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Funeral of Father of Mir Hossein Mousavi interrupted by Iranian security forces
Funeral of Mir Esmail Mousavi, father of Iranian opposition leader Mir Hossein Mousavi was interrupted by security forces and at least seven people were arrested. Kaleme website reports that a large crowd had gathered at the home of Mir Esmail Mousavi for his funeral. Mir Esmail Mousavi passed away at the age of 103 yesterday at his home. - 3/31/11
Filmmaker Rafi Pitts: Iran 'On The Verge Of An Explosion'
His latest film raises its own questions. Featuring an ex-convict who kills two policemen after his wife and daughter are killed in a street shoot-out between security forces and protesters, the film delves into the complex interplay between authority, economy, and justice in modern-day Iranian society. It was shot in Tehran right before the 2009 election protests broke out. -Kristin Deasy, RFE - 3/31/11
FRF's Second International Paper Competition in honor of Professor Lotfi Zadeh and his 90th Birthday
The Fanni Reunion Foundation, Inc. (FRF) is an association of alumni, faculty, and staff of the School of Engineering (Fanni), University of Tehran. FRF is a non-profit public benefit corporation, established in the State of California. The FRF's objectives for this competition include the following: - 3/31/11
Northern California: Celebrate the Iranian New Year with Giant Gandhi Puppet of Peace
Saturday, April 2 in Novato -- Come celebrate the Iranian New Year (Now Rooz)! You and your children are cordially invited to participate in an enchanting train ride conducted by the Giant Gandhi Puppet of Peace. Our guest speaker and presenter of this international project, Jes Richardson, is a school teacher and resident of Novato, CA. - 3/31/11
Esteghlal beats Persepolis in Tehran derby
Esteghlal beat its archrival Persepolis 1-0 in the Iran's Professional League (IPL) in front of about 65000 fans at the Azadi Stadium. Arash Borhani's headed the ball into the back of the net in the 43rd minute. - 3/31/11
Shock at "duplicity" as 20-year sentence for Iran's Baha'i leaders is reinstated
Just six months after Iran's appeal court reduced to 10 years the jail terms handed down to seven Baha'i leaders, the prisoners have been told that their original 20-year sentences have been reinstated. The Baha'i International Community has reacted with shock and dismay at the news. -BWNS - 3/31/11
More Iranian Political Activists Summoned To Intelligence Ministry
Political activist and journalist Reza Alijani has been summoned to Iran's Intelligence Ministry, the latest activist to receive a summons in recent weeks. Alijani, a member of Iran's Nationalist Religious Activists Council, a reformist group, has been repeatedly threatened with arrest by Intelligence Ministry officials. -RFE - 3/31/11
Nowruz Greetings from American Iranian Council
Let us take this opportunity to share with you the joy of celebrating the Iranian New Year, Nowruz 1390. We wish you a year filled with peace, joy and prosperity. We hope that the New Year will usher in better US-Iran understanding, and that the Iranian people will move closer to realizing their dream of democracy and human rights. - 3/31/11
CSUN's Iranian Student Association celebrates Persian New Year
CSUN's Iranian Student Association commemorated Persian New Year by organizing a celebratory event on Wednesday in the USU's Plaza del Sol. -Daily Sundial - 3/31/11
"The Lessons of Egypt for Iran" - A Socialist Worker Forum in London
Thursday April 7th, 6pm - Speakers: Ali Alizadeh, Philosophy Lecturer Middlesex University and Green movement activis; Alex Callinicos; Hannah Elsisi - 3/31/11
Revolution's Long Shadow Over the Tehran Art Scene
The paradoxes of Iran are visible at the Museum of Contemporary Art, designed by the Iranian artist and architect Kamran Diba as an inverted version of the Guggenheim Museum in New York. -New York Times - 3/31/11
Bahrain Arrests Leading Internet Activist
Family members and human rights officials say Bahraini authorities have arrested the country's most prominent Internet activist as part of a crackdown on pro-democracy demonstrators. -VOA - 3/31/11
PARSA CF Awards a $300,000 Grant to IAAB for Long-Term Growth
As a part of its Mehrgan 2010 Grant Cycle, PARSA Community Foundation is pleased to announce a $300,000 grant to Iranian Alliances Across Borders (IAAB), the 501(c)3 nonprofit organization behind the much-celebrated Camp Ayandeh. - 3/30/11
Court Decision a Reprieve for Persian Artifacts
Iranian Americans and the museum community concerned about the possible seizure of precious Iranian artifacts won an important reprieve in the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals today. -NIAC - 3/30/11
Photos: Flower-Bride ceremony, welcoming Nowruz in village of Masouleh-Iran
Since very ancient times, it is said, the Arous Gol ceremony has been held around Gilan and Mazandaran, two Caspian Sea provinces of Iran. The ceremony is part of festivities just before 21 March and a reminder of the arrival of spring. - 3/30/11
Iran's population passes 75 million
ISNA reports that on March 21, the last day of the year on the Iranian calendar, the running meter on the Census website indicated the population had surpassed the 75-million benchmark by 50 thousand people. Last year at the same time the meter was at 74 million. - 3/30/11
Jailed Iranian Blogger In Grave Condition, His Father Reports
The jailed Iranian blogger Hossein Ronaghi-Maleki is in grave condition in Tehran's Evin prison, his father has told RFE/RL's Radio Farda. Ahmad Ronaghi-Maleki told Radio Farda on March 29 that his son suffers from kidney problems and needs to undergo surgery immediately. - 3/30/11
Iranian Opposition Leaders Denied Visits From Children
Iranian authorities have repeatedly refused to allow the children of MirHosein Mousavi and Zahra Rahnavard to visit their parents, Kaleme website reports. -Zamaneh - 3/30/11
Iranian Writer Makes Book Available Online To Fight Censorship
Iranian writer Javad Saeedipour has made one of his books available on his blog for download, apparently because he wasn't able to get a publishing license from Iran's Culture Ministry, which has to approve all books before they are published. - 3/30/11
A Package to Resolve the Nuclear Impasse with Iran
Eight years of negotiations between Iran and the P5+ Germany on the nuclear issue have failed and will likely continue to do so, as long as the existing negotiating strategy and the hostilities between Iran and the US persist. -Hossein Mousavian - 3/30/11
Dang Show's upcoming shows in San Diego and San Francisco.
Dang Show"s music is deeply rooted in Iranian philosophies and traditions, and expresses emotions that rise up from this world on traditionally Western instruments. The band's novel approach to music has garnered the attention of and received praise from many well-known figures in Iranian music, theater and cinema - 3/30/11
Iranian political prisoner dies in hospital
The family of Mohsen Dokmehchi, an Iranian political prisoner, has staged a sit-in at the hospital where he passed away in a bid to retrieve his remains. -Zamaneh - 3/30/11
Experts: Nonviolence, Human Rights Focus are Best Options for Iran's Democracy Movement
Toscano and Ramin Jahanbegloo, an author and intellectual who served four months of solitary confinement in Iran, discussed the importance and effectiveness of the Green Movement's nonviolent approach at a Carnegie Institute event moderated by Karim Sadjadpour. -Sarah Ravani, NIAC - 3/30/11
Persian Letters: The View From Iran Of Syria's Protests
"Limited" protests have taken place in a few cities in Syria, while reports indicate that Israel has incited Syrians to take to the streets by sending them text messages and also by using the Internet. That's according to a short report by Iran's official news agency, IRNA, which fails to mention the deaths in Syria or the chants for freedom and against corruption. -Golnaz Esfandiari, RFE - 3/30/11
Subsidy Reform & Regime Resilience in Iran
Traditional rules dictate that all politics is local. As such, most politicians seek to produce periods of stability or popularity before enacting controversial policies. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has consistently bucked tradition in the Islamic Republic, instead making himself a force to be reckoned with on the basis of his audacity and unwillingness to be sidelined. -Reza Marashi - 3/30/11
Tehran welcomes overture by Egypt to establish ties with Iran
Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi has welcomed a proposal by his Egyptian counterpart Nabil el-Arabi that Cairo is willing to reestablish diplomatic ties with the Islamic Republic of Iran. - 3/30/11
Iran's 11-month Petrochemical Exports at $7B
During the 11-month period of last Iranian calendar year (March 21, 2010-February 20, 2011), Iran has exported $7 billion of various petrochemical products. -Moj News - 3/30/11
Kuwait Imposes Death Sentences on Convicted Spies
Kuwait has sentenced three people to death on charges of spying for Iran. The sentences were imposed on Tuesday in a Kuwaiti criminal court. -VOA - 3/30/11
Iran and Global scientific collaboration in the 21st century
The number of publications from Iran has grown from just 736 in 1996 to 13,238 in 2008 - making it the fastest growing country in terms of numbers of scientific publications in the world. In August 2009, Iran announced a 'comprehensive plan for science' focused on higher education and stronger links between industry and academia. - 3/29/11
Photos: Giant Haftsin at Bistoon, Kermanshah
Persian New Year Norouz holidays is also a time for traveling. Historical and ancient monuments are among the favorite places to visit during this time. Among these destinations is Bistoon in western Iran where in celebration of Norouz a giant Haftsin has been arranged. -Saber Karimi - 3/29/11
Iranians Draw Lessons from Middle Eastern Uprisings
Just when the Green Movement seemed to have been defeated by the brutal repression of the Iranian regime, the mass uprisings in the Arab World gave it new life. This resurgence of the Green Movement is evident not only in recent street protests in Tehran and other major Iranian cities on February 14, February 20, March 1 and March 8, but also in a variety of articles by activists and thinkers who are reflecting on the lessons of the Middle Eastern uprisings -Frieda Afary - 3/29/11
EXHIBITION at LACMA: Gifts of the Sultan: The Arts of Giving at the Islamic Courts
The Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) presents Gifts of the Sultan: The Arts of Giving at the Islamic Courts, a major international loan exhibition, which explores Islamic art through the universal tradition of gift giving. - 3/29/11
Death Penalty in 2010: Executing countries left isolated after decade of progress
A total of 31 countries abolished the death penalty in law or in practice during the last 10 years but China, Iran, Saudi Arabia, the USA and Yemen remain amongst the most frequent executioners, some in direct contradiction of international human rights law. -Amnesty International - 3/29/11
Iran defense minister warns against presence of Saudi troops in Bahrain
The Iranian defense minister censures Saudi Arabia for its military intervention in Bahrain and says the presence of Saudi troops in Bahrain will cause insecurity in the region. - 3/29/11
U.S. Official Says Iran Regime's Fate In Iranian Hands
A senior U.S. State Department official says possible changes in the Iranian regime remain a question that must be decided by the Iranian people. - 3/29/11
The Text of President Obama's Address on Libya
There are places, like Egypt, where this change will inspire us and raise our hopes. And there will be places, like Iran, where change is fiercely suppressed. The dark forces of civil conflict and sectarian war will have to be averted, and difficult political and economic concerns addressed. - 3/29/11
Repeated attacks against police in northwest Iran
Security forces in the northwestern Iranian city of Sanandaj have once again been the target of an armed attack. Last night, unidentified armed assailants shot at a traffic police vehicle in the capital of Kurdistan province, Iranian media report. -Zamaneh - 3/29/11
Photos: Norouz Travelers in Isfahan
One of the favorite destinations for Iranians traveling during the Persian New Year Norouz holidays is the the city of Isfahan which hosts many magnificent historical monuments. -Khosrow Khaleghi - 3/28/11
Iran: Birthday Campaign Launched for Jailed Student Activist Bahareh Hedayat
Free Bahareh Hedayat Facebook page announced a new awareness campaign launched to celebrate the upcoming birthday (April 5, 1981) of the detained women's rights and student activist. The campaign aims to highlight Bahareh Hedayat's plight to human rights organizations and international decision makers. - 3/28/11
Stoking the Fires of Islamophobia - Peter King's Inquisition
It is always a simple matter to drag the people along, whether it is a democracy, or a fascist dictatorship, or a parliament, or a communist dictatorship. Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of their leaders. That is easy. All you have to tell them is that they are being attacked and denounce the peacemakers for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same in any country. -Ismael Hossein-zadeh - 3/28/11
Southern California: California State University, Northridge's Cultural Show Nowruzaneh
Saturday, April 9 - In the spirit of the Iranian New Year (Nowruz) the CSUN Iranian Student association presents to Los Angeles "Save The Culture." An elegant event to raise awareness of the beautfiul iranian culture, and to help raise money and bring about an iranian studies program at CSUN. - 3/28/11
Turkmen, Tajik, Afghan Presidents Meet With Iranian President
The presidents of Turkmenistan, Tajikistan and Afghanistan have held separate talks with Iranian President Mahmud Ahmadinejad in Tehran. - 3/28/11
Video: Green Dance, Bowers Museum's Norouz Festival 2011
"Spread Peace & Embrace Unity of All Human Kinds" Dance choreographed by Anna Djanbazian, Djanbazian Dance Company. "This dance is all about the Green Movement, news of freedom, growth of Green Movement and it's Peaceful nature. I also took the symbol of "Sabzeh" as the core of Green Movement" Anna Janbazian. - 3/28/11
Iran: Supreme Leader Visits South Pars Gas Field
Khamenei was briefed about the process of work in the South Pars and attended the meeting of senior oil industry directors and contractors. - 3/28/11
Northern California: Islamic Cultural Center's Sizdah-Bedar
Sunday, April 3 at Lafayette Reservoir- Please join us for the tradition Persian New Year Picnic of at the beautiful Lafayette Reservoir. Group picnic area has been reserved for the community. - 3/28/11
Witnesses: Syrian Troops Open Fire at Protest in South
Witnesses say Syrian security forces have opened fire at anti-government protests in the southern city of Daraa, where residents chanted slogans calling for more political freedoms. -VOA - 3/28/11
Iranian MP warns against "totalitarian approach" in government
