  but there's that old media bias accusation in the way again.  :-)   deny it on one hand and use it in the other.  aahh... those ole double standards.

gol-dust said it best...We all have to agree with them, otherwise we are anti this and that! Just labeling everyone except themseleves... and doesn't even realize she's talking about herself.

Javad

With all due respect, who are we to assume how a Jewish person in Iran truly feels? Of course we can accept what he or she may say in front of someone working in some official government capacity, but can either of us say with any certainty that they will say the same thing outside of that person's presence?

I'm not one of those who suggest that they should be "rescued". But I do believe that we need to consider the source when the matter of Jews in Iran is raised by either the IR directly or through another party who was their "guest".

I also don't think the IRI can fool everyone, but they are very effective in fooling the ones that believe them.

Kaveh

my position is that Jewish Iranians are not specially suffering, they are not in any danger for their lives and livelihoods. They are being treated like zoo animals by the western media who always goes in with the expectation that they are being mistreated and is always surprised when they are not. They even rejected Israeli money to migrate for free. They even come to Israel and go back without any problems. Their lives are just like most Iranians right now. There have been at least 10-15 documentaries basically saying this.

You say it's bullshit. Is this because it really is, or is it because you consider WHATEVER good news to be bullshit? I don't think the IRI is capable of that level of 100% deception to fool EVERYONE. Why not use it for Bahai's and Gays too? It makes no sense.

In the grand scheme of things that need attention in Iran, Jews aren't even in the top 50%. Yet because it satisfies a perverse Wester and Israeli curiosity, they have to be bothered all the time and "rescued" by Iranians who haven't set foot in Iran for 40 years.

Yes, we are expert posures, we are also pig headed stubborn loudmouths who refuse to accept reality. We will make up any conspiracy theory to make sure we never admit we were wrong.

Javad

Is it your position that the IRI has not injected any propoganda into this, and is not using Roger Cohen as the vessel with which to spread it?

Certainly all sorts of evidence can be produced (actually manufactured) to support what Cohen has stated. But unless you consider the source of this information, (in this case the IRI) you will never have a clear factual picture of the situation.

I haven't seen anyone compare present day Iran to any kind of Nazi concentration camp. I find that to make such a comparison is very insulting to those people who were subjected to living and dying in those concentration camps.

Non-Moslems are not treated with equality in Iran today. The law in Iran does not afford equal protection to all citizens. You know that, I know that, and everyone else knows it too.

People lashed out at the bearer of the news because they reasonably expected that as a journalist, his bullshit detector would be in top shape.

We Iranians are expert poseurs. We've all done it at one point or another in our lives. SO many people were ranting and raving about Mohammad Reza Shah being a poseur, among other things, trying to be someone he wasn't, and trying show Iran as something it isn't.

Who do you think the mollahs learned from?

IRI will go to great lengths to put on a show for the outside world.

Javad Jon: What lies are you

Javad Jon: What lies are you talking about? Stop being so hysterical.

The IRI is an equal opportunity oppressor. If the number of jews of Iran have dwindled from 100,000 pre-revolution to 20,000 post-revolution, then you can safely assume that the conditions have changed.

Since when a journalists'/travellers'/friends of a few jews' anectodal observation replaced empirical data?

I have anectodal cases from both kind of jewish Iranians; those who love Iran and those who recall being treated like animals; those who celebrate Nowrouz with more enthusiasm than muslism ,and those who curse all Persians; those when asked, "where are you from", they say "Israel" althought they haven't set foot in Israel nor speak a word of Hebrew and those who are proud of their birthplace.

In all likelihood, the Jewish communityin Iran has to pay a huge sums of monthly bribe to officials in Iran in order to be not harrassed like before; remember those 13 jews who were sent to prison for being spies....The regime is not afraid of Jews because they don't prosteylize like the Bahais...

I don't need Roger Cohen to tell me what's going on in Iran...

sickof, if you have to tell lies to do it, you hurt IRAN not IRI

I'm not sure you can understand but making up atrocities where there is none, hurts real victims everywhere.

Javad X: demonizing Iran or

Javad X: demonizing Iran or the IRI? Are you kidding me? Do you really think the IRI has not done a superb job of villifying itself at the expense of all other innocent Iranians.

If the IRI and her sympathizers are really concerned about Iran and Iranians, they need to talk to the clerical leadership for their asinine hostility and deliberate enemy-making rhetorics and policies.

Those who are bent out of shape because Roger Cohn said...

something that does not jibe with their fantasies, please read the US State Department's Report on Global Anti-Semitism. It is a bit dated but I am certain the stats have not changed at all since it was published.

The report includes instances of anti-Semitism in different regions and different countries including the "civilized" ones.

Instances of anti-Semitism in Iran is zilch,nill, zero, nada, sefr, hichi.

//www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/40258.htm

The LA Jews and their FEW stupid Bahai sidekicks who want to shoehorn some anti-Semitism into Iran's reputation need to know this is NOT about how nice the regime is, but how descent the Iranians are. Saying the Jews who have chosen to stay in Iran are being persecuted while they say there's no such thing and there's NO evidence of it is anti-Iranian and a low blow.

