Iran's Iraqi exiles warn US against "war on Islam"
"TEHRAN, March 31 (Reuters) - Senior Iraqi Muslim religious figures have gathered in Iran's holy city of Qom to denounce the U.S.-led attack on neighbouring Iraq as a war against Islam....About 300 Islamists, including theological students, met on Sunday in the city, 120 km (75 miles) south of Tehran, to condemn the war in their homeland, witnesses said on Monday...."

ABC news:Iran won't back US regime in post-war Iraq
"Iran "will not support" an Iraqi government installed by the United States - only one chosen democratically by the Iraqi people, Iranian Foreign Minister Kamal Kharazi said.
"We will not support a government installed by the Americans in Iraq," Mr Kharazi told a press conference in Iraq....Relations between Tehran and Baghdad, despite slight improvement before the outbreak of war, have remained largely cold, with continued bitterness on both sides carried over from their 1980-1988 war......"

It's about one week to the end of holidays, & I don't think we're gonna do anything special; so I'm somehow bored & although don't feel like going to school but because of this boredom I'm waiting for the end of these holiday; you know, these days all I do is following news of war, getting hopeful because of progress of US troop & getting angry because of hearing about anti-war protest...& still I can not understand what these protesters mean & can not persuade myself that they are right, I don't know perhaps I'm getting cruel that can not feel the senses they seem to have, but I think that's because I'm an Iranian that cares about the future & thinks about the advantages of this war for her country, Iraq & US. You know, thinking about every cases even the worst makes me realize that there could be no situation better than this.
Yes, these protesters want peace & try to stop this war; so it seems that they want Iraqis although with so much oil, but always poor, hungry & under leadership of such a cruel man, & so weak & unable to stand against the regime & have their rights... actually this is the situation of Iraqis, so they need help; & who can be a supporter, better than US? Even, if as they say this war is for oil, what's wrong with fighting to take oil from a person who doesn't know its worth & just can not use it for the welfare of people...?
I think & try to understand why are these people doing these kinds of things in streets to protest against the war , & still I can not find an answer ; but I'm sure that their freedom doesn't let them think about life without freedom!!!

Sweet smell of home.....(from MSNBC)

U.S. warns Syria, Iran: Stay out of it
"As the United States declared that Saddam Hussein no longer controls 35 percent to 40 percent of his country, focus turned to Iraq's neighbors: A missile hit Kuwait City, and the United States warned Syria and Iran to stay out of the conflict....."

Less than half an hour...!!!
I have just less than half an hour Internet access & I really don't know what to do with this!!! actually these days because I didn't feel like doing anything else & was bored, used Internet more than ever; a 15 hours card in less than 2 days & now I can't really tell my mother to buy me another...so I don't think I can answer all mails of last days or check all my favorite websites in this "less than half an hour"!.....
Anyways; Hoder(The father of Farsi weblogs) in his popular Farsi weblog recently has written a note about the focus of the world on middle-east & the importance of weblogs written in English, he has also linked to my weblog & my nedstat page saying that although my English isn't good I have many visitors, but has also encouraged because writing everyday...actually he tries to make other Iranians write weblog in English...& I totally agree with him & just wish that his note causes many others start English weblogs that will help the world have a clear & real view of Iran & original news & reports with no limitation from the natives; & that's the power of this lovely cyber world...! Ok, it's better to go & decide what to do with the rest of this less than half an hour Internet that at the time is MY ALL!!!

The President: "The United States and United Kingdom are acting together in a noble purpose, we're working together to make the world more peaceful. We're working together to make our respective nations and all the free nations of the world more secure. And we're working to free the Iraqi people..... It isn't a matter of timetable; it's a matter of victory. And the Iraqi people have got to know that, see. They've got to know that they will be liberated and Saddam Hussein will be removed, no matter how long it takes......"
Actually Mr. Bush & Blair's speech was very hopeful about the future of Iraq & middle-east; the only thing that made a bit anxiety for me & Mr. Bush didn't give any clear answer, is the time that it takes...

After a while I wrote a note for windsofchange, about tomorrow's anti-war protest in Tehran...Iran and its position in this war....
"Finally, Iran's government that saw people's carelessness about war, decided to plan for an anti-war protest this Friday after the group Friday praying that recently has changed to just a performance that doesn't have people's support...but about the protest the problem is that I don't know what would be the exact situation of Iran, will they act in support of Saddam?..........."