Conservative Member of Parliament Ahmad Tavakoli has warned that "a totalitarian movement with deviant ideas" is at work in the Iranian government, trying to influence parliament to act "without concern for national interests." - 3/28/11
Iranian hacker claims to be behind Comodo certificate attack
A solo Iranian hacker on Saturday claimed responsibility for stealing multiple SSL certificates belonging to some of the web's biggest sites, including Google, Microsoft, Skype and Yahoo. -Tech World - 3/28/11
Iran-U.S. Trade Reached $16M in January
The trade interactions between the Islamic Republic of Iran and the U.S. valued at $16 million in January 2011, U.S. Census Bureau reported. - 3/28/11
Photos: Unveiling of "Amoo Norouz" and "Naneh Sarma" in Tehran
During a ceremony outside the city theatre in Tehran, huge dolls of Amoo Norouz and Naneh Sarma were unveiled. The colorful and cheerful dolls promptly got engaged in entertaining the spectators. -Ashraf Tabatabaei, Amir Hossein Ghazanfari - 3/27/11
Iran Hosts Noruz Summit In Tehran
Iran on Sunday hosted a Noruz (Persian New Year) summit attended by the presidents of Tajikistan, Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, Armenia, and Iraq. The participants at the festival planted a tree as a symbol of peace and friendship. - 3/27/11
Florence honours jailed Iranian lawyer with human rights award
The City of Florence has awarded its 2010 human rights award to jailed Iranian human rights lawyer, Nasrin Sotoudeh and Peruvian human rights activist, Fr. Mario Bartolini. - 3/27/11
EU calls for release of Iranian opposition leaders
Catherine Ashton, the EU chief of foreign policy, is calling for the immediate and unconditional release of Iranian opposition leaders Mir Hosein Mousavi and Mehdi Karroubi. -Zamaneh - 3/27/11
Iranian Progressive Youth's International Essay Contest
Share your ideas and prospects concerning the possibilities of change in Iran. The top three essays will be published in accredited journal(s) and will also receive a cash prize -Sponsors: Hivos, Radio Zamaneh , Foundation for Iranian Studies - 3/27/11
Photos: Five presidents attend International Noruz Festivals in Tehran
The presidents of Tajikistan, Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, Armenia, and Iraq attended the International Noruz Celebrations in Tehran. Pakistan's parliament speaker, Oman's foreign minister, India's welfare minister, Kyrgyzstan's culture and information minister, India's union health minister, Zanzibar's vice president, and the ECO secretary general also participated in the celebrations. - 3/27/11
Iranian journalist protests against violation of prisoner rights
Prominent Iranian journalist, Jila Bani-Yaghoub complains to Tehran's prosecutor about the violation of her husband's rights in prison. Jila Bani-Yaghoub, an Iranian journalist sentenced to one year in prison and a 30-year ban from journalism, has written to Tehran prosecutor Abbas Jafari Dowlatabadi, complaining that since protesting against her sentence, she has been prevented from visiting her husband, Bahman Ahmadi Amouyi. - 3/27/11
Southern California: Sizdeh Bedar at Lake Balboa
Sunday, April 3, 2011 - Persian food, music and performances by famous artists. -CBM Special Events - 3/27/11
Bahrain Monarchy From British Empire to US Fifth Fleet
In Bahrain, Saudi troops continue to help the Bahrainian king and government suppress peaceful protesters. Now joining us to talk about how the king came to power in Bahrain is Husain Abdulla. He's the director of Americans for Democracy and Human Rights in Bahrain. -RNN - 3/27/11
Syrian Government Says 12 People Die in Violence in Latakia
The Syrian government is reporting the deaths of 12 people during two days of violence in the Mediterranean seaside port of Latakia. -VOA - 3/27/11
Novruz at the residence of U.S. ambassador to Azerbaijan
Ambassador Matthew Bryza graduated from Stanford University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in International relations, Master of Arts in Law and Diplomacy from Tufts University. He is married to Zeyno Baran, a Turkish American scholar. Bryza is fluent in Russian and Polish, and also speaks German and Spanish, and conversational Azerbaijani language. - 3/27/11
Photos: Norouz Travelers at Persepolis
One of the favorite destinations for Iranians traveling during the Persian New Year Norouz holidays is the the ancient ruins of Persepolis. Persepolis (Takht-e Jamshid) was the ceremonial capital of the Achaemenid Empire (ca. 550-330 BCE). Persepolis is situated 70 km northeast of the modern city of Shiraz in the Fars Province of modern Iran. -Abbas Khashandish - 3/26/11
Iran's Tourist Invasion of Turkey
As the Nowruz holiday which marks the new year in Iran got under way, the Turkish tourist industry geared in the hope of receiving record numbers of visitors. This year, the Association of Turkish Travel Agencies put on a special "Istanbul Shopping Fest" targeting Iranians coming for Nowruz. -Ayla Albayrak, IWPR - 3/26/11
Iran Holds a 50% Share in World Pistachio Market
In December 2008, Dr. James Painter, a behavioral eating expert professor and chair of School of Family and Consumer Sciences at Eastern Illinois University, described the Pistachio Principle. The Pistachio Principle describes methods of "fooling" one's body into eating less. - 3/26/11
The Iranian Year 1389 Ends: Marked with Executions and Prison Terms
This was the year the people of Iran came to the streets and called the leader of the Islamic republic the dictator and announced that he too would face what Mubarak of Egypt and Bin Ali of Tunisia faced. -Fereshteh Ghazi, Rooz - 3/26/11
Syria death toll climbs as protests spread
At least 55 people are believed to have been killed during a week of unrest in and around the Syrian town of Dera'a, Amnesty International said on Friday as protests spread across the country. -Amnesty International - 3/26/11
THE RE-AWAKENING OF THE ISLAMIC WORLD
The people in the so called Middle East (Southwest Asia and North Africa) have re-awakened to once again take hold of their own sovereign destinies and to play the critical role expected of them domestically and in the family of nations. -Davood N. Rahni - 3/26/11
Iranian-Kurd prisoner in imminent danger of execution
According to various reports Shirkou Moarefi, an Iranian-Kurd political prisoner, will be executed on May 1. "Shirkou was charged with Moharebeh (enmity with God) by the Islamic Republic for his support of an organization that for years had put aside armed resistance and was only active in cultural activities, and his death sentence was issued after a few minutes in court," the Moarefi family writes. -Zamaneh - 3/26/11
Review: Passing the Torch of Success in Houston
In the Passing the Torch of Success event held at Houston's Rice University, a group of Iranian American speakers showed the Houston community that Iranians do have a knack for finding success regardless of the field they choose to pursue. -Hasti Taghi - 3/26/11
Turkey Presses Ahead With Nuclear Power Plant Plans
The tide may have turned against nuclear power elsewhere, following the Fukushima Daiichi disaster in Japan, but Turkey is moving forward with its plans to build its first nuclear power plant. - 3/26/11
Passion, Drive Pay Off for Iranian Bikini Designer
Fashion design is very competitive, especially if you are a young designer. But passion and a relentless drive can overcome a lot of obstacles. Those qualities have made Iranian bikini designer Tala Raassi a success - two pieces of cloth at a time. - 3/25/11
Photos: Norouz Travelers, Qeshm Island
Many Iranians travel durin the Persian New Year Norouz holidays. Qeshm Island in Persian Gulf is among the favorite destinations for Norouz travelers since it's a place to relax and do sightseeing as well. -Asghar Besharati - 3/25/11
NIAC Applauds Today's Establishment of Human Rights Monitor on Iran
The National Iranian American Council (NIAC) strongly supports today's successful vote at the United Nations Human Rights Council (HRC) to establish an independent UN human rights monitor on Iran. NIAC applauds the efforts of Sweden, the Obama administration, and the cross-regional group of HRC states who supported the measure. - 3/25/11
Maryland: Johns Hopkins University's Nowruz Banquet
Sunday, March 27, 2011 - Iranian Cultural Society of Johns Hopkins University looking forward to celebrating Nowruz with all of you - 3/25/11
COMMENTARY: The Beginning Of Post-Islamism?
People around the world have been making comparisons between the situations in their countries and those in the Arab lands in revolt. Will Saudi Arabia follow the path of Egypt? Is Azerbaijan like Tunisia? -Abbas Djavadi, RFE - 3/25/11
Iranian commander says IRGC economic activities legitimate
Commander Mohammadreza Yazdi, deputy of the Revolutionary Guards' legal affairs, said the economic activities of the Guards are carried out according to the Supreme Leader's orders and there are no ambiguities in them. - 3/25/11
Iran intelligence minister defends Norooz celebrations
Iranian Intelligence Minister Heydar Moslehi says Iran can use the international celebration of Norooz to work toward tong-term goals. - 3/25/11
Ex-UN Special Rapporteur On Iran Cites 'Psychological' Effect Of Investigations
Concern over executions and human rights abuses In Iran has prompted the UN to appoint a special rights investigator. RFE/RL correspondent Golnaz Esfandiari spoke with Maurice Copithorne, the last person to hold the title of UN rapporteur on human rights in Iran (1995-2002), on the challenging task the new appointee will face. - 3/25/11
Iran Rejects UN Decision to Appoint Human Rights Monitor
Iran has labeled "political" the decision of the top U.N. human rights body to appoint an investigator to monitor human rights abuses in that country. -VOA - 3/25/11
L.A. City Council celebrates Persian New Year
Spring came a bit early for the Los Angeles City Council. Bouquets of fuchsia and violet flowers filled council chambers on Friday as council members stood up, one by one, to call for rebirth, rejuvenation and renewal. -LA Times - 3/25/11
UN Council Agrees To Appoint Rights Investigator For Iran
The United Nations Human Rights Council has agreed to establish a UN human rights investigator for Iran -- the first in a decade. The 47-member Geneva council approved by 22 to seven the Swedish resolution to appoint a special rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Iran. Fourteen countries abstained and four did not participate. -RFE - 3/24/11
Photos: Chogha Zanbil ancient temple in Khuzestan, Iran
Chogha Zanbil is an ancient Elamite complex in the Khuzestan province of Iran. It is one of the few existent ziggurats outside of Mesopotamia. It lies approximately 42 kilometeres South Southwest of Dezfoul, 30 kilometres West of Susa and 80 kilometres North of Ahvaz. -Amir Pourmand - 3/24/11
The Persian New Year Celebration Trumps The Islamic Regime Restrictions
Despite the Iranian Revolution and the establishment of the Islamic Republic of Iran in 1979, the Iranian people today, as over the past two thousand five hundred years, continue to identify themselves primarily as Persian. Emblematic of this profound self-perception is Nowrooz, the Persian New Year that began on March 20 and is celebrated for the next twelve days. -Nesta Ramazani - 3/24/11
Photos: Spring blossoms in Sari-Iran
Sari is the provincial capital of Mazandaran, located in the north of Iran on beautiful southern coast of Caspian (Mazandaran) Sea. Sari was founded during the Sasanid period (ad 224-651). Native people of Sari have a folklore that the city was populated when Smith Kaveh (native of this city) revolted against the tyranny of Zahak. -Mohammad Rezaee - 3/24/11
Photos: Turtles Laying Eggs At Qeshm Island in Persian Gulf
The turtles inhabiting Qeshm Island continue laying eggs till early May. The eggs are gathered and kept in a safe area in the village of Shib Deraz. Once the eggs hatch, the turtles are released into the sea. -Asghar Besharati - 3/24/11
Art Gallery: Elizabeth Taylor in Iran
In 1976 Elizabeth Taylor (February 27, 1932 - March 23, 2011) visited Iran for the first and only time. Accompanying her was Firooz Zahedi, today a successful Hollywood photographer but then a recent art school graduate just learning his craft. - 3/24/11
'Rooney Rule' Accomplishments Please Attorney Who Fought for It
Cyrus Mehri is one of the most influential - and perhaps feared - civil rights lawyers in America. In 2001, he settled one of the largest civil rights cases in the history of the United States - against The Coca-Cola Company for 192.5 Million dollars. Discrimination is a topic close to this Iranian American's heart. -VOA - 3/24/11
Iranian Delegation's Lack of Credibility at the Human Rights Council
The Sixteenth session of the United Nations Human Rights Council is underway with the aim of reviewing a resolution about the appointment of a special rapporteur for Iran. The Iranian delegation has lobbied hard among representatives of different countries to make sure the resolution will not pass, but it is anticipated that the resolution will pass. - 3/24/11
New Jersey: Mehr Humanitarian Society 13bedar
Saturday, April 2, 2011 - Come Join Mehr Humanitarian Society for 13bedar at Liberty State Park! Food can be preordered. Enjoy a day of music, food, games, dancing, beautiful view, and just great company! - 3/24/11
Iranians Flock To Armenia On Norouz Holiday
For once, Sabeh doesn't have to hide her long bleached hair. This week, she's one of thousands of Iranians traveling to neighboring Armenia during two-week celebrations of Norouz, the Persian New Year, that began on March 21. -Hasmik Smbatian, RFE - 3/24/11
Grandson of late Isalmic Republic leader condemns arrest of opposition leaders
Yasser Khomeini, grandson of Ayatollah Khomeini, late founder of the Islamic Republic, condemned the house arrest of Iranian opposition leaders, MirHosein Mousavi and Mehdi Karroubi, calling it "unacceptable. The statements were noted in the website of Mohammd Taghi Karroubi son of Mehdi Karroubi. - 3/24/11
Why Iranian football clubs push for control of broadcast revenues
The question is whether Mr Ahmadinejad will decide to take a leaf out of the playbook of King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia who last month launched the kingdom's first dedicated sports channel as part of efforts to keep his discontented subjects off the streets. An independent football channel may hit the pockets of Mr Ahmadinejad's cronies, but it could boost his efforts to curry popular favour by associating himself with Iranian football. -National - 3/24/11
Google, Yahoo, Skype targeted in attack linked to Iran
A malicious attacker that appears to be the Iranian government managed to obtain supposedly secure digital certificates that can be used to impersonate Google, Yahoo, Skype, and other major Web sites, the security company affected by the breach said today. -cnet - 3/24/11
Photos: The Beautiful Nature Sorrounding Karoun3 Dam in Izeh, Iran
