Subscribe to Gozaar's feed in order to stay up to date on articles and statements that are posted on Gozaar.http://www.gozaar.orgIn an interview with Gozaar, Dr. Houshang Amirahmadi, an expert in U.S.-Iran relations, discusses the different policy approaches presented by each presidential candidate in regards to negotiations with the United States. In Amirahmadi’s view, the election of Mehdi Karroubi would increase the possibility of resolving issues between Iran and the United States. He argues that Karroubi’s abilities and determination in this matter surpasses those of the other three candidate’s willingness to implement real change.http://www.gozaar.org/template1.php?id=1276&language=englishhttp://www.gozaar.org/template1.php?id=127&6language=english"As the Iranian Presidential Election draws near, Mohammad Tahavori presents our readers with an analysis of past presidential elections and the environments in which they took place. Tahavori believes that the experience of the Iranian presidential elections has shown that elections in Iran are either political and too polar, or ethnic and multi polar. The Presidential Election of 1997 is the best example of an election that was political and too polar. The electorate voted based on their political alliances and without thinking about their ethnicity and tribal affiliations."http://www.gozaar.org/template1.php?id=1275&language=englishhttp://www.gozaar.org/template1.php?id=1275&language=english"Another issue that both candidates have mentioned but have not offered any specific policy on, is the question of inflation. Particularly, Mr. Mousavi has mentioned neither the control of liquidity (money) nor the independence of the central bank. If the government intends to control inflation, it needs to balance its budget so that it does not need to borrow from Bank Markazi (the central bank)."http://www.gozaar.org/template1.php?id=1274&language=englishhttp://www.gozaar.org/template1.php?id=1274&language=english"Now that the Supreme Leader of Iran is supporting Mr. Ahmadinejad, is he going to win the election? The answer to this question will be revealed in the upcoming days. But the truth of the matter is that many do not want Ahmadinejad to be elected for the next term in office. We will have to wait for the days to come."http://www.gozaar.org/template1.php?id=1273&language=englishhttp://www.gozaar.org/template1.php?id=1273&language=english"The only good thing coming out of the appointment of the so called “miracle of the third millennium” was to let everyone see and feel the manifestation of the worst case scenario, under which an autocratic government, by seizing all instruments of power, has driven the country to such regression that one hundred wise men cannot manage to pull it out."http://www.gozaar.org/template1.php?id=1272&language=englishhttp://www.gozaar.org/template1.php?id=1272&language=english"We, the once naïve and simple people of Iran, have become skeptics after years of bitter experience. Although we know that optimism is more beneficial for both body and mind, we have sadly become cynics. But when our emotional and poetic nature is coupled with our two-sided psyche, fickleness becomes our habit."http://www.gozaar.org/template1.php?id=1269&language=englishhttp://www.gozaar.org/template1.php?id=1269&language=englishIn this piece Mohsen Sazegara discusses the tenth Iranian presidential elections. He believes that the development of some marginal issues, such as the development of different schools of thought in the Iranian political field, is far more exciting than the mainstream topics.http://www.gozaar.org/template1.php?id=1271&language=englishhttp://www.gozaar.org/template1.php?id=1271&language=english"I always had, and continue to have, an interest in music. The main reason for my new approach toward film with an emphasis on music is the influence music has had on me. The second reason for my shift towards a new subject matter is circumstantial. The Ministry of Guidance did not want me to make films in the Kurdistan province anymore."http://www.gozaar.org/template1.php?id=1270&language=englishhttp://www.gozaar.org/template1.php?id=1270&language=english"Let's hope that people will rule out any possibility of rigging the ballot boxes through maximum participation but the candidates should also be mindful of their own responsibility so that if need be, they can, with the help of the people, bring the rightful president to office."http://www.gozaar.org/template1.php?id=1268&language=englishhttp://www.gozaar.org/template1.php?id=1268&language=englishJane Lewisohn is a researcher at the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), University of London. Prior to the 1979 