Suddenly there is media strom in defence of Rafsanjani as a moderate saviour. But those (like Ahmad Zeidabadi for instance in his recent column for the BBC Persian) who think average Iranians can ever be bought into anything other than the corrupt, criminal, intolerant and unjust government under Rafsanjani are again underestimating the Iran street's political sense.
# Direct Link | 21 Aug
I was away for a few days and now there is a lot I should start doing, most important of which is to migrate all my websites and blogs to the new servers I have bought from France. Hopefully, they are not going to be intimidated by a threat of a defamation lawsuit, based on a single mistranslated posting.
# Direct Link | 20 Aug
It's utter hypocrisy of the pro-human rights movement and its allies in the Persian blogosphere to remain absolutely silent on the recent attempt toward silencing their fellow bloggers. And I know all this is because of my recent criticism to Rafsanjanists and a part of the 'reformist' groups who have aligned their interest with the Americans.
Apparently, for them, free speech is only respected when they want to talk.
# Direct Link | 14 Aug
Silencing an opponent, before even going to court, is a bad precedent that threats all of us.
# Direct Link | 13 Aug
If Mehdi Khalaji (or Ali Afshari, Mohsen Sazegara, and other American new allies) doesn't want to be attacked by patriotic Iranians, he should stop serving the Americans who are committed to destroy Iran be it through military or economic war.
# Direct Link | 12 Aug
It's unbelievable how some former friends, whose mainly personal interests have been threatened by my writings, have started to question the truth to the fact that I was kicked out o my web host as a result of intimidation by Washington Institute's fellow, Mohammad Mehdi Khalaji, and his lawyer.
So here is the full text of my email exchange with Hosting Matters in which after modifying my database and removal of all my posts that mentioned Khalaji and my consequent objection, they terminated both my accounts.
# Direct Link | 11 Aug
I'm looking for some sort of scholarship for a Masters degree I'm going to do
# Direct Link | 11 Aug
Ebrahim Nabavi is cheerful for what happened to me.
# Direct Link | 11 Aug
The latest status of the blog and the slow migration to my new VPS
# Direct Link | 11 Aug
Disruption due to Mehdi Khalaji's intimidations against my web host
# Direct Link | 9 Aug
Closing down an opponent newspaper is similar to assassinating an opponent. Now that Islamic Republic, thanks to Khatami's efforts and Khemeni's help, has taken the option of murdering its opponents off the table (which actually was a popular option during Rafsanjani), they should also learn that instead of banning the media they should use more civilised methods for punishment, such as fines and other financial punishments.
It's also pathetic, despite all these secular and liberal 'intellectuals' such as Soroush, Ebadi and Ganji, no one is challenging the dominant view across te political spectrum that views homosexuality as a disease.
Soroush, Ganji and Ebadi would easily break easy taboos such as Khomeini, Shariati, etc., but if yuo really want to see weather they are policitians or public intellectuals, you should ask them about homosexuality.
They never dare challenging the false assumptions on that, because even if they personally believe homosexuality is not a disease (which is very unlikely for them to believe so), they know that in the dominant homophobic culuture of the middle east -- and unfortunately still in most parts of the world --approving of homosexuality is next to suicide for them.
That's why, unlike their claims to be only 'public intellectuals', they are political leaders and can only ride on the waves of popularity; they don't care about the truth, when it's too unpopular.
# Direct Link | 8 Aug
Rafsanjanists have started their scare tactics (see Rooz and Aftab among others) against Mesbah Yazdi to help Rafsanjani become the chairman of the Assembly of Experts, now that Ayatollah Meshkini has died.
But Rafsanjani's election as the chairman of the assembly is the biggest threat to the Islamic Republic, especially since after Ahmadinejad came to power, Rafsanjani and his allies have been turned into an opposition to the Islamic Republic, rather than a critic.
I personally wish Ayatollah Shahroodi becomes the chairman of the assembly who is the best candidate to follow Khamenei.
# Direct Link | 6 Aug
If only, without Shiite Islam, Iranian could still resist against the American Empire, while getting high and extending our youth on Fat Freddy's Drop music at a beach in Kish or Noshahr or Abadan, like Cuba, Venezuella, etc.
# Direct Link | 5 Aug
On Mehdi Khalaji, Israeli lobby's think-tank fellow, who wants to silence me and also earn $10,000
# Direct Link | 3 Aug
Punishing someone in all his social roles is not fair to others who benefit from that person in those roles. Therefore, death penalty is unfair. Even a terrorist is also a father, mother, son or daughter, etc. That's why I'm entirely against capital punishment.
# Direct Link | 2 Aug
When RSF's demonising campaign against Iran is picked up by the BBC, without further verifications.
# Direct Link | 2 Aug
Ali Afshari (former reformist student leader and currently a fellow at National Endowment for Democracy and a regular contributor to VOA Persian's shows) is a great example of Islamic Republic's failure to communicate the real nature of American 'democracy and human rights' agenda with its younger elite.
The emphasis on American disastrous intervention in the Middle East for many reasons has lost its appeal for the Iranian post-revolutionary generation, the way it is presented in the school and university text-books and in the media.
Iran has to overcome its silly fears of the 'Godless' left and starts to show the new generation about how the U.S. has treated independent South American states, especially Haiti, Cuba, Venezuela and Nicaragua.
The works of Chomsky and other anti-Imperial American dissidents should be translated into Persian, published and promoted in the media and also be mentioned in the high school textbooks.
# Direct Link | 31 Jul
Since Ahmadinejad came to power, a new opposition group has started to illustrate Iran as a hell, in addition to the MKO and the Monarchists. And to your surprise, the new group is called Rafsanjanists
# Direct Link | 30 Jul
Mehdi Yahyanejad, the founder of Balatarin, a Digg-alike in Persian, has officially banned Chalghooz. Try to add a link to Chalghooz and you'll get this message: "Lining to contents on this website is forbidden."
After Jahanshah Javid and Ebrahim Nabavi, I think we should consider Yahyanejad for a Golden Chalghooz award for respect for free speech.
# Direct Link | 27 Jul
VOA Persian's Jamshid Chalangi never challenges his guests who usually agree with him and with one another, except the other night when Alireza Haghighi was talking on the US - Iran talks where Chalangi was constantly challenging Haghighi, fairly or unfairly. At least maybe this adds some excitement to the usually boring VOA shows where everyone is in a big agreement on almost everything.
# Direct Link | 27 Jul
While I strongly support genuine and organic civil movements in Iran, I'd like to ask big fans of Mansoor Osanloo that what if some evidence suggests that they have been funded and organised by the infamous National Endowment for Democracy.
# Direct Link | 27 Jul
Unedited version of Ebrahim Nabavi's interview with me about the televised 'confessions' which he selectively edited and played in his Radio Zamaneh's show.
# Direct Link | 25 Jul
Beyond the dominant neo-liberal/reformist discourse
# Direct Link | 23 Jul
Never accept to be interviewed by Ebrahim Nabavi, unless it is broadcast live. because he can't set his personal opinion and feelings aside when he edits it.
# Direct Link | 20 Jul
ُThe televised TV confession backlashes among a %30 minority who have access to satellite and internet access. But it's hugely effective on the %70 of the Iranians who don't know even know these people had said these things under arrest, not as experts, the way they are portrayed.
# Direct Link | 19 Jul
I admit that until about a year ago, I had a very partisan view on Iranian politics, in that I thought anything the reformists did was right and anything their opponents did was wrong. This is a main reason for the change in my views.
But my position on Rafsanjani as a corrupt and hypocrite politician who has had a hand in many of the darkest points of the Islamic Republic's history, has not changed at all.
All this, because I'm listening to the new Interpol's record that reminds me of my time two years ago in Tehran, during the elections, when I was listening a lot to Interpol's first two records.
# Direct Link | 18 Jul
When Chalghooz reveals the true nature of Ebrahim Nabavi and Jahanshah Javid.
# Direct Link | 17 Jul
I can't find how to listen to this freaking Radio Tehran anywhere on IRIB's websites. Their obsession with Flash is so frustrating.
# Direct Link | 16 Jul
Haleh Esfandiari's televised 'confessions' is a bad idea, for it will undermine the truth about the US plans for overthrowing the Iranian government by using civil society. Instead, if they want people to trust what they say about these plans, they should televise the court sessions or at least a debate between the prosecutor and the accused's attorney.