The natural senary around Karoun3 dam, close to the city of Izeh in southwestern Iran, is one of the tourist attractions of the region. ISNA photographer Amir Pourmand has captured some of these beautiful senary for all to enjoy! - 3/23/11
Iran's Surena 2 among World's Top 5 Robots
Surena 2, Iran's humanoid robot, has been placed among the world's top five robots by Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), according to an Iranian official. - 3/23/11
'More Than 1,000 Political Arrests' In Iran In Past Year
Iran has arrested more than 1,250 people over the past 12 months for participating in protests or for their political views, according to a human rights group, RFE/RL's Radio Farda reports. - 3/23/11
UN Secretary-General's Message on International Day of Nowruz
Nowruz has special meaning for many peoples in the Balkans, the Black Sea and Caspian Sea regions, the Caucasus, Central and South Asia, and the Middle East. Celebrated for millennia, the holiday is associated with a rich tapestry of customs and rituals linked with the arrival of spring. - 3/23/11
Seattle: University of Washington's Persian New Year Celebration
Friday, April 1, 2011 - Join us in Celebration of Persian New Year - Nowruz - at the University of Washington Seattle Campus. Although this event is at the very end of the Nowruz, it is the first Friday of Spring Quarter. - 3/23/11
Banned In Iran: Radio Farda To Live Stream Nowruz Music Festival From Dubai
To celebrate Nowruz (the Persian New Year, which began on March 21), RFE's Radio Farda is live streaming a special three-day concert series from Dubai. Beginning today at 1 PM EST and running through Thursday, the event will bring together a number of different Iranian musicians who are banned in their native country. - 3/23/11
Sweden: Atish Nourooz Cruise
Saturday, March 26, 2011 - On board you will feel the atmosphere of joy, good Persian food & beverage, non-stop partying and all of this together with Scandinavia's largest Persian Club and its best audience. - 3/23/11
Iran Calls Off Nowrouz Fest at United Nations
"Iranian's Nowrouz festivities which were supposed to be held on Saturday have been canceled to sympathize with the Muslims in some of the regional countries who have been killed by the dictator rulers or foreign forces," Tehran's Permanent Representative to the United Nations Mohammad Khazayee announced. -FNA - 3/23/11
Sharing A Cell With 'Iran's Blogfather'
Former lawmaker Ali Shakouri-rad, who was arrested last year on charges of spreading lies and propaganda against the Islamic Republic, has written in his blog that he shared a cell for several weeks with Hossein Derakhshan, who is well-known for popularizing blogging in Iran. -Golnaz Esfandiari, RFE - 3/23/11
Syria Blames 'Gang' for Violence in Southern City
Rights activists in Syria say security forces carried out a deadly attack near a mosque where anti-government protesters have gathered. However state media said "an armed gang" was behind violence in the southern city of Daraa early Wednesday. -VOA - 3/23/11
Iran photos of the year by Fars
Nineteen Photographs of Iran from 300 images submitted by 90 Fars photographers in 1389. From Mount Damavand to Cheshmeh Ali to Shalamcheh. - 3/22/11
Photos: Sea Of Porters in Kurdestan, Iran
Due to closure of the Iran's borders with Iran and establishment of temporary bazaars in the border areas of Iran's Kurdestan province, some of the residents in the border towns now earn their livings by carrying cargo on their back through the difficult terrains in the mountainous region. -Abdolrahman Hasani - 3/22/11
Shahram Entekhabi's "A Taste of Gold" Solo Show in Mexico
A Taste of Gold is a solo exhibition by Berlin-based, Iranian artist Shahram Entekhabi. The exhibition takes its title from a work in the exhibition titled Golden Edition (2011). The work is a large photograph of a Muslim woman elegantly dressed head-to-toe in Burqa and wearing boxing gloves. - 3/22/11
Iran's Revolutionary Guards condemn Norooz celebrations in Persepolis
Controversy over the celebration of Norooz, the Iranian New Year, at the site of Persepolis in Shiraz continues to divide the Islamic Republic establishment, causing extreme internal tension in the upper echelons of power. - 3/22/11
Photos: Norouz at Massume Shrine in Qom
It is customary for Iranians to spend the start of the Persian New Year Norouz by the Haftseen spread. However, some devote Muslims prefer to begin the new year at the shrines of holly figures of Islam. These photos show people praying a the shrine of Massume in Qom, central Iran as the . -Mohsen Saeidi - 3/22/11
Supreme Leader slams Obama's Norooz message to Iranians
Ayatollah Khamenei, Iran's supreme leader attacked US policies in the region and countered Obama's Norooz message to Iranian people saying "Death to America!" is what Iranians always chant in their demonstrations. -Zamaneh - 3/22/11
Bahrain Says Foreign Plot Foiled
The king of Bahrain says a "foreign plot" against his country has been foiled with the help of Gulf Arab forces. He did not name any specific plotters, but some analysts saw his remarks as a veiled reference to Iran. - 3/22/11
Activist Shrugs Off 'Cosmetic' Improvements In Saudi Women's Rights
Saudi activist and writer Wajeeha al-Huwayder describes the state of women's rights in Saudi Arabia today. Interviewed conducted by Radio Free Iraq correspondent Karam Mnashe; translated by Ayad Al-Gailani. - 3/22/11
Cheap DVDs Swamp Iranian Supermarkets
The sale of DVDs in Iranian supermarkets has stirred controversy, with detractors claiming the cheap-and-cheerful end of the market is delivering the death blow to an already troubled film industry. -Amir Najafi, IWPR - 3/22/11
Iranian native has peace message
Ebi Masalehdan wants children to know the road to world peace always starts in their own communities. "Peace, to me, begins with yourself, your family, your neighbors and your associates," Masalehdan told about three dozen students at Groton-Dunstable Regional Middle School. "You have to have peace with your own soul, and then you can apply that with everything you do in life." -Lowell Sun - 3/22/11
President Obama's Message to all People Celebrating Nowruz
Today, I want to extend my best wishes to all who are celebrating Nowruz in the United States and around the world. Each year of my presidency, I have marked this holiday by speaking directly to the people of Iran. That is what I would like to do once more. - 3/21/11
The Third Eye "Iranian Contemporary Art Exhibition" in Shanghai
The Third Eye is an exhibiton of Iranian artists that culls its title from disparate sources. It uses as curatorial framwork the cinematic vernacular for the camera, known as" the third eye," with the notion of third space articulated by geoprapher Edward Soja, and that of the literary critic and theorist Homhi Bhaba - 3/21/11
Some political prisoners temporarily released for Iranian New Year
At the threshold of Iranian New Year, Iranian authorities granted temporary leaves to a number of political prisoners to spend Nowrouz with their families. -Zamaneh - 3/21/11
Secretary Clinton's Nowruz Message
I join President Obama in sending best wishes for health and prosperity to all those celebrating Nowruz throughout the world, including Americans, Afghans, Kurds, Azeris, Iranians and the people of Central Asia. - 3/21/11
Iran: Supreme Leader Calls Year 1390 "Year of Economic Jihad"
"I call this year the 'Year of Economic Jihad' and I expect the officials of the country and also our dear nation to work in a jihadi way in the economic areas," Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, Leader of the Islamic Revolution, said in his televised Norouz message. - 3/21/11
Iranian Navy Quietly Assertive
As tensions run high across the Middle East, two Iranian naval ships have sailed through the Suez Canal and back again, managing to irritate the Israelis without provoking a full-scale confrontation. -IWPR - 3/21/11
Iran: Exorbitant Bail Set For Student Activist
After spending seven months in jail, Ali Jamali, the executive member of alumni student organization Danesh Amoukhtegan, was released for a three-day furlough after posting an exorbitant $400,000 in bail. -Zamaneh - 3/21/11
Iran's Future President 'Chosen By God'
Iran's President Mahmud Ahmadinejad has said that his successor has already been designated by God. Ahmadinejad reportedly made the comments in a March 16 meeting of provincial councils in the Iranian capital. -Golnaz Esfandiari, RFE - 3/21/11
China to Import 23.500 bpd Gas Condensate from Iran
China's Sinopec Corp is retooling an idled crude distillation unit at its Tianjin refinery into a condensate splitter to process Iran's South Pars condensate. - 3/21/11
Photos: Norouz Goldfishing In Qom
Iranians are preparing to celebrate the upcoming Persian New Year Norouz which starts on Sunday March 20. It is a tradition to put a couple of goldfish in a bowl of water on the `Haftsin' tablecloth that is stretched on the occasion of the new year. These photos by Hojattollah Ataei show the hot market for goldfish in the city of Qom in centrail Iran. - 3/20/11
Photos: Tehran Welcomes Norouz
Persian New Year Norouz is the most festive time in Iran. To welcome the occasion, special decorations and Haftsin spreads have been setup in various parts of the capital city Tehran. - Babak Borozieh - 3/20/11
Norooz 1390 iPhone Application
This is a great app for iphone with some cool animation and a nice piece of music which counts down the precise moment of Eid Norooz 1390 wherever you are. It is available now. The app has been developed by Mohammad Hashemi. - 3/20/11
Proposal at U.N. Body Puts Focus on Iran's Human Rights Record
A vote could come as early as March 24 on the proposal to appoint a U.N. investigator, or rapporteur, to examine Iran's actions on human rights. "This effort is not about grandstanding or showdown but about practical steps that we hope will lead to changes over time," Nossel said. -America.gov - 3/20/11
In Wake Of Japan Disaster, Safety Of Armenian Nuclear Plant Questioned
Environmentalists have long said the Ararat Valley, located just 16 kilometers from the Turkish border city of Igdir, is an extremely dangerous place to house the Metsamor nuclear power plant. And those concerns have only become more urgent amid the ongoing crisis at Japan's crippled Fukushima plant. -RFE - 3/20/11
Ebrahim Yazdi released by Islamic Republic
Ebrahim Yazdi, the secretary general of the Iranian reformist party Freedom Movement, was released from detention by Islamic Republic authorities this morning. -Zamaneh - 3/20/11
Photos: Haftsin Festival in Ahvaz, Iran
A Haftsin festival was held in the city of Ahvaz in southern Iran to celebrate the imminent arrival of the Persian New Year Norouz. Norouz (Nowruz) in Persian means "New day". It is the beginning of the year for the peoples of Iran (Greater Iran, including: Afghanistan, Arran (Republic of Azerbaijan) and Central Asian Republics) -Ali Mousavinejad - 3/19/11
Iran releases a number of political prisoners
While most political prisoners will spend Iranian New Year behind bars, Iranian authorities have released a number of political prisoners in advance of Nowrouz, the Iranian New Year celebrations. -Zamaneh - 3/19/11
Amnesty International: Deaths in Iranian prison must be investigated
Amnesty International has called for an investigation into reports that up to 14 people were killed in a disturbance in a jail near Tehran this week. The incident at the overcrowded Qezel Hesar prison in Karaj occurred on Tuesday night when clashes broke out involving prisoners and prison guards. The Prisons Chief said that a judicial investigation has been launched. - 3/19/11
Thousands celebrate Iranian Fire Festival across Greater Toronto Area
Thousands of people from across the Greater Toronto Area were jumping over bonfires to burn the negative vibes of old in order to start a fresh New Year in the ancient Persian tradition of Chaharshanbeh Soori on Tuesday March 15, 2011. -Salam Toronto - 3/19/11
Persian New Year Recipes
Chef Najmieh Batmanglij makes lamb shanks with rice and fava beans; plus, a backyard bird guide and homemade soap. -Martha Stewart - 3/19/11
Obama Aims to Recognize Democracies, Economic, Social Progress
President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama are scheduled to arrive Saturday in Brazil on Saturday, on the president's first trip to South and Central America that will also take him to Chile and El Salvador. Obama will recognize the consolidation of democracies in the region, and reassure Latin America that the U.S. intends to step up its economic engagement. - 3/19/11
Iran: Esfandiar Mashaei's Norouz Visit To New York Canceled
A visit to New York by Esfandiar Rahim Mashaei, the head of the presidential chief of staff, has been canceled. The cancellation followed opposition to the visit, the Mehr News Agency has learnt. - 3/19/11
Iranian election protester attacked in Paris
Political activist Ebrahim Mahtari, who fled Iran after he had been detained for protesting the presidential election result, was attacked in Paris by two unidentified assailants. -Zamaneh - 3/19/11
Happy New Iranian Year
Norouz is a strong testimony to Iranian rich civilization, national characteristics and history. It proves how a nation with its irreversible determination to endure, and even flourish, through periods of devastation, political chaos, hardship and oppression. -Firouzeh Mirrazavi - 3/18/11
US and Swedish Officials Outline Human Rights Initiative at NIAC Conference
"This effort is not about grandstanding or showdown, but about action on a practical step that we hope will lead to change over time," declared U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Suzanne Nossel, discussing efforts now underway at the UN Human Rights Council (HRC) to establish a human rights monitor on Iran. -NIAC - 3/18/11
UN report a grim reminder on human rights in Iran
The publication on Monday of United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon's interim report on Iran to the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva did not reveal any startling new information. Yet, it was a grim reminder to the international community of the wide scale and range of human rights violations in Iran which Amnesty International has been documenting for years. -Ann Harrison - 3/18/11
Photos: Chaharshanbe Suri in Heydar Baba village Azerbaijan-Iran
There is no religious significance attached to Chaharshanbeh Soori and it serves as a cultural festival for Persian people: Persian Jews, Muslims, Armenians, Kurds, and Zoroastrians, as well as for Azeri peoples. Indeed this celebration, in particular the significant role of fire, is likely to hail from Zoroastrianism. -Bahram Tondran - 3/18/11
Theatre: "IT'S NOT ABOUT POMEGRANATES" in San Francisco
H.L. Menken once defined love as the triumph of imagination over intelligence. In Sepideh Khosrowjah's latest play It is not about Pomegranates!, a play replete with both imagination and intelligence, a pair of evenly-matched lovers fight, flirt, reveal innermost secrets, and conceal the most basic human desires. - 3/18/11
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad: The Third Way in Iranian Politics?
