Sunday, June 26, 2005

A pessimistic view to Penn's Iran trip

Here is an article by salty sailor about Sean Penn's trip to Iran. It shows that he is very angry and pessimistic about Iran:
I’m curious to see how much space Penn will give to 250 women outside the Tehran University who attempted a sit-in protesting their rights which were revoked after the 1979 Islamic Revolution. They chanted too, “We are women, we are the children of this land but we have no rights.”(New York Times International) Other women were pushed and shoved aside as they tried to join in, cell phone service was cut off and even Penn’s camera was conviscated and viewed, then given back to him; as if he was going to tape any ‘unhappy’ Iranians! I’d be willing to bet he got a good shot of one poster, ‘Iranians, despite the conspiracies of America, will go to the polls.’ Many young Iranians saw the elections in a different light and planed a boycott, as reported by Parisa Hafezi. Twenty five year old Mahim said, “Why should I vote when each vote means a vote for the clerical rule?”
I should say Penn saw a lot of differences between what US has said about Iran and what he could see that if salty sailor himself was here in Iran would write the same as Penn would.
I invite him To Iran.

Saturday, June 25, 2005

A Mayor who Becomes President

Tehran Mayor Mahmoud Ahmadinejad smiles during an election campaign in Tehran, Iran, in this June 12, 2005 photo. Hard-liner Mahmoud Ahmadinejad steamrolled over one of Iran's best known statesman to win the presidency Saturday, June 25, 2005 in a landslide election victory that cements conservative control over the nation's leadership. (AP Photo/Hasan Sarbakhshian)

He won because he was Modest and Sincere and Frank. He told exactly what people wanted to hear and he could attained people's trust. He understood what people really need. He got the point that the main problem of people is not freedom of expression or open political atmosphere or even some other bullshits which many of politicians had told us for many years. People want a suitable easy life. Workers want a reasonable vague and good insurance. Youths want an opening atmosphere to declare their talents and use the upcoming hopes and opportunities.

Wednesday, June 22, 2005

Letter From Tehran

Norman Solomon and Reese Erlich two American journalists who were in Tehran for covering the presidential election , didn’t wait for the Run-Off, and went back to US earlier than expected.
They came to Iran accompanying with Hollywood actor Sean Penn, who is going to publish an account of this trip for San Francisco Chronicle.
Solomon in one of his first memos from Tehran has declared the election was not rigged as Bush had said before. He writes:
"But Iran's election is not rigged. There is a fierce electioneering battle underway here, with some significant differences between candidates. Meanwhile, hindered rather than helped by the bellicose statements from Washington, courageous Iranian activists have begun a new wave of actions against the status quo of theocracy."
Read the whole article Here
Actor Sean Penn In Tehran

Monday, June 20, 2005

Iran says "big no" to US in presidential election

Xinhuanet writes: Iranian Foreign Minister Kamal Kharazi said here Sunday that the Iranians said a "big no" to the United States in the presidential election held on Friday, the official IRNA news agency reported.
"As we have already predicted, the election made the Americans feel ashamed and it proved that they were neither good politicians nor good fortune tellers," Kharazi was quoted as saying. "We hope that the Americans will wake up and revise their stances toward Iran before it is too late," Kharazi said.

Sunday, June 19, 2005

Rafsanjani allies seek unity for Iran run-off vote

Reuters: Iranian reformists urged their dejected supporters to rally behind pragmatic cleric Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani to prevent his surprise hard-line challenger Mahmoud Ahmadinejad from winning a presidential run-off.
U.S. jet leaves after emergency landing in Tehran
A U.S. airliner flying from Bombay to Amsterdam made an emergency landing in Tehran on Sunday, but no one was hurt and the plane continued its journey after repairs, a civil aviation official said. The United States and Iran have been on hostile terms since the 1979 Islamic revolution.

The Northwest Airlines flight landed at 4 a.m. (2330 GMT, Saturday) at Tehran's Mehrabad airport after encountering a technical problem with its cargo section, Mohammad Jafarzadeh, spokesman for Iran's Civil Aviation Organization, said

Saturday, June 18, 2005

Tehran mayor to contest run-off

No one could guess the results of yesterday election in Iran. While every one thought the main competition in second phase is between Hashemi and Ghalibaf something strange happened and now every thing is going to be changed as Tehran Mayor's favor Dr. Ahmadinezhad.