Iranian Revolution, she studied Persian literature at Shiraz University, formerly known as Pahlavi. In recent years, Ms. Lewisohn’s research has centered on contemporary Iranian poetry and music, with her latest project focused on “Golhaye Javidan” (Eternal Flowers), a program broadcasted by the Iranian National Radio. In addition, she also plans to translate Tamhidat (Stratagems), a book by Eynol-ghozat, into English. In this interview, we asked her views about classical Persian texts.http://www.gozaar.org/template1.php?id=1267&language=englishhttp://www.gozaar.org/template1.php?id=1267&language=englishThe prominent role of women, and the attention given to their demands, has become a salient feature in the run-up to the presidential elections in Iran. This issue takes on even greater importance when we consider the fact that, over the past thirty years, the turnout of women at elections has always been greater than that of men, even though this high turnout has not necessarily translated into the advancement of women's interests. Had this been the case, today women would enjoy a higher administrative and decision-making status and their demands would have reached greater heights by now. Over the past few years, the Iranian women’s movement has strived to spread awareness and raise the level of consciousness and social participation among women. These efforts have borne fruit in the current election campaign, and it is expected that votes cast by women this time will be purposeful and influential in achieving their demands.http://www.gozaar.org/template1.php?id=1265&language=englishhttp://www.gozaar.org/template1.php?id=1265&language=englishWhat takes place in our society’s many varied fervent lecture halls as a segment of public society, is a relative (not comprehensive and exact) symbol and representation of the private voices and spaces that are suppressed—except for a few rare occasions—and have no legal or human right to surface or to be present. This trend can be revealing to some personalities, like government officials, who function within a limited circle of like-minded peers and who are used to walking by and ignoring speeches, incidents, and signs. They should not be under the impression that this discourse and writing has risen from a small minority. The voices that continue to be ignored today may be the calls and cries that will tomorrow penetrate even the deafest of ears, however late this may be, and may force the self-righteous to agree to hearing the voices that seek change.http://www.gozaar.org/template1.php?id=1264&language=englishhttp://www.gozaar.org/template1.php?id=1264&language=englishOn the eve of the tenth Iranian presidential election, Nikahang Kowsar, Iranian cartoonist, journalist, and blogger, offers readers a satirical piece focused on the campaigning strategies and slogans of each presidential candidates. Kowsar has earned fame through his various political cartoons and commentaries in Iranian publications, both inside and outside of the country. He was arrested in Iran in February of 2000 for drawing a cartoon depicting Ayatollah Mesbah Yazdi and spent 6 days at Evin Prison. Kowsar has been living in Canada since 2004.http://www.gozaar.org/template1.php?id=1261&language=englishhttp://www.gozaar.org/template1.php?id=1261&language=englishI believe that our nation has once again reached a sensitive moment of decision making regarding the essence of transformation. During the 1979 Revolution, the issue of purpose and meaning were brought up and discussed. It wasn’t until 1997 that the issue of defining the spirit of reforms was deliberated again. Today, we once again face similar challenges, with the difference this time, unlike the last two periods, being that the democratic movement is better informed, has specific demands, and will not hand over the helm of its ship to anti-democratic or semi-democratic forces.http://www.gozaar.org/template1.php?id=1262&language=englishhttp://www.gozaar.org/template1.php?id=1262&language=englishIslam and Dissent is a truly excellent critical assessment of the role of Abdolkarim Soroush, the leading Iranian philosopher and religious thinker, in the history of the Islamic Republic. It traces his intellectual beginnings as a lecturer for the Muslim Youth Association in London, where he was studying for a Ph.D. in the history and philosophy of science, to his official position as cultural overseer during the Islamic Revolution, to his current role as the most influential dissident Iranian intellectual.http://www.gozaar.org/template1.php?id=1263&language=englishhttp://www.gozaar.org/template1.php?id=1263&language=englishInstead of policy platforms based on economic development—as