He is seen as "unstable," "ultra-conservative," and "fanatical" by many Westerners. Five years ago, the Sunday Times Magazine had called him the "Apostle of the Apocalypse." And he has done much to contribute to that image with his offensive remarks about Israel and the Holocaust. -Barýn Kayaoglu - 3/18/11
Iran allows visit with opposition leader under house arrest
A member of the clergy has finally been allowed to visit opposition leader Mehdi Karroubi and his wife, more than three weeks into their house arrest, according to the couple's son. -Zamaneh - 3/18/11
Experts Deny Russia's 'Safe' Nuclear Reactor Claims
As engineers battled to contain radiation leaking from Japan's stricken Fukushima nuclear plant, thousands of kilometers away in Moscow, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev announced his answer to deepening questions about the safety of nuclear power. - Gregory Feifer, RFE - 3/18/11
Saudi-Iranian Competition in Bahrain Feared
While there has been a wave of political discontent sweeping across some nations of the Middle East, the grievances of the protesters and their way of expressing them is different from country to country. So, too, are the governments' responses. Analysts say Bahrain's unrest has made one neighbor nervous and another adventurous. -VOA - 3/18/11
A New Opportunity for the U.S. to Promote Human Rights in Iran
Since the 2009 Iranian presidential elections, President Obama has stood up for peaceful protestors and criticized the Iranian government for its brutal tactics without (so far) playing politics with the issue at home. But his stance on human rights in Iran has brought little in the way of tangible actions. -Reza Marashi and Trita Parsi - 3/18/11
A Nowruz Lesson for a New Generation of Iranian Americans
The first-graders are practicing their song about the days of the week. The older children, with a pretend microphone, are learning their lines for a Mullah Nasreddin folktale. The littlest boy is ready to ask, in clear Persian, for a gold coin from Uncle Nowruz. -Jeff Baron, America.gov - 3/17/11
Conflicting reports on number of Iranians detained during "Fire Night" celebrations
Iranian security officials have issued contradictory statements regarding people detained at Chaharshanbeh Souri, the fire festival celebrated on Tuesday night in Iran. - 3/17/11
Families of Iranian detainees subjected to insult and abuse
The relatives of recent Iranian detainees are being repeatedly insulted and at times even beaten by Iranian security forces, according to human rights reporters in Iran. -Zamaneh - 3/17/11
Iranian-Italian Couple in California Launches Online Furniture Company
An Iranian-Italian couple living in northern California has recently launched an online furniture company called SOBU. Alessandro and Laleh Latini, a married couple living in Alameda, in January launched their Internet-based furniture company SOBU, named after their children Sofia and Bruno. - 3/17/11
Safety of the Nuclear Facilities of Iran: A Forgotten Dimension
The political and security dimensions of the Iranian nuclear case have been so hot that one of the most important aspects of this program is constantly ignored by the people of Iran, other countries and even the IAEA. This dimension is the safety dimension of the Iranian declared and undeclared nuclear facilities. Here are some of the general questions that come to mind: - 3/17/11
Bita Daryabari a tireless advocate for Iranians
Outside high society and high-tech circles, few people have heard of Bita Daryabari. Even inside, she has often been defined more for whom she was once married to, Google executive Omid Kordestani. -SFGate - 3/17/11
Toronto: "Purim-Nowruz Celebration a Success"
Around 500 guests from the Thornhill and Richmond Hill communities shared traditional Jewish and Iranian song and dance together at the Thornhill Community Centre last weekend in an event that combined the Jewish holiday of Purim with the ancient Iranian New Year celebration. -Salam Toronto - 3/17/11
US Says Force Won't Solve 'Alarming' Bahrain Crisis
The United States, stepping up criticism of key Gulf allies, said Wednesday military means won't resolve the political crisis in Bahrain. A senior U.S. envoy is returning to Washington after talks in Bahrain, where Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have sent police and troops. -VOA - 3/17/11
Iran releases two jailed journalists
According to Kaleme website, Nazanin Khosravani was released last night from the Ministry of Intelligence prison after four and a half months in jail, and Mahsa Amrabadi was released today after being taken into custody on March 1. - 3/17/11
The International Organization of Turkic Culture Presents A Nevruz Celebration in USA
Over 150 musicians and dancers from 11 different Turkic nations will be uniting for the epic US debut concert series Nevruz. The concert celebrates the New Year holiday Nevruz, observed in most part of Eurasia. - 3/17/11
Participation of 6 presidents in Noruz festivities in Tehran confirmed
Presidents of the Persian-speaking countries of Tajikistan and Afghanistan as well as the Presidents of Armenia, Azerbaijani, and Turkmenistan are scheduled to attend the festivities to be hosted by President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. - 3/17/11
Azeri and Turkish Diasporas urge Obama to add Turkish peoples in Novruz congratulation message
The political and security dimensions of the Iranian nuclear case have been so hot that one of the most important aspects of this program is constantly ignored by the people of Iran, other countries and even the IAEA. This dimension is the safety dimension of the Iranian declared and undeclared nuclear facilities. -Bahman Aghai Diba - 3/17/11
The "Arab Awakening", America, The Islamic Republic Of Iran, And The Middle East's Balance Of Power
Islamic Republic is working to transform the Middle East's traditional balance of power framework, defined by conventional military capabilities and other "hard power" assets in which Iran is deficient, into a balance of influence, defined by aspects of "soft power" in which the Islamic Republic enjoys unique advantages. This transformation is bolstering Iran's ability to shape strategic outcomes in the Middle East. -Race for Iran - 3/17/11
Former "Grand Theft Auto" Director Making '79 Iranian Revolution Game
With many Middle Eastern nations in the throws of democratic uprisings, the recent news that a video game based on the events of the 1979 Iranian Revolution feels timely -- and yes, maybe a little exploitative of the moment. -IFC - 3/17/11
Ontario's Premier and Members of Parliament Celebrate Nowruz
For three hours, attendees of the fourth annual Nowruz celebration at Queen's Park gathered at the St. Lawrence lounge of the Macdonald building and shared one of the oldest cultural traditions of ancient Iran. -Salam Toronto - 3/16/11
PAAIA Chapters Bring Nowruz to their Local Community Schools
"With Nowruz's approach, many schools ask their Iranian American parents to provide information on this Persian custom," Agha-Khan explains. "Similarly, many Iranian American parents are eager to share this unique tradition with their children's classmates, teachers, and school." - 3/16/11
End of the year thoughts - 1389: Norouz is upon us and Spring has arrived
The year that is coming to an end has been a tough and a rough one on many of us, wherever we may be in this crazy wide world. For me it was a most difficult year since so many different fundamental and serious things went wrong. -Syma Sayyah - 3/16/11
No "Persian New Year" Leave For Iranian Political Prisoners
The Iranian judiciary is denying political prisoners the leave customarily given to prisoners for Nowrouz, the Iranian New Year that begins on the first day of spring. - 3/16/11
New Crackdown On Iran Students Alleged Following Protest Deaths
Student activists are reported to be coming under pressure in Iran following opposition protests last month during which at least two students were killed, RFE/RL's Radio Farda reports. A former student activist of Tehran's Sharif University of Technology told Radio Farda on March 13 that 16-18 students of that university have been detained since mid-February. - 3/16/11
Iran's national doll Amu Noruz unveiled
Iran's national doll Amu Noruz (Uncle Noruz) will find ways into children's arms at Noruz this year, celebrating the New Year's arrival. - 3/16/11
Abduction of Iran's Green Movement Four Opposition Leaders Condemned
We do hereby submit our grave concerns on the exact whereabouts and the safety of Mehdi Karoubi, Mir-Hossein Moussavi, Zahra Rahnavard and Fatemeh Karroubi. -Signatories... - 3/16/11
Baha'is who offered education to earthquake-hit Iranian region arrested
Iranian authorities have arrested a number of Baha'is who provided education to children in a region devastated by an earthquake seven years ago. -BWNS - 3/16/11
Washington DC: Georgetown University Nowruz
Saturday, March 26, 2011 - Join the Georgetown University Iranian Cultural Society for its annual dinner show. There will be delicious Persian food, egg painting, performances by Georgetown and local students, as well as an afterparty with DJ Arshia! - 3/16/11
No Nuke Power Plants for Iran, Please!