Thank you Roger?!

Can it be anymore obvious what we are dealing with in this site. Evidently once an Islamist, always a Islamist. No wonder this "website" is a beehive of all possible forms of Islamist thugs straight out of Tehran. It is clearly run by a degenerate leftover of the same crowd.

[My finger hurts again]

Zion

to the "sick" person and others

"sick" or "shame" or whatever you call yourself.

The reality is that you are purposefully demonizing Iran with any excuse possible, regardless of facts as reported by all journalists who have looked into this overblown issue.

I guess you think you know better than everyone else, including the Iranian Jews themselves.

Such shameful and dishonest tactics means that people like you are losing support with me and all other Iranians who are fighting for a better and more democratic future in Iran -- but without selling ourselves to Iran's enemies.

what is the big deal here.

look, here we have a situation where a respected Jewish journalist goes to Iran to write about his fellow Jews there. Their lives, aspiration and yes about their freedom to say whatever they wish w/o fear.

Since Cohen does not speak farsi, he hired the services of a local translator, and paid him $150 /day. Up to here all is normal and fine. He meets lots of Jews and talks to them- obviously through the interpretor.

This journalist end up writing (his opinion) that Jews in Iran have  it good. Contrary to those pundits, these Iranian Jews are free and happy as clam.

Later, and by his own admission, we find out that, the loyal translator was also spying on him, and reporting to the government every word he was hearing and saying, Every one whom he had met, and every move he was making (certainly the hotel room was also bugged). which obviously raised lots of eyebrows.

However, after it was published, many Jews living in US did not agree with his column, and voiced their opposition,

At the gathering in LA and meeting with local Iranian Jewish immigrant, they polity told him. "Mister, our own experience while living in Iran have been far different then what you had learned during the few days during which you had spent in Iran. That is why we are living here in US and not in Iran". So why should they be demonizd for disagreeing with his thesis?

Perhaps he should  have talked with them, to learn about THEIR experiences in Iran as well, before he embarked on his journey to Tehran,  just to hear their side of the story. Why did  they leave the good life iin Iran and went to the west.

There is no doubt that, had he done so (learning from all pertinent parties) his column would have been seen as more  credible to others then just from one  side.

It is obvious  that, Roger Cohen had fallen into that famous Iranian custom called TA'ARROF. the art of pretension, which the Mullahs in Iran are masters.

gol-dust: How long have you

gol-dust: How long have you lived in the US, If you don't mind me asking?

anonyomous 8 or xerexes: You

anonyomous 8 or xerexes: You think intoning those who are in the pocket of oil mafia, in other words, the American Realist establishment makes your views more defenisble? Mr Abrhamian unfortunately, has fallen into their trap for whatever reason.

Gol-dust: Why should you

Gol-dust: Why should you hate zionists if you're not an Islamofascists mouthpiece of militant Islam. The only group of Iranians who hate the "bad jews" and the wish for the annihilation of Israe l are the Islamofascists on this website who can dish it out but can't take it.

Javadx: What reality? The

Javadx: What reality? The Islamists apologist's reality? Jews are at best tolerated like a good dihimmi that they are. The hope of the islamofascists is that eventually they will join the "true believers" and away from Dar-al-harb.

You might be able to fool the useful idiots in the US but do not for a minute think you can fool Iranians or Iranian jews whose number has dwindled from 100,000 to less than 20,000.

Thank goodness Iranians are not as dumb as the socialist far left.

gol-dust

Very well said!

Zionists are number one anti-democracy, facisists & racists!

My God, nobody dares to have an opinion other than theirs! We all have to agree with them, otherwise we are anti this and that! Just labeling everyone except themseleves!

They can only see the truth through their own damn limited vision with their blinders on! They are not even worthy of spending time to have an open dialogue with, since they are deaf and blind; so forget that!

As for Bahai and spy - I have never said that before, but watching them always present in the rallies with the zionists bashing Iran on behalf of Israel makes me wonder! Now I can see why people call them the Israeli agents! Isn't that what the traitors do? Do we really need those who are so much against their country of origin? Of course, obviously I know many of them would never do that and don't share the same thing with those guys, and I am not talking about them.

Let's see how Israelis would have treated them if they were Israelis and doing the exact same thing against Israel? They are lucky that they are not! Israeli democracy, my foot! 

Of course there are good,

Of course there are good, honest Jews like Cohen out there.

Why is IRI still in power?

The question was answered by Arvand Ebrahamian, somebody much smarter than Farhad K, in a new article:
//iranian.com/main/news/2009/03/16/why-is...

Farhad is dead wrong again.

One reasons that Fascist

One reasons that Fascist regimes such as IRI have been so successful victimizing themselves is misguided, ultra leftist and Islamist enablers like Roger Cohen.

