US State Department launches new Persian web site. So, if you're Iranian and you can't GO to the US, at least you can read about it...

Q & A on the Saudi terror attacks. "[The terrorists] want foreigners to leave and to eventually bring down the Saudi government and replace it with a government which adhers much more strictly to the Wahhabi interpretation of Islam." If they succeed, there goes the foreign direct investment, they can all watch as their society goes down the toilet! I wonder how they will make Arabia more "Islamic"? Isn't it already like the Taliban was in many ways? That's the problem with mixing religion and state, you can never have too much religion for some people.

(Muse to self: The Chechen bombing killed more people (>=54 versus >=29), but this gets more attention in the world media. In Chechnya, an order of magnitude more Muslims are dying than in Palestine, but this gets little attention in all media. The Iranian media pays no attention because they don't want to antagonise Russia (nuclear technology), because their state Khomeinist ideology focuses on Israel, and because the whole Israel/Palestine issue is such a wonderful distraction strategy from domestic problems in both the Arab world and Iran. The book "The Tragedy of the Middle East" explains the last point. Similar arguments apply for the 2000 Muslims killed in Gujarat, India in February and March 2002. And for the Arab world's silence on Hama.) Naturally, as I've said before, 5000 Kurds being gassed by Saddam in 1988 also gets less attention than 3000 international deaths on 9/11.

Last night I went to McMashallah. I had a "Double Cheeseburger" for 1800T. A "Happy Meal" was 2000T. Does this sound familiar to anybody?

Mr MRK says MPs won't resign. Why should they, they get a Land Rover, an apartment, and the press reports everything they say. It's all a kind of "head game" with the people.

The sickness at the heart of Iranian society is manifested in the traffic.

Stop at the red light, before changing the government.

Now we DO have internet censorship in Iran.

Umm, the I believe that young women have not written about this. I wonder if it is affecting them and how they feel about it? Mr Steppenwolf is pretty angry about it.

As for me, it is not affecting me at all. Reza Pahlavi, Emrooz, WomenInIran, Golshan, Molla Hassani. Yes, I can see them all. I'll let you know if this changes.

But Mr Steppenwolf, there is no need to get angry. There is something Iranians can learn from Arabs (!), because they have had to deal with this problem much longer than Iranians. Wayne's proxy avoidance will help, Peekabooty is simpler still. If you can't get it to work email me and I'll see if I can help.

Hopes for reform in Iran fading. Mr. MRK is about three years behind the general population... but this is not a democracy.

Stella Artois is called "horse piss" in at least 4 places on the internet, one, two, three, four.

Council's quashing of bill very unexpected to Khatami. Shakouri-Rad said that the bill would not be referred to the Expediency Council; Iran Press Service wrote about a resolution within two months. I predict the survival of the regime, despite the pressures.

Yesterday I went to the book fair again, and bought "Old New Zealand" by Maning, ($US90 on amazon.com, $US18 there); a critical edition of "Emma" by Jane Austen, History of the Twentieth Century, and "Fanny Hill" (Wordsworth)! I was rather surprised by the last one's availability. A wide range of uncensored material is available if you read English. At this rate, perhaps they'll be selling "The Satanic Verses" in a few years! On the way back I stopped by "Kabooky Fried Chicken", the taxi fare to Tajrish was 400T, but 100T yesterday!

State Department transcribes American Enterprise Institute conference. (What's happening there?) Other coverage at Payvand. Michael Ledeen is profiled by Brown University professor William Beeman (like his last article I linked to, quite informative).

Hoder talks about blocking of his site. From my perspective I have never seen any blocking of any site... of course I'll post if that changes.

Thursday, the first day of the weekend. The Tehran International Book Fair is on, and I had cards to buy books to the value of 100,000 tomans. The books are subsidised to the rate of about 300 tomans to 1 US dollar, whereas the usual exchange rate is 800 tomans to the dollar. Building 44 is where the new English books are, nothing older than 2001. Building 41A is older books.

So, I was feeling lazy, so I took a private taxi there (1600T).
All the stalls were full of people, except

"The Institute for the Compilation and Publication of Imam Khomeini's Works"...which was surrounded by Cambridge University Press, Phaidon, and Gale Group. Today, it ended up that I bought three books, all from Routledge. Iranian History and Politics, usually US$90 but today 31800 tomans ($US38.87); English-only Europe? (about $US10), and Religion Without God.

You see, we have freedom in Iran! You can buy books about atheism now, despite the regulations that say nothing contrary to Islam can be sold. There are two big reasons why: (1) it's not in Farsi, it's in English and (2) the TIBF is a unique event, many things change - taxi fares can be multiplied many times, for example.

On the way home I stopped by Tam Tam Pizza near Tajrish Square. This is where young couples go to intertwine hands and feet and flirt with each other. A disturbing number of Iranian young women smoke now. I don't find this attractive.

The International Atomic Energy Agency has a meeting of its board of governors in Vienna from June 16-20. Iran wants the IAEA to clear it. But the USA wants the IAEA to find Iran in breach of the NPT. I'll be interested to hear the Economist's take on this in a few days. But from the quotes in the articles, it doesn't look good for Iran, because other countries have the same suspicions as the US and Iran only has Russia for its "friend":

A senior Western diplomat who attended the IAEA meeting yesterday in Vienna said Iran's report was unconvincing.

''It was a skillful performance,'' said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity. ''They tried to give the image of transparency without providing substance about their nuclear program. We think they are hiding things.''

China admits supplying Iran with uranium hexaflouride and when you combine that with the Reuters article saying:

Diplomats say IAEA officials had detected that Iran had introduced some uranium hexafluoride into the gas centrifuges, which would be a clear breach of the NPT.

then you have bad news for Iran. The articles say Mr ElBaradei is in a difficult situation.

15000 mile bike tour.

``And despite hiding their cash in "hard to reach" places, a "fake policeman" in Iran robbed the family of $30,000 in Taiwan currency ($861), $200 in U.S. currency and another $200 in euros ($226). And they also had money trouble in China when $3,600 in U.S. currency turned black and moldy after heavy rain seeped into the cash.''

This happens all the time... Lonely Planet has several stories like this (also saying the police didn't want to help), El Traveler has a very detailed account and a follow-up describing in detail how the Iranian police didn't seem to want to help!

Internet offenses bill under consideration. Hoder wrote about something like this.

As for this alleged CBS program on Rafsanjani on 60 minutes (saw on peiknet.com, hoder.com): Iran is really not THAT important in world affairs, that the Expediency Council leader would have a program on him in America. Not many people know who Rafsanjani is outside Iran, believe it or not. Of course he is rich by Iranian standards, but not enough by world standards to be in the billionaires' list.
So an American program said to be investigating his wealth is just some Iranian's fantasy.

60 Minutes only interviewed him in 1997 because he was the president. Now, it is true, he is still one of the three most powerful men in Iran, but I don't think American viewers are going to be interested enough to sit through a program on him.

The Google Dance means that some google servers have more up to date results than the main server. If everyone knew this many would look to see which server has the latest search information, like I do.

Some Iranians would welcome a US invasion. I know people on both sides of the issue; according to the writer, sentiment in Tabriz and Kandovan supports it. I liked the quote at the end, though surely it isn't original: "If you're going to photograph the mullahs," says one photographer in Tabriz, "do it in black and white. That's how they see the world."

The attitude of European people in general... "English should be everyone's second language.". The attitude of French people: "English should be everyone's second language. FRENCH should be everyone's first language!" (Every human being should speak French!)

Anyway, the Festival de Cannes runs from May 14 to 25. When viewing the website, you have a choice between French (denoted by 6001 in the URL) and English (6002). A film from Iran is showing outside the official selection, in the directors' fortnight. It is called "Deep Breath" by Parviz Shahbazi. Even if you read about it in Le Monde it is still called "Deep Breath" not "Souffle Profond". English has taken over!!! Britannia rules the waves!