# Direct Link | 16 Jul
ّIt's only natural to see the so-called civil society volunteers have collectively started their unfair and libellous attack on me in their blogs. After all, almost all of the are directly benefiting from the projects I have critiqued and their frustration is to be partly understood from this aspect as well.
# Direct Link | 11 Jul
Balatarin, is not even a tyranny of the majority like is role models such as Digg, etc. It has become a place for electronic stoning of the minority views, for some major algorithm mistakes. Therefore, I'm leaving it until it's fixed.
# Direct Link | 10 Jul
None of those millionaire volunteers in Tehran even went to Ghazvin (Takestan) where a couple were supposed to be stoned.
They thought their emails and phone calls and blog posts would put pressure on a judiciary official in a small village. And now that rumours suggest maybe the man has been executed or something, no one bothers to actually go to Takestan (less than 6 hours driving from Tehran) and see what is happening.
Maybe that's because our wonderful 'volunteers' do not feel like putting too much effort now that their Dutch funding is stopped.
# Direct Link | 9 Jul
On the recent developments in the old fight between Pentagon and State Department on Iran.
# Direct Link | 8 Jul
On end of the financial dispute with Iran Gooya (publisher of Rooz), after Hivos, the Dutch financier of the project, ordered Iran Gooya to pay me my overdue salary. I received the check and they received the archive and the domains they had asked. However, they never asked for the the mailing list and after the resolution of the dispute, Iran Gooya effectively and legally allowed me to own the list now.
# Direct Link | 7 Jul
I don't agree with Ham Mihan's politics. But I never approve of shutting down a dissident voice. I'm suffering from such low tolerance both by the Islamic Republic's internet censorship and by exiled Rafsanjanists who can't tolerate any type of criticism.
# Direct Link | 3 Jul
The similarities between the American 'liberal' media is treating Ahmadinejad and Iran's nuclear programme and the way they were talking in early 1950s about Mohammad Mossadegh and Iran's decision to nationalise the oil industry are simply amazng. Compare a recent editorial by the Boston Globe with an old editorial by the New York Times in August 1953, titled 'Mossadegh Plays with Fire.' The latter editorial was published only a couple of days before the CIA-organised coup which toppled Mossadegh's government.
# Direct Link | 1 Jul
Why Jahanshah Javid is refusing to publish Gooz Online and Chalghooz issues on Iranian.com
# Direct Link | 30 Jun
A response to Sanam Dolatshahi (Khorshidkhanoom)
# Direct Link | 26 Jun
With all due respect to Khatami, who I thin is the true follower of Khomeini's ideals and vision for the Islamic Republic, I think his denial of such obvious shake hand with those woemen in Italy was just too damaging for his crediblity and people's trust. He instead should have confirmed it and with no shame added that he has political and religious permission from religious authorities and also Khemeni himself.
I'm sure Khamanei would not have denied that and has tried to save Khatami's face, had Khatami done that. Having two faces is very common in Iranian culutre, but people who dare to have only one face can gain huge respect and trust from the pulblic.
Khomeini's unimaginable popularity and influence was partly becuase he always talked and behaved teh same, no matter where he was or who he was speaking to.
SOmetimes I wish Khatami had Ahmadinejad's balls or Ahmadinejad had Khatami's brains.
# Direct Link | 25 Jun
I wonder sometimes if Aftab news is owned by Hassan Rohani or Richard Perle! It's coverage on the nuclear negotiations is so full of hatred and jealousy in regard to the new team headed by Ali Larijani that it's not much different with the Israeli-American line of opposition towards the programme. What a shame that Rafsanjani's entourage are harming Iran's interests for their partisan politics.
# Direct Link | 24 Jun
Shab-e Shishe-i, on channel 5 in Iran, is a type of programme that could compete with VOA Persian. However, to totally beat VOA, they should break some taboos that they can only break when they launch some quasi-private foreign-based satellite TVs.
# Direct Link | 22 Jun
A letter to my dear friend, Shadi Sadr
# Direct Link | 20 Jun
VOA TV's backing for the Reza Pahlavi's project (Solidarity Iran) makes it a great threat to the Islamic Republic. This should be taken seriously in Tehran.
# Direct Link | 19 Jun
Abbas Milani's aim is no different from Reza Pahlavi's. Only their methods differ, which makes Milani even more dangerous for his behind the scenes efforts to bring together the 'reformist' dissident. Read his speech at the FDD conference (I'd say Pentagon advisers) and see for yourself.
# Direct Link | 15 Jun
Ebrahim Nabavi's reactions to a picture of a dead Iranian soldier's face is shocking.
# Direct Link | 14 Jun
My server is constantly under attack since Ebrahim Nabavi and his monarchist and rafsanjanist friends have decided to wipe me off the Internet. And there is so much going on these days. It's frustrating.
# Direct Link | 12 Jun
Richard Perle preferred his ideological stance on the Soviet Union over the scientific evidence in the early 80s. He and his people (including Reza Pahlavi) are doing the same thing with Iran's legal nuclear program. Just watch this video.
# Direct Link | 9 Jun
On Nahid Roxan's blog, which I've just discovered.
# Direct Link | 8 Jun
If Ebrahim Nabavi decides to begin a healthy and mature dialogue, instead of trying to wipe me off the map, I'm ready for it.
# Direct Link | 7 Jun
I'm proud to be Iranian, not because of Cyrus, but because of Khomeini, a true anti-colonial leader who created the only true post-colonial state in the world, Islamic Republic of Iran. Here is my explanation, if you can read Persian.
# Direct Link | 6 Jun
Gooz Online is a parody of Rooz Online that someone has made. I had no role in it, but I think it is a fantastic idea and I support it.
# Direct Link | 5 Jun
On Marjane Satrapi's Persepolis and the ethical dilllema of all of us who live and work in the West as authors, artsis and journalist.
# Direct Link | 4 Jun
Persian translation of an article published on my last visit to Israel was published on Entekhab yesterday, of course with some omissions and edtis. Here is the uncensored version.
# Direct Link | 31 May
It's silly that almost all Iranian journalists misspell Marjane Satrapi's name in Persian. Her name is spelled with an e at the end so te French people can pronounce it more easily. But her name is not 'Marjaneh.'
# Direct Link | 29 May
Seyyed Ebrahim Nabavi's chat with two Florida-based Cubans 'journalists' on the Cuban revolution, Casto, Che and free speech in Cuba is quite a better use for the Dutch government's money compared to his continous and lame personal attacks in Rooz to wipe me off the Internet scene.
Except that impartiality of these two gentelmen on Cuban matters at best is equal to that of Amir Taheri and Amir Abbas Fakhravar when it comes to Iran.
# Direct Link | 28 May
Watch my appearence on TVO's The Agenda with Steve Paikin.
# Direct Link | 27 May
During Khatami everyone saw the full half of the glass, now although the amount of water has not changed, everyone tends to see the empty half, during Ahmadinejad.
# Direct Link | 19 May
What is the intelligence ministry to people who visit Iran is illegal. It's illegal to hold people's passports and effectively prevent them from leaving the country outside a legal process and without a warrant. But I think they are using a loophole that allows them to do so if one voluntarily accepts to be treated outside the legal procedures.
They do this to everyone who comes to visit Iran and they know he or she is ready to comprise to be able to go back as planned. They did the same thing to me too: They ask if you prefer a long and tedious legal process of warrants, detention, interrogation, trial, etc. or you like to be dealt with in a informal way that helps you go back to where you live much more quickly than the other method.
No matter what Parinaz Azima and Haleh Esfandiari have done, they are kept in iran with this unjustified technique.
This should be stopped by engaging with Shahroodi and MPs such as Afroogh, etc.
# Direct Link | 13 May
How I found Arash Kamangir (Abadpour)'s real name in five minutes by a bit of googling.
# Direct Link | 11 May
On my presentation at the UofT tomorrow.
# Direct Link | 11 May
I'm going to Toronto. I'll also have a small presentation at the UofT on 11 May.
# Direct Link | 6 May
On Hossein Mousavian's arrest and the a media storm by journalists close to Rafsanjani to paint that as a personal revenge by Ahmadinejad or the new nuclear negotiation team. But the emerging evidence suggests there must be come concrete intelligence about such arrest on such high level.
# Direct Link | 6 May
Seeing the shades in the black and white picture Anglophone media has produced out of the recent crack down of the Islamic Republic's police on women's dress code.