War encourages U.S.-Iran contacts
"WASHINGTON, March 26 (UPI) -- U.S. and Iranian officials held a key meeting the weekend before Operation Iraqi Freedom began to discuss co-operation between the two old adversaries in the event of a war.........All the while direct contacts between British diplomats and the Iranians have worked out many of the logistical aspects of the new war, according to State Department officials.
The United States broke formal diplomatic ties with Iran more than 20 years ago soon after the 1979 Islamic revolution when Iranian students captured the American Embassy in Tehran and took hostage the entire staff........"

My land
By Reza Nabavian in Iranian site;

The frail solitute, one night, calmly turning away,
at dawn I pray, surely, like a hair turning gray

One ray of light, one stream, one endless worry,
washing my hands, standing, one blooming prairie

Half open eyes, this mind, and the ongoing story,
palms crossed, reciting , the tale of our glory

One land, one love, beating on our long ago doorsteps,
a fire, a lion, one sun and the sound of our footsteps

The treacherous path, the north air, do I dare?
one lake, one home, a cool breeze and the heroine flair

The arid beauty, of a wrinkled hand, caressing my hair,
one vase, one tulip, and water, nothing more to spare

A lion, one sun, a red promise protecting this land,
some bread, a feline beauty, and the caress of her hand.

Another stray missile lands in Iran - sources
"TEHRAN, March 26 (Reuters) - Another apparently stray missile has landed in Iran, government sources said on Wednesday, but an analyst said the country was unlikely to lose its neutrality on war in neighbouring Iraq.
The rocket landed on Monday night near the city of Qasr-e Shirin, in western Kermanshah province. There were no reports of damage and it was not clear who had fired the rocket, the sources said...."

I got surprised by the weather...a heavy & beautiful raining just at the time that I needed; now the only things I want is solitude & a clear window that let me look at raining through it, but seems that I can have none of them...

...I found great notes in the new issue of Tehranavenue; year 1381 in review...I was specially impressed by this fiction, New Year Shopping...

Saddam: U.S. and allies are 'trapped'
"BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- Saddam Hussein appeared on his state-run television Monday morning to tell the nation that the United States and its allies are "trapped" as Iraq resists ((heroically))....."
Speeches of Saddam really make me surprised, I can not understand what is in his mind, & if the things he says is really what he believe or he’s just acting...he is so relaxed & speaks about victory of Iraq with such confident that everyone may doubt that perhaps that's true...oh, can it be?!!! I can not even imagine the situation if things happen like this & Iraq wins the war; what really would happen in that way?

I'm pretty sleepy, because today I woke up very early in the morning to watch the Oscar show live ( the long time distance between Asia & US sometimes makes things hard) ; & after that preferred to study a bit instead of going to bed again.....about Oscar show I was expecting something else, I had though that many artists won't come & they will also talk more than this about present problems in the world...so in compare with the last Grammy award performance, singers are more peaceable & against the war than movie makers & actors & actresses...& also about winners I really didn't think of any of them, & was willing others...
Anyways, the positive point is that no terrorist attack or anything bad happened & at the time that nothing is right, at least top starts of the world are ok ;)

It's the third day of holidays & all I do is just reading news or watching photos of war in Iraq on the net...Everyone is talking about war & everywhere is full of photos, reports & other fucking related things to war...I'm really tired of this situation & now understand how disgusting war is, Although still it has no direct effect in our life.
So, I'm just waiting for the moment to read that war is over & Iraq is free! How fine that would be; but after it will be countdown for our country!!! oh what a strange world...
You know, these days the thing that has filled my mind even more than this war & present events is though of future, actually not my future, but ours!!! I think about the world's target & the place we are going to...If things are gonna go on like this, what would be our motivations for surviving? If the world is just this damn unpleasant scene of nerves, who really prefers to live?

U.S. apologizes to Iran for errant missile
"The United States has apologized to Iran for errant missiles fired at Iraq that crashed inside Iranian territory, a U.S. official said on Saturday.
"We sent one message via the Swiss yesterday to the Iranians saying, 'sorry,' and may send another but we have to get the facts" first, the official told Reuters....."

Girls in Tehran malls...Photos of some girls in shops by Yalda moayer in WomeninIran site.

Iran Oil Depot Hit by Rocket, Iran Warns U.S., UK
"TEHRAN (Reuters) - An oil refinery depot in southwestern Iran close to the Iraqi border was hit by a rocket on Friday, officials said, and the Islamic Republic warned Washington and London to respect its airspace.
Government officials, who asked not to be named, told Reuters it was not clear where the rocket, which hit the depot in the city of Abadan at around 7.45 p.m. local time (11:15 a.m. EST), had come from...."