Miss Iraniangirl points out Lady Sun's English weblog. There is less risk involved in writing an English weblog in Iran, like this one, and the audience is completely different (much more international).

Australia Shows Iranian Asylum Seekers The Door.

"This simply underlines how right the government has been to take a strong stand on illegal migration," Downer said. "The simple fact is that if the government had taken a weak stand and just allowed anyone into Australia who wanted, without a visa, we would have ended up with a very major problem."

I've often thought about what would happen if Iranians emigrated en masse to Canada, the US or Australia. I think that immigration needs to be gradual so that the people who emigrate understand the culture and political background of the country they are emigrating to. With some people in the UK already calling for the UK to become an Islamic state and al-Qaeda's alleged plan to make an Islamic super-state including Australia, massive immigration would cause severe problems. The bad apples would come along with the good. Most of the Iranian asylum-seekers' claims have been rejected, and I know from conversations with diplomats just how far people will go to get out of here... on the other hand I've never been to a mandatory detention camp.

NYTimes Magazine writes about proliferation. Neo-cons want Japan to go nuclear to counterbalance North Korea; and the IAEA can't do anything about Iran without their co-operation; the US has an idea about this.

``In Iran, which lives in a hostile neighborhood and retains more than a little Persian pride, the reformers seem just as dedicated to a nuclear future as the mullahs.
...

They also hope the Iranians and their sponsors will take the overthrow of Saddam Hussein as fair warning.

''I think the presence of 200,000 American troops on their border for X period of time may tend to concentrate their attention,'' observed a senior American official. ''

Right-wing think tanks rule DC. I am interested in this because it will tell me what the US will do next regarding Iran. Think tanks mentioned are the Hoover Institute, the Heritage Foundation, and the American Enterprise Institute (where Michael Ledeen works).

I'm back in Iran.

Al Jazeera quotes Ali Nourizadeh on the bills before parliament. (Actually, a groups.google.com search shows this is from March 24 or before.)

“The hardline Council of Guardians will not approve those laws,” Zadah said. “Khatami will then either resign or call for a referendum – which is what Washington wants – since the majority of Iranians want a change in government – a secular one and not Islamic. If the US is in Iraq, you can expect rapid changes in Iran.”

I agree with the part about the GC, but not the bit about Khatami. I think the Economist Intelligence Unit has it right.

Roadmap for Middle East peace.

ivj leads to: Iranian MP to face court over prison claims;

A reformist MP faced the threat of arrest yesterday after judicial authorities accused him of undermining Iran's national interests by informing UN human rights monitors about alleged abuses of political prisoners.

In the Iranian constitution there is no right to absolute freedom of expression. Tough luck for him!

Alireza Jabari wrote an article in a Canadian journal no-one's ever heard of, and now he gets 253 lashes... (in fact if you type "Charvand" into a search engine, all you get is info about this case!)

Ledeen pontificates about what Bush should do.

"...Our mission is not merely "regime change" in Baghdad, it is to win the war against the terror masters in Iran, Iraq, Syria, and Saudi Arabia. " Ummm. He forgot Libya which he wrote about in March. ("...suggestions that the West take stern measures against the tyrannical terrorist sponsors in Iran, Iraq, Syria, Libya, and Saudi Arabia.") Israel has so many enemies it's difficult for him to remember them all in his articles! And he didn't write about North Korea either. Or Sudan and Cuba in the "Patterns" report below.

It's that time of year again! Patterns of Global Terrorism 2002 from the US State Department

"Iran remained the most active state sponsor of terrorism in 2002."
Perhaps it's true, or perhaps for the last couple of years they've been taking the reports and just changing the year...

Donald Rumsfeld talks to Abu Dhabi TV.

"In Iran what you have is a small group of clerics that are running that country in a way that is not democratic, that is repressive of the people, and I sense that there's stirrings in that country, that the young people, and the women, and the people who would prefer to be free and not have to follow such a rigid line, would like to see a change in that country. Now that's their problem. "

So, if you were worried that there was going to be a US invasion of Iran, relax, don't worry! And if you were worried that there wasn't going to be an invasion (?) it's your problem! Perhaps you could listen to Tabarzadi or someone (link from here from Iraniangirl).

Economist Intelligence Unit updates Iran forecast.

Is the world not black and white enough for you? Does it disturb you that it is multi-coloured? Are three dimensions too many? Are you adrift on the sea of uncertainty in today's world? If so, ask the imam! Don't think, just obey!

Typical Ask The Imam Question

There are funnier things on al-shia.com, but I found the above English site through the newsgroup soc.culture.iranian. Enjoy!

Paul Weyrich writes that the Internet is forbidden in Iran... also linked on Free Congress Foundation.

Mr. Weyrich has been named by Regardie's Magazine as "one of the 100 most powerful Washingtonians."

This world is in a baaaaaaaaad way! :-( Check the archives for a professor in Canada who doesn't know much better.

Vahid Tarokh goes to Harvard.

(Following links from SMCCDI:) Source of jamming satellites identified but majlis keeps it secret (this is the Middle East, after all!);Al-Alam becoming popular in Iraq; Israel claims Iran wants to undermine new Palestinian government.

Scott Ginsberg makes it on to CNN! Why didn't I think of that idea?

Bush: WMD in Iraq may never be found. This is sounding suspicious...

Canadian advice for Iran changes, removing the "don't go" advice. Maybe they want to be friendly after the WHO recommended against travel to Toronto.

Iranian born not welcome in US. A litany of famous Iranian-born people with visa problems.

SARS worse than AIDS...

Professor Dominic Dwyer, infectious disease specialist at Westmead Hospital and one of the scientists leading Australia's efforts on SARS, said he believed a mortality rate of 4 per cent for the disease was probably an underestimation.

Moscow alarmed about Iranian nuclear program what?!

Why I must move to Japan

the most interesting article I have seen on slashdot in a long time, a former Microsoft employee reviewing a book about the famous Microsoft interview process!

inshallah I shall be back in Iran soon!

Shi'a Muslims and opposition to America in Iraq.

First the quotes from people:

"We want an Islamic state here similar to the Iranian model," said Omran Kadhem, a doctoral student and public affairs officer at Karbala University. "We tried liberalism, Communism and secularism, but none of them worked, so why not try an Islamic state?"

(kaveh: well, I can think of a couple of reasons...)

[Mr Nasseri said:] "I want a Shiite cleric to rule Iraq, whether it be Iraqi or Iranian. I would rather have someone like Mr. Khomeini rule Iraq rather than any secular Iraqi."

Arrrggh! Talk about learning nothing from history! Yet, it is difficult for people to learn from their own mistakes; how much more difficult it is to learn from the mistakes of others.

OK, I have a brilliant idea! We can swap around all those people on Hoder's blog who'd rather be ruled by Americans than mullahs, and people like that in Iraq. Then everyone will be happy! There is a small problem with Arabic, but people on the Iranian side are supposed have learned Arabic in school, right? :-) And people like Mr Nasseri will be so happy to be ruled by mullahs, that they will learn Persian in no time!

If you didn't hear what happened to the 100 students from Amir Kabir University who wrote to Mr Karzai wanting to go and study in Afghanistan, a newspaper in Herat wrote in January that:

"Subsequently, the embassy of Afghanistan in Tehran welcomed this suggestion and hoped the head of the transitional Islamic administration of Afghanistan will accept this suggestion with his kind favour.

There is no doubt that the letter from Iranian students to the head of the Afghan administration had a symbolic aspect and from their point of view it is regarded as a symbol for the dominant political situation of their country."

(from BBC monitoring - Awa-e Naw, Herat, in Dari 21 Jan 03)

A transcript of Carnegie Council appearance of "Answering Only to God" authors Geneive Abdo and Jonathan Lyons.