seen in the 5th (1989) and 6th (1993) presidential elections—or the platform of democracy and human rights—as seen in the 7th (1997) and 8th (2001) presidential elections—or the platform of justice—as seen in the 9th (2005) presidential elections—the policy platforms of the candidates and political activists of the current election are dominated by issues of increased efficiency and practical knowledge in domestic and foreign policy. The inability of governments, with their various programs and policy plans, to solve the fundamental problems of unemployment and double digit inflation, increased poverty, addiction and prostitution, foreign threats and boycotts, and widespread economic corruption and rent seeking—while silencing the voices that address the causes and symptoms of these problems and that criticize their perpetrators—have brought forth the issues of increasing government efficiency and the replacement of ideological principles with rational ones. Meanwhile, due to political sensitivities, the issue of marginalizing ideological principles has not been mentioned as much. Moreover, within political circles, the issue of the degree to which government control can be decreased without structural and legal reforms and to what extent a decrease in centralized power within the regime is necessary for political survival, has not been debated much.http://www.gozaar.org/template1.php?id=1256&language=englishhttp://www.gozaar.org/template1.php?id=1256&language=englishThe claim made by Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, President of the Islamic Republic of Iran, that he has connections with the Shiite Twelfth Imam, that he tossed the pact of cooperation into the sacred Well of Jamkaran near Qom in order to obtain the Hidden Imam's signature, and that he appointed the Imam to a governing post can all be considered a new phase in the political and medical literature of Iran in dealing with Ahmadinejad’s “delusion.”http://www.gozaar.org/template1.php?id=1257&language=englishhttp://www.gozaar.org/template1.php?id=1257&language=englishThe volume of books and publications published during the Islamic Republic has never reached the levels seen in the years of Ahmadinejad’s presidency. This may sound like an overstatement considering the news we hear about censorship, arrests, and restriction on permits, but based on statistics issued by the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance, this is a fact. The question remains, how can one explore this reality in a more revealing manner? In this short article I will attempt to shed some light on this subject.http://www.gozaar.org/template1.php?id=1255&language=englishhttp://www.gozaar.org/template1.php?id=1255&language=englishIran’s cinema has turned into a bitter story during Ahmadinejad’s government. This cinema, which had secured a strong standing for itself in the world during the last two decades, does not enjoy the same universal recognition and praise today. Iranian films produced under the supervision of, and in accordance with, the guidelines of the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance of Ahmadinejad’s administration, are not looked upon as worthy by those having a hand in world cinema. Instead, they welcome Iran’s underground cinema, which is often produced illegally inside the country.http://www.gozaar.org/template1.php?id=1259&language=englishhttp://www.gozaar.org/template1.php?id=1259&language=englishOne of the most talked about exhibitions of the British Museum in London this year is “Shah Abbas, The Remaking of Iran,” honoring the art of Safavid Dynasty. The British press wrote many articles about the specifics of this exhibition long before its opening.http://www.gozaar.org/template1.php?id=1252&language=englishhttp://www.gozaar.org/template1.php?id=1252&language=englishIn today’s inter-connected world, where all countries have to live side by side, the subject of national interest has gained more importance. Politicians must be able to evaluate the rapid changes occurring in today’s world with precision and diligence and find suitable ways to benefit from them.http://www.gozaar.org/template1.php?id=1251&language=englishhttp://www.gozaar.org/template1.php?id=1251&language=englishAs we approach Iran’s presidential elections, Hadi Khorsandi offers the readers of Gozaar a satirical piece on the recent feud between presidential hopeful Mehdi Karrubi and Keyhan’s manager Hossein Shariatmadari. Khorsandi, one of Iran’s most beloved satirists, has earned his fame through his improvisational poems and his examination of various Iranian sociopolitical issues. Since the Iranian Revolution, he has lived in exile in London, England. Through