Salam Pax writes from Baghdad:"The most disturbing news today has come from Al-Jazeera, they said that nine B52 bombers have left the airfield in Britain and flying “presumably” towards Iraq, as if they would be doing a spin around the block....Last night was very quiet in Baghdad. Today in the morning I went out to get bread and groceries. There were no Ba’ath party people stopping us from leaving the area where we live, this apparently happens after the evening prayers. But they are still everywhere. The streets are empty only bakeries are open and some grocery shops charging 4 times the normal prices....."
.....
Also Hasan sarbakhshian, the Iranian photographer writes reports from Baghdad in his Farsi weblog...we see that in this war Internet is like one of the most important weapons; we can read the last news immediately, both in formal news sites & personal WebPages...But that also cause s more feeling of worry

Iraq war shatters windows, causes panic in SW Iran
" Heavy bombing by U.S. and British forces as they moved to secure the Faw peninsula in southern Iraq shattered windows and caused villagers to flee in panic in neighbouring Iran, Iranian media said on Friday...."

The first day of New Year seems awfully boring... Although some of relatives came & are still coming for Norooz seeing but I didn't go out of my room & am stuck here, web-surfing...I think something has changed about me, seeing tradition "haft sin" table with symbolic things, flowers & etc doesn't make me happy & I don't feel like playing with little goldfish...Perhaps I am growing up or am losing some of my senses!
Anyways, it’s still the beginning of holidays that I feel bored! we have no plans of having trip or any special program, & also I am not a person to spend my holidays studying & reviewing my lesson, specially in this period of time that I'm hopeful about changes in that for sure will have effects on school & exams programs!!!! Oh, just thinking about that makes me exited...

Iran's Foreign Min Condemns US Attack On Iraq
"Iran's official Islamic Republic News Agency quoted Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi as saying, "American military operations on Iraq are unjustifiable and illegitimate."
He added, "The Islamic Republic of Iran will not enter into action to the benefit of either side." ...."
...For sure they are afraid, but there is no way; soon It'll be our turn...

Goodbye,The hard but speciall year...

...It's midnight; less than one hour to the end of year & everyone is slept...Actually It's a custom that at the first moment of new year all family members sit together around a traditional table, praying for new year, but this year that Norooz is this time no one feels like doing such things & others have preferred sleeping…
Anyways, I wanna spend last minutes of year online that might be more interesting...
This year was really important for me, although it wasn't very happy or joyful but had lots to be learned & I learned...It was the year of being worry & missing valuable things & ones but also was a chance for learning to be tolerant... It was a year of changes, for me & the whole world...& also a war at the last day of it! what a strange year...But now, that It's over , I understand that how foolish I acted sometimes & how unimportant were some problems...anyways, this year is going like others & this last minutes of year that are always sad will go like other minutes...
Ok, so goodbye to this hard but nice winter & special year of 1381....& welcome to spring & this coming year, I feel exited but I'm ready...

Happy Norooz...!!!

...So the party has been started!!! It is the first war like this that I'm seeing in my life, Perhaps the first one in kind in the whole history...
Ultimately, my father put up our satellite dish to keep track of news about Iraq, you know this focus of world on the Iraq & these kinds of news agencies’ reports show it more & more serious ...you just feel that the war is happening beside you.
And also via Hoder I found a weblog from Baghdad, that the author writes reports about what is happening there...that's a bit frightening, reading notes of someone in the heart of war & danger, I can not even try to feel how Iraqis are feeling now but for sure that's not a good feeling....ok, at the time what can we wish to happen?!!!

....In your head, in your
head they are fighting
With their tanks and their bombs
And their bombs and their guns
In your head
In your head they are cryin'
In your head, In your head
zombie, zombie , zombie...

Let the party begin....in Iranian site:
"...Let us not underestimate the colossal events that are about to unfold. A brutal regime is about to be removed, American supremacy as a hyper-power will be established and the French will learn to live with it...."
....
Mixed feelings in Iran over US war on Iraq
"...It was the United States which was pushing Iraq forward. If they know all about the arms that Saddam has at his disposal it's because they provided them in the first place...There is not much anti-American feeling in Iran, it is only Bush's personality which has tarnished the US image...I don't trust the Americans, I don't think their presence here would be positive for Iran, I don't think they intend democracy to prevail, they are only thinking about their own economic interests..."

I'm too tired even to think & am typing hardly...It's been two days that I haven't posted anything, actually I couldn't...
Anyway, it’s just two days to the end of the year & perhaps less than it to a war that might be in my country's neighborhood... What a special beginning of the New Year!!! I also don't feel very good because of some unexpected problems; & generally I think It's a real mess & perhaps one of the most special times in my life...So, the coming days won't be very nice & life will be a bit hard but I'm sure that spring will do things better...