"Every day is Ashura and every land is Kerbala" - Imam Jafar Sadeq. Today is Good Friday (and the second day of Passover). I don't hear people say "Every day is Good Friday and every place is Calvary" but it's not an unknown sentiment because two of the google hits (for the first part) were for Jerusalem and the Middle East. Apparently someone called Bossuet did say something like the above:

“Every day is Good Friday; every day the scene of Calvary is enacted on our altars.” (describing Catholic Mass)

Hezbollah and Americans. "So they can expect harshly worded letters."

The release of Qasem Shol'eh Saadi was connected to Amnesty, apparently... and Satellite TV is being promoted again (from SMCCDI.)

A pseudonymous writer for Eurasianet says that both the UK and Iran governments tried to hush reporting of the attempted "suicide attack" (?) on the British Embassy in Tehran. How does one go about that? It can't be easy in the age of weblogs.

NYTimes on Iraqi complaints. They are just like (some) Iranians! Or is it the other way around?

But individual protest has almost reached a fever pitch, as scores of Iraqis around the city asked reporters if it was true that Mr. Hussein was now in the United States (the evidence: that Baghdad fell so quickly, a deal must have been struck). They are also, in greater numbers, beginning to blame American soldiers for the looting that has stripped the nation's property bare, from desk chairs to ancient Sumerian artifacts.

Iran’s war apprehension is growing. The director of Middle East studies at Brown University (an Ivy League university) writes something I didn't know.

"The office of Douglas Feith, undersecretary of defense for policy, has prepared invasion plans for both Syria and Iran. However, they have not yet been presented to the National Security Council or the President. Moreover, National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice is reported to be opposed to any further military action in the Middle East."

There may well be invasion plans for many countries, after all, the US military dwarfs all others.

There's lots of news today, I'm having trouble keeping up. All is from google news or Iranvajahan.

Japan's foreign minister urges Iran to come clean on weapons program. When a logical successful country talks to an illogical failed one, will they listen? Perhaps criticism from Japan can help make up for the lack of self-examination from inside the country.

Iraqi playing cards.

Israel Radio comments on implications of Iraq war for Iran.

Iranian Hard-liner Says U.S. Must 'Reward' Tehran. He and his ilk have been yelling "Death to America" for 25 years and now they expect a reward? Stay in cloud cuckoo land.

Clerics see writing on the wall. Shahla Azizi chats to taxi drivers and people in Tehran - but this may not be objective because they respond according to how you are dressed, she admits.

Finally, fun stuff... language reading abilities among New Zealand boys have dropped [New Zealand] alongside Iran, Belize and Kuwait when it comes to the difference between the sexes. And Melanie Griffith shows if you try to look young it just makes you look old. (Or freaky, like Michael Jackson.)

Secret deal.

An Iranian news agency close to top conservative military figures attributed the fall of Baghdad to a secret tripartite agreement between Saddam Hussain, Russia and the U.S.

Uh huh. Go and re-read that comment about Middle Eastern media a few days ago. But what's worrying is how the Iranian leadership still doesn't see the link between "cause" and "effect". They are back in the earliest stage of human development, somehow.

Some US "analysts" are no better though. Finally Michael Ledeen reveals the neo-con plan for Iran:

"We, and the Iranian people, want a peaceful transition from dictatorship to democracy. There is even a suitable leader for the transition period: the late shah's son, Reza Pahlavi, widely admired inside Iran despite his refreshing lack of avidity for power or wealth."

My jaw just dropped. Who *IS* this guy talking to inside Iran? Did he read "Answering Only to God" by Abdo and Lyons, and did he listen to their press conference where they said this isn't going to work? He's playing and dancing to a completely different tune.

The Salt Lake Tribune has an article asking whether many teachers and students will move from Qom to Najaf. Recommended reading for today is: "The Mantle of the Prophet" by Roy Mottahedeh. It is one of the best books on religion and politics in Iran, and it's written in English by a Harvard professor. (Is that strange?)

If the history of Iran and Iraq has taught the people anything, though, it's that charismatic leaders are dangerous, especially if they become dictators.

Today I reinstalled mozilla for Linux, Persian/Arabic sites weren't working. Previously I had "unstable" in my /etc/apt//sources.list and just had done apt-get update, then apt-get upgrade, and it gave me a 2003-03-27 Mozilla. But the Unicode/UTF-8 support was completely broken. I spent six hours with xfstt (X font server true type), xfs, xfs-xtt, gucharmap, gfontview, mkfontdir, ttmkfdir, copying TrueType fonts from my windows partition, stuffing around with pref.js to make it recognize truetype fonts based on the advice on mozilla.org, etc. Nothing worked!!! Just then I said to hell with it, erased all vestiges of mozilla from my system, then downloaded the generic version 1.3 from mozilla.org, and ran the installer. Now everything works fine again.

The problem was that it couldn't seem to find any unicode fonts, so I was just getting boxes with numbers. What's the moral? Maybe, don't upgrade mindlessly?! If it's not broken, don't fix it, perhaps? Yet the Linux kernel releases up to 2.4.20 (the most recent) have been vulnerable to a local root exploit involving ptrace, requiring an immediate fix.

Mr Kho'i was killed by fellow Shi'ite Muslims. Iraq is divided in ways that outsiders like me cannot understand.

The Iraqi opposition:

The Iraqi opposition is about as divisive a bunch as could possibly be conceived. This is partly a reflection of Iraq's ethnic and religious patchwork, partly a result of the diverse spectrum of cruel experience Iraqis have suffered, and partly, Iraqis readily admit, a reflection of national character. One short-lived prime minister during the 1921-58 monarchy is said to have remarked, when asked why he declined to form a political party, “Find me three Iraqis who agree on anything, and I certainly would.”

Eurasianet interviews Mohsen Kadivar (who, like Soroush, left Iran to teach at Harvard).

The Economist writes about the fifth edition Shorter Oxford English Dictionary. In the online version of the article they helpfully provide links to amazon.com and amazon.co.uk. The UK version has 3739 pages and costs the equivalent of $US120.30. The US version has 3984 pages and costs $US105.00 (eh? that must be why the sales rank is higher).

If you want to buy the complete 20 volume 1989 Second OED, it depends where you live! If you are in the US, it is $US895; Canada, it's $US1250; Singapore $US1400; Australia $US1500, New Zealand $US1800; and UK/Europe, $US2800!! (Yes, I checked both oup.co.uk and amazon.co.uk, though it is less than 1/3 the price used.) It is a very strange pricing structure. Outside the UK, there is an INVERSE relationship between how much money people have and its price; and in its home country it's 3 times the price it is in the US. (Only in the UK can you have the blue leather edition for more than twice that price.)

Since I move around so much I think the CD-ROM (version 3.0) is for me. Also, the hard copy doesn't have hyperlinks, or the supplements included. Again, the price depends on where you live. $US295 in the USA, $US320 ($US390 from the OUP site) in the UK/EU, $US500 (for version 2.1?!) in Canada, $US387 in NZ, $US330 in Australia, $US235 in Singapore. (And $US3 in Iran. The lack of a copyright convention is one more thing keeping Iran out of the WTO, and an Iranian trade official told me that Iran intends to use it as a bargaining chip, which sounds illogical to me.)

Getting back to pricing differences, where will you buy the fifth book of Harry Potter ("The order of the Phoenix") when it is released? amazon.com offers a 40% discount, but amazon.co.uk offers a 50% discount! Of course they both come out on June 21. Assuming the exchange rate stays the same, it means the UK version is much cheaper ($US13.26 vs $US17.99) for a change! Ooooh, and Janet just explained to me that in the UK, the only difference between the "adult edition" and the normal one is the cover. So that you don't get seen reading a kid's book! "No, I am not kidding!" - Janet

In real life, I am having a discussion about the meaning of "pimp juice" (in Persian, "ab-e-koskesh"). It was Sarah who brought it to my attention. Fortunately a web search provides the answer. Sarah tried to explain it to me by printing out the lyrics to this song. There is a definition in the song:

"Now your pimp juice is anything, attract the opposite sex
It could be money, fame, or straight intellect"

but there's also an interview with the artist, Nelly which clears it up (I think). Let me say I am just amazed by the profundity of Nelly's lyrics. It just beats any Shakespeare, Dante, or Hafez:

"It's getting hot in here, so take off all your clothes,
I am getting so hot - I wanna take my clothes off."