As more detailed news reaches Iran about the disastrous Japan earthquake on March 11, the most powerful in the last century, and about the resultant tsunami that has devastated the Sendai area in northeastern Japan, the Iranian people -- especially those living in Bushehr, the sight of the nuclear power-plant-to-be -- must be feeling not merely a sense of sadness for the people of Japan in these days of severe hardship and suffering. -Reza Fiyouzat - 3/16/11
Iran builds solar reactor
Iranian researchers manufactured solar reactor for the first time in the country, taking the first major step in production of radioisotopes. -ISNA - 3/16/11
Kingdom, Greeting Gulf Soldiers, Is Seen as New Front on Sunni-Shiite Divide
The tiny Island of Bahrain could become a battleground for regional influence between two historical rivals-with Saudi Arabia backing Bahrain's Sunni monarchy, and Iran supporting the Shiite opposition. -Farnaz Fassihi, WSJ - 3/16/11
The Feast of Norouz
Based on Omar Khayyam Neyshaburi's Epistle of Norouz, the designation of Norouz is derived from the fact that every 365 days and a quarter of a day, the sun returns to the first minute of Aries (Farvardin - 21 March) or Spring equinox. - 3/15/11
'Red Wednesday' Takes Top Prize at Farhang Foundation's Annual Short Film Festival 2011
The winners of the 2011 Farhang Foundation Short Film Festival have officially been announced. Red Wednesday by Nazanin Shirazi was named Best Short Film of the 2011 Farhang Foundation Short Film Festival, earning first place. Silky Eloquence by Hossein Khandan came in second place. Rounding out the top three was Walkers by Alborz Kamalizad. - 3/15/11
Photos: Debut of Amoo Norouz Doll
In a program held at the Kids & Young Adults Center's cinema in Tehran on Monday, Amoo Norouz doll was debuted (Norouz is the Persian New Year). - 3/15/11
Iran: UN Secretary General Report Shows Need for Special Human Rights Monitor
The release of a report by the UN Secretary- General, Ban Ki-moon, on the human rights situation in Iran should encourage the UN Human Rights Council to establish a special monitoring and reporting mechanism, the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran said today. - 3/15/11
Connecticut: The Foundation of Iranian of Connecticut's Chahar Shanbeh Souri and Nowruz 2011
March 15 and 26, 2011 - The Foundation of Iranian of Connecticut is pleased to welcome you to the 1390 Nowruz Party. - 3/15/11
Mohseni Ejei: Depth Of Protests In Iran Unexpected
Iran's former intelligence minister Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei says his ministry had been well aware that a "sedition" was coming but was caught off-guard by its depth. - 3/15/11
Iran Calls Military Intervention in Bahrain 'Unacceptable'
Iran has called the military intervention in Bahrain by other countries "unacceptable." The criticism from the mostly-Shi'ite country comes a day after a Saudi-led military force entered the small Persian Gulf kingdom to support its minority Sunni government. -VOA - 3/15/11
As Food Prices Spike, Azerbaijanis Endure Border Chaos To Shop In Iran
Every day, up to 3,500 Azerbaijanis gather at the border with Iran, waiting for hours to cross while crowded like cattle between chain-link fences. What is driving so many people from this oil-rich country to endure such humiliation in exchange for a brief visit to their southern neighbor? In a word: food. -RFE - 3/15/11
Demand for Change in Middle East Not Lost on Opposition in Iran
Political turmoil has spread across the Middle East, forced quick ends to decades of autocratic rule in Egypt and Tunisia and sparked new demonstrations in Iran. - 3/15/11
Jordanian monarch's trip to Iran cancelled
Iranian MP, Hamid Resai has announced that the King of Jordan's visit to Iran has been cancelled. "In view of the current critical situation," he said, "the Jordanian Abdullah's trip to Tehran did not meet the approval of senior Islamic Republic officials." -Zamaneh - 3/15/11
Authorities warn Iranians against mixing celebrations with protests
Iranian authorities are warning families to keep their children from mixing Chaharshanbeh Souri celebrations with political protests. Iranians celebrate the last Tuesday night before the New Year, which begins on the first day of spring, by jumping over bonfires set up in neighbourhood alleys. - 3/14/11
Simin Behbahani Named 2011 Farhang Heritage Award Recipient
Simin Behbahani was recognized by Farhang Foundation at the 2011 Farhang Heritage Award ceremony, which took place inside the Leo S. Bing Theater, as part of Farhang Foundation's Nowruz (Iranian New Year) Celebration at LACMA on Sunday, March 13, 2011. - 3/14/11
Carlotta Luke raising funds for the Omid Foundation
Omid was set up in 2004 by Marjaneh Halati, a university friend of my husband's and an old friend of mine. Marjaneh's commitment and clarity of vision that has created this foundation is astounding. She has literally saved and transformed many lives through her work. - 3/14/11
Bushehr, Not A Second Chernobyl
The Russians claim that they were obliged to remove the fuel from the Bushehr nuclear reactor in order to replace a part that was installed during the time the Germans were managing the construction of the plant. It should be noted that according to the contract with Russia for construction of the Bushehr plant, the Russians replaced all inner parts of the reactor and presented a new design. -Sadeq Rabbani, Iranian Diplomacy - 3/14/11
Sweden: Fire Festival and Nouroz 2011
March 15, 25 - Come experience a magical evening with popular artists, dancers and a fireworks show of the highest caliber. Year after year we hit record attendance and this year we expect over 12 000 happy people in Goteborg. Celebrate spring, jump over the fire, listen to music and eat wonderful dishes. - 3/14/11
Now, Operation AJAX for iPad
The Cat and the Coup is a documentary game in which you play the cat of Dr. Mohammed Mossadegh, the first democratically elected Prime Minister of Iran. During the summer of 1953, the CIA engineered a coup to bring about his downfall. -Farid Marjai - 3/14/11
Iranian journalist sentenced to six years in prison
Abdolreza Tajik, an Iranian journalist and human rights activist, has been sentenced to six years in prison for "membership in illegal groups" and "propaganda against the regime." The Human Rights Reporters Committee reports that Tajik was officially sentenced yesterday. -Zamaneh - 3/14/11
Iran calls for Bahrain to stop use of violence
Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi called for Bahraini government to avoid violence against its people. Regarding the violence taken place in Bahrain on Sunday, Iranian Foreign Minister urged Bahraini government to cease violence against its people and stop resorting to the use of force. - 3/14/11
Perpetrators Who Insulted Hashemi's Family Arrested: An Inside Job?
Tehran's powerful prosecutor Abbas Jaafari Dolatabadi on Tuesday announced the arrest of individuals who had insulted and abused Hashemi Rafsanjani's family three weeks ago. He revealed this during the welcome ceremony of a Tehran court prosecutor. "As we had promised, a case has been filed and the perpetrators of this crime have been identified," he announced. -Kayvan Bozorgmehr, Rooz - 3/14/11
Iran youth team wins Bulgarian wrestling tournament
Iran freestyle wrestling team claimed title of the Petko Sirakov and Ivan Iliev Junior International tournament in Varna, Bulgaria. The Iranian team takes home five gold and four bronze medals from the event. - 3/14/11
Concert: Darya Dadvar In Amsterdam
Darya Dadvar was born in Iran and is presently living in Paris. Darya started as an opera singer. She grew up in an artistic environment in Iran where her mother is a singer and director of the Marionette Theatre. - 3/14/11
Photos: Norouz Festival in Tehran
Spring is around the corner. The arrival of spring also coincides with the beginning of the Persian New Year Norouz. This is a festive occasion for Iranians and many other countries in the region. To welcome Norouz and in appreciation of the various customs observed by the people across Iran, a festival is being held in Tehran highlighting these traditions. - Raouf Mohseni - 3/13/11
Iranian opposition leaders allowed a visit with children
Children of Iranian opposition leaders, Mir Hossein Mousavi and Zahra Rahnavard, reported that they were finally allowed to visit their parents on Tuesday, 22 days after the opposition leaders were put under strict house arrest. The Mousavi children go on to add that the visit has assured them that their parents "firmly stand by their covenant with the people with greater severity than before." -Zamaneh - 3/13/11
A WORLD PREMIERE: HamletIRAN to go on stage in New York
The Siena College Creative Arts Department & Stage III present HamletIRAN. Directed by Mahmood Karimi-Hakak, this production places the story of the Danish prince within the events of the recent Green Movement in Iran. HamletIRAN is about a young person's growth to maturity as he learns of, and reacts to the realities of a time of turmoil in his beloved country. - 3/13/11
Iranians preparing for Nowruz celebrations
Iranians are getting prepared to celebrate their biggest cultural and national event, Nowruz , in coming days. Nowruz "New Day", originally "New Light", is the name of the New Year in Iranian calendars and the corresponding traditional celebrations. Nowruz is also widely referred to as the Persian New Year. - 3/13/11
Vancouver: University of British Columbia Norooz Gala
Saturday, March 19, 2011 - UBC Persian Club, White-Hat Marketing and Hollywood Promotions Present NOROOZ BASH - 3/13/11
University of Pittsburgh Nowruz Celebration
Friday, March 25th, 2011 - Please join us in our Nowruz ceremony, the ancient (and modern) Persian New Year celebrating the first day of Spring. There will be Persian traditional dinner, a series of very entertaining performances - 3/13/11
Iranian activist Shiva Nazar-Ahari awarded Theodor Haecker prize
Shiva Nazar-Ahari, a persecuted Iranian human rights activist, has been awarded the Theodor Haecker prize for her courageous internet reporting on human rights violations. -Zamaneh - 3/13/11
Postmodern Islam and the Arab revolts
The emancipatory movements in the Arab world represent an inner shift in the self-understanding of Islam - one that promises to overcome an era of false polarities and dogmas, says Arshin Adib-Moghaddam. - 3/13/11
Is Azerbaijan Ready For Its Own Revolution?
Originally planned as a "virtual protest," in which supporters could express their solidarity with a simple click of the mouse, the March 11 movement has since morphed into calls for a flesh-and-blood demonstration of growing disenchantment with the country's autocratic regime. It is a move that has rattled Baku. -Arife Kazimova, Daisy Sindelar, RFE - 3/13/11
Ferdowsi Foundation honors Shahram Nazeri
The Ferdowsi Foundation paid tribute to the Iranian vocalist Shahram Nazeri on the last night of the Shahnameh concerts in Tehran. The foundation paid homage to Nazeri for his efforts and achievements in expanding the reading of Shahnameh. - 3/13/11
Officials from 20 countries to celebrate Noruz in Iran
Senior officials from 20 countries including a number of presidents of the Persian-speaking states will be attending the ancient Persian New Year (Noruz) festivities in Iran. The celebrations will be held from March 26 to March 28. - 3/13/11
The Grass is Green: Nowruz Celebrated at UDEL
In the midst of the current cry for freedom in the Middle East, there is a tradition that has been celebrated for nearly 3000 years by the Persian speaking nations around the world. It is called Nowruz or New day. Nowruz is originally a Zoroastrian festival, going back to the time when Zoroastrianism was the main religion in Iran and environs. -Fariba Amini - 3/12/11
Sorrow as jailed Baha'i leader is unable to attend wife's funeral
The Baha'i International Community has described as "desperately cruel" the fact that one of Iran's seven Baha'i leaders has been unable to attend the funeral of his own wife. 81 year old Mrs. Ashraf Khanjani - who was married to Mr. Jamaloddin Khanjani for more than 50 years - died yesterday morning at the family home in Tehran. She had been unwell for many months. -BWNS - 3/12/11
Iran: Opposition website reports lights seen at Karroubi home
Members of Mehdi Karroubi's family reported that for the first time in 18 days, a light has been turned on at their parents' home. - 3/12/11
Battered And Bruised, Rafsanjani May Have Fought His Last Battle
In the blockbuster Steven Spielberg film "Jaws," the shark's death was meant to convey an air of finality -- only for the man-eating fish to reappear in ever-more lethal forms in a series of increasingly desultory sequels. It remains to be seen if the man nicknamed the "Shark" of Iranian politics can display similar powers of recovery and reinvention after a series of defeats that would sink even the most durable of political careers. -Robert Tait, RFE - 3/12/11
Volunteer in the National Iranian American Day of Service: Give Back this Norooz
Today is the last day to RSVP for the National Iranian American Day of Service. In the spirit of Norooz, NIAC is organizing 17 projects across the country for Iranian Americans who want to give back to their community. - 3/12/11
Islamic Republic Arrests Several Baha'is
A number of Iranian Baha'is in Bam, Kerman and Tehran have been arrested, Bam's prosecutor general announced. Mohammadreza Sanjari told ISNA that the arrests were the result of nine months of "intelligence gathering" that led to the suspects being identified and arrested. - 3/12/11
Putting pro-people lipstick on a pro-war pig
Neoconservatives behind the propaganda film Iranium continue to mask their pro-war, pro-sanctions agenda as being somehow supportive of the people of Iran. The producers of the film, which has been criticized as "using the struggle of the Iranian people to push for their war-agenda," recently released a clip arguing that Iranians need communications technology in order to foment a "new revolution" in Iran. -NIAC - 3/12/11
Iran's African Misadventures
Iran has succeeded in derailing its relationship with not one but three West African states in the embarrassing fallout surrounding a secret arms shipment. The row has left the Iranian administration's hopes of expanding its political influence and trade ties with African states in tatters. - Mianeh - 3/11/11
Iranian Students Abroad Decry New Restriction
The director of student affairs at the Education Ministry announced on March 8 that those studying abroad -- both students on government scholarships and those paying their own way -- are forbidden to submit a thesis related to Iran. - RFE - 3/11/11
Iran's Assembly fo Experts calls for prosecution of opposition leaders
Iran's Assembly of Experts issued a statement calling for the prosecution and punishment of "the leaders of sedition," which is how the Islamic Republic refers to MirHosein Mousavi and Mehdi Karroubi, the Iranian opposition leaders currently under house arrest . - RadioZamaneh - 3/11/11
Art Gallery: Katayoun Rouhi - Kambiz Sabri exhibition at the Taiss Gallery in Paris