If you ever come up with a list of factors that has so far insured IRI’s survival, you definitely have to include the left propaganda machine, represented in people like Chumsky and Hersh and Roger Cohen and others.

fred, you sure can accuse a lot of people of lying

Here's one more to add to your sorry ass collection.

Rabbi Gottlieb's reflections on Roger Cohen

Here's a part just for you:

"Reading Roger Cohen's piece in the NY Times confirmed my own experience in Iran. I have had the pleasure of meeting the ancient community of Jews from Esfahan, Shiraz and Teheran on two separate occasions. I attended services in each of the cities, met with the official representatives of the community twice in Shiraz and Teheran and had several private conversations in hotel lobbies and private homes for hours on end, with youth and elders. I was also surprised at the depth of study of Jewish sources by Muslim scholars at Mofid University who quoted Maimonides, Rashi and Torah with ease and were anxious to learn more. As in any culture there is a diversity of attitudes."

TO JAHANSHAH OR OTHER WEBSITE OPERATORS: can somebody please put up this in the news section? Hers's the link. Thanks.
//www.philipweiss.org/mondoweiss/2009/02/a-ra...

Fred, you are making a total fool of yourself

You are at a loss and your agenda exposed, so you are hallucinating. I am proud of CASMII and those honourable people who defend Iran against demonisation, sanctions and war. You, on the other hand, have nothing to be proud of, you are drowned in hatred and lies. Go get a job, find a relationship, and shut up.

Kaveh jan,

Is Cohen the only one saying this?

Every single documentary and investigation that has ever been done has shown direct evidence that Iranian Jews are not mistreated. The problems they have are the same problems most Iranians have. There is no persecution of Jews going on. Everytime someone goes there, he is either called naive or a liar. Some people just aren't interested in reality.

How many times does this have to be proven?

The real problem is that right wing Americans and Iranians really want to see evidence of some kind of Nazi concentration camp in Iran, but when they don't get it, they lash out against the bearer of the news.

This is getting tiring!

Denial are us

When it comes to defending and whitewashing the abhorrent practices of the Islamist republic, as sure as the sun rises everyday, the CASMII lobby is certain to show up. For instance, those who care to know might want to take a looksy at how the head of the CASMII lobby in the U.S. tried to whitewash the savage beatings the women got from the Islamist goons. Even though the whole savagery was videotaped and were witnessed by many it did not stop the CASMII lobby head to come up with this pointblank denial:

"Contrary to dispatches by news services, I learned from an eyewitness whom I infinitely trust that he saw no beating or gassing of the demonstrators."

//mrzine.monthlyreview.org/pourzal180606.html

So is this CASMII lobbyist’s denial of the facts that too many witnesses, regardless of what the clueless Roger with ulterior agenda says, can attest to. The CASMII lobbyist in Britain says:
“Many Iranian Jews inside and outside of Iran hold the views that Roger Cohen reflected. But anything that challenges your agenda is denounced as not valid by yourself and those who are out to slander and demonise Iran.”

Kaveh Nouraee

What you say is so childish! Why should Roger Cohen be fooled by IRI instead by another state like Israel? It's more natural in this way.

Javad

Is it that Roger Cohen has a reason to lie, or is that the IRI has reason to lie to and put on a farce for Roger Cohen?

I'd like to think that he sincerely believes what he said, which would just make him terribly naive. The IRI found a sucker that could give them free PR.

Interesting article

In his article What Iran's Jews say in Herald Tribune. There is a passage that I found interesting too:

"Let them say 'Death to Israel,"' he said. "I've been in this store 43 years and never had a problem. I've visited my relatives in Israel, but when I see something like the attack on Gaza, I demonstrate, too, as an Iranian."


It's always great to see that people don't have the problems that we imagine, to live together.

sickIRI,

Why are you afraid to face the reality of life in Tehran as told by objective reporter with no reason to lie?

Why does that bother you so much?

It was a courageous and long needed report. I'm sure glad milani was involved in this.

LA Kalimi's are hard core zionists

Of course they would react to Cohen this way.

The sad truth is Cohen has a much better idea of what's it is like inside Iran right now. The LA Kalimis and other anti regime groups are still living in the late 70's.

agha Mazloom

Mazloom,

You say: "So, where a true democratic state, expects the local translator to spy and report a visiting journalist's every move, or words said or heard with local citizens to the government?" When that state is under threat from spies, infiltrators, saboteurs and military attack, then that state takes all necessary precautions which includes work of journalists. Undoubtedly such a state of siege impacts on the state of democracy itself and provides pretexts too for repressive measures. It is not a secret and you have boasted yourself that Israel spies and sabotages in Iran.

"how a Jew like him, whom had never lived in Iran, nor had visited this country before, is more authoritative on Jews life in Iran, more then Jews themselves who lived in Iran for almost 2000 years". Are you an authority on these matters?! When was the last time you lived in Iran?! Many Iranian Jews inside and outside of Iran hold the views that Roger Cohen reflected. But anything that challenges your agenda is denounced as not valid by yourself and those who are out to slander and demonise Iran.