Good to see concious, thought provoking lyrics coming back.

And I finished reading "Reading Lolita in Tehran!" I learned new words like upsilamba and poshlust that I could have picked up reading Nabokov in the first place. Maybe there will be a review soon; I recommend it to all interested in modern Iran or women's issues there though.

Former CIA analyst: US ‘conned into war’

I was just writing about Robert Baer there... what does he think about the war?

“The American people, Congress, government and president were conned into this war, in the full sense of the word, by neo-conservatives and hawks in Washington who sold a false bill of goods. The president was lied to and given erroneous information that was filtered through Iraqi exiles who had not lived in Iraq for 20 or 30 years and had no clear idea of realities inside Iraq. The exiles had no intention of fighting themselves, but wanted the US to fight for them,” he told The Daily Star Thursday in an interview.

British embassy attacked.
MOLOTOV cocktails were thrown at the British embassy in Tehran as around 250 Iranian students demonstrated against the war in Iraq. ...

The demonstrators, who were calling for the expulsion of the British ambassador, burned US and British flags and chanted "death to America, death to Britain", while throwing tomatoes and eggs at the embassy.

They also distributed the photograph of the driver who was killed as his car smashed into the wall of the embassy compound on April 1, with a note reading "martyr of a suicide operation".

An interesting detail.

Bush puts God on his side. The BBC article contrasts this with Lincoln, who said the civil war was a curse on both sides. Also, a minister remarks that believing God is on your side makes life easy for believers because no self-examination is then required. It is exactly what happened in Iran; it's why the leaders there are unable to criticise themselves, and the future is grim. A thought from Dave Andrews: it's those people who are absolutely certain that they are doing God's will who commit the worst atrocities.

Fark on how Fox would cover historical events. I liked the "Kent State Shootout" one the best. (Both today'ls links from popdex).

Over at the I believe that blog a writer comments on Zahra Eshraghi's denial of the statements attributed to her in the New York Times. It seems she believes Eshraghi rather than journalist. Unfortunately, there's a long history of Iranians making taped statements to Western journalists and then denying they ever said such things! (see comments at the other blog). So I tend to believe the journalist. As an Iranian friend once said to me, "Spanish culture is just like Iranian culture, only they don't tell lies!" :-)

This brings us into a discussion about taqiyah. What is taqiyah? It is dissembling for the sake of faith, or hiding your true beliefs. At the link they quote (interestingly) Jesus and St Paul not saying exactly what they mean. The deputy judiciary chief of Iran, Larijani is quoted by Elaine Sciolino as saying...

"There's a hidden reality, a hypocrisy that keeps the peace," Larijani told me.
"It protects the dignity of the other. Architects don't build glass houses in Iran. If you don't speak of everything so openly, it's better. Being able to keep a secret even if you have to mislead is considered a sign of maturity. It's Persian wisdom. We don't have to be ideal people. Everybody lies. Let's be good liars."

It's relevant today because the fatwa from Sistani is under discussion at the same blog, and taqiyah can provide a good explanation of why there is so much argument over it! That is, Iranian state-controlled media does all they can to deny it, Iraqi TV quotes Sistani saying attack the invaders, etc. I know, I know, as if I'd attach credence to state-controlled media... but unless you've lived in a free, open society you won't really understand the safeguards against error in the media of such societies. Bias on the other hand is unavoidable (go and read Manufacturing Consent). There's a great quote from the book "See No Evil" by Robert Baer I can use here. I hope it helps Westerners understand Middle East media, and Iranians understand Western media (granted, Iranian press is among the freest in the Middle East):

"In the Middle East, life goes on behind high walls, out of view of strangers, especially foreigners. And it wasn't just walls made out of mortar and stone. The Middle East is a place wired to obscure the truth. Television and newspapers don't report news; they report whatever propaganda the government wants them to report. Investigative reporters don't exist. Books on politics and society aren't worth reading. The only time a scandal spills into the public is when the government decides it should. At the personal level, things are no different. Middle Easterners believe that the less they give up about themselves, the better. They'll talk about politics only in the most general terms, and they wouldn't even consider discussing terrorism. In their eyes, terrorism is a state activity; expressing your opinion on it just gets you thrown in jail."

Some UK embassy staff quit Iran after truck blast; Eight family members of British embassy staff leave Iran. Like I was saying, some Iranians want to scare all foreigners away, or don't realize the effects their actions are having. This reminds me again of the Daugherty article:

``These same Iranians who shouted "death to America," who condemned everything American as evil or decadent, and who would have killed us had it been ordered, would nonetheless ask my colleagues for help in obtaining visas to the United States, and then could not understand why they were laughed at. If the reader by now suspects, too, that these Iranians, at least, seemed to have difficulty with the concept of cause and effect, he or she would be dead on.''

The LA Times reports 50% support among Americans for taking action against Iran if it continues to develop nuclear and other weapons of mass destruction. Hmmm. I understand to some Iranians it's a national pride issue to get nuclear weapons, since Pakistan has them. But...

``... Shahram Chubin, in a study for the International
Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), points out, acquiring nuclear weapons
"would put Iran into a different league of risk and reprisal, and this would
not necessarily leave it with enhanced security."'' (Economist)

This is so true, but as I have noted so many times, the current Iranian leaders are incapable of self-criticism (perhaps there's a shortage of mirrors in their houses or something). And don't expect them to adopt the rational path, this is the Middle East!! I have grave fears for the region...

Finally a reader asked me to link about Najaf, Karbala, and Imam Ali. Umm, I was going to say a week ago that the US news channels were never pointing out that Najaf and Karbala are holy cities to Shi'ite Muslims, but this did change as the US troops approached.

On April 1, Dilip Hiro was writing in the Guardian about Ayatollah Sistani's opposition to the invasion. The article had a very negative tone. Today the Ayatollah issued a fatwa urging Iraqis not to resist! Now the US will definitely win the war, because Shi'ites make up 60% of the population of Iraq and Sistani is the highest religious authority in Iraq. Perhaps Saddam's "becoming religious" has backfired on him. It remains to be seen how long the war will take, because the supply lines to Baghdad must be stretched very tightly like a rubber band...

Iran hardline watchdog rejects curbs on its powers. Unless I'm mistaken, so-called "reformers" were talking big a few months ago about how this bill would never go to the Expediency Council and they would call a referendum or Khatami would resign or something big. Now Mr Shakouri-Rad seems to be backing down. It's further evidence that no fundamental change is in the offing.

Summary of war/peace arguments from Daypop.

Truck crashes into British embassy in Tehran. This version from ABC News is by far the most "negative" version, quoting an eyewitness saying it looked like a suicide attack. But if you hav e seen how contraflow bus lanes work in Tehran it's hard to see how it could have been an accident. It's particularly bad timing too. The police drove off all the witnesses and this is not the way to dispel suspicion and establish trust. In open societies the truth is easier to establish, allowing for self-criticism.

Medellin, Colombia is becoming a much safer place:

Homicide is down 38% over the same period last year, from 114 to 75, though according to a community leader from 20 de Julio, "they are not killing people in the neighborhood anymore. Rather, they take them out and kill them in neighborhoods nearby, which distorts the indices of violence in Comuna 13."

People now sleep easily at night:

Gunfire no longer echoes through the night because now more than half the killings are done with knives.