A woman and a man, both born in Iran in the sixties, exhibit their paintings and sculptures at the Taiss Gallery. Their childhoods were marked by the fall of the Shah's monarchy in 1979 and the Ayatollah Khomeini's establishment of the Islamic republic a troubled time when a conservative regime replaced that of a dictator. - 3/11/11
Ebrahim Yazdi to stand trial on March 13
Yazdi was arrested last September along with other executive members of the Freedom Movement of Iran for attending a funeral and "an illegal Friday prayer." - RadioZamaneh - 3/11/11
Iran ready to supply aid to quake victims in Japan
Head of Iran Red Crescent Society (IRCS) voiced the institute's readiness to supply aid to the victims of earthquake in northeastern Japan. - IRNA - 3/11/11
The International Community will not accept a paradoxical position
Qaddafi has labeled his opponents as "addicted" or "cockroaches". If we are supporting the Libyan people demands and condemning the reaction of Qaddafi, accordingly the head of the Iranian government should not have labeled his opponents as "dirt and dust", and should respect their rights. - IRD - 3/11/11
Commemoration ceremony for Etesami
Etesami (1907-1940) was born in Tabriz and composed her first poem in the classical style when she was eight years old. She received her high school diploma from the American Girls' School of Tehran and also taught at the school for two years. - IRNA - 3/11/11
Iran criticizes US push to adopt human rights resolution
"The resolution seeks to claim that Iran is not cooperating with some special processes of the UN Human Rights Council and determination of a special reporter in Iran." - ISNA - 3/11/11
USA: Radio Javan Norooz Parties
La Vida, Los Angeles - AJA Lounge, Atlanta - Cities Lounge, Washington DC - 3/11/11
AFP Journalist Expelled From Iran
Agence France Presse's news editor in Tehran, Jay Deshmukh, was expelled on Friday by the Iranian authorities who have given no official explanation for their decision. - Financial Post - 3/11/11
The playboy lifestyle of billionaire brothers arrested over bank collapse
The Tchenguiz brothers seemed to come from nowhere and were identified with the boom years leading up to the banking crash. They were in deal after deal. But yesterday it all came crashing down as they were arrested by investigators probing the collapse of the Icelandic bank Kaupthing. UK Dailymail - 3/11/11
Photos: Fishermen in Gorgan Gulf
With the start of fishing season, the fishermen in Gorgan Gulf (Caspian Sea), northern Iran, have become busy once again. Fish especially is in high demand in March since one of the traditional dishes for Persian New Year is fish and rice. -Aboutaleb Nadri, MNA - 3/10/11
Tehran prosecutor says opposition leaders at their homes
Iranian media report that Abbas Jafari Dowlatabadi told reporters that all news regarding the arrest of MirHosein Mousavi and Mehdi Karroubi and their wives is completely unfounded, saying: "The prosecutor's office confirms that these gentlemen are in their homes, and the recently published news has been false." -Zamaneh - 3/10/11
Faces: An Exhibition by Shadi Mahsa
Born in Tehran in 1967 Shadi Mahsa started to paint avidly from the age of 6. From childhood she was trained by some of the most leading Iranian art instructors of the day. In 1990 she left Iran for Sydney. After this time Mahsa went on to participate in numerous art courses and schools in both Australia and the UK. -gallery mamak - 3/10/11
Jailed Iranian Journalist 'In Grave Condition'
Saeed Matinpour's wife, Atieh Taheri, told Radio Farda on March 8 that he has been suffering from severe heart problems since shortly after his detention in December 2009, but has been denied medical treatment. - 3/10/11
Googoosh Nowruz 2011 Concerts
Born on May 5, 1950 in Tehran, Googoosh is an Iranian pop singer and former actress. In the 1960s and 70, she was more widely known as a singer than as a Iranian film actress. At that time, Googoosh was considered the most celebrated recording artist in Iran and much of Central Asia - 3/10/11
Hashemi says leader wants extremists stopped
The Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic wants extremists to be dealt with firmly, says Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, the head of Iran's the Expediency Council. He made the comments to some 60 members of the Assembly of Experts who visited him Tuesday night after he stepped down from the chairmanship of the Assembly, ISNA reports. -Zamaneh - 3/10/11
NAM supports Iran at IAEA meeting
The Non-Aligned Movement has issued a statement expressing support for Iran's peaceful nuclear activities, which was approved by the IAEA. The statement was read out by Egypt's ambassador to the International Atomic Energy Agency during a meeting of the IAEA Board of Governors on Wednesday. - 3/10/11
Portland: Andisheh Center's Chahar Shanbe Suri 2011
Tuesday, March 15, 2011 - On this night young and old jump over bon fires with the phrase "Sorkhi-e to az man, zardi-e man az to," meaning: "Your beautiful red color to me, my sickly yellowness to you." By doing so the past is symbolically left behind in favor of the celebration of re-birth and the new. - 3/10/11
March 15 Capitol Hill conference: Answering the Iranian People's Call for Human Rights
Featuring Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Suzanne Nossel, Swedish Ambassador Jonas Hafström, Congressional Progressive Caucus Chairman Keith Ellison (D-MN), and Nazila Fathi of the New York Times. -NIAC - 3/10/11
Will Political Turmoil Collapse the Old Oil Order?
The political turmoil in the Arab world may not only lead to much higher oil prices, but greater competition for resources and a shift in priorities for oil-producing nations. So says the author of Rising Powers, Shrinking Planet. -VOA - 3/10/11
Foreign Investors Ink $3.3B Contract To Develop Iran's South Pars Gas Field
Foreign investors have signed a contract worth $3.3 billion with Iran's Pars and Oil Gas Company to develop the South Pars gas field, the POGC managing director said in Bushehr on Wednesday. - 3/10/11
Turkey Opposes Sanctions Against Libya, Contradicting its Western Allies
Pro-government forces in Libya are escalating their attacks on rebel forces. The increasing violence is fueling talk for tough sanctions and the enforcement of a no-fly zone against Libya and its leader, Moammar Gadhafi, both in the European Union and the United States. But Turkey, an EU applicant and NATO member, is voicing strong opposition to such moves. -VOA - 3/10/11
Heavy security deployment in Tehran on day of protest
On International Women's Day, Tehran's streets are reportedly filled with security forces preventing people from gathering for anti-government protests. - 3/9/11
Photos: Nowruz exhibition in Iran
Nowruz is a time for great joy and celeberations shared by people of all faiths and ethnicity in many regions inside and outside Iran, and its registered on the UNESCO list of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. - 3/9/11
New BBC Poll: Iran Unloved, But Not Isolated
For the sixth year in a row, Iran has the dubious distinction of being at the bottom of the list of 16 countries whose influence in world affairs is viewed favorably, according to a just released BBC public opinion survey. - 3/9/11
Toronto: Haft-sin art to order
Haft-Sin arrangements for the 2011 Persian New Year celebrations. This collection is custom handmade & detailed by Shahrzad and Fereshteh. - 3/9/11
Iran's Women Remain Outspoken Despite Crackdown
Zahra Rahnavard and Fatemeh Karrubi, the wives of opposition leaders Mir Hossein Musavi and Mehdi Karrubi, respectively, are only the latest examples of women who have been targeted by the Iranian regime. -Golnaz Esfandiari, RFE - 3/9/11
Victim of New Tear Gas in Tehran: Security Pressure Prevented Doctors from Issuing Report
A few days after the February 14 demonstrations in Iran, news reports appeared that the country's security and military forces used a new type of tear gas against street protestors. -Hossein Mohammadi, Rooz - 3/9/11
Opposition website confirms Mousavi and Rahnavard under house arrest
After days of conflicting reports regarding the whereabouts of Mir Hossein Mousavi and Mehdi Karroubi and their wives Zahra Rahnavard and Fatemeh Karroubi, Kaleme opposition website is reporting that its investigation has found that Mousavi and Rahnavard are in their home under house arrest. -Zamaneh - 3/9/11
Iranian Revolutionary Court Charges Sufi Dervishes
A Revolutionary Court in the western Iranian city of Boroujerd has brought some 189 Gonabadi dervishes to court for questioning and presented 10 with criminal charges, RFE/RL's Radio Farda reports. - 3/9/11
Iran unveils Comprehensive Scientific Plan
Over 2000 scientific experts from 800 science and research centers worked together to draw up the plan. The effort took over 36,000 man-hours. The Comprehensive Scientific Plan has been devised based on about 51,000 pages of documents and includes 224 scientific projects which must be implemented by the year 2025. - 3/9/11
Screening of "Pearls on the Ocean Floor" in Los Angeles
Pearls on the Ocean Floor, a feature-length documentary made during the turbulence of 2009 and featuring interviews with several important Iranian female artists, including Shirin Neshat, Shadi Ghadirian, Parastou Forouhar, Sara Rahbar, Gohar Dashti, and others, is scheduled to screen in Los Angeles at The Downtown Independent Theater on Sunday, March 13t - 3/9/11
In Iran, Critic Leaves Key Post .
Iran's highest-ranking moderate official was ousted Tuesday from his position at the head of the country's powerful clerical committee, a move that appeared to consolidate power in the hands of the Islamic republic's hard-line rulers. -Farnaz Fassihi, WSJ - 3/9/11
Eurostat: Iran, 5th Crude Oil Supplier to EU in 2010
Despite the sanctions, Iran's oil exports to the European Union increased 41 percent in 2010, making the country the fifth biggest crude supplier to the block, Eurostat reported. - 3/9/11
Former captain of Iran National Football Team, Amir Masoud Boroumand, dies at 83
He was captain of Iranian football team during the 1950s and steered the team during the 1951 and 1958 Asian Games. Broumand won 13 caps and scored 10 goals for the national team. - 3/9/11
Zahra Rahnavard, Fatemeh Karroubi: challenging the image of "women in the shadow"
These days there is much discussion of two women who, in a departure from the usual treatment of the wives of jailed political activists, are kept prisoner along with their spouses in an unknown place. Two women who played particular roles in the various levels of the protest that developed following allegations of fraud in the presidential elections. -Fariba Davoodi Mohajer - 3/8/11
Iran's Rafsanjani Loses Key Post On Assembly Of Experts
Iran's former president, Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, today lost his position as chairman of the Assembly of Experts, a state body with the power to appoint and dismiss the country's supreme leader. - 3/8/11
Middle East: Troubles of the Past, Promises of the Future
When the febrile Middle East Revolutions give way to cogent contemplation of the fate of the future, the need for formation of a democratic region will take center stage. To achieve this goal, serious effort at detente will assure political and economic stability, growth and advancement. -Sousan M. Alemansour - 3/8/11
"The 21st century will witness women...
...play a defining role in instigating peace in the Middle East and moving the region forward toward democracy and respect for human rights. Women throughout this conflict-ridden region will continue to refuse to remain silent in their struggle against absolutist rule. They will remain committed to fighting against the region's historically patriarchal character. - 3/8/11
Photos: Norouz-khani in Sari, Mazandaran
Persian New Year Norouz is around the corner. This is a festive occasion for Iranians and many other countries in the region. There are many local customs associated with Norouz. One such custom is called "Norouz-khani" and is performed in the villages and towns in the northern province of Mazandaran by the Caspian Sea. As part of this tradition, folk music and songs are performed in anticipation of the arrival of Norouz. -Madjid Nikjou - 3/8/11
On the occasion of International Women's Day: Crackdown on Women's Rights Activists in Iran
On 8 March 2011, while the world celebrates International Women's Day, human rights lawyer, journalist and activist Nasrin Soutadeh will have been in prison for six months, and faces another ten and a half years in jail. Her sentence is part of a systematic assault on human rights defenders and activists in Iran, many of whom are subject to arbitrary arrest, travel bans, closure of their organisations and harassment. -Pen International - 3/8/11
Iranian opposition calls for UN assistance to release leaders
The Coordination Council for the Green Path of Hope has written to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, urging him to make every effort to encourage the release of the two Iranian opposition leaders and their wives, who have been held incommunicado by Islamic Republic security forces since February 14. -Zamaneh - 3/8/11
Iran's puppet show "The Earth and the Universe" to open Spanish festival
The Iranian puppet show "The Earth and the Universe" will be the opening event at the TOT Festival in Barcelona, Spain. The show will have four performances during the festival, which will be held on the occasion of World Puppetry Day on March 21. - 3/8/11
Los Angeles: Iranian Psychological Association's Nowruz Gala
Saturday March 19, 2011 - Join IPAA for Nowruz celeberation, four course Persian dinner, DJ Behshid & DJ Moein, Traditional Haft Seen table. - 3/8/11
Southern California: Caltech Nowruz Celeberation 2011
Saturday March 19, 2011 - Join FICCIT to celebrate Nowruz (Iranian New Year) in an evening of fun and culture. - 3/8/11
PKCF Report for 2010: Blessed is he who reaches out to those in need
We take great pleasure in updating PKCF supporters on the projects funded in 2010, and providing a brief report on our ongoing activities. Without your generous support none of this would have been possible. - 3/7/11
Iran: Allow Women's March for Equality
The Iranian authorities should respect protesters' right to assemble peacefully and express their demands for change, Human Rights Watch said today. On March 8, 2011, the 100th anniversary of International Women's Day, thousands of men and women are expected to participate in demonstrations in Tehran and other major Iranian cities to demand much needed democratic reforms, including full legal equality for women. - 3/7/11
Southern California: UC Irvine Nowruz 1390 Celebration
Sunday, March 20, 2011 - Society of Iranian Graduate Students at UC Irvine (SIGS) cordially invites you, your friends and your family for an unforgettable day full of enjoying programs, to Nowruz Celebration of 1390 (2011). - 3/7/11
San Francisco: Art People Gallery's Persian New Year Celeberation
Saturday March 26, 2011 - PLEASE JOIN US FOR A CELEBRATION OF THE PERSIAN NEW YEAR. Let's embrace the Persian Culture with fine art, live music, and Classical Persian performances! Meet the artists, enjoy delicious food, DJ, & surprises. - 3/7/11
Democracy, Not Islam, is the solution?