# Direct Link | 5 May
So, finally, 'Mianeh' the project I did consultancy for is launched. As I said before, my involvement was only in helping develop general tragedies and themes, and not practical editorial and even technical matters. However, I'm very proud of its mission statement and I think if they stick to it, Mianeh could become an organic project, with a significant influence on public sphere in Iran. I am particularly happy about this paragraph:
"Most importantly, Mianeh will fully respect and support the identity, national sovereignty and the constitution of the Islamic Republic throughout: our editorial policy is built on the belief that the question of how Iran should develop is strictly a matter for the citizens of Iran. As Ayatollah Khomeini once famously said, Iran is “neither East nor West” and should develop accordingly."
# Direct Link | 3 May
There are two rival approaches towards regime change in Iran in the US: Neo-liberals, such as Abbas Milani, want to topple the regime by promoting a liberal, pro-American economy and civil society; and Neo-conservatives, such as Reza Pahlavi, pursue a velvet revolution similar to that in Serbia and Georgia and Ukrain by organising massive protests and civil-disobedience.
Nazanin Afshin-jam with her new video, 'someday,' shows that she has officially joined Reza Pahlavi's campaign. It's very shameful of Radio Zamaneh to promote this video and its message.
# Direct Link | 2 May
What if Iran passes a 100 Million Dollars budget for 'Media Diversity in the United States' and accepts proposals from progressive American NGOs and meida outlets?
# Direct Link | 2 May
On 'Mianeh', a new IWPR project, and my involvement in it as a consultant in its initial conceptualisation.
# Direct Link | 27 Apr
Arash (Ahmad) Naraghi, a PhD candidate of Philosophy at University of California Santa Barbara, in a long article, basically justifies a US attack on Iran. It is quite sickening to see how similar it is to the neo-conservative arguments before Iraqi invasion. Please read the last paragraphs of the full article in Persian.
Unfortunately, Rooz has published this article, while it has never published a single article from the other side of the debate which at least allows the Islamic Republic to develop nuclear technology for energy purposes.
# Direct Link | 26 Apr
The problem with many inorganic human rights projects (basically those who benefit the ordinary Iranians more than the American politicians), is not their source of funding. That's secondary to the nature of the project.
An inorganic project (such as one million signature campaign or Iran Human Rights Documentation Center) is unjustified and illegitimate, even if its funding comes from legitimate sources, say, Iran's government or Iranian-based philanthropy's.
On the other side, an organic project (such as Raahi) is legitimate as long as it is organic, even if it's funded by the least justified sources, say, Cheney's office (which is obviously not, by the way).
Kayhan's obsession with sources of funding is totally stupid and even counterproductive. For example Raahi and Radio Zmanaeh are two good examples of foreign-funded organic projects that have been doing Iran more good than the American politicians.
# Direct Link | 24 Apr
Tell your Iranian friends that voting for Sarkozy means a very close French foreign policy to that of the United States under Bush. Sarkozy was against Chirac on his decision not to join the Iraqi invasion, as he was equally against Chirac's policies during the Israeli attack on Lebanon. If one day the US wants to attack Iran, Sarkozy would definitely comply with it.
# Direct Link | 21 Apr
Because of the Chatham House Rules, I can't talk about many of the interesting things that happened during the Aspen conference. But I can say that my blunt and clear defence of the legitimacy of the Islamic Republic and rejection of the two popular arguments against its legitimacy angered a lot of participants, so much that one of them even accused me of working for the Islamic Republic. Because I simply said that if human rights violation is the basis for rejecting a government's legitimacy, the US would also lose legitimacy over Patriot Act, Guantanamo Bay, Invasion of Iraq and Abu Ghuraib. And if the lack of free elections in Iran (which is very much disputable) is another reason for loss of legitimacy, how about countries like such as Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Jordan, Egypt, UAE, etc, where there is basically no election?
No one has been able to present a strong legal or even moral case for the illegitimacy of the Islamic Republic and this is the starting point for many arguments about regime change, civil disobedience or nuclear issue. We should start fearlessly challenging these fallacies and logically flawed presumptions and stop being afraid of defamation and personal attacks.
# Direct Link | 21 Apr
I'm going to a conference in Berlin, organised by Aspen institute. I'll be on a couple panels on Iran along with some other Iranians, mostly from a pro-American perspective with great interest in regime change in Iran. I'm going to challenge them.
# Direct Link | 18 Apr
Inquiry on Reza Moini and Hadi Ghaemi. If you know anything about their political background, please leave a comment or send me an email: hoder at hoder dot com.
# Direct Link | 16 Apr
On Ali Farahbakhsh's verdict and the fashionable ethical charlatanism among support-turned-opposition of the Islamic Republic in the last few years.
# Direct Link | 14 Apr
Can you recommend a good and reliable web hosting service in Canada or in Europe? I'd like to move some of my websites to a more reliable server that is not down for nearly 60 hours a week.
# Direct Link | 12 Apr
Akbar Ganji has a big contradiction in his ideas. When it comes to Islam and Human Rights, he correctly acknowledges different readings of Islam, using the analytical tools that post-structuralism provides.
But when it comes to Islam and Democracy, he rules out the possibility of various readings and thus, rejecting the basic notion of an Islamic Republic, calls for a total or secular Republic.
He also never asks the question hte other way around: Are different readings of Human Rights and Democracy also possible, as it is the case with, say, Islam?
# Direct Link | 10 Apr
News about Total's bribe to Mehdi Hashemi Rafsanjani was lost amid the UK sailors crisis, Iranian new year, and also ties that many Persian news websites, inside and outside Iran, have with people close to Rafsanjani.
But if Ahmadinejad brought thousands of misfortune to Iran, one thing for he deserves to be praised, is removing the corrupt Rafsanjani family from Oil company and other sensative centers of economy.
However, the Mosharekat party, unfortunately, has been forced to ally with Rafsanjani's circle for the recent and future elections.
But I personally think progressive reformists such as Tajzadeh have much more in common with moderate conservatives like Larijani or Afroogh, than Hossein Mar'ashi and Atrianfar.
# Direct Link | 8 Apr
I can easily imagine if Rooz was being published during the nationalisation of oil crisis in Iran, in 1950s, it would publish a cartoon showing Mossadegh, frustrated, lying in bed next to a blond British girl, wishing he was not that old and he could get it up to satisfy the blond secretary of UK's ambassador to the UN. All this amid Mossadegh's popular revolt against the greedy British empire. What a shame!
# Direct Link | 5 Apr
Another anti-Iranian cartoon at Rooz, when even John Bolton bluntly says Iran has won the standoff. It's really a shame Rooz's editors see Iran inferior to the West.
# Direct Link | 4 Apr
Now you see why I've backed and defended Larijani for the past two years.
# Direct Link | 4 Apr
Jeffery Gedmin, the new director of RFE/RL that runs Radio Farda's offices in Prague and Washington D.C. is a pro-Bush American scholar who has for years been a fellow at the neo-conservative American Enterprise Institute (AEI) along with his friend, John Bolton.
# Direct Link | 3 Apr
After my April's fool joke, Ebrahim Nabai, posted an aggressive piece in his blog, threatening to 'wipe the Hoder phenomena out of the Internet'.
Apparently, either he didn't get the joke or he couldn't tolerate being the subject of what he does to others for a living: mocking and parody.(He actually removed the posting later from the front page of his blog, possibly after seeing its backlash. But the archived version is still on his blog.)
I wish him a wonderful new year with increased tolerance for listening to others. To start, how about him allowing his readers' comments?
# Direct Link | 3 Apr
I'm going to reveal a secret. The person who has been writing all this political stuff is not me. Ebrahim Nabavi has agreed on writing them for me in my name and in my blog.
I have started a whole new thing which is a mix of Iranian and Western music. The full record is coming out in six months by a French publisher, Buda musique.
Here is a sneak preview of one of the singing tests in this ground-breaking brand new type of music:
# Direct Link | 1 Apr
The confrontation of the Western world against Iran over its desire to archive rights international rights is becoming very similar to what was happening after the nationalisation of oil by Mohammad Mossadegh in early 1950s.
Fortunately, there is no Shah in Iran anymore and Iran is much more united, confident and powerful than it was fifty years ago.
# Direct Link | 30 Mar
How to use Google's (Gmail) inline flash mp3 player + listen to how I sing with a Persian accent.
# Direct Link | 30 Mar
Mehdi Khalaji is the only person on the planet who has indirectly worked for or given advice to both Khamanei's office and Cheney's in less than five years.