On the History channel I watched Killing Pablo twice in the last few days. The people who were being interviewed explained that there are important lessons in "fighting terrorism" to be learned from the whole story. A paramilitary group called "Los Pepes" (People Persecuted by Pablo Escobar) began killing everybody associated with him, so all of Pablo's allies were "running for their lives, dead, or arrested" (turned themselves in for their own safety). So Pablo didn't have any friends left and was hunted down by the police. Los Pepes evolved into AUC, which is now fighting Pablo's effective replacement, the FARC organisation. So, is fighting terror by "pre-emption" and "taking the gloves off" effective? Look at Colombia and learn...

Some Iraqis want war. (via Daypop.) The mental effects of living in a police state are described. The International Crisis Group while interviewing people in Iraq had characterised the situation before the US invaded as an ongoing war, which required an end. We will see whether this war was moral if the Iraqi post-war reaction is the same as the Afghan reaction.

USWAR/Iranian police fire in air to disperse anti-war demonstrators

Tehran, March 28, IRNA -- Iranian police here Friday fired in air to
disperse about 1,000 protestors, calling themselves Hizbullah, who
smashed windows of the British Embassy by stones in the first
anti-war rage.
The demonstrators gathered outside the embassy building on the
Ferdowsi Avenue, chanting "British ambassador must be expelled" and
"British embassy must be closed".
They threw stones and eggs at the building and splashed its walls
with red colors. Police arrested several stone throwers.
Those inside the premises filmed the demonstration scene as
special police guards deployed around the building and plainclothes
personnel asked the demonstrators to disperse.

At one point, in front of the British Embassy, demonstrators lobbed rocks and eggs at the compound, shattering 35 windows and damaging a Danish diplomat's car parked outside. (Tallahasee Democrat)

Tens of thousands of Iranians took to the streets of Tehran yesterday for the first time since the US and Britain launched their invasion of Iraq, in an officially sanctioned rally that saw some protesters break windows in the British embassy. ... After the main protest a few hundred demonstrators marched toward the British embassy, where a dozen men threw stones at the compound, breaking windows and calling for the embassy of "old arrogance" to be closed down. (Financial Times)

My commentary: it sounds like some Iranians (perhaps a very small number) are doing their best to try to scare all foreigners away from the country. To me, it sounds like the Iranian police effort was rather half-hearted (no barricades?); to others, it may sound like the police did all they could ("special police guards", firing in the air). I wasn't there (thank God) so I can't be certain. Foreigners will inevitably be reminded of the US embassy takeover in 1979; the distinction between protesting against the government policy of a certain country and being against the people of that country has obviously broken down for some Iranians.

The surprising thing is the UK travel advice hasn't changed; the Canadian, Australian, and New Zealand government advice advises against all travel.

On C-SPAN's BookTV I watched Geneive Abdo and Jonathan Lyons talk about their book Answering Only To God (published by Henry Holt) at the Carnegie Council on Ethics and International Affairs on March 18, 2003. The seeds of the defeat of the reformist movement were sown in 1999, when Khatami abandoned the students, his best supporters. Democracy is at least a generation away in Iran unfortunately. I am distinctly reminded of a taxi conversation I had in Tehran when someone said "Islamic Kingdom of Iran" would be a better name for the country.

Oh, I just googled for "Operation Iranian Freedom" and didn't find anything! So here is the first mention if google ever picks it up. The Americans won't be helping Iranians militarily, no matter what Hoder says Iranians want... "There is no wonder why Iranians haven't protested to the war at all. Ironically, they hope the same thing happens for Iran, meaning Western countries someday will rescue a nation tired of a religious tyranny." Actually I don't think this is true in general, and as I said above, democracy is at least a generation away anyway (read the book and find out why), and it's not something which can be "given" to a people.

A barometer of anti-Americanism? Eric Margolis reckons Afghanistan is chaos outside Kabul. So why have more than 2 million people returned since the war ended? I guess there will always be journalists who write knee-jerk anti-American stories, like Fisk. Margolis was also off about Iran being the "next target"...

"Reading Lolita in Tehran" is a book by an English professor at Johns Hopkins University. She used to teach at Tehran University. She explains her workshop in Tehran... "The question we posed was, when the reality around us becomes so oppressive that we have no control over it, how do we through imagination create free spaces for ourselves, as women and as human beings with certain principles?"

Anyway, the book comes out next week. Watch for the review here!

I don't like the one-sided coverage of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict on Iranian state TV, so I tend not to watch it. However, today I looked at Palestine Chronicle with the picture of a dying US peace activist, Rachel Corrie, on the front page. She had been run over by an Israeli bulldozer which was demolishing Palestinian homes. I was more horrified by this than anything since... hmmm, September 11, or the Israeli soldiers who were lynched by a Palestinian mob, when the man displayed his blood-covered hands to a cheering crowd. What a horrible way to die. What an awful gut-wrenching picture.

(Obligatory book reference.) Elias Chacour, a Palestinian Christian priest, wrote in "We Belong To The Land" about the first Christian Palestinian martyr of the first intifada, killed by Israeli soldiers, in a chapter called "Crucified in Gaza". He was beaten up, thrown on a concrete floor, then tied in a cross form to the front of an Israeli jeep and driven around. But Chacour thought... "I must be very careful about preaching about this, after all, I don't want to stir up hatred for no reason." How often do you hear people say that in the Middle East?? If you watch Iranian TV, it's endless scenes of Palestinians being killed (Mohammed al-Durra being shot is shown ad infinitum ad nauseum) and nothing from the other side. It's designed to manipulate emotions. Al-Jazeera may be similar, showing the video of Rachel being killed over and over, I don't know. Of course, this incident is just the criminal actions of one person, but it's part of a larger pattern of state terrorism by Israel. What's different is that first it was a foreigner, not a Palestinian, and second it was all on tape. What can be done to ensure that she is not forgotten in the media focus on Iraq?

Now I could go on about martyrdom theory. I don't think that the death of Hossein Fahmideh, whose picture is all over Tehran, really accomplished much. What can a grenade do against a tank? And who can approve of mullahs using the youth of Iran as human mine detectors? Rachel's death (from a Christian perspective) is more like that of Christ, giving her life for ... well, I hope, drawing international attention to Israeli crimes in the occupied territories. But it's all so frustrating, that it will be lost in the attention given to Iraq!!

In the US, people remember the victims of September 11 like some people remember the victims of the Holocaust. They have stickers saying things like "We will not forget". But what if a similar event happened in another country, to a people that the world doesn't care about, which isn't at the centre of world commerce, government, and media? On March 16, 1988, more than 5000 Kurds were killed by Saddam Hussein. There are no bumper stickers for those who died, and it was not brought to you live on television.

"We hear these anti-war arguments (in the West), but if people in other countries do not know whether Saddam has non-conventional weapons, we do," says Star Hussein Allahkerem, 46, [a] survivor of the attack.

However, I'm rather uncomfortable with the US considering attacking without UN approval. I think this is probably a Very Bad Idea, and the consequences are impossible to predict. On the other hand, France rejected the latest plan before Iraq did! I'd love to know the story behind it, but I can't think of any place objective enough to tell me what the truth is.

OK, anything else? In Miami, it's Spring Break, MTV was filming a blind date contest today. If you happened to see this on TV, it is very very fake compared to what actually happens. There are a few hundred young people standing around looking bored, and then the camera pans over them as someone says through a megaphone "more applause guys, more applause" ... "5,4,3,applause!!"... "ok, I need you looking more excited when they ask the questions and respond"... I became disillusioned and left. Miami Beach and MTV are all about image!!

Iranians arrested for net dating. Apathy has taken over this blog too, otherwise I'd be saying, Iran has left the surreal world as well, and turned into a parallel universe where what is normal is forbidden, and vice versa. I'm in the US now. But when I go back, why should I stay in Iran? What can change? Who can do anything? Why, as Solzhenitsyn asks in "The Gulag Archipelago", didn't anyone DO ANYTHING???????