this engaging poetry, Khorsandi presents a humorous response to the challenging question from Karrubi’s letter to Shariatmadari, Have you Seen the Imam?http://www.gozaar.org/template1.php?id=1250&language=englishhttp://www.gozaar.org/template1.php?id=1250&language=english"To raise and spread women's demands among people and authorities, we will do whatever is necessary, to the best of our ability at the three levels of people, civil society, and candidates. We hope to make women's needs and demands just as important as the needs of society and the authorities during the elections. By realizing the two key aforementioned demands, we hope to eventually take steps towards the other demands of women."http://www.gozaar.org/template1.php?id=1249&language=englishhttp://www.gozaar.org/template1.php?id=1249&language=englishEach individual who receives a salary in exchange for his labor or intellectual capital is considered a laborer. Currently, according to labor laws, two groups known as the Labor Union Organization and the Islamic Labor Council exist, along with Labor House, which is also active as an organization. All three are linked to the government or have close ties to it. Besides these, another group of laborers have instigated the establishment of their own independent organizations within or outside the work environment. Examples are the Syndicate of Workers of Tehran, the Suburbs Bus Company, the Syndicate of Haft Tapeh Sugar Cane Workers, and the Federation of Free Workers of Iran. All three are the true representatives of labor: independent organizations that came about through public meetings and with the direct votes of workers themselves.http://www.gozaar.org/template1.php?id=1247&language=englishhttp://www.gozaar.org/template1.php?id=1247&language=englishThe working class has been influential in the last hundred years of Iranian history. For example, we can refer to its participation and impact during the 1979 revolution. At that juncture in history, the working class was extremely close to the leftist and socialist groups because of the objectives to which it adhered. Regardless, it maintained the respect and acknowledgement of the leaders of the revolution. Ayatollah Khomeini, in the earliest days of revolution, famously articulated about the working class: “The existence of a people is indebted to work and the worker.”http://www.gozaar.org/template1.php?id=1245&language=englishhttp://www.gozaar.org/template1.php?id=1245&language=englishAround the world, for over one hundred years, workers and their trade unions have celebrated May Day - International Labour Day. It is the day on which workers internationally show their shared commitment to justice and freedom. Since the first International May Day in 1890, it has been celebrated in public gatherings but also in jails and prisons - for there are still governments which forbid unofficial gatherings on the first of May.http://www.gozaar.org/template1.php?id=1244&language=englishhttp://www.gozaar.org/template1.php?id=1244&language=englishAs Western media has focused on Iran's nuclear program, Iran's authoritarian government has continued its policy of cracking down on any form of dissent. Civil liberties, including freedom of speech, press, assembly, and religion, continue to be severely restricted. All Iranians suffer from such restrictions by the central government of the Islamic Republic. However, Iran's non-Persian ethnic groups are subject to even more restrictions and discrimination. Azerbaijani Iranians, which are the second largest ethnic group, are no exception. A new wave of arrests has hit the Iranian Azerbaijan activists. Scores of students, journalists, and women's rights activists have been arrested under false accusations and trumped up charges. Plain-clothes officers often seize activists without warning and hold them incommunicado in detention centers for several days before permitting them to contact family members.http://www.gozaar.org/template1.php?id=1243&language=englishhttp://www.gozaar.org/template1.php?id=1243&language=english"Since the Guild Association of Teachers of Iran considers further delay in the implementation of the law in question to be illegal, unjustifiable, and dangerous, it announces that, based on its commitment to the nation, the scheduled protests of February-March 2009 that had been suspended will be re-staged beginning on April 26, 2009."http://www.gozaar.org/template1.php?id=1242&language=englishhttp://www.gozaar.org/template1.php?id=1242&language=english"Mr. Ahmadinejad, we write this letter at a time when you have personally called for the investigation of Roxana Saberi’s case, while in many other instances you have criticized the