payvand.com http://www.payvand.com/news News about Iran and Iranians delivered by payvand.com en-US Sat, 4 Jul 2009 11:20:33 PDT Sat, 4 Jul 2009 11:20:33 PDT http://www.payvand.com/news/09/jul/1033.html American and Iranian revolutionary traditions surprisingly have much in common. When Americans celebrate the 4th of July, they often forget that the core purpose of the famous document penned by Thomas Jefferson was to declare independence from Great Britain. Had the colonies failed in that struggle for freedom to govern themselves, the Declaration of Independence's famous "unalienable" rights to equality, liberty, and life would have been rendered not self-evident. -Wm. Scott Harrop and R.K. Ramazani payvand.com http://www.payvand.com/news/09/jul/1033.html http://www.payvand.com/news/09/jul/1036.html For the last 20 years, the supreme leader has been Ali Khamenei, a man who has never enjoyed that unquestioned status. Khamenei's problems stem from the fact that he was an unlikely choice from the beginning. He did not have the religious preeminence that underpinned Khomeini's central concept for an Islamic state: that it be led by the country's most learned Islamic jurist. -Mazyar Mokti, Charles Recknagel, RFE/RL payvand.com http://www.payvand.com/news/09/jul/1036.html http://www.payvand.com/news/09/jul/1038.html Iran defeated Czech Republic at the Goiania Arena on Saturday and qualified for the final game of the 5th edition of Futsal Grand Prix. Iran was held to a 4-4 draw against Czech Republic but defeated its rival 4-1 in a penalty shootout and advanced to the final game. payvand.com http://www.payvand.com/news/09/jul/1038.html http://www.payvand.com/news/09/jul/1034.html An editorial Saturday in the conservative daily Kayhan accuses Mr. Mousavi of working with foreign governments after he was defeated in last month's presidential vote. It accuses the former prime minister of acting on orders from the United States to incite the post-election riots. payvand.com http://www.payvand.com/news/09/jul/1034.html http://www.payvand.com/news/09/jul/1035.html Do you agree or disagree with the following statements? "Racism is still a major problem in America today." -Taraneh Aminian payvand.com http://www.payvand.com/news/09/jul/1035.html http://www.payvand.com/news/09/jul/1037.html Saturday June 11 at Bowery Poetry Club in New york: Join us as these and other artists of conscience bear witness, in poetry and music, to the struggle for democracy in Iran. Readings and performances by: Rana Farhan, Eleanor Wilner, Luis Francia, D. Nurske, Said Sayrafiezadeh, The Tehran-Dakar Brothers, Roger Sedarat, Amir Parsa, Dalia Sofer, Niloufar Talebi and more! payvand.com http://www.payvand.com/news/09/jul/1037.html http://www.payvand.com/news/09/jul/1039.html In a session held on Wednesday at the Iran Football Federation with the participation of Ali Kafashian, IFF president, Mehdi Taj, IFF vice-president, and Mehdi Haj-Bagher, Ghotbi's agent, it was agreed that the coach will lead the national team to the end of the 2011 AFC Asian Cup payvand.com http://www.payvand.com/news/09/jul/1039.html