The brushfire uprisings that are sweeping across the Middle East raise the question: Is democracy replacing Islam as the perceived solution to the problems of Arab societies? -R.K. Ramazani - 3/7/11
The Tender Pastels of Behnaz Jalali
Born in 1978 Behnaz Jalali grew up under the influence of her grandfather, an outstanding calligrapher. She soon became deeply involved in painting and calligraphy and went on to study art in her university years. -Gallery Mamak - 3/7/11
Northern California- Chahar Shanbeh Soori, Persian Festival Of Fire
Tuesday March 15, 2011 - We have teamed up with the Persian Student Association of Stanford University and Bay Area's Shabeh Jomeh Chapter to bring you a special & exclusive Chahar-Shanbeh Soori celebration with family & friends at a special venue accomodating indoor and outdoor staging areas. - 3/7/11
Iranian police have seized 400 tons of drugs since March 2010
Interior minister has announced that the Iranian police have seized over 400 tons of illicit drugs since March 21, 2010 which marked the beginning of the Iranian calendar year 1389. Mostafa Mohammad Najjar made the announcement in Tehran on Monday on the sidelines of a ceremony during which 42 tons of crack and crystal meth (methamphetamine) were obliterated. - 3/7/11
A Brief History of "House Arrests" and Detentions in "Safe Houses": What Will Be the Fate of Disappeared Leaders?
This briefing paper provides a review of the "house arrest," or detention in a "safe house," of other prominent critics of the Islamic Republic during the past three decades. This history indicates that the majority of prominent persons thus detained were subjected to physical and psychological torture, and forced to make false confessions aired on state-controlled television, and that many of them died following lengthy detentions, and some were murdered. - 3/7/11
Iran Says It Welcomes Hackers Who Work For Islamic Republic
"Regarding the cyber issue, we welcome the presence of those hackers who are willing to work for the goals of the Islamic Republic with good will and revolutionary activities," said Brigadier General Gholamreza Jalali, adding that those hackers who he said are working against people will be dealt with. -RFE - 3/7/11
IRAN: Tehran residents speak up about protests and opposition movement
Babylon & Beyond spoke to people on the streets and in the mosques of Tehran to canvas opinion about recent protests in the Iranian capital, the opposition movement and its leaders. -LA Times - 3/7/11
Photos: Islamic-Iranian fashion show offers new designs
The Niavaran Cultural Festival is playing host to the Islamic-Iranian fashion show where 50 models dressed in a variety of costumes are offering new designs. "All the designs have been prepared and displayed for the first time", Isa Keshavarz said, adding, "We are happy that the costumes and fashions have received significant attention from the Culture Ministry as the supervisor of the project." - 3/6/11
DISTURBING THE PUBLIC OPINION: Art, Culture and Action - Another Possible Image of Iran
8 March - 3 April at Roda Sten in Goteborg, Sweden -- Iran holds one of today's most thriving, yet controversial art scenes, as it has been a ground for production of exoticist commodities. This has often given rise to ideological and commonsensical understandings of the country and its multi-layered problematics: history and heritage, current state of affairs, transitional phases, turmoil, resistance, egalitarian movements, gender issues, exile and the role of art. - 3/6/11
Celebrating Norooz and founding of the Iranian Studies Program at San Jose State University
This program commemorates the establishment of the Iranian Studies program at San Jose State University through a generous gift of the PARSA Community Foundation. Iranian Studies at SJSU will develop curriculum in Persian language as well as research and courses in Iranian and Iranian-American culture. - 3/6/11
Senior judicial expert condemns actions of Iranian government
Ayatollah Mousavi Ardebili, a senior and influential member of the Iranian clergy, has come out with a strong statement condemning immoral government actions, saying he is moved to defend Islam and the Islamic regime. - 3/6/11
Northern California: Persian Center's Norouz 2011 and ChaharShanbeh Souri
Mar 15 and Mar 25, 2011 - Persian Center cordially invites you to "Norouz 2011, Fri, March 25th, 6:30pm at the Crowne Plaza Cabana Hotel, 4290 El Camino Real, Palo Alto; the evening will include cultural performances, dinner, and dancing. - 3/6/11
The Difference Between Jailed Journalists And Their Interrogator
Blogger, journalist, and human rights activist Zhila Baniyaghoob was arrested along with her husband, Bahman Amouyi, in the postelection crackdown. She was released on bail; her husband remains in prison. Baniyaghoob wrote the following post to mark the anniversary of their arrest.. -Golnaz Esfandiari, RFE - 3/6/11
Iranian intelligence ministry to adopt "more agressive" approach against the opposition
Iran's intelligence minister says the Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Khamenei is instructing his ministry to take a more aggressive approach in dealing with "the enemies and intelligence agencies." - 3/6/11
Iran unveils domestically manufactured self-propelled howitzer
Iran's first domestically manufactured wheeled 155-mm self-propelled howitzer was unveiled in Tehran on Sunday. -MNA - 3/6/11
Iran, Turkey, Syria, Iraq agree on issuing joint visa
"As offered by Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, tourists can visit the four countries with the joint visa," Aghamohammadi told ISNA. The measure seeks lessening tourists' expenses and facilitating tourism in the four countries. - 3/6/11
Iran picks new representative to SESAME international council
Iran introduced a new representative to Synchrotron-light for Experimental Science and Applications in the Middle East (SESAME) international council. The new figure, Mahmoud Reza Aghamiri, is a nuclear physics expert and a faculty member of prestigious Shahid Beheshti University. - 3/6/11
New York: Zoroastrian Association of Greater New York Navroze
Saturday, March 26, 2011 - This is going to a fun-filled evening with a lot of activities ranging from the Annual General Meeting of ZAGNY, Elections for the new ZAGNY Board 2011-2014, Silent Auction for the 2012 N.A. Zarathushti Congress, Announcement of the winner of the Gara Raffle. - 3/6/11
Iranian opposition calls for protests on International Women's Day
Iran's opposition coalition, the Coordination Council of the Green Path of Hope, has called on people to join next Tuesday's protests for women's rights on International Women's Day. - 3/5/11
Iran Sees Oil Revenues Hit $80B
Iran forecasts to earn $80 billion in annual oil revenues by the end of the current calendar year (March 20). As a result of the uprisings in the Middle East and North African countries in the past month, global oil prices, including the price of Iran's oil, has been on the rise. - 3/5/11
Treatment Urged For Ailing Jailed Iranian Labor Activist
Tehran's municipal bus service union is urging authorities to arrange medical treatment outside prison for its jailed leader, Mansour Osanlou, RFE/RL'S Radio Farda reports. - 3/5/11
International 100-Second Film Festival announces winners
The International 100-Second Film Festival announced winners during the closing ceremony. The event was held on Friday at the Andisheh Hall of Tehran's Art Bureau and several cineastes and officials attended the ceremony. - 3/5/11
Hashemi Resigns From Tehran Subway Management
In a letter to the mayor of Tehran, Hashemi refers to the expansion of the subway system under his supervision and adds: "Unfortunately the lines are currently operating at half capacity because wagons and equipment have been indefinitely held at customs." He goes on to say that all efforts to release the equipment have failed, further stalling the expansion of "the vital subway service." - 3/5/11
Iran Revolutionary Guards warn of possible "bloodshed" in furture elections
A senior commander of Iran's Revolutionary Guards warned the establishment that if the ninth parliament is not "healthy" and the coming year may be a year of "bloodshed." - 3/5/11
Denmark: Nowrooz Iranian New Year Celebration
Friday, March 18, 2011 - Celebrate with Haji Firouz, Djena's dance group, dancing with Negin, Kurdistan dance ensemble ROJAN, the best Iranian dance music by DJ Arya, and much more .... food and beverages available. - 3/5/11
Iran OPEC Governor rejects lack of oil supply in the market
Iranian OPEC Governor Mohammad Ali Khatibi said there is no lack of oil supply in the market. "Raising outputs by some countries were unnecessary and it may have sought particular and probably political aims," he told ISNA. - 3/5/11
Analysis: Is the U.S. using uprisings to blame, discredit Iran?
The protests sweeping the Middle East appear to be entirely indigenous, borne of discontent with unemployment and the lack of personal freedoms, but that hasn't stopped top U.S. officials from suggesting Iran has a part and trying to send a message to Tehran. -CNN - 3/5/11
Iranian election protester handed 17 years in prison
Iranian political prisoner Farah Vazehan has been handed a 17-year prison sentence and exiled to Rejaisharh Prison in Karaj by the Islamic Republic court, following the Supreme Court's overturning of her death sentence. - 3/4/11
Attempts to visit Iranian opposition leaders denied
The children of Mir Hossein Mousavi and Zahra Rahnavard issued a new statement today describing their latest unsuccessful attempt to see their parents at their home and their growing concern for their well-being. Last night they found no evidence of their parents continued presence there. -Zamaneh - 3/4/11
Iran's Behdad Salimi sets a new weightlifting world record
Iran. Behdad Salimi set a new world record in superheavy category by lifting 214 Kg in the snatch lift during the Iran national championship competitions. -ISNA - 3/4/11
Bushehr Setbacks Trigger Iranian Nuclear-Safety Concerns
Repeated delays in the opening of a showpiece Iranian nuclear reactor are triggering concerns over Tehran's ability to safely run a civilian nuclear-power plant without the risk of a catastrophic accident, analysts say. - Robert Tait, RFE - 3/4/11
Chicago: Nowruz Parade
Saturday, March 26, 2011 - What Can I Do? You can Organize, Recruit and Campaign in your School, Work place or among Friends and Family to form a Unit to participate in the 2nd Chicago Nowruz Parade. - 3/4/11
Clinton Testifies on Iran Sanctions, Nuclear Enrichment, and the MEK
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton appeared before separate Congressional panels Tuesday and Wednesday to testify on the State Department's budget and priorities. The hearings featured a series of pointed exchanges regarding Iran's nuclear program, US sanctions, and the terrorist designation of the Mujahedeen-e-Khalq (MEK). -NIAC - 3/4/11
US Cites Possible Break in Levinson Case
The United States said Thursday that there are indications that missing former Federal Bureau of Investigation agent Robert Levinson, last seen in Iran nearly four years ago, is alive. And Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has made a new appeal to Iran for help in the matter. - 3/4/11
The revolutions in the Arab World: The need for long-term thinking and humility
The events that we have been witnessing in the Middle East during the past few weeks have been truly historic and they will affect not only the future of that region, but will have a major impact on international politics and the economy. -Farhang Jahanpour - 3/4/11
Supreme Leader of Iran and His Successor
The legitimacy of the bedrock principle underlying the Islamic Republic of Iran-the so-called velayat-e motlaqeh-ye faqih, or absolute political authority of an expert in Islamic jurisprudence-has been the subject of serious debate for many years. The issue assumed a more complicated dimension when Khomeini died in 1989. -Bahman Aghai Diba - 3/4/11
Outstanding Iranian-American Students Selected as Summer Fellows
This year, NIAC received a record number of applications from very qualified Iranian-American students from across the country. After careful consideration and much internal deliberation, we are proud to announce the selected students for the 2011 Summer Fellowship Program. - 3/4/11
Response to News of Arrest and Detention of Iranian Opposition Leaders Mousavi and Karoubi
The range of protests against the detention of the leaders of Iran's Green Movement extends from the country's senior ayatollahs to Western governments while news media report on street gatherings that took place in various cities on Monday. -Arash Bahmani, Rooz - 3/4/11
Iranian Businesses Look to Afghanistan for Growth
Iran wants to forge stronger ties with neighboring Afghanistan. This week, Iranian companies took this mission to the Afghan capital, with an exhibition they hope will attract Afghan consumers interested in doing business with Iran. -VOA - 3/4/11
Iran Parliament to examine UAE plan to build man-made islands
Iran's Parliament will start reviewing a decision by the UAE to build more artificial islands in the Persian Gulf, MP Alaeddin Boroujerdi has said. Boroujerdi said that the United Arab Emirates seeks to expand its geographical boundaries and it wants to create lands as it is importing soils from other countries. - 3/4/11
Protests Reported At Iran Chemical, Tire Factories
Workers at two factories in Iran are reported to have protested their employment conditions in recent days, RFE/RL's Radio Farda reports. The protests drew in workers of the Alborz tire factory near Tehran and a major petrochemical plant in the northern city of Tabriz. - 3/4/11
Announcing the Top Six Films of the 2011 Farhang Foundation Short Film Festival!