violations of the rights of Palestinians and other distressed populations of the world. Without a doubt, we too will be pleased with the release of Saberi and the emancipation of all the oppressed of the world, but are you only concerned with the rights of citizens of other countries?"http://www.gozaar.org/template1.php?id=1241&language=englishhttp://www.gozaar.org/template1.php?id=1241&language=englishIranian filmmaker Bahman Ghobadi has written an open letter following the arrest and conviction of Roxana Saberi. The text of Bahman Ghobadi's letter is as follows: If I kept quiet until now, it was for her sake. If today, I speak, it is for her sake. She is my friend, my fiancée, and my companion. An intelligent and talented young woman whom I have always admired.http://www.gozaar.org/template1.php?id=1237&language=englishhttp://www.gozaar.org/template1.php?id=1237&language=englishLooking Amir Abbas Hovayda straight in the eye, Jalal Al-e Ahmad sounded his fierce battle-cry, “Our pens will be mightier than your swords,” declaring in no uncertain terms to the Prime Minister that the Government, the Prime Minister, and his “Light of the Aryans” Shah, that the pen was going forth to fight its historic, uneven battle in Iran. It would take its position this time from ramparts of a different sort, from ramparts of a democratic guild association, from the ramparts of the Kanun-e Nevisandegan-e Iran; the Writers’ Association of Iran.http://www.gozaar.org/template1.php?id=1236&language=englishhttp://www.gozaar.org/template1.php?id=1236&language=englishContrary to popular belief, the presence of Iran’s cinema in film festivals is nothing new. Iran participated in a variety of international festivals even before the revolution, and was gaining more attention in the accredited world festivals during the last decade of the Shah’s regime. The new wave of interest in cinema in Iran – which gave rise to a new era known as “festival-worthy cinema” - began in the mid 80’s. It was during this time when “The Runner” (1985), directed by Amir Naderi, was presented in a few international festivals and became the most viewed Iranian movie in film festivals.http://www.gozaar.org/template1.php?id=1238&language=englishhttp://www.gozaar.org/template1.php?id=1238&language=englishI would like to express my gratitude to President Obama for his Nowruz address and I am hopeful that the talks with his leadership will based on mutual respect and interest. Let me tell you as an Iranian insider how I perceived Iran’s Supreme Leader respond to the Nowruz Message of the President.http://www.gozaar.org/template1.php?id=1233&language=englishhttp://www.gozaar.org/template1.php?id=1233&language=englishWith Barack Obama in the White House, there is talk of hope among Iranians and Americans. Hope for an easing in tension, development of diplomatic relations and normalization of political relations between the two governments. This hope is not altogether unrealistic if we recall how the American and Soviet governments managed to maintain diplomatic relations even during the darkest days of the Cold War and there is no reason that differences between Iran and the U.S., no matter how serious, should prevent the two sides from opening up to dialog and diplomatic relations. According to some opinion polls, the majority of the American people support the approach Obama has adopted in order to conduct face-to-face talks with Iran [1]. Opinion polls conducted by independent polling organizations in Iran show that the majority of Iranian people also desire talks and normalization of diplomatic relations with the U.S.[2]http://www.gozaar.org/template1.php?id=1231&language=englishhttp://www.gozaar.org/template1.php?id=1231&language=englishThe two recent deaths of political prisoners in the prisons of Rajaie Shahr and Evin have once again attracted the attention of domestic and international human rights organizations, illustrating the Iranian authorities’ disregard for the health and medical treatment of political prisoners and their disrespect for human rights.http://www.gozaar.org/template1.php?id=1232&language=englishhttp://www.gozaar.org/template1.php?id=1232&language=englishThe 1978-1979 Iranian Revolution has been classified by some analysts as a “social revolution,” involving multifarious political, economic, social, cultural, social-psychological, and organizational changes. Thirty years into the Islamic Revolution, one can hardly identify a social domain not influenced by the complex historical process that the revolution unleashed. Many of these changes involving women, ethnic/religious minorities, foreign policy, elections, secularization, youth, students, and the like, have been