As I left Iran I sat next to a very famous professor from America, Larry Shepp, on the plane. And it was most instructive. He's Jewish, very pro-Israel, and VERY outspoken and provocative. He's put a report up about Iran on his webpage. He spent his time trying to provoke people by telling them that the US was going to go to war with various countries because they had a problem with Islam!! Incredible (because he is apparently confirming their worst fears). But he knows what he's doing, no doubt about that. Often people say that Iranian people are very hospitable blah blah blah (Iranians and outsiders). But I see that even he had problems concerning his passport at airport, despite the arrangements that should have been made; so you see, Iran is a mixture of good and bad for all people. My conclusions and his are the same - why is there so much apathy in Iran? Why is there NO protest against ayatollahs who want to portray Islam as an intolerant religion of death, violence, and blaming-everyone-but-themselves? (As Mr Rushdie says, "if you're yelling, we [people in the West] can't hear you.")

If you know the answer, you should definitely get in touch with me by email. Or write it in your English blog and tell me about it!

Yesterday I had not much to do, so I got up early and went to Darakeh. I went with my friend Ali from Shahid Beheshti University via Tajrish, when I got there I realized my boots were going to be too slippery on the ice. Fortunately lots of entrepeneurs were selling metal grips for shoes, so I bought some of those (800 tomans). At first Ali and I were just walking, listening to people set off firecrackers now and again. But then nihilism took over (must have the movies I've been watching) and we just started throwing snowballs at anybody and everybody. In real life I am always lauging at everything but I have also perfected the art of looking nonchalant. It was a good day to revel in my immaturity!

We also pushed snowballs down the mountainside. They should really be called snow wheels, as they don't often form balls. Some went a few hundred feet. Anyway, at one place Ali and I threw snowballs to try to knock down some stalagmites. I gave a free shot at myself at 30 feet to a guy wearing a keffiyeh, and he hit me! Maybe he really WAS from Palestine!!

The best times though, were the two "snow wars" we started. Basically we just start by throwing snowballs at people doing nothing in particular, then they throw some back and hit someone else, and in no time IT'S WAR!! It happened a few times, a couple of times Ali and I were so heavily outnumbered that we had to run for it. At one stall some other guys were throwing snowballs and a stallkeeper started to get angry that customers weren't stopping because it was dangerous for them. One of them threw a snowball at me about 20 feet away and it hit this old guy in the head and he got really cut! He was looking around for about a minute to see who it was. So, wars at Darakeh can quickly involve innocent bystanders. One time I threw snow at people maybe 100 feet down, 100 feet across but I missed and hit a puddle, spraying dirty water on some poor woman's trousers. Sorry if you're reading this. But I also learnt perhaps why everyone has to have a gun in America - poor innocent girls (PIGs) were forced to carry snowballs for self-defence, just because everybody else had one or two!!

debka (via iranvajahan) reports a key aide to Uday Hussein has defected. Still, it's debka, take it with a large chunk of salt.
Reported also in Lebanon Daily Star.

Al-Sharq Al-Awsat reports bin Laden's son is in Iran. What the world needs is a list of newspapers and their credibility factor.

Have you noticed that this blog is becoming less political? That's because everything the mullahs say these days is just a sick self-parody, just like the North Korean News Agency. Dear Wise Revered Leader Kim Jong Il, all the nations worship your quasi-divine leadership abilities and they are following the path of juche, and you will be the most respected leader of the next millennium. Supreme Leader, you confront the global arrogance and America trembles before you... etc. Can't tell the difference, can you? But the similarity is that both are complete rubbish.

Leadership advisor and ex-Speaker of the Majlis Hojatoleslam
Ali-Akbar Nateq-Nouri said in Qom on Tuesday that the strong presence
of the public in the demonstrations showed their all-out support for
the Islamic establishment and Revolution.
Nateq-Nouri said people showed they would resist the hegemony of
the global arrogance.
Substitute Friday prayer leader of Tehran Ayatollah Mohammad
Emami Kashani in the southern island of Qeshm (Hormuzgan province)
praised the mass participation in the ceremony, saying that the huge
rallies of Iranian people is hoped to dishearten the enemy and make it
know that it cannot do a damn thing against the Iranian nation.

They are unable to say anything except the same old slogans, over and over and over and over and over and the same themes, just like My Dear Uncle Napoleon...

The best film I saw at the festival was "Farsh-e-Bard" (Wind Carpet), I thought it had a great soundtrack and an original theme, and there was so much attention to detail too.

Today I learned that godhatesamerica.com isn't a parody!! I always thought it was too far over the top. Then I listened to Mr Phelps' sermon raving about how God caused the Columbia to crash and sent the astronauts to hell, about how America is a "fag nation", etc. Talk about a fixation. An interesting theology anyway.

Breaking News! Today, a mullah said something sensible!!!!

"Chanting death to this and that is not the way to run a country. We have lost our prestige in the world. We are constantly falling behind." said Grand Ayatollah Montazeri.

Anyway, I want to go to the Fajr Film Festival but there's no information in Farsi or English on program times on the website... guess I'll have to pick up a catalogue from Farhang Cinema. A week ago I saw "A Winter's Tale". I enjoyed it greatly but I think I was the only one in the theatre (Talah Vahdat) laughing... which meant no-one understood the jokes... for example

(from The Tech Paulina to Leontes:)
So like to him that got it, if thou hast
The ordering of the mind too, 'mongst all colours
No yellow in't, lest she suspect, as he does,
Her children not her husband's!

It went completely over everyone's heads, because the subtitles weren't working. But people were happy that a foreign theatre group had finally come.

What to see? I want to see "The Fifth Reaction" by Tahmineh Milani, I suppose. Can't get enough of those feminist films. Milani claims she is an atheist. This is shocking to the vast majority of Iranians of course, but one has to admire such independence of spirit in a theocracy. There should be A LOT more of it!

Finished watching Blix and el-Baradei courtesy of Washington Post. Blix was critical, el-Baradei was largely happy with the Iraqi co-operation. Perhaps the most critical issue is that it does seem the Iraqis have contravened Resolution 1441 by not allowing "...immediate, unimpeded, unrestricted, and private access to all officials and other persons...".

(I took a few days to edit this one. Khatami's speech ties in well with what I wrote before.)

What's Khatami been saying in India?

"NEW DELHI JAN. 26. After the collapse of Marxism, the West had to create a "new enemy'' in the form of an extremist vision of Islam, the visiting Iranian President, Mohammad Khatami, said tonight.

Admitting "mistakes'' by some Muslims, he said that the Western world was using "psychological operations'' to make Islam the source of violence. This image would allow the West to unleash more horrible violence in the world."

This is both hypocritical and hilarious. He is constantly playing the "blame game" - he doesn't have the answers for Iran, only a contradictory vision of "religious democracy", and wishes to distract attention away from the failures of the government. He is the representative of a regime whose leaders talk about "enemy plots" like no other. The problem, more than he would like to admit, is that some Muslims DO have an "extremist vision"; this hasn't been "created" by the West; and where, after all, is the Muslim outrage?. Let's look at some articles from the last few days.


FBI report pointed to Bali bombing

Jabarah told the FBI that al Qaeda used specific code words in Asia, including the phrase, "white meat" to describe American interests.

Sharia in Lagos At Last: (from LGF)

To liberate the Muslim world from alleged Western domination and oppression, Professor AbdulKareem suggested that Muslim countries must strive hard to possess international might through:

· the acquisition of chemical and nuclear weapons to check the incessant threat from the West;

Nuclear Warfare is the Solution for Destroying America
(from LGF)

"This is the only way to kill the greatest possible number of Americans."

Imam 'instructed British Muslims to kill infidels'

“This is how wonderful it is to kill a kuffar (an unbeliever). You crawl on his back and while you are pushing him down into the hellfire, you are going into paradise.” ...the defendant had stated that “assassination was lawful” and that a Muslim’s primary task was “to lessen the population of the unbelievers”...The cleric claimed that his talks came “either directly or indirectly” from the Koran, and that if he was on trial, then so was the holy text.