His recent work for the right-wing American think tanks and his shameful endorsement and help to American Foreign Policy Council's disgusting anti-Iran campaign has made him the filthiest traitor I have ever seen in my life.
I love to see his face (and that of similar traitors such as Mohsen sazegara, Ali Afshari and to some degree Akbar Ganji) when the U.S. has no choice but to finally accept that its time in the Middle East has passed.
# Direct Link | 29 Mar
There is a pathetic accusation that my radical opposition towards the American Empire comes from my own personal experience at the U.S border in September 2005, when I was denied entry for two words in my English blog. Here are some of my posts with somewhat harsh criticism towards the U.S. and especially Bush administration, prior to my border problem which has effectively forced me out of the U.S ever since.
# Direct Link | 27 Mar
Islamic Republic's recent pressure on Women's activists and the Dutch funded NGOs is a sign of a new policy of preemption. None of these projects can be seen as actual security threats.
But the American Freedom House's involvement in the Dutch government's "Media Diversity in Iran" bill, has given the excuse to the pessimistic security analysts in Iran to become more suspicious and less tolerant of the entire foreign funded projects, including some previously approved ones such as Iranian Civil Society Organizations Training and Research Center (ICTRC) and Raahi who have been operating with the full government's knowledge and even approval for the past couple of years.
The Dutch Foreign Ministry has jeopardised many projects that were genuinely trying to improve things in Iran and it has to be taken responsible.
# Direct Link | 25 Mar
Please watch my TV appearence on an Israeli popular factual show, called Uvda.
# Direct Link | 23 Mar
Please accept my best wishes for the new Persian year, while I've never felt so isolated among my own people, for they can't see what I can see. Khatami has best described this situation in his Norooz message.
# Direct Link | 21 Mar
If Ahmadinejad's presence and words further harms Iran's interests, he should be prepared to be impeached as the most harmful Iranian to the interests of Iran (and even that of the Islamic Republic).
But there is a slight chance that Khamanei's approval on his trip means he's going to try to repair some of the damages he has done so far.
Let's keep our fingers crossed.
# Direct Link | 20 Mar
Seymour Hersh's new article reveals how a new alliance between Israel, the U.S., and Saudi Arabia is trying to counter Iran's growing influence in the Middle East by indirectly funding and supporting the extremist Sunni Muslims, without the congress and even the CIA's knowledge, directly from vice-president Cheney's office.
# Direct Link | 20 Mar
An interesting argument against latest piece by Chomsky on why the U.S. wants to change Iran's regime.
# Direct Link | 17 Mar
Mehrangiz Kar was commissioned by the Iran Human Rights Documentation Center to write a report on how the Islamic Republic, especially during the reform era, has used legal methods to silence dissent.
# Direct Link | 14 Mar
Notes on my previous posts.
# Direct Link | 13 Mar
Two rival approaches by Iranian woman's activists are symbolised by the secular's "One million signatures campaign" and the refomrers' "Women's Manifesto."
I wholeheartedly support the latter, for I believe it's a post-colonial movement which is also very practical and effective, contrary to the former campaign.
Reformer women's activists should start a dialogue with the establishment and its powerful institution to convince them that they're not a threat to national sectary, but in fact their final achievements further stabilises the Islamic Republic and its national security.
# Direct Link | 12 Mar
The only way I can comprehend why Shadi Sadr, the most reasonable women's activists in Iran now, had decided to participate in the street protest last week is one thing: She, as a member of the reformist branch of the movement, wanted to show sympathy and solidarity with the women from the rival group of 'secular' activists who were charged by a court for their role in organising another street protest last year.
# Direct Link | 9 Mar
My responses to readers' comments on my yesterday's post.
# Direct Link | 8 Mar
The new confrontational approach by women's activists in Iran can only help the conservatives in the establishment to paint their activities as a security threat and after isolating the moderates in the establishment who defend women's cause, crush the whole movement. I'm seeing signs of plans to do what they did to the students movement. Please be cautious and save this genuine and organic women's rights movement.
# Direct Link | 7 Mar
I'm away this week but it's so sad to hear the news about the arrest of women's activist in Tehran.
# Direct Link | 6 Mar
Briefly, what has caused the recent change in my views and perspectives is this: I don't see myself and the world around me through colonialism. I have entered the paradigm of post-colonialism, or post-Imperialsm, if you like, depending on whether you see Imperialism as the new form of colonialism in the 20th century.
# Direct Link | 1 Mar
The main purpose of U.S. and Iran's negotiation is about suspending or continuing enrichment. Now if Iran accepted the American's pre-condition of suspending enrichment, it means Iran would have been defeated already, even before the game starts.
This is like before sitting at a chess table your opponent asks you to put all your pieces out except for one pawn, or she doesn't start the game at all.
I'm surprised that many people seem to be not getting this simple logic.
# Direct Link | 27 Feb
A few important retractions: I left Israel in late January and I'm in Europe now. The whole story about being a homeless beggar in London is of a sick blogger's imagination. I have never been interviewed by anyone related to Gozaar or Freedom House for the job of website developer or else.
# Direct Link | 27 Feb
My newest podcast is a long interview with Ori Goldberg from the University of Tel Aviv who studies Iranian religious and revolutionary intellectuals and a fresh approach to read their work.
# Direct Link | 25 Feb
No independent source has confirmed the recent claims about Ahmad Batebi. It all has been through his family members of Tahkim Vahdat, which is famous to spread distoreted news and baseless reports abuot its affiliated activists.
There is no doubt that Richard Perle and his friends have a huge interest in Batebi as te best candidate for taking the role of the charismatic leader of the young demographics of Iran. Much more than a charlatan like Fakhravar whose rivalry with Batebi is quite well-known.
This is an excerpt of a New York Sun's report on Richard Perle's presentation at AIPAC in which he refers to his nemerous conversations with Mr. Batebi:
bq.. The threat posed by Iran was a hot topic yesterday at Aipac, which set up an extensive interactive presentation on the history of the country's nuclear program...
Mr. Perle then told the lunchtime crowd at the Washington Hilton that he was about to contact one of the leaders of the July 9, 1999, demonstrations in Tehran. The leaders are honored each year by the opposition. At the event, he said he would tell Ahmad Batebi, who has recently been released from Evin Prison, that Ms. Harman too supported his cause to unseat the unelected regime in his country. Mr. Batebi was imprisoned after he appeared holding up a bloody T-shirt on a 1999 cover of the Economist. Since then, the photo has graced many opposition posters and Web sites.
During a later interview, Mr. Perle said that he had spoken five times with Mr. Batebi, who has contacted him through intermediaries, for months. Mr. Perle did not make the phone call yesterday, he said, after realizing that Iranian intelligence operatives may trace the call after monitoring his remarks at the Aipac conference.
Mr. Perle said that through his conversations with Mr. Batebi, he is persuaded that the opposition in Iran yearns to hear the kind of words Ms. Rice said yesterday. "They are hoping to get a message through to the administration, they need moral support, there has been no suggestion that they want military intervention or anything like that. They want Americans to know they have been deprived of basic human rights and want Americans to support them," Mr. Perle said.
# Direct Link | 23 Feb
If the US waged a war against Iran, I'd absolutely go back and defend Iran. I can't let myself to sit down for a moment and watch they make a Baghdad out of Tehran.
# Direct Link | 20 Feb
As you might know, my trip to Israel and the project I'm doing to counter the anti-Iranian propaganda in Israel (and vice versa) is very much ignored, for some reasons, by the Persian-speaking media, even the Europe and U.S. based ones. Even though both times it has received considerable attention inside Israel and in Europe.
So I really appreciate Radio Zamaneh's willing to give it a limited coverage by a short interview and some links.
# Direct Link | 18 Feb
An American blog shows how the evidence the U.S. has presented on Iran giving explosives to the insurgency is fabricated, most likely by MKO or MEK's assistance.
# Direct Link | 15 Feb
Despite Radio Farda and VOA Persian obvious bias against Iran, the remaining neoconservatives at Cheney's office and Pentagon are not still satisfied.
Iran Steering Committee, which apparently is run by the same people at the Iran Directorate has recently published a report and concluded that the content of these media are actually harming the American interest.
Why? Because its guests are not thinking in line with vice President Cheney who thinks U.S. policy in Iraq has been a success.
Maybe it is the result of this type of pressure that Cheney and Perle's puppets such as Amir Abbas Fakhravar and Koroush Sehati and other self-proglaimed 'student leaders' are increasingly getting air time on various shows.