Friday, June 17, 2005

All Iran United In Election

Millions of Iranian people went to polls and cast their votes from early this morning today to elect a new President for four years. In some places participation was so excessive that Long queues were made, and people had to wait for half an hour or more to cast their votes. The foreign reporters and correspondents went every where to cover the election freely, as police and security guards were carefully alert to look after the places in which ballots were taken.
Although US president , Bush last night incourage Iranian people not to vote on Friday Election, voter attendance was higher than expected by foreign commentators and even interior interpreters.
The Financial Times writes: " Thursday’s eve-of-poll statement from US president George Bush that the election “ignored the basic requirements of democracy” appeared not to have dampened enthusiasm among voters."
FT also writes: " Iranians usually vote later in the day, with polls open until at least 7pm, but by 10am queues had already formed at many polling stations in Tehran, with a much livelier atmosphere than last year’s parliamentary election when around 50 per cent voted."
Canadian CBC news and some other foreign media says this election is : " expected to be the country's closest election since the 1979 Islamic revolution. "
BBC covered the election in a different way , focusing the role of Blogs in Iranian Presidency campaign , said a lot of youths had used it as a suitable tool for saying whatever Iranian national media didn’t say.
BBC wrote : "The Persian blogland is less than four years old, and so Friday's presidential election is the first of its kind in the post-weblog world.
Iranian weblogs, one of the largest web communities in the world, owe their significance to the welcome they have received from middle-class Iranians inside and outside the country."
Danny schechter, American news dissector wrote in his Blog: "This is election week in Iran. Is change possible there through the ballot box?"
Then he said about Nobel Prize winner Shirin Ebadi and another Iranian who wrote in the Wall Street Journal: "As Iranians go to the polls on Friday to elect a successor to Mohammad Khatami, the high hopes for reform that brought him to power in 1997 have given way to fear that the hardliners will use this election to consolidate their power and reach an accommodation with the West. Eight years ago, Iranians hoped the election of a reformist would lead to political change, respect for human rights, and the rule of law. President Khatami made peace with Iran's oil-producing neighbors, expanded ties with the European Union, and allowed the development of a vocal opposition. Secret executions and assassinations have largely stopped, and jailing without trial of dissidents has subsided. Even the hardliners' candidates speak of the need for reforms."
Schechter also said in his Blog that Left, right & center Punditologist! Christopher Hitchens has now popped up in Iran for Vanity Fair!

Wednesday, June 15, 2005

CNN Chief International Correspondent Christiane Amanpour talks to front runner presidential candidate Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, back to the camera, at his office in Tehran, Iran, Tuesday, June 14, 2005. (AP Photo)

Monday, June 13, 2005

Who is Bombing Iran's Elections?

Danny schechter: Iran prepares to go to the polls later this weeks. BBC reports "bombs explode in two Iranian cities, killing at least 10 people, days before the presidential election." The New York Times reports today seven attacks with and nearly 80 wounded. Al Jazeera notes: "Iran's main armed opposition group denied that it had any hand in a wave of deadly bombings that rocked Tehran and the south-western city of Ahvaz on Sunday."

Saturday, June 11, 2005

Actor Sean Penn In Tehran

Originally uploaded by .noroozpour The people know Sean Penn the actor, but not many of them know Sean Penn the journalist. Hollywood actor Sean Penn, accompanying with two American journalists, Norman Solomon and Reese Erlich, was present at Tehran Friday prayer on assignment for San Francisco Chronicle. The star of Interpreter and the two other journalists will cover the presidential elections on June 17 , and try to get interviews with all candidates. Meanwhile Penn is going to write the account of this short trip for Chronicle as a journalist. He traveled to Iraq before and after the Iraq war in 2003 and wrote an account of his trip for the Chronicle. Reese Erlich and Norman Solomon also published the book : " Iraq war: What the News Media Didn't Tell You". Solomon is also the author of War Made Easy: How Presidents and Pundits Keep Spinning Us to Death. From My Farsi Blog