The 2011 Farhang Foundation Short Film Festival received 73 submissions from all over the globe, including the United States, Iran, Canada, and China to name a few. We are proud to announce that Farhang Foundation has selected the following six submissions as the finalists of this year's online film contest, based on their originality, creativity, storytelling, production value, and visualization of Iranian heritage. - 3/3/11
Photos: Nowruz carpet cleaning
Spring cleaning, or Khouneh Tekouni (literally means 'shaking the house') or 'complete cleaning of the house' is commonly performed before Nowruz. Persians (Iranians, Afghans and Tajiks) and other Indo-Iranian groups (Kurds, Armenians, Azarbaijanis and Balochs) start preparing for the Nowruz with a major spring-cleaning of their houses, and carpet cleaning has become a new year ritual. -Rauf Mohseni - 3/3/11
Iranian academicians appeal to UN General Secretary to intervene on behalf of detained opposition leaders
On the eve of the centenary of the International Women's Day, the Islamic Republic of Iran has held under house arrest and imprisoned, without warranty, charge and trial, two women, who have been influential personalities within its own apparatus all through the 32 years of its rule. - 3/3/11
Iranian Workers Say They're Hungry
"We the workers of Parsilon [a factory] are hungry" read a banner at a gathering during President Mahmud Ahmadinejad's March 1 speech in Khoramabad. - 3/3/11
Iran Executions Under Scrutiny
Iran is coming under increased scrutiny for the number of executions it carries out. Media reports from Iran on Wednesday reported the punishment for 10 drug traffickers. Human rights groups say Iran executes more people per capita than any other country in the world. - 3/3/11
Dallas: NowRouz Festival
Sunday, March 20, 2011 - For the past several years, a large group of Dallas Iranian Americans have been actively involved in the preparation of the NowRuz Festival. Hundreds of children and teenagers have participated in the Festival's artistic classes, including Persian dance, choir, theatre, and music. They show off their newfound skills by performing at the Festival. - 3/3/11
San Diego: Association of Iranian American Professionals Norooz 1390
Saturday, March 19, 2011 - Association of Iranian American Professionals (AIAP) House of Iran (HOI) Persian Cultural Center (PCC) celebrate Norooz - 3/3/11
Seattle: Nowruz Eve Celeberation
Saturday, March 19, 2011 - Golha Kids, Arghavan Ensemble (traditional music), Delshodeh Ensemble ( traditional Persian Dance), Amoo Nowruz and a Surprise Stand up Comedian. - 3/3/11
Maryland: Azerbaijani Novruz Holiday Celebration
Sunday, March 20, 2011 - The Azerbaijan Trade and Cultural Center cordially invites you to the annual Novruz Holiday Celebration, featuring Azerbaijani music, dance, food and activities! - 3/3/11
Iranian judiciary condemns attacks against Hashemi family
The head of the Iranian judiciary has condemned the recent attacks against Ayatollah Heshemi Rafsanjani and his family, and warned that the judiciary will not tolerate such actions. -Zamaneh - 3/3/11
Ebadi calls for Iranian protests for equal rights on International Women's Day
The Iranian Nobel Peace laureate Shirin Ebadi says Iranians fighting for equal gender rights will take to the streets on March 8, International Women's Day. - 3/3/11
Has the Plan to Eliminate Rafsanjani Failed?
Fars News agency called Rafsanjani's public criticism of the Green Movement a "tactical" move and editorialized that everyone knew that the current chairman of the Assembly was in sympathy with the opposition groups and their leaders, Mohammad Khatami, Mir-Hossein Mousavi and Mehdi Karoubi. It also asked why Rafsanjani had met with one of the leaders of the protestors on February 14, the very day that the protestors took to the streets across Iran to show their solidarity with the uprisings in the Middle East. -Nazanin Kamdar, Rooz - 3/3/11
Iranian parliament accuses opposition leaders of treason
Iran's special parliamentary committee examining the protests of February 14 protests said today that those events were "Israeli, American, British, anti-Revolutionary and treasonous." - 3/3/11
Behind the Persian Veil: Theater Illuminating the Iranian Experience
Iran has a sophisticated millennial culture, but it is sometimes hard for Americans to discern that through the haze generated by a theocracy's tirades and the global controversy over the country's nuclear program. That is one of the main reasons that the Brick Theater is sponsoring an Iranian Theater Festival, to undo stereotypes and misconceptions. -NY Times - 3/3/11
Iranian Terrorist Group Courts Friends in High Places
For years now, supporters of the Iranian opposition group the Mujahedin-e Khalq (MEK) have lobbied in vain to have the organization taken off the U.S. State Department's terrorism list. -Barbara Slavin, IPS - 3/3/11
Siddiqui: Iran will be a tougher nut to crack
The 2011 Arab Awakening had a Persian beginning, in Iran's Twitter Revolution of 2009. That uprising against Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's rigged presidential election was brutally beaten back by the clerical regime. But it's back in the streets and facing yet another crackdown. Can it topple the ruling ayatollahs? -Tornoto Star - 3/3/11
Iran arrests hundreds of protesters
Iranian human rights websites report that hundreds of demonstrators were arrested yesterday when street protests broke out across the country. - 3/2/11
Iranian protesters demand release of opposition leaders
Iranian protesters gathered in decentralized gatherings yesterday in Tehran and other major cities calling for the release of the opposition leaders, Mousavi and Karroubi. - 3/2/11
My Super Hero Exhibition: Opening simultaneously in Los Angeles and Tehran
Curators' Note: Rostam the National Hero of Persia , closely resembles the notion of Hollywood's Superheroes. He had a costume , a Hood , a super fantastic horse , a gallery of Archenemies , Magical connections and godlike friends , unprecedented powers and strong tendency to combat threats against Humanity. - 3/2/11
Iranian Activists Appeal To UN Over Missing Opposition Leaders
A number of prominent Iranian activists have written an open letter to United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon urging him to intervene in the case of detained opposition leaders Mir Hossein Musavi and Mehdi Karrubi, RFE/RL's Radio Farda reports. - 3/2/11
Photos: Snow Covering Historic Takht-e Soleyman
Taxte Soleyman is an archaeological site in West Azarbaijan, Iran. It lies midway between Urmia and Hamadan, very near the present-day town of Takab, and 400 km (250 miles) west of Tehran. The originally fortified site, which is located on a crater rim, was recognized as a World Heritage Site in July 2003. -Mahsa Jamali - 3/2/11
Iranian protesters encounter fierce violence from government forces
An Iranian opposition website reports that Islamic Republic security forces are using unprecedented violence against protesters in Tehran and other major cities. - 3/2/11
Fakhrosadat Mohtashamipour, Wife of Mostafa Taajzadeh Arrested During Protests in Tehran
Saham News reports that Fakhrosadat Mohtashamipour, the wife of Mostafa Taajzadeh was arrested during the protests in Tehran today. Mohtashamipour apparently contacted her daughter by cell phone while being arrested. Mohtashamipour's daughter told Saham News: " I could hear my mother protesting to the anti riot police." - 3/2/11
Iran's South Pars Gas Field Phases 15, 16 Over 60% Complete
The South Pars gas field's phases 15 and 16 development plan is currently 60 percent complete. The mentioned phases will come on stream by the end of next Iranian calendar year (March 20, 2012). Iranian government had approved the allocation of $2 billion for the development of the South Pars gas field's phases 15 and 16 in January, 2010. - 3/2/11
San Jose State University Norooz and Iranian Studies
Thursday, March 10, 2010 - On March 10th, San Jose State University will celebrate the Persian New Year just a little early. Norooz, the most important holiday in Iran and among Iranian Americans and other Persian-speaking people marks the arrival of the spring equinox. But this year, Norooz is also marking the arrival of the newly established Iranian Studies program at SJSU. - 3/2/11
Fake Designer Brands Flood Iran
Despite the Iranian government's aversion to nearly all things Western, the country's predominantly young consumers can't seem to get enough of Western brand names. In most of the country's shopping bazaars, popular brand names from Adidas to Gucci can be found in great abundance. But the majority of designer products sold in Iran are fake. - 3/2/11
Russian Foreign Minister Calls for Resumption of Iran Nuclear Talks
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov is calling for the resumption of talks on Iran's nuclear program as soon as possible. The Russian minister said a more constructive approach is needed to resolve international concerns about Iran's nuclear ambitions. - 3/2/11
Ramin Asgard Appointed as the New Director of Voice of America - Persian News Network
Mr. Asgard is currently the highest ranking Iranian American career Foreign Service Officer with the U.S. Department of State. He recently served as a Political Advisor to General David Petraeus and General James Mattis at the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) in Tampa, Florida - 3/2/11
Candian MP issues statement on the detention of Iran's opposition leaders
MP Deepak Obhrai, the Parliamentary Secretary to Canada's Minister of Foreign Affairs made the following statement on March 1st, 2011 in Canada's Parliament on the detention of Iran's opposition leaders by the Ahmadinejad regime. -Salam Toronto - 3/2/11
Iranian Security Forces Clash With Demonstrators
Reports say that Iranian security forces have fired tear gas and clashed with opposition supporters in Tehran. Earlier in the day, opposition supporters said they planned to hold a march in the capital to demand the release of opposition figures Mir Hossein Musavi and Mehdi Karrubi - 3/1/11
Iran's Musavi and Karrubi Reportedly Jailed Ahead Of Planned Protests
The Iranian opposition website "Kaleme," which is close to opposition leader Mir Hossein Musavi, reported today that Musavi and reformist cleric Mehdi Karrubi are being held in a Tehran prison. The development comes ahead of opposition protest planned for March 1. Their wives, Zahra Rahnavard and Fatemeh Karrubi, were also reportedly jailed. -Golnaz Esfandiari, RFE - 3/1/11
Rooftop shouts of protest reported from Tehran
Iranians started shouts of protest from their rooftops after nightfall in Tehran and other major cities, Kaleme website reports. Shouting "Allah-o-akbar!" from rooftops has been a prominent form of protest in Iran since the 1979 Revolution. - 3/1/11
Toronto: Norouz 2011 Group Show
March 03 - March 19, 201 - Here in Toronto, Queen Gallery is delighted to host our second annual exhibition marking this festival of jubilation. This year we have four Iranian artists involved in the show, all of whom are all currently living and working in Toronto. - 3/1/11
London - Iran Heritage Foundation's Norouz Gala 2011
Saturday 19 March 2011 - Iran Heritage Foundation cordially invites you to celebrate Norouz. The evening's programme will include an exciting auction, Edalat Ensemble, Afshin, DJ - 3/1/11
EU considering sanctions against 80 Iranian officials for human rights violations
The list includes members of the police and paramilitary forces, prison officials, prosecutors, judges and other officials involved in "violating human rights and allegations of torture and death of dissidents." The anticipated EU sanctions would include freezing assets and banning travel to participating countries. - 3/1/11
IAAB Teams Up with My Life is Persian for Norouz Video Competition
Iranian Alliances Across Borders and My Life is Persian are excited to announce a video competition in time for Norouz! The winner of this competition will have her/his video showcased for Norouz and will be awarded a scholarship to join us at Camp Ayandeh 2011. - 3/1/11
US Criticizes Iran's Detention of Opposition Leaders
The United States has criticized Iran's detention of two opposition leaders as "unacceptable" and called for their release. -VOA - 3/1/11
United Kingdom - Nauryz Spring Festival in Cambridge
Friday, 11 March, 2011 - Cambridge Central Asian Forum and Cambridge University Kazakh Society, Cambridge University Uzbekistan Society and Cambridge University Azerbaijan Society is delighted to invite you to the annual celebration of the Nauryz Spring Festival. - 3/1/11
Iran Warns Opposition Against Tuesday Protests
Iran has warned opposition activists to refrain from holding any new protests. Prosecutor-General Gholam Hossein Mohseni Ejeie was quoted as saying that anyone who acts against the law will be "dealt with. - 3/1/11
Clinton Backs UN Human Rights Probe of Iran
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, in an address to the U.N. Human Rights Council in Geneva that was otherwise devoted to Libya, said the U.N. agency should investigate rights abuses in Iran. She called for an end to what she termed an "organized intimidation campaign" against Iranian dissidents. - 3/1/11
Iran Says Navy Ships in Mediterranean Not Aggression
Iran's navy chief says dispatching two Iranian naval ships to the Mediterranean Sea for the first time in 30 years was not intended as an act of aggression. -VOA - 3/1/11
Iran's FM Salehi meets with EU Foreign Policy Chief Ashton
Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi met with the European Union Foreign Policy Chief Catherine Ashton. The meeting came following Ashton's request on the sidelines of the UN Human Rights Council session on Monday. -ISNA - 3/1/11
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