# Direct Link | 15 Feb
Bizarre way of office romance in Tehran.
# Direct Link | 13 Feb
Listen to Ali Larijani's answers after the discussion in Munich conference. Tough questions, and actually quite good answers.
# Direct Link | 12 Feb
There is not a single web page about the conference on the Iranian reform movement at MIT's Iranian Studies Group, its program and its participants. So no wonder anyone can speculate about its content and real aims. Ms. Haghighatjoo should know this better that transparency is the best defense.
# Direct Link | 12 Feb
Who says the Islamic Republic doesn't have the capacity for change? Read Farnaz Seyfi's account (Part one, part two) of how she was treated in her recent 48 hours detention in jail and by the secret service to see if it is anything close to what was happening before Khatami. (These accounts should be translated into English.)
The dramatic changes in Iran's prisons and in methods used by the intelligence service are great examples of how within the same structure things can improve. So of course I'd rather keep this system and try to make it better from within than handing it to those who treat prisoners n Abu Ghuraib style.
How can people like Akbar Ganji ignore these improvements and claim that the Islamic Republic has to be toppled for Iran to acquire a democratic, accountable anf fair government.
The interesting fact is that the Iranian Human Rights' driven media, such as Rooz, that were covering the arrest so closely and so dramatically, usually become absolutely silent when these people are released and start talking about the way they were fairly treated.
Although there is no wonder they do this. Most of these people are given help by the Amercians and Europeans for their claimed violation of their basic rights and as signs of the terrible situation of human rights in Iran. (Four of Rooz writers have received awards from the American Human Rights Watch organisation)
So how do you expect them to suddenly start showing the truth and saying that things are actually not that bad? Their whole lives depend on their denial of improvements in the Islamic Republic.
# Direct Link | 11 Feb
Follow the Security Conference in Munich through these links. This is an extremely important event for Iran.
# Direct Link | 10 Feb
Kayhan, the radical conservative newspaper, has accused me of being a secret agent of Israel! What can you do with a system that doesn't distinguish friends from enemies.
# Direct Link | 7 Feb
A unfortunate misquote from a story about Farnaz Seyfi and her recent short detention, she has happily joined her mob of commentators to attack me, accusing me of working for the Islamic Republic and even wishing my death by making a photoshopped tomb for me.
At the same time, Kayhan has painted me as an agent of Israeli intelligence service. What a lonely fight it is to save Islamic Republic from the Americans, the Israelis the and comprador Iranian activists, intellectuals, journalists, artists, etc.
# Direct Link | 4 Feb
How a Freedom House project and Farah Karimi's history in MKO has made the whole Dutch money on promoting human rights a security threat, in the eyes of the Islamic Republic.
# Direct Link | 3 Feb
Akbar Ganji has complained why he is accused to help the U.S. agenda on Iran. Here are some examples of how similar his argument about the impossibility of reform is to Reza Pahlavi and Mohsen sazegara,.
# Direct Link | 3 Feb
ٌCome to our causual meeting on Sunday in Kuala Lampur. Sunday, 4 Feb., 5 PM. Address: Lecture room( br 1020) – FOE Building – Multimedia University – Cyber Jaya. Please RSVP: rahati@gmail.com
# Direct Link | 2 Feb
Seyed Ebrahim Nabavi has cheaply attacked me for my warnings towards individuals and organizations that are effectively helping the American propaganda machine against the sovereign and organically improving democratic state of Iran. History will judge.
# Direct Link | 1 Feb
Reducing my strong opposition to regime change in Iran, including non-violent, to something driven by my personal feelings or problems is quite childish. I was never supposed to do a website for Gozaar, and even if I were, the case against Freedom House and Gozaar is strong enough that there is no need for any personal motive.
# Direct Link | 31 Jan
Another great story by Laura Secor (Whose Iran? New York Times Magazine) examines in detail the relationship between Mesbah Yazdi and Ahmadinejad and expands it to the contradictory-looking nature of the Islamic Republic: a strange mix of democratic authority and religious guardianship.
But whet she fails to address, is that with the same argument of "Iran should chose either to be Islamic or Republic, otherwise it will collapse" one can not explain how the United Kingdom of Britain or Kingdom of Spain have managed to become democratic within the framework of a Monarchy, with strong presence of the Church.
# Direct Link | 30 Jan
Vali Nasr was brilliant in a Davos panel moderated by David Ignatuis, titled "Voices from Iran." The young participants, though, were not fluent, confident, and passionate enough. But it was a great panel overall to break the stereotypes on Iran.
# Direct Link | 29 Jan
What the provocative actions the secular Iranian women's activists take, I sometimes wonder if they are really genuinely after change. Because the effect of what they do is really limited compared to the reformist women's activists, such as Shadi Sadr. Working with an American neo-conservative website, Gozaar, is a good example.
# Direct Link | 28 Jan
Observations on my second Israel visit.
# Direct Link | 27 Jan
Two more videos on visiting Dome of the Rock mosque.
# Direct Link | 12 Jan
And here's the video of my visit to Al-Aqsa Mosque.
# Direct Link | 12 Jan
I visited Al-Aqsa Mosque and Dome of the Rock today. More to come.
# Direct Link | 10 Jan
It's my birthday today. I'm 32 now. And this is the first time I celeberate somewhere other than Canada or Iran. Of all the places in the world, I'm in Beer Sheva where the conefercen is going to be held tomorrow at Herzog cneter at the Ben Gurion Univeristy.
# Direct Link | 7 Jan
I feel lonely and isolated these days. I feel I need to call somewhere home, now.
# Direct Link | 5 Jan
Five big personal confessions, for Shab-e Yalda.
# Direct Link | 24 Dec
I officially support the reformists list of candidates for the upcoming city council's elections.
# Direct Link | 7 Dec
Some recommendations for our religious Muslim brother, Seyed Nikahang Kowsar, so he doesn't fall into the trap of the Satan while he is away from his wife, now that he has started to become a better person since his recent birthday. May the God protects him from the Satanic temptations.
# Direct Link | 3 Dec
The number 5 (۵) is a lovely and erotic number in Persian.
# Direct Link | 2 Dec
Why the Iranian blogging community, Weblogistan, has to take the upcoming city council elections seriously.
# Direct Link | 19 Nov
Why do I need a lawyer? Search my name in Google News and you'll see why.
# Direct Link | 18 Nov
I need to find a Canadian lawyer experienced in libel cases. Please let me know if you know one: hoder at hoder dot com
# Direct Link | 16 Nov
What happened in the jury sessions for choosing the winners of DW's The Bobs, 2006 and how the Iranian winners won -- or lost -- their awards. Also on why I'm against RSF's involvement in the awards next year for their non-transparent political agenda.
# Direct Link | 15 Nov
Finanical disputes between me and Iran Gooya is going to be resolved soon, with Hivos intervention.
# Direct Link | 14 Nov
Welcome to Me ver. 4.0. Since last year, I'm upgraded from ver. 3.5 to 4.0 and this upgrade has mostly happened in a part of me titled intellect. (If you don't where it is, you probably don't have it.)
# Direct Link | 12 Nov
About the final DW Blog Awards ceremony in Berlin
# Direct Link | 11 Nov
Christopher Nolan's recent film, The Prestige, is an impressive piece of work. Even better than Memento in its mature mix of form, narrative and drama.
# Direct Link | 11 Nov
Very disappointing that Rooz's publisher, Hossein Bastani, who himself has been an official employee of the Presidency office until a few years ago, preparing confidential news bulletins for them, is doing the same thing as the Islamic Republic.
He doesn't acknowledge my rights and call it "hostage taking" and "blackmailing," refuses to pay me my overdue salary for over a year of maintaining Rooz's website and all technical aspects of it, and even accuses me of having other intentions behind the demand for my rights.
# Direct Link | 9 Nov
As you know, since last weak I've stopped to provide service to Rooz because of their failiur to sign a contract with me and to pay my long overdue monthly salary (over a year).
But on the eve of two crucial elections in Iran, and given the fact that after the closure of Shargh and many other moderate media outlets, the moderates have almost no voice in the public debate on Iran, I've decided to voluntarily continue providing service to them, at least until the end of the elections.
Meanwhile, I'm going to follow the case through Hivos, the Dutch organization that funds Rooz.
# Direct Link | 8 Nov
DW Blog awards nomeniees are collecting votes behind the scenes.
# Direct Link | 7 Nov
Happy fifth anniversary of Persian blogging.