Iranian women in fashion revolution
"Many are heeding the call by a new magazine to replace black wardrobe collection with the latest Western styles and bold colours..."
There are more news about fashion in Tehran & this magazine, here & here...

The Last Wednesday Of The Year & Iranian Celebration...
Four days to the end of the year... today was the last day of school & as of now we have about three weeks holidays, & that seems great...I'm so happy that I just don't know what do I wanna do in holidays...
Anyways, tomorrow night is time of an Iranian celebration called "Charshanbe soori", this celebration is one of the greatest cultures of ancient Iran, although these years because of some problems it has changed a lot but is still enjoyable & I love it...
we light fires in the streets & jump over them...there are lots of different fireworks & explosions that have loud voices ...In old days Iranians used to get together , eat special nuts of this celebration & have a happy time, they also light a small fire because they believed that fire is holy , just as a matter of having a nice year…there was also another culture that girls or women went to neighbors’ houses with a big dish & a spoon, they made a noise by the spoon on the dish with their face covering…then the host had to come & give something like special nuts of charshanbe soori to the person & guess who she is…& there were lots of these kinds of things they used to do…
For sure some of these things can’t be done these days , But nowadays young boys & girls light very big fires & do lots of exciting & somehow dangerous works…recent years Police tried hard to avoid people to have this celebration & perhaps that’s one of reasons that Charshanbe soori has lost its last nice way of getting together & laugh & spend happy hours & It’s become a kind of movement & a way for people to show their dissatisfaction…For sure, this year there will be some problems with people & police, & even harder than other years because of Moharram month…But people won’t give up…
You know, getting prepared for charshange soori starts some weeks before it…people buy different kind of things & explosive devises & makes loud noises … now my ear is full of these noises.
Anyway, with all dangers & excitements that’ll be really fun… I just wish a great "Last Wednesday of the year" & a wonderful Year with happiness & freedom...

Photo from NafiseGallery

All My Photos...the name of a new album of photos of women in villages by HojatOllah Sepehrvand in womeniniran site...

 

 

Iran's Khatami in rare walk-out
"President Mohammed Khatami walked out of a meeting of Iran's top arbitration body yesterday to protest a decision to hike the budget of a hardline body that has stymied his attempts at reform, legislators said.
The unprecedented action by Khatami, who has tended to avoid direct confrontation with his conservative opponents, is likely to exacerbate tensions between rival political factions over the power wielded by unelected hardliners...."

These days......
It’s less than one week to Norooz, the beginning of our new year & everyone is getting prepared for Spring to come; yeah...this wonderful season is coming, Weather is great & Tehran seems more than ever lovely for me; Fortunately the mourning days are over & people have started shopping for new year...I see a kind of comfort & calm in everything, but of course that is temporary & soon things will get hard.
These days the whole world seems to be in a real mess & everyone is waiting for a war; a WAR, you know in this situation I feel that changes are good for Iraq but anyways still the word of War is disgusting......

Worth seeing...

...Photos of last mourning days in Tehran, here & here...

...Also some new English weblogs, written by Iranians...uncertainly...& Rostam...& Random Opinions... that I've been reading recently & like their notes...

...And weblog of CNN reporter from Iraq...Kevinsites.... that seems interesting... (Via hoder)

Powell: US Concerned About Iran Developing Nuclear Weapons
"Secretary of State Colin Powell says revelations in recent days about the extent of Iran's nuclear program vindicate the Bush administration's tough approach toward the Islamic government in Tehran. In congressional testimony Thursday, Mr. Powell also stressed U.S. support for Iranian reformers and their youthful supporters......."

Today was a busy & nasty day...everything was going wrong & I was feeling really bad until some hours ago...now I feel great; I just want to go to bed & think & think & think...

Iraq, Iran Agree to Swap Their Prisoners
"Iran and Iraq have agreed to release all prisoners from their 1980-88 war and all common criminals who are citizens of the other country...."
That's really a good piece of news, there will be lots of families who'll be very happy...but I can't find out what is the exact reason that they decided to release all captives in this important period of time...!!!

WOW, It's hailing, you don't know how big these balls of ice are...unbelievable, I hadn't seen such a thing before here!!!

Worth reading...new notes in Iranian site:
More than oil
You have to feel sorry for Iraqis
...
America, the neighbourhood gendarme
Better than Vichy French, Putin's Kreplakistan and communist China
...
Axis of rational alternatives
Thinking more creatively about global security

Iran puts nuclear reactor on show to counter weapons programme claims
"Iran said yesterday it had nothing to hide about its nuclear programme, allowing journalists an unprecedented visit to a nuclear reactor in the southern port of Bushehr...."