Now, this "imam" has a degree in Islamic studies from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. How could he get Islam so "wrong"? There is certainly a wide range of opinions about what "Islam" is and what "jihad" means. Unfortunately, to a large extent, it is the violent, intolerant Muslims, though a minority, who define what these terms mean to people in the West - they get a greater "mindshare". If you are a Muslim and you think these people (mostly Wahhabis) are wrong, you should speak up! Otherwise, people in the West may consider the silence to be "deafening".

You see the news below (I said it was coming), but Hoder beat me to it, Le Monde Diplomatique in Persian.

"The Economist" survey was wonderful - main theme, "religious democracy" is an oxymoron, which everyone knew anyway (except maybe Khatami).

"The Bills" can't pass for at least 2 months so don't expect any "news" from Iran for a while. If I see something stupid I'll put it here, otherwise if you have any questions just mail me. (Whatever you do, don't believe uncorroborated Ledeen or SMCCDI reports!) Radio Farda is a great source.

"Iran tries to kick its oil habit" another great article from Asia Times. Can't believe I can read it for free...

"Another prominent conservative leader, Mr Habibollah Asgaroladi, charged that the CIA 'published the cartoon on the Internet just two days before its publication in Hayat-e-No daily' and instructed 'its mercenaries inside Iran to use it'." (Straits Times)

Archive.org demonstrates the picture has been there since at least October 1997. These conservative leaders aren't very competent when it comes to the Net, or disguising their lies.

The other interesting news was Radio Farda again...

Italy Warns Tourists against Visiting Iran

* Italy listed Iran among the more than 30 Asian, African, South American and European countries its deems potentially dangerous for tourists. (Ahmad Ra'fat, Rome)

I couldn't find such a list on the Italian advice site, maybe I'm looking in the wrong place.

Le Monde Diplomatique is to start publishing a Persian edition soon.

As for news, you know the rest, Hayat-e-no closed for no particular reason, Radio Farda reports music banned in Fars province, and a 19 year old was sentenced to death for drinking (third time, you're out!)

No news on the bill vote date... January 16, the date the Shah left Iran, is coming up, and on that day the Economist Iran Survey also appears. I need to make my own predictions to see if they are in line with theirs.

Back to Tehran. There's a debate on Hoder's weblog about whether women really have been burning their headscarves by the thousands... no-one saw it, and no-one writing about it seems to have realized that Ledeen is just quoting SMCCDI... perhaps the LA stations have been talking about it too.

About three months ago Mr. Alavitabar predicted a "turning point" in Iran within three months. But as we saw, nothing happened. As Elton Daniel commented in A History of Iran, "Scholars, analysts, and journalists in and outside of Iran largely failed to comprehend either the nature or the direction of the Islamic Revolution when it occurred. Since then, many of them have confidently and repeatedly predicted the imminent demise of the Islamic regime whenever it faces a crisis, or its transformation into a "moderate" or "pragmatic" government with every reshuffling of its personnel. This has been due to their determination to make the facts of the Iranian case fit into preconceived models of revolutions and revolutionary behaviour, and they have invariably been proven wrong." So I agree with Mr. Shariatmadari... "It's been almost four years now that they've been saying we are reaching a deadlock. But we don't see any."

Happy New Year 2003.

US officials have a big problem! "FBI Suspect is me, says Pakistani jeweller." So apparently someone is running around with a fake passport in the US and the FBI want to talk to them? I guess the US can thank the Canadians!

An Iranian musician's homecoming. Shahin visits Iran for the first time since 1979 and marvels at the traffic and the openness to Western culture.

A Toronto professor writing for "The Globe and Mail", Ron Deibert, claims that the Internet is censored in Iran! "On another front, authoritarian governments ranging from Syria and Iran to China are busy attempting to block their citizens from accessing what their elites believe is dangerous information by using sophisticated firewalls at router points." What a load of rubbish!! He must be basing this on outdated information. A friend of mine studying political science can't look at porn from his dorm... but for public computers, that's not strange. You can go to net cafes and look at Mr Pahlavi's site any time you like. I did some searches to try to find out what Prof. Deibert's source was... perhaps an August 1999 RSF report The 20 Enemies of the Internet which seems to be inaccurate... or the May 2001 cybercafe closures... or RSF's 2002 annual report... "in November the High Council of the Cultural Revolution, a body headed by President Mohammad Khatami but dominated by the conservatives, decreed that all private companies providing access to the Internet had to dismantle their equipment or transfer it to the public sector." (If you come to Tehran you see endless ads everywhere for net companies... "No Proxy! No Filtering!" I suppose RSF must focus on anything which looks like doom and gloom.)

But then what's this about Iran's banned press turns to the net (BBC August 2002) if there's censorship? What's this about Web gives a voice to Iranian women (BBC June 2002) saying "Contrary to expectation, the internet in Iran is not censored"? Even RSF's September 2002 report The Internet On Probation doesn't mention Iran. I guess that negative myths about Iran just perpetuate themselves somehow. (I feel good for writing something positive about Iran for a change!!) If you want to know what Iran is REALLY like you have to visit yourself; or perhaps chat to people on boards like the Thorn Tree.

I switch back to conspiracy theories. Forbidden opinion polls: confusion and realities by Mr Al-Rashid. "According to the poll results, 70 percent of the people thought that United States and England helped in bringing about the Iranian revolution, Not only is this strange; but it is also wrong." There was an article in the last "Economist" about conspiracy theories:

"As a tool for explaining how the world works, conspiracism has certain drawbacks. It inhibits trust: if everyone else is out to get you, better
have nothing to do with them. It dampens optimism: if ``they'' are sure to frustrate your plans, why bother doing anything? And, of course, it
leads to harmful errors, such as the belief, once popular among Africans, that condoms were yet another ploy to reduce their population."

In the book Religious Minorities In Iran the writer, Professor Sanasarian, explains Khomeini's worldview (which Khamenei has inherited): that enemies were in every corner of the world plotting against him and against Islam. So these beliefs help explain Iranians' apathy: "why bother doing anything?" and also help explain Iran's international isolation and closed society. I see no way out; any change would have to involve Iranians becoming more familiar with what open societies are like, which given the poverty and the difficulties of travel for the average person in Iran is not going to happen. Perhaps the Internet can help?

Ex-President Aboard Iran-140

HAMBASTEGI*

The reformist daily has quoted former president Akbar Hashemi-Rafsanjani as saying he would fly on the home-made Iran-140 plane to dispel security concerns with the plane. "I will fly on Iran-140 in one of my domestic visits to prove the safety of this Iranian-made plane," he was quoted as saying. A joint venture of Iran and Ukraine, Iran-140 was launched last February during the festivities marking the triumph anniversary of the Islamic Revolution.

I can't remember the date, but it was earlier this year. I wonder if he'll remember his promise? "Ukrainian air companies have so far purchased just three An-140s in as many years; Russian carriers haven't purchased any. No nation other than Iran had voiced interest in buying now."

Lastly, "Iran News" is rather scathing...

Kashani says something positive (sort of). Christmas miracles?

Conversation on the beach from Herzliya, Israel (or "Occupied Palestine" if I'm writing for an Iranian government newspaper). Really scary, I hope the Palestinian (or "Arab" if I'm writing for a right-wing Israeli newspaper) is not representative of his people. If there are any Palestinians out there who are against suicide bombing I can't h-e-a-r them. Have you heard of any Palestinians like Jeff Halper who I saw on BBC World once? (OK, Elias Chacour is the best example I can think of. Perhaps Iranian and Western media is biased somehow, so that I don't hear peaceful Palestinian voices.)

Crash: Conspiracy theories again.

"...a conservative Iranian newspaper, Jam-e-Jam, speculated that there could have been a "Zionist" (Israeli) conspiracy behind the crash.

"Considering the presence of Russian experts, sabotage is not out of the question," the paper said, noting the presence of Mossad agents in Turkey where the plane had stopped to refuel."