# Direct Link | 7 Nov
Rooz is offline because they've refused to pay over a year of my monthly salary as their technical manager and webmaster. They've also failed to sign a contract with me which I had requested nearly six months ago.
# Direct Link | 6 Nov
9 days to the end of voting for best Persian blogs in DW awards and the race is very close.
# Direct Link | 3 Nov
As much BBC Persian is biased for Ganji, it's totally against Khatami. While it has never mentioned a word of criticism for Ganji in reporting on him, its coverage on Khatami usually ends with several paragraphs on his opponents.
In a recent story, it has even gone so far as to mention protests in the lead of story in its front page.
Moreover, only one third of the 900 words story, titled as "Khatami: Democracy can't be exported" is about his speech. The remaining 600 words, or two third of the whole story, is about what the protesters had to say.
Interestingly enough, 177 words are specified to a separatist (and maybe even terrorist group) called "Jebhh-tol-Ahvaz" that campaigns for the separation of Khuzestan province and has been said to be involved in a series of bombing and killing of civilians last year.
I wonder if such horribly biased stories could be ever allowed to be published in English on the BBC's website.
# Direct Link | 2 Nov
Warning two lovers whose emails are being sent to me by mistake.
# Direct Link | 2 Nov
When your opponents cross the line of dignity and humanity out of extreme envy and blind hatred.
# Direct Link | 1 Nov
Some clarifications on DW blog awards this year
# Direct Link | 27 Oct
BBC Persian's coverage on Akbar G anji and some other figures has continuously violated its principle of impartiality.
In its latest report on Ganji, the title reads "Ganji's Speech at the European Parliament," whereas the lead of the same story suggests he has only spoken in front of a few MEPs in Strasbourg, not even in Brussels.
Moreover, in its extensive coverage on Mr. Ganji, BBC has never reflected the views of his critics, including many prominent reformists in Iran and many leftists activists inside and outside Iran. They have also published the full text of his speech which could imply that the BBC either endorses his views or put a great significance on it.
No wonder why their website is seen by the Islamic Republic as a biased outlet for the opposition, backed by the British government, and therefore is filtered in iran.
# Direct Link | 25 Oct
I'll be a guest on tonight's CBC's TV show, The Hour with George Stroumboulopoulos at 11PM. You can also watch it at 8:00PM on CBC Newsworld channel if you have cable, or if you don't have TV at all it's avilable on their website for 24 hours.
# Direct Link | 23 Oct
I'm back in Toronto.
# Direct Link | 14 Oct
Non-violent regime change in Iran is morally wrong and practically impossible. It's wrong because the Islamic Revolution is a progressing semi-democratic system which in many aspects has been more successful than Iran under the Shaah. And it's wrong because regime change needs an agent and the U.S. as the only candidate seriously lacks legitimacy to do so. Islamic Republic does not keep prisoners in Guantanamo, has not bombed civilians with nuclear weapons, has not invaded other countries for bogus reasons.
# Direct Link | 10 Oct
I'm thinking of adopting a new method to clarify my blog posts and to respond to readers' comments to each post after a few days. Something similar to Jay Rosen's style, but shorter, would be suitable.
# Direct Link | 7 Oct
Crack down on Daftar Tahkim Vahdat and its members is totally legitimate and justified, since they've bluntly started advocating and implementing regime change in Iran.Even if it was not justified, the Americans have treated similar groups that attempt to topple the American government much worse.
It's the Bush administration, not Khamanei, who is in charge of "hundreds of detainees continued to be held without charge or trial at the US naval base in Guantánamo Bay, Cuba. Thousands of people were detained during US military and security operations in Iraq and Afghanistan and routinely denied access to their families and lawyers," according to Amnesty International.
# Direct Link | 3 Oct
Baztab has republished my article on Gozaar.org. But in their three-line introduction, in which they've introduced me as the "Internet branch of opposition" they've made seven factual mistakes about me and my recent activities. That even include my first name. I was lucky I had written the rest of the article, otherwise they could have ended up calling me Maryam Rajavi.
# Direct Link | 29 Sep
Gozaar, a "journal on Democracy and Human Rights in Iran" is a newly launched project by the Freedom House through funding from the Dutch Foreign Ministry.
But contrary to its claim to help Iranian democrats fulfill the universal aspiration for freedom of expression by creating an inclusive and provocative space for the discussion of liberty," in its first issue its content, quite predictably, only focus on rights abuses in Iran among women, workers, students, press, ethnic groups, as well as the way Iran's nuclear program negatively affects them.
It's main editorial article is republished from National Endowment for Democracy's "Journal of Democracy" on how to increase international pressure on "hybrid" states -- or semi democratic ones.
Among their regular contributors are two senior NED fellow, Roya Boroumand from the Boroumand Founadtion, Roya Toloui, Abbas Maroufi, and Nikahang Kowsar.
Ironically, Kowsar had previously dismissed those who have had any financial ties with foreign organizations and has labeled them as traitors and businessmen with no moral standard. He also draws editorial cartoons for Rooz, another project financed by a dutch foundation.
# Direct Link | 27 Sep
What Akbar Ganji argues in his latest opinion piece is exactly the same argument that neo-conservatives have used to reject the policy shift in the US in accepting to start directly negotiating with the Iran. Compare it with Richard Perle and Reza Pahlavi's arguments.
Unfortunately, his inability to read and communicate in English and the influence by his ultra-liberal close friends has only resulted in creating a liberal hawk.
The best sign that describes Ganji's ideology now is where he adopts an American point of view when calling Iran nuclear program their "nuclear adventurism." In that he's gradually joining the native inofrmers, a term used by Hamid Dabashi to desribe those who look Iranian but think American and eventually help the Amercian empire to expand.
# Direct Link | 26 Sep
Today is the fifth anniversary of Editor: Myself and I was so busy I couldn't do anything about it. Damn.
# Direct Link | 25 Sep
Hurry up and nominate your blog for the third Deutsche Welle blogging awards, the Bobs before the deadline arrives.
# Direct Link | 19 Sep
I now think progressive Iranians should abandon the discourses of human rights and democracy and start forming a new discourse of Free Speech or public space, since the former discourses are now totally hijacked by the American empire and it's almost impossible to act within human rights or democracy discourse and benefit the people of Iran more than the Americans.
The free speech discourse is much less vulnerable to be hijacked by anyone and it's a more suitable framework for organic attempts towards a more open democracy in Iran for it's the pre-requisite of both human rights and democracy activism. And that's why the reform movement in Iran lost its momentum after the conservative establishment closed down all their newspape.
# Direct Link | 19 Sep
Mistreating prisoners doesn't change the reality of what they say afterwards, if there are enough public evidence of the truth of what he or she confesses, forcefully or else.
# Direct Link | 17 Sep
Reza Pahlavi now sits next to Rick Santorum attacking the new Rice's policy of engagement towards Iran and push for his own agenda for regime change. He also doesn't forget to bash Khatami who is on a U.S. tour with a visa Rice secured for him. What a shame that Ali Afshari and Akbar Atri spent all their credibility on something that ultimately Reza Pahlavi benefits from.
# Direct Link | 15 Sep
Shargh is going to be republished in a few weeks, I believe. The committee overseeing the press in Iran, now controlled by the conservatives, had demanded Shargh change Mehdi Rahmanian, its publisher, and they had not complied with it. The problem is going to be negotiated behind the scenes and ultimately resolved. This doesn't mean the press are free these days, but we have to see things in their context. Censorship is now applied through more subtle and sophisticated ways to produce less bad publicity and international pressure.
# Direct Link | 11 Sep
Parastoo Dokouhaki's weblog is filtered and it's been her birthday this week. The best gift to her is helping people subscribe to her blog by email.
# Direct Link | 10 Sep
Second part of my notes on Iranian studies biennial and how a 'progressive' American friend accused me of being an Islamic Republic apologizer. I wish he knew some Persian so at least could read what I write in my Persian blog. His simplistic question on whether I support the Islamic Republic or not was quite disappointing for an editor of a progressive web magazine. But that's apparently how many Amerasians see the world, black or white, with something or against something. No wonder why Bush represents that country.
# Direct Link | 9 Sep
Ramin Jahanbegloo is a brave and independent thinker.
# Direct Link | 3 Sep
I'm pitching an article I've written on Jahanbegloo's recent statements from a different point of view. I have to write something in Persian too soon.