...I'm a bit bored. I may have lots to do but I don't feel like doing any of the. It's raining & the sound of rain drops is combined with the loud voice of the mourning group that is going along our streets, these days streets are full of these groups that are most men & boys , the Marsh of mourning is played by a big drum & a special rhythm that makes a heavy atmosphere, but that's difficult to tolerate & sometimes the loud & not nice melody can makes you crazy.  ... So, although I love rain's sound but because of that other voice I have to close my window.

Anyway, I just want to write some things about Ashoora’s culture, & that's got  nothing with my beliefs, just as a matter of sharing info
about Iran's special customs...Actually ninth of Moharram is the day that Imam Hossein had a fatal journey in Kerbela with just 72 ones & had a war with Yazid with a big military, the history of religion says that Islam’s military (Imam Hossein’s) fought bravely & the next day that is called Ashoora, all of them & also Imam Hossein became martyred...So Shiites have their mourning rituals through Moharram specially in these two
days
& some days before, every area of the city has a special place that is for a
group of people, & this group that contains most men that hit themselves( not
very hard) by a kind of chain, go to streets, so the city is full of these
groups...each has a special metal thing called "Alam" & don't have any information about the history of philosophy of this big thing that has some materials & is carried by a strong man in front of the mourning group & also some ones play drum or trumpet & also someone sings religious songs , they have big kinds of speaker, so the voice is heard in the whole street….

 

they go through city all day & at the nigh time they come back to their places that they had started from, when they come they kill a sheep in public ( you know, this is one of Islamic acts & has its own rules) & cook dinner that is given to people freely…actually that is vowed; these days also many people vow & give different kinds of  food, drink, & some other things (shit, I just don’t know many words) for free.... After these days mourning, there is another ritual at the last night that I love the best, (at least that seems like a normal death ritual), that night that kinds of mornings are over & people just light candles & stand in streets respectfully. That’s a sad atmosphere, actually the night when Hossein was martyred & his family were as captives in the enemy’s places…

That’s all, although there are lots of more details that I didn’t mention; a sad & hard ritual, but valuable in culture that is made in hundreds of years in Iran. But you know, nowadays most of reasons or targets are not seen & I don’t think there are many people left who do these things because of Imam Hossein & their beliefs, in fact there is no belief left…

Anyways, the sad rituals are involved in Islam’s history & culture…I hope I could share just a piece of it with you. Here is also more formal note about these things, although I don't think there might be any of you who likes these kinds of things & the stuff...

Yahoo News:"Female reporters take notes behind a model of Iran's Boushehr nuclear power plant in its information center in Boushehr, Iran, 750 miles (1,200 kilometers) southwest of the capital Tehran..."

 

 

 

 

Tow days after tomorrow are the most important days of Moharram; Tasooa & Ashoora…the days that Imam Hossein had war with Yazid in Kerbela & Ashoora is the day he became murdered…So Moslems mourn these days, & now all streets & most of public places are full of Black materials.
There are also some places called in many areas of city for managing the work of mourning & the stuff…In coming days I’ll write about cultures & things that people do these days & the way of mourning for Imam Hossein that completely different from others in kind. Although I’m not a religious person AT ALL, & just don’t believe in any of these stories that they call religion; but the general atmosphere of these days gives everyone a special sad feeling…
Anyway, after these two or tree days that are public holidays, there will be just one week to Norooz…so many students in our school have decided not to come in the last week, in anyways it school won’t be very serious, but I’ll go to the last year because we don’t have any special program of taking trip or so, then I prefer going to school without classes to staying at home & getting bored…

Is Iran next for ‘regime change?’
"......Anticipating the imminent removal of Saddam Hussein from power, Israel is already pressing Washington to make Iran the next target in the “war on terrorism.”........There are very strong differences of view in Washington about political issues and about longer grand strategy and I think these very controversial post-Saddam issues have been put aside....."

Quake shakes capital Tehran
"Tehran, March 10, IRNA -- An earthquake with a magnitude of 4.1 degrees on the open-ended Richter scale shook the capital of Tehran early Sunday....."
Last night about 2 o clock I woke up by the voice of my parents, saying that they had felt earth quick... I didn't take it serious, just wushed that there will be another bigger one & slept, but at the morning I undrestood that It was a 4 rishter earth quick, but didin't have any khesarat...
You know, there are different news & sometimes rumours about earthquick in tehran, But the think that scintist say that eveerone knows is that soon there will be a very bozorg earthquick in theran. I don't have, actually can't have an idea about this, but sometimes I think about that...about the time that it will happen, the khesarats & the way that our will be after that, for sure If i don't die. Even thinking of this is somehow terrible, we see films & photos of people who have had terrible nature diseases & have lots all they had, & this scenes are so sad that we don't even wanna think about a similar situation for ourselves, but sometimes we must...Anyway, these things are not the kinds that noone can decides about & all we can do is to try to prepared in everyways for all possible things.

