انشقاق حکومتی و جنبش سبز

حلقه محاصره محمود احمدی‌نژاد روز به روز تنگ‌تر می‌شود و ضربات مخالفان او در درون حکومت سنگین‌تر. هواداران و مدافعان پیشین او یکی پس از دیگری راه خود را از او جدا می‌کنند و به صف مخالفان می‌پیوندند. معمولا آنان که در گذشته در حمایت او مصرتر بودند و مبالغه‌آمیزتر سخن می‌راندند امروز حادتر علیه او موضع می‌گیرند. مجلس و قوه قضاییه و شورای نگهبان علیه او صف‌آرایی کرده‌اند >>>

Turning 43 in Prison

He’s one of approximately 40 imprisoned journalists in Iran, who are serving prison terms in relation to their writings or other social and political activities. Bahman’s charges however were solely related to his writings. In fact they are directly related to the practice of his profession as a journalist. Charges have been brought against Bahman for articles he wrote critical of the economic policies of President Ahmadinejad>>>

Working for Us

Hillary Clinton’s announcement last week regarding a change in US visa policy was welcome news to Iranian students coming to America to study. With the old single entry visas there was no guarantee that Iranian students would be able to return to class if they left the US to, say, visit a sick parent. But from now on, new students will receive two year multiple entry visas. This compassionate policy change was announced a few weeks after Huffingtonpost published an article by Jamal Abdi and Trita Paris titled, “How Obama Can Reach the Iranian People: Start With Visas...">>>

What Are the Odds?

Sometimes practicing law can make you jaded and a pessimist. But every once in a while a client who has a clear dream comes in the door and reminds you of the power of perseverance. Today I get a call from a young Iranian man currently studying in Turkey, who was recently denied an F-1 student visa for attending a community college in the U.S., without a formal interview. Of course they don’t give visas for attending a community college to Iranians, are you kidding?>>>

Shekaar-o-Tabeeat

At Behzad's house,
hiding from his mom,
and her greasy stew,
we hid under a bed
in the clay room.
>>>

On His Knees

Mr. Khatami is offering an olive branch to the two opposing forces with only one common denominator: a time span of thirty two years. On one side, it is the Iranian people oppressed for the last thirty-two years and on the other side are the Shi’a clergy and their Islamist allies who have brutalized Iranians for the last thirty two years. As it appears, there are two disproportionate and inequitable forces: the Iranian people and their oppressive government>>>

Defining Moment

Arguably the most important reason for the international interest in Iran is its strategically pivotal geography. Like some of its Muslim neighbours, it has tremendous oil and gas reserves. For the United States, the revolution in Iran was nothing less than a geopolitical shock. Revolutionary dynamics in the Arab World have recently rekindled the debate in the West on “political Islam”. To get a good understanding of the phenomenon, however, it is necessary to define it properly – which, so far, has hardly been done>>>

Ariobarzanes

Little is known about Ariobarzanes (Old Persian Ariyabrdna) life or his exact birth date; however historical evidence tells us that he was born into a wealthy, noble Persian family and he is probably descended from the earlier satraps of Cyrus the Great, Darius I and Xerxes I. It is interesting to note the fact that high King Darius III had appointed him satrap (or viceroy) of Persis. It seems that in the past, this position had not existed>>>

کلمه‌ی‌ «مردم» مرا نگران می‌کند

ولادیمیر سوروکین نویسنده کمابیش جنجالی روس، با چاپ داستان‌‌هایی که در ٢٠ سال گذشته نوشته، توانسته است برای خود در ادبیات روسیه اعتباری فراهم آورد. مهم‌ترین دستاورد ادبی او این است که موفق شده شیوه‌ی تازه‌ای در داستان‌نویسی برای نشان دادن خشونت ابداع کند و به‌این‌ترتیب بر غنای ادبی روسیه افزوده است. سوروکین که تجربه‌ی زندگی در دیکتاتوری تک‌حزبی شوروی را از سر گذرانده، رمان‌هایش با هیچیک از تعاریفی که برای رمان روسی در دست داریم، مطابقت ندارد>>>

صوفی اهل حال

من مریدم
مرید کسی که
منبرش بر درختان توت است
حرفهایش همه از سکوت است
>>>

We did it!

The National Iranian American Council (NIAC) applauds the Obama Administration’s decision to repeal the Single-Entry Visa policy for Iranian students. The decision will expand opportunities for Iranians to study in the US at a time when record numbers of Iranian youth seek to escape repression in Iran. “There are few better examples of how the United States can reach Iran's youth than by increasing their opportunities for a brighter future,” said NIAC President Trita Parsi>>>

Out of Miracles

Ahmadinejad tried to resist pressure from the supreme leader and lost. He has been badly weakened by recent events. Many have compared Ahmadinejad’s likely fate with that of Abulhassan Banisadr, the Islamic Republic’s first president who fell out with Khomeini and was forced into exile. Iran’s semi-official Mehr news agency reported last week that several members of parliament had revived a bid to summon Ahmadinejad for questioning over “recent events”>>>

Ducking Reality

Here is a test: Who said the following; "Iran's model, like al-Qaeda's, lacks a vision relevant to our times. It is a model that could not be more out of step with the sentiments of the Arab Spring. This model has the following characteristics: First: A corrupt, mismanaged, and isolated economy that offers the younger generation little hope for a better future. It is an economy increasingly working for the security services like the IRGC [Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps] and elites, and not for the people of Iran>>>