Yes, Merry Christmas everybody. Before I forget I need to link back to the geographical blog index that lists me.

Saudi Arabia teaches children hate.

Sheikh Majed 'Abd Al-Rahman Al-Firian recently stated in the Suleiman Bin Muqiran mosque in Riyadh: "Muslims must ... educate their children to Jihad. This is the greatest benefit of the situation: educating the children to Jihad and to hatred of the Jews, the Christians, and the infidels; educating the children to Jihad and to revival of the embers of Jihad in their souls. This is what is needed now ..."

Usenet article about Iran crash. "Never put all your eggs in one basket."

Another article about Antonov safety. I wouldn't fly in an Antonov or Tupolev... but it's still safer than the road, no? I vaguely remember something about Rafsanjani saying this year he would fly in a certain kind of plane to prove it was safe... had to be this one, didn't it? I'll try to find the quote.

There was a priceless comment to the previous article:

begin quote

Media coverage of the event in Britain and abroad has skewed decisively in favor of the rioters, with many editorials urging their readers to consider the centuries of oppression Catholics have suffered at the hands of the English. Most dramatic of all was Independent columnist Robert Fisk, who called a press conference to express his solidarity with the rioters before attempting to nail himself to a cross.

The day's events were punctuated by a statement from Pope John Paul II, who, despite his advanced age and physical frailty, had strong words for the British government. "O God," said the Pontiff to the ululating throng below, "shake the ground under Tony Blair's feet. Shoot lightning bolts up the Queen's ass. Destroy your enemies the Presbyterians, the sons of pigs and monkeys."

When questioned about his remarks afterward, the Pope replied, "I got a right to be hostile. My people been persecuted."

end quote

Truly hilarious "little green footballs" piece about the reaction of British Catholics to a BBC documentary.

"Following the broadcast of a BBC documentary suggesting that Jesus may have been conceived as the result of an illicit affair or of Mary's rape by a Roman soldier, enraged British Catholics poured out of churches after evening mass, smashing store windows, overturning cars, and attacking anyone of Middle Eastern appearance. "

While randomly trawling the net, I came across an Iran hostage's recollections. Are there any lessons about or for the Iran of today there?

"[Hossein, a captor] began by telling me that it was all over, that we were all going home, and that Iran was finally going to be free from outside interference so Iranians could have the kind of country they wanted. I responded that it sounded good, but that I was sure it was not going to happen because, in my view, Iranians lacked the necessary self-discipline to keep the past from repeating itself.

Hossein said he did not understand. I noted that governing a nation and permitting at least some degree of freedom (which Hossein and his cohorts always maintained would be the case in Iran) required great tolerance on the part of the authorities. I said that the government of such a country could not lock someone away or execute them just because someone with the power to do so did not like something the person said or did. I told him that rules and laws had to be applied to all citizens equally and that it took governmental and personal self-discipline to make this work. Looking him directly in the eyes, I told him that nothing I had seen, heard, or experienced in my time in Iran gave me any indication he and his fellow Iranians had any understanding of this. The revolutionary government was unwilling to grant its citizens any measurable degree of true freedom, and there was not, in my opinion, a snowball's chance in hell that it would.

Hossein rebutted my comments, using the same idealistic revolutionary rhetoric that I had heard so many times, from so many Iranians. He ended by repeating that all Iran's problems had been caused by outsiders, most notably by America, and that now everything was going to be good in Iran. I did not carry the debate further. He tried to chitchat for a few minutes, but, when he realized that I had no interest in a congenial farewell, he said he had many things to do. He then stood and wished me good luck. I shrugged, and he left."

What was that Santayana quote again?

Saddam's son wrote a 320-page thesis on the future of the Arab nation. I don't think Arabs have much future, so how can he write that much? If you see any discussion of this on the net I'd be interested to hear of it.

OK, Student's Day passed. What's my evaluation...? Over the last 16 days I don't believe all that much happened. The people are apathetic and weary, "bi bokhar" (without steam). Besides Tehran is too cold for protests. And too cold for me too, but I'll return there soon.

Open letter to Mr Khamenei in Farsi by an Iranian professor, translated here to English.

Washington Times article about a planned interview with bin Laden in Iran. I don't rate WT's credibility very high, but sometimes news makes good fiction too. :-)

Iranian economy article from the Asia Times... saying nothing will change.

"... at present, different teams of international financial sectors are visiting Iran to help implement reform programs; but, one by one, they have all become convinced that this show of reform is just that - a show."

Prediction: If "nothing" happens tomorrow on Students' Day, nothing will happen for a long time. Khatami broke his tradition and isn't talking to students.

It's Eid-el-Fitr, and everywhere on the streets people are sitting behind desks with boxes for collections. Remember the poor people at this time, so they can have sweets to celebrate the end of Ramazan.

Also picked up the Economist, again, and saw the most ridiculous censorship I've seen so far (well, OK, maybe the black squares topped it). There was a picture of the August 2000 convention Tipper and Al Gore kiss (p45 of November 23 edition) and the censor had used Nikko to cover the mouth area of both parties. It is so weird... so much like America in some ways - any violence is OK, but any form of "love" being shown and it gets an R or NC-17. Here there's no classification scheme, only banned or not banned, so kids can watch any kind of violence. Of course Tipper and Al are married... but if I think too hard about this I'll go crazy, so I'll stop! Suffice it to say it's somewhere between America and the Taliban.

(The picture was almost exactly like the AP version same cropping, same angle, same kiss, just the Economist one is a few seconds before.)

Ramazan is ending (whew).

An article on the Alavi foundation and a story about a film made about the flipside of "Not Without My Daughter" - "Without My Daughter", directed by Alexis Kouros. I can't find any of his films on IMDB. But he made "Waiting for Godot at De Gaulle" about the unbelievable story of Mehran Karimi Naseri.

According to Afarinesh, quoted in Iran News Khatami may not speak to Iranian students on Students'' Day, December 7. Who knows when Ramazan will end, that is, when Eid-el-Fitr will be? Will political factors influence it?

Again I was at Sharif. But the student protests have lost their momentum. Apathy has returned.

This morning, I talked to a taxi driver who works 16 hours a day for 300,000 tomans a month ($US375).

It is mourning for Imam Ali time, so the faces of women on billboards have been covered by squares of black cloth. This could have something to do with makeup, or maybe just lipstick - red is a bad colour.

Also, it snowed today for the first time...

In Asia Times, a great article about Iranian democracy. Just as Iranians had to learn about automobiles, so now they are only learning about democracy. "The honorable step for Khatami would be to resign."

One day, a book by Omid Souresrafil, "Revolution In Iran: The Transition To Democracy" will appear. His last book, "The Islamic Success" (!!) in 1996 about Iran, a piece of regime apologia if ever there was one, was not good to say the least... the most obvious question being, if Iran is so great, why does the author choose to live in Sydney? (And where did he learn to write English?) And perhaps by the time it comes out, like by the time the Economist Survey comes out, everything will have changed anyway.

I was at Sharif yesterday, but I didn't see anything strange. However today there was a big gathering there with clashes. But, I would still predict nothing is going to come of it.

From outside Iran, it must seem as if BIG THINGS are happening. But here, life goes on... most people don't care, there is so much apathy, even among the young. It's nothing like the 386 generation in Korea was, otherwise things might have changed by now.

WOW. There are some very courageous people here. Aghajari not to appeal death verdict!!

An interesting and risky move. What is going to happen to this country?

Also of interest, Heritage Foundation's 2003 Index of Economic Freedom. (A way of reading Economist Intelligence Unit reports for cheapskates!) "...Khatami has been hamstrung by opposition from entrenched bureaucrats who permeate the state agencies and by Islamic hard-liners in the judiciary and elsewhere who value ideological purity over economic progress." That will be a recipe for continuing one-way migration.

Wow. Hardliners arrest a leading radical reformist. You can be arrested just for asking questions, so be careful out there!