Report: Iran has 'extremely advanced' nuclear program:
According to a Time magazine report, Iran has a nuclear program that is far more advanced than has been previously disclosed.

I read in hasanpix Farsi weblog that Vahid Salemi’s photo “KISS OF DEATH” has been chosen as the best General News reporting photo & is on the first place of the Photo of the year Competition.
You know, that was a simple but strange photo, anyways wonderful…There were also many other great photos in the official site.
As I’m a fond of photography, I had a good time seeing the best photos of the year…

Ideological battle to decide Iran's political destiny
" While the world focuses on a possible war in Iraq, another confrontation is coming to a head in neighboring Iran, one that will shape that country's political future...."

"...Sing with me, sing for the years
Sing for the laughter, sing for the tears
Sing with me, just for today
Maybe tomorrow the good Lord will take it away........"

Tomorrow I have final exam of my English class, I am studying hard because this term for some reasons I have enough motivations for trying to be top Student, actually there are not many smart students in our class except one of my friends that is in my age & there is always a rivalry between us, but of course friendly...Anyway, I should go & continue hard studding, there are some difficult readings in new headway book...Wish me luck ;)

Yahoo news:"An Iranian woman holds an anti- war placard, as other women listen
to an address during a gathering on World Womens Day, at the Laleh Park in
Tehran, Iran, Saturday, March 8, 2003. Hundreds of women and a small
group of men gathered to demand social and political rights equal to men for the
first time since the 1979 Islamic revolution in a mainly male-dominated
conservative country."
Also other photo news of this gathering in Yahoo, here & here...

 

 

 

 

 

Today is the 16th of Esfand & It's a while that lots of Farsi bloggers are planning for today, they have decided to mark 16th of Esfand as the day of Iranian Bloggers support to homeless children who have been abandoned & don’t have any protector ...I think It's a great idea & for sure as there are lots of bloggers, they can help & give lot of money & other things, specially happiness to theses children...So They are having a meeting in one of the biggest places for these children, today. I think it’s the first act of charity of Iranian bloggers, & is really nice & important.
The sentence on their banner is: “Is your home cold? I'll put the sun in a pocket & will sent it to you...." , they also have made a weblog for this reason here.( It's in Farsi; I don't know why sometimes I link to a Farsi sites, but I feel It gives credit to a note.)
Anyway, I wish luck for them....

Worth seeing...
_Iran; the last week through the view of camera...in Farsi BBC
_Photos taken by mahnaz sahaf...in womeniniran

…It’s an ordinary Friday & is our holiday; the weather is great & all signs of nature are reminding me that spring is coming…So I don’t feel like studding at all, you know It’s less than two weeks to the end of year & the new year holidays & the high school is not serious at all, no one feels like studding & every ones waiting for free coming days... we have about two weeks & sometimes, a couple of days more holidays for the new year, many ones say that there must be less, I also do believe that generally Iran’s holidays are too many , but actually like everyone else I have get used of it & can’t stand less than it ;)…Anyway, first days of new year, is the days of dido bazdide eid; that means that all of relatives & friends go to each others houses , just as a matter of seeing each other in the new year, at first the young ones should go & see the olds of the family & then others…I think somehow It’s a nice custom, for example there are lots of persons of our relatives that we don’t see them in the year at all & It can be a reason for seeing each other, & also the ones who have had argument & are not in touch, must stop these kinds of behaviors & start the new year with kindness. So first days of the New Year is spent on such a think, personally I don’t like this custom & have no sense of seeing the ones who I hardly know, but it should be done…there are lots of little things like this that make the great culture of Norooz, & all of them are based on happiness, kindness & nice connection between humans,…Oh, I feel that nowadays so far we are from these things & we are getting farther & farther, That’s why these customs seems strange for this new generation that have been growth in sadness, lie, tricks & have seen many ones who don’t care about humans’ peace & happiness.
Anyway...forget about these talks, beauty of spring & the magic of nature is another thing & that will destroy all the bad things itself. I’m just waiting for the bride of seasons to come & gives everyone hope of surviving…

Hossein Derakhshan, is going to post some of pictures he took last summer in Iran, in his English weblog, I suggest you too see them...Now he has posted some of these photo , also with a bit change in appearance of his weblog.... You know he is the one who published the guide of Farsi blogging for the first time & is called “The father of Farsi blogging". He is a journalist in Canada & also has a very popular Farsi blog. I really like his way of writing & enjoy reading his opinions or surfing his interesting links; some ones says he is a bit proud, but anyway he has done great & important things for this wave of Farsi blogging...