# Direct Link | 2 Sep
I'm in Amsterdam hanging out with my friends at Radio Zamaneh. They've just launched their weekly podcast and will have daily podcasts for the regular daily shows soon as well. Also, they're going to redesign their website and make it more usable, accessible and visually more appealling with the technical and design team over there. It's an amazing project which as they say learns from the idea of blogs. We should all help it expand and progress.
# Direct Link | 31 Aug
How about writing a public letter to ahmadinejad or posting thousands of public letters in our blogs to him welcoming him to the Weblogestan and sharing what we think about his first post now that he only publishes the opinions favouring him?
# Direct Link | 27 Aug
Satire: How to speed up the application process for going to heaven
# Direct Link | 27 Aug
Join an Orkut community I've made for those few Iranians who live south of Bloor St. in Toronto.
# Direct Link | 25 Aug
I'm listening to the Mercury 2006 nomenies and they're all pretty good.
# Direct Link | 25 Aug
Yes, indeed I've changed my position about Iran's nuclear programme recently. I was against Iran trying to produce nuclear energy and I was against it achieving nuclear weapons.
But Now I think the U.S. has become and Empire and even if Iran become s the most peaceful , secular and progressive yet still independent state on the planet, the U.S. would find an excuse to topple its government and run it itself.
For that, we need nuclear weapons as a defensive mechanism, deterring imperial powers. U.S. now and China in the near future -- and also its dangerous fundamentalist neighbour that also has nukes, Pakistan.
But the only way Iran could get away with making the defensive nukes is to stop enrichment now, make peace with Israel, withdraw from the NPT and then start making the weapons, either in secret or in a shamelessly public way.
# Direct Link | 23 Aug
I think Iran should not give up enriching uranium, given its rights based on the NPT, until it has not received a guarantee that the U.S. is not going to topple its regime. I think it'd be quite fair to do that.
# Direct Link | 23 Aug
Few Iranian news websites produce News feeds (RSS). We should heavily promote them, because Feeds and Feed Readers are the easiest to access censored (filtered) content.
# Direct Link | 22 Aug
What happened during my third appearance on VOA Persian's one hour TV show with Ahmad Baharloo in Paris.
# Direct Link | 22 Aug
This Monday, I'll be the guest on Mr. Ahmad Baharloo's television show on VOA TV, speaking about Internet, blogs and censorship in Iran, like the last two appearances.
The show will be broadcast live at 9:00PM in Tehran, 6:30PM in London,1:30PM in New York and Toronto time, and 10:30AM in Los Angles and Vancouver.
It'll also be broadcast live on the show's website and will be available in archive for streaming for one week. (Webcast: http://www.voanews.com/persian/roundtable.cfm)
You can send your questions and comments to: roundtable@voanews.com
# Direct Link | 19 Aug
Some joke about some radio producer
# Direct Link | 18 Aug
My post on Ahmadineja'd blog is ranked higher than the BBC, only below the blog itself. Wow! And I also heard some Shajarian while on-hold calling SOAS.
# Direct Link | 16 Aug
We should congratulate ourselves. We've made the western phenomena of weblog so Iranian that even Ahamdinejad, the most radical anti-Western politician, has endorsed it. Simply because we managed to show the religious, pro-government people that there's enough space for them here too. We tolerate each other and at the end, it's the Internet that's saved. Because we all helped it include all of us. This is a huge achievement.
# Direct Link | 16 Aug
Satire: A quiz for Radio Zamaneh applicants on how they define the word 'whore' determines if they're going to be hired. Referring to horrible sexist jokes by one of their producers called Nikahang Kowsar which has angered a lot of female bloggers.
# Direct Link | 15 Aug
The neocon's favorite student leader, Amir Abbas Fakhravar, has a a really hard time answering to the and doubts suspicions partly risen from a letter by prominent leftist activist, Nasser Zarafshan, who is serving his sentence in jail. He had questioned Fakhravar's credibility and denied his position as an influential or even a genuine activist.
# Direct Link | 14 Aug
Videoblog: Speaking with Fereydoon Amoozadeh at the Moin's headquarter during last years election. He talks about Moin's popular slogan which was based on a poem by Simin Behbahani, also sang by Dariush: "Dobareh misazamat ey vatan."
# Direct Link | 13 Aug
My take on the current situation in Lebanon, Mirdamadi as the new leader of Mosharekat party (IPF), and Radio Zamaneh.
# Direct Link | 12 Aug
My take of the Sixth Biennal Conference on Iranian Studies at SOAS in London, where Hamid Dabashi approved of what I'm doing.
# Direct Link | 11 Aug
Got a chance when I was in Egypt last week and visited the Shah's tomb. It was so sad to see him buried outside his country, no matter who he was and what he had done. Maybe he would not have ended up being buried in Egypt, had he not escaped Iran.
# Direct Link | 7 Aug
Some of the commenters on this blog are so full of hate that they don't even really read one post to its end before leaving all those nasty, judgmental, personal comments. I wonder with all this hatred why they still keep coming and reading this blog.
# Direct Link | 7 Aug
Kayhan's recent statement on Ramin Jahanbegloo's connection with an 'Internet-based spying network' is based on the information posted on a website edited by a former junior adviser to Saeed Mortazavi.and an adventurous young man, Payam Fazlinejad. He was arrested last year by the Information Ministry apparently for portraying himself as one of its employees. He's a phenomena!
# Direct Link | 3 Aug
The news about Akbar Mohammadi's sudden death in prison is saddening and shocking. But instead of giving Bush -- who deals with his opponents in Guantanamo -- another excuse to pressure Iran on human rights, we should help Shahroodi, the head of the Judiciary and the only remaining reformer in Iran, isolate those influential radicals who by principle have no belief in the human rights whatsoever.
# Direct Link | 2 Aug
I'm in Einstein cafe, in Zamalek, Cairo, sitting down using their free wi-fi. In every aspect, Fereshteh neighbourhood in north of Tehran beats Zamalek strongly, but the wi-fi enabled coffee shops. Tehran geeks, unite!
# Direct Link | 29 Jul
Ebrahim or (Ibrahim) Golestan answers very well to the his critics who accuse him of being impolite or vulgar in his language. It's very similar to the way I've always answered to the same accusations too. But now, because he's old and experienced, maybe people listen to him.
# Direct Link | 28 Jul
Khamanei is wise enough not to have allowed such dangerous adventure by Hezbollah and losing one of Iran's most effective cards against the U.S during the Nuclear negotiations. The only group who benefits from this is Ahmadinjadies who has always used anti-Israeli rhetoric to expand his influence in and out of the power structure in Iran, especially in Foreign Policy which is now totally run by Khamanei.
If proven that he's had any role in what Hezbollah initiated, it's the best chance for Khamanei and the moderates to get rid of him and weaken the influence of Sepah. The same way it was the best chance for the world community to see Hezbollah fading away.
# Direct Link | 23 Jul
I'm going to Cairo for the IAMCR 2006 conference.
# Direct Link | 23 Jul
The way Israel treats Hezbollah is a little bit similar to how Iran treats People's Mujahedin (MKO) in Iraqi soil. However, there's no doubt that Israel has started killing civilians in this recent conflicts.
# Direct Link | 21 Jul
Issa Saharkhiz is apparently trying to join sazegara, Afshari, Atri, and others who've preferred Bush to Khamanei. This is a shame to the history of the student movement in Iran which has usually been progressive and anti-imperialist.
# Direct Link | 18 Jul
I'm not knowledgeable enough to have any opinion about the Arab-Israeli problem. So don't expect to read anything about the recent crisis in Lebanon here.
# Direct Link | 17 Jul
Zogby International has published a comprehensive survey on Iran. You could easily win elections with this kind of data. Wish the reformists were not so armature and disorganized in their campaigns. They missed such a huge chance for not having smart and creative pollsters and strategists.
# Direct Link | 13 Jul
Iranian judiciary and intelligence have long lost their credibility when it comes to political arrests. Now how come they expect us to believe the recent arrests of Jahanbegloo, Mousavi and a few others have been because of their involvement with the U.S. "regime change" plans? The only way to regain that trust is to present their evidences (No TV confessions, please!) and respect their constitutional rights such as access to lawyer, etc.
# Direct Link | 13 Jul
Removed Gooya News' link from here.