_The Iranian-Election Revolt...
_Iran election 'an alarm bell'...
They are in a bad situation & are really scared, at least these years people used to vote for reformists & were hopeful for even small changes & that was somehow a support for them, But this time they lost this support & will feel the danger of end of their power better...

The confusion between religious beliefs & the sense of patriotism…
Iranians have a great culture & there are lots of different customs, like religious customs that have become parts of our culture. But sometime it’s not very nice when a native & ancient celebration becomes in a same time as a religious mourning, just like this year & last year. let me explain more; Actually we have a Persian calendar & our own Iranian months, but as we live in ISLAMIC republic of Iran & have to do our Islamic precepts, sometimes we should rely on ghamari (lunar) calendar of Arabs & dates that some events had happened; These dates each year are different days in our calendar …just like death & birth of Islam Imams or prophets, or some important months like Ramadan of Moharram…
Moharram is one of Arab months that Imam Hossein had a fatal journey in Kerbela & became martyred; So Moslems mourn & cry for Imam Hossein this month. So From old days Iranians mourn in Moharram & as I said this month has become a part of Iranians’ culture & has special customs in Iran…. But this year & also previous year has been in a same time as Persian first month & Norooz, so this makes confusion; confusion between religious beliefs & the sense of patriotism, and it’s not good at all.
Government wants to use this opportunity to remove people’s love & fondness to the homeland & Persian culture and replace dray, colorless & always sad religious customs.
For example there is a Persian custom that we Iranians celebrate the last Wednesday of the year, we call this last Wednesday “Charshanbe Soory” (that I will write more about it later), & this year is on Moharram; so they are trying to take the importance of it & avoid people specially young girls & boys to celebrate it with enthusiasm & happiness, But that’s impossible; I bet that people will celebrate Charshanbe Soory in the right time & will even use to show their dissatisfaction…

Iran offers peaceful settlement for Iraq
"...TEHRAN, Iran, March 4 (UPI) -- Iranian Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi Tuesday proposed a new settlement for the Iraqi crisis that would help avoid a looming U.S. war on Baghdad.
Kharrazi, who disclosed the proposal in a speech at the 13th Persian Gulf Conference in Tehran, called for "holding a referendum in Iraq and achieving national reconciliation between the government and opponents under the supervision of the United Nations.
"We believe that referendum is the only peaceful solution that could be accepted by the Iraqi government and which could spare the region a war," he was quoted as saying by the official Iranian News Agency, or IRNA.
Referring to U.S. plans for post-war Iraq, Kharrazi said: "We believe that any settlement from outside Iraq could not appoint a future government for this country."
He hoped that the Iraqi officials study the Iranian proposal and emphasized that Tehran "does not want to determine the fate of the Iraqi people and does not approve the entry of U.S. forces into the Iraqi territories....."

Who cared?!!!
Photo essay: Council election campaign posters...Interesting photos of Tehran & election campaign posters with great views...

My friends have just gone & every thing went well, it was a great day that will be always in our minds as a good memory...Oh, I feel really tired but like this tiredness. I always feel good & comfortable after exiting hours...just like now.

Let Us Believe in the Beginning of the Cold Season -(A poem by Forugh farrokhzad )

"And this is I
a woman alone
at the threshold of a cold season
at the beginning of understanding
the polluted existence of the earth
and the simple and sad pessimism of the sky
and the incapacity of these concrete hands.

time passed,
time passed and the clock stuck four,
struck four times.
today is the winter solstice.
I know the season's secrets...

the wind is blowing through the street,
the beginning of ruination.

I am cold,
I am cold, and it would appear
that I will never be warm again...
I am cold and I know
that nothing will be left
of all the red dreams of one wild poppy
but a few drops of blood.

I shall give up lines
and give up counting syllables too.
and I will seek refuge from the mob
of finite measured forms
In the sensitive planes of expanse.
I am naked, naked, naked,
I am naked as silence between words of love,
and all my wounds come form love,
from loving...

will I once again
comb my hair with wind?
will I ever again plant pansies in the garden
and set geraniums in the sky
outside the window?
will I ever again dance on wine glasses
will the doorbell call me again
toward a voice's expectation?