# Direct Link | 13 Jul
Nikahang Kowsar's sense of homour in a quote from his blog
# Direct Link | 12 Jul
I've updated the list of the recent records I'm listening in Noghl-o-Nabat section of this page. Also removed the bearded man's icon from up there and promise not to put any other thing until I take a nice picture of a better looking man or woman. :)
# Direct Link | 11 Jul
How naive of Ganji to think a hunger strike by some people outside Iran and outside prison could put any pressure on the government to free the recently arrested people.
His own strike, heavily hyped by the Amercian-backed satellite TVs which created that sensationalistic atmosphere had nothing to do with his own release.
He broke his strike and came back to normal life and was released a few months later when his term was done. I believe Khamani was quite nice to him to let out in god health and even allowed him to leave the country. None of the dictators in the region would've been as forgiving as Khamanei, I suspect.
# Direct Link | 10 Jul
How come racism can not be punished in the football pitch, but a physical reaction to it can?
# Direct Link | 10 Jul
I'm not virgin anymore. I just cut my own hair and it's actualy not that bad.
# Direct Link | 9 Jul
how to translate 'Rights' in Persian so it's not confused with 'law' or 'salary'
# Direct Link | 7 Jul
Mostafa Moin's appearance is quite different now compared to when he was running for the office last year, when he had a neatly trimmed beard and therefore a more positive look. In the appearance-obsessed Iran of today, this is damaging to him, in that it affects his attempts to start a new democratic movement which started from the campaigns last year. People would say as much his appearance was fake and dishonest, his ideas are so too.
# Direct Link | 7 Jul
Roger Cohen is a brillinat writer, even when he writes about sports. Iranian columnists could learn so mcuh from him, especially the boring political columnists.
# Direct Link | 3 Jul
I just discovered that Sacha Baron Cohen or (Ali G)'s mother is an Iranian Jew living is Israel.
# Direct Link | 2 Jul
I've never liked the way Brasil plays. It's too spontaneous and undeciplined and unsophisticated. So I'm happy that France crushed them. But unfortunately the French would face Germany in the final, I predict, and there they'd lose to the amazing, yet modest, team the Germans have this year with their two exceptional strikers.
# Direct Link | 1 Jul
Argentians can only ruin games with the aggressive, unsophisticated, macho football. And also cheating appears to be in their blood.
# Direct Link | 30 Jun
I'm back in Europe and enjoying the World Cup while wandering around. I started with Amsterdam where I watched the match between Iran and Mexico. I found it quite cosmopolitan, open and interesting. It's now on my list of favorite places to live at some point.
# Direct Link | 29 Jun
Videblog: Two videos of the morning after Mostafa Moin's defeat in the first round of elections in June 2005
# Direct Link | 23 Jun
We need a whole new approach for political activism now that the most radical conservatives regime have a total grip on almost everything.
# Direct Link | 15 Jun
On New Yorker's piece on Oriana Fallaci and her encounter with Khomeini.
# Direct Link | 10 Jun
I'm totally fine. Delay in posting just means that I'm back in Europe and the weather is great. I'm going to Germany from here, Amsterdam.
# Direct Link | 9 Jun
I changed my mind about going to Montreal, actually.
# Direct Link | 1 Jun
Iranian regime is handling the crisis in Azerbaijan extremely better than the way they dealt with the student unrests a few years ago. They've symbolically published the provocateur, used the media to calm down the Turks, and wisely used force to curb the street violence. They didn't do any of this during the student unrests. They've learned such a big lesson. Also, Khamanei's Azerbaijani's roots could be a reason why things are handled better this time.
# Direct Link | 27 May
How to use Quick Add feature on Google Calendar
# Direct Link | 26 May
I'll be on Here and Now on the CBC Radio One tomorrow from 4-6PM.
# Direct Link | 24 May
Server problems, change of email address etc.
# Direct Link | 24 May
When Google Calendar was launched, I wish I could access it through my offline calendar in Google Desktop. Now, it's here: Google Calendar plug-in for Google Desktop which syncs with your online calendar.
# Direct Link | 23 May
National Post deserves to be boycotted by Iranians.
# Direct Link | 19 May
Mating season has arrived and everyone is busy sexing up their Orkut profile. :)
# Direct Link | 19 May
If you're reading this blog, it wouldn't harm to check out today's (Thursday) Toronto Star.
# Direct Link | 18 May
Ramin Jahanbegloo's basic citizen rights are violated, let alone his rights as a scholar. Moreover, there are many other Iranians who've worked with American think-tanks and are freely working and studying in Iran. Now that the hypocrite Ahmadinejad preaches the Bush, he should also learn from how Bush, as terrible as he is, treats his American opponents. Jahanbegloo has never been a as much threat to Ahmadinejad as Chomsky to Bush.
# Direct Link | 14 May
Thanks to Victoria I finally found a nice place in my favorite part of Toronto, Queen and Bathurst.
# Direct Link | 13 May
Video: Driving home, listening to The Organ in Tehran, after the reformists' defeat in the presidential elections last year
# Direct Link | 11 May
Sublet until the end of may. Anyone?
# Direct Link | 10 May
http://www.boingboing.net/2006/05/09/comedy_history_of_da.html
# Direct Link | 10 May
Reading New Yorker's piece on Libya, by Andrew Solomn, I find so many similarities between Iran in the 80s and the current Libya. Solomn has a nice sense of homour too.
# Direct Link | 10 May
Contest: Let's imagine what Ahmadinejad could have written to Bush in his letter.
# Direct Link | 8 May
Ramin Jahanbegloo was trying to leave Iran on 27 April to attened the Brussels Forum which was starting on 28 April. So unlike what many think, he's now in detention for about ten secutive days.
# Direct Link | 7 May
Video: Said Shariati was an active aide to Mostafa Moin in the lest presidential elections. Here he describes what he does at Moin's campaign headquarter.
# Direct Link | 4 May
Given Kayhan's brief note in its today's issue on Ramin Jahanbegloo's spying charges his situation is much more sensative than I was thinking. It's obvious the worst faction of the security apparatus is handling his case. We all should speak out.
# Direct Link | 3 May
We should NOT be silent about Ramin Jahanbaglou's arrest. This is exactly what those who've arrested him want and they know how to use the arrested person's family and friends to prevent the media pressure.
# Direct Link | 3 May
How can you expect from a dysfunctional state like Iran who can not protect its citizen against air pollution, road accidents and plane crashes, to prevent a disaster similar to Chernobyl?
# Direct Link | 29 Apr
Any idea if the Holocaust conference is going to happen by Ahmadinejad supporters in Tehran or not? If yes, when is it going to be?
# Direct Link | 26 Apr
Being an intellectual and seeing things the way the majority see is almost impossible.
# Direct Link | 24 Apr
I'm coming to Toronto next Friday and again have no place to stay. Does anyone have a spare room or something near the subway to street car lines? Please email me: hoder@hoder.com
# Direct Link | 23 Apr
A request by a BBC journalist from fottball-loving Iranian women.
# Direct Link | 17 Apr
Khamanei deserves positive reaction for three things in the past few months: releasing Ganji from prison alive, traveling to Khusestan and speaking in Arabic to them, and explicitly approving direct talks with the U.S.
# Direct Link | 16 Apr
Satire on giving the 'yellow cake ' to Imam Reza
# Direct Link | 12 Apr
Two videos of Eghbal editorial last summer right before the elections. Eghbal was later closed down when their candidate, Mostafa Moin, lost in the first round.
# Direct Link | 10 Apr
The same way orthodox Jews oppose the political form of Judaism (Secular Zionism), Iranian hardliners have always dismissed Khomeini's idea of political Islam. That's why the 'religious intellectuals' and reformists in Iran have the same problem as secular Jews: how to establish a religious-friendly transparent democracy. It's a shame that neither side uses the other's experiences and lessons. They should start an intellectual dialogue.
# Direct Link | 8 Apr
Server porblems. Please be patient.
# Direct Link | 6 Apr
Finally I had a vacation in a warm place with a beach. Malaysia was much less Ismic than i was thinking. It could even be a cool place to live for people who don't mind living away from the US and Europe.
# Direct Link | 5 Apr
How does a typical young Khamanei-loving, martyrdom seeker Basiji looks like
# Direct Link | 3 Apr
Alyani reponds to his blog why he misspells the 'Kadima.'
# Direct Link | 3 Apr
Rinat is Lisa's Brazilian friend who is now based in Tel Aviv. In this video, she talks abuot her life and also tries to learn some useful Persian words. ;)
# Direct Link | 3 Apr
Few videos on my visit to Memri and a lunch I had with its manager in Jerusaalem.