I said to Mother, It's all over now.
I said, Things always happen before one thinks;
we have to send condolences
to the obituary page... "

A light & beautiful rain has just begun to fall...

Iranians arrested for net dating
It is a piece of news about arrested young girls & boys for a net dating, although it is not a good news & however is not a positive point for Iran; But It's not as hard as some journals tried to show...as I know they were arrested just for some hours & then got free & It just was like a kind of warning...Anyway; It's a while that I wanna say, I have lost my trust to News agencies from out of country, Like BBC & specially its reports from Iran...I think most of the times they go too far & for some reasons they don't do even the main roots of journalist...yeah, I know; I'm just a young girl & don't know many things about journalism & I'm not in a place to talk about such a big & professional News agency, but at least I know that a true report must be completely impartially & the way I usually see in the foreign sites of News are not right about Iran...& this the result; that most of people from other countries have a completely wrong view of Iran & sometimes I get shocked by hearing or reading some thoughts of others about my country. So I think that’s not good at all; you know, a reporter especially nowadays has an important responsibility of putting a true & clear picture of the things that is reported, in front of the reader, & deleting wrong & ignorant views of people, but I don’t see these things at least about the news I read about my homeland.
Anyway, I didn’t want to get into things I don’t have enough information about or the stuff, just sharing my opinion with you.

lotousmagazine; The new magazine of fashion for Iranian ladies...actually It doesn't show the fashion of Iranian girls & women's clothes that they usually wear, but is a nice collection of some traditional clothes or clothes of some special occasions, however as they had to design these dresses by thinking about some limitations & clothes have to cover the whole body, I believe that they are nice, but as I said not usual clothes of these days...Also I wanted to write a little about the new fashions of Tehran & clothes that girls wear but I don't know names of some kinds materials or models in English & also couldn't find any photos of recent Iranian girls' appearance & way of wearing, so I'll do that in the near future...

My room is a real mess, I wanna make it tidy & clean it; actually killing two birds with one stone, first for the coming year & the Norooz that we should make house nice & clean & also for the little party that I'm gonna have with my friends on the weekend...although here is like hell & I just don't know where exactly I should start from but I'm happy because both of the reasons are good & I have great motivations...actually this time of the year is always great, It is the last month of the year, all exams are finished & school & lessons don't seem so serious, & also the new year's celebration is coming up & I'm really exited...inn fact it seems a little strange for me because I'm not a lover of spring & most of the years I didn't have good feelings at this time of year, specially last year that generally was a bad & sad year for me, but this year things are different & I'm just waiting for the great coming days of Norooz. Anyway, I'm going to write more & more about Norooz & wonderful Iranian cultures in the New Year & these kinds of things. There are so many things to say in this area....Wishing the best & the most beautiful things for everyone in the world...

Afghan repatriation from Iran nears 400,000
"The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has announced that the number of Afghans who have returned to their homeland from Iran is approaching the 400,000 mark, IRNA quoted the press here on Saturday....
Iranian officials have put the number of Afghan refugees in the Islamic Republic at two million, saying all will be repatriated in the next three years.
The accord further requires returning Afghans to pass through either the Dogharoun or Milak border checkpoints in Iran's northeastern province of Khorassan and southeastern province of Sistan and Baluchestan, respectively....."
I believe that It's better for both Iranians & afghans, because afghans were not really in comfort & most of them had to work very hard with a little money & also many Iranians were not satisfied that they were here...anyway, today we Iranians that before this though Afghans as poor refugees should envy that they'll have a nice & free land...

The new issue of cappuccino , the Farsi electronic weekly magazine has been published, I had a great time reading all of that; actually I didn't like that magazine before but It's a while that I find it interesting & see great things in it. Unfortunately it’s in Farsi; I really wish that you could read it specially its reports that are so real & understandable. Anyway, there is always a language that can be seen by everybody & that's the language of photos; you can find Photos of kahrizak House( A free place by government for old or homeless people), they are somehow sad...

I think my addiction to Internet & blogging is getting really serious, last two days that I was somewhere else & I couldn’t connect to Internet & update my weblog I was feeling that something is lost in my life !!!! ;)
Anyway, now I’ve just come back from the school & after checking the sites I always do I’m here to write something…Actually, yesterday was the day of the election that recently I had written some notes about that, I don’t know anything about the election & how did it go on , even didn’t try to watch TV to get the news… But now that I was reading some news I understood that as I had expected there were not many people who voted. …so, now I think that the result of election makes no difference in the situation & that will be just another list of names of the ones who come to steal & save more money for themselves…