the subjects of intense academic debates in recent decades. The purpose of this presentation is to shed light on the discursive changes that have taken place in the opposition movement since the mid 1990s. While descriptive accounts of the Islamic “reform movement” are abundant, the more recently emerging, post-reformist “secular-democratic” discourse, has received less academic attention. Furthermore, these oppositional, “secular-democratic” discourses have not been analyzed in terms of a specific social variable or context. This paper will make an attempt to deal with these shortcomings.http://www.gozaar.org/template1.php?id=1227&language=englishhttp://www.gozaar.org/template1.php?id=1227&language=englishTo examine the nature of democracy, it is first useful to define the political system in both its ideal state and in practice. This differentiation has philosophical merit, but it also includes an element of moral judgment.http://www.gozaar.org/template1.php?id=1221&language=englishhttp://www.gozaar.org/template1.php?id=1221&language=english"Ayatollah Khamenei, sir, in a speech last year you declared that criticism of the leader is permitted, hence our question is: as bloggers, how should we critique you so that we do not end up in prison with the same consequences as several other political prisoners within the past month?"http://www.gozaar.org/template1.php?id=1224&language=englishhttp://www.gozaar.org/template1.php?id=1224&language=englishKhorsandi, one of Iran's most beloved satirists, has earned his fame through his improvisational poems and his examination of various Iranian socio-political issues. Khorsandi has lived in exile in London, England ever since the Iranian Revolution took place in 1979. Gozaar is in the process of translating this article into English. For now it can be viewed in Persian.http://www.gozaar.org/template1.php?id=1223&language=englishhttp://www.gozaar.org/template1.php?id=1223&language=englishWhen Khatami decided to pull out of the presidential race only ninety days before the election day, I wrote a short goodbye post for him. The language I used in the post was quite informal, even when compared with the normal standards of my blog. Not only was the language informal, the message of the post was largely unorthodox. I suggested that, now that Khatami is gone, Ahmadinejad will, hopefully, be reelected and then we will see if taking the fruit basket out of the presidential plane[1] will result in national prosperity. I referenced reports published by the state-run media—and cherished by fans of Ahmadinejad—that the President made a minister of the cabinet pay the extra expense of printing a brochure on glossy paper instead of plain white paper, out of his own pocket. The day after any such reports—and we have had a lot of them in the past three years—there would be one blogger who would go the last mile and do the math to show that the President and his fans are proud of a revolutionary action that saved the government less than one thousand dollars, when the National Audit Office is reporting one billion dollars in oil revenue that is missing.[2] That post received a comment from a reader that said “Now you have to ask yourself why Iranians take the idea of a simple life so seriously and why they are hurt by other leaders who lead lives of extravagance.[3]” That comment is the reason that I think the recent actions taken by Bluehost[4] are bad for Iran and the rest of the world.http://www.gozaar.org/template1.php?id=1222&language=englishhttp://www.gozaar.org/template1.php?id=1222&language=englishUnfortunately, given the absence of real political parties in the current system, rather than talking about political forces as being made up of parties with specific agendas, we can really only speak in terms of individuals as the forces shaping the elections. Thus, there is a direct relationship between the individual and the structure of power. Or, to put it differently, the more an individual becomes closer to the center of power, the more that individual wields influence on the balance of power. For this reason, in order to get a clear picture of the electoral landscape in Iran, one must look at the intended goals and desires of the central hub of power.http://www.gozaar.org/template1.php?id=1220&language=englishhttp://www.gozaar.org/template1.php?id=1220&language=english"We request that, for the love of god and for the peace of mind of our family, you ask that, along with an inspection of the matter of the defamation and slander against our son, every effort is made to investigate his case of temporary arrest."http://www.gozaar.org/template1.php?id=1219&language=englishhttp://www.gozaar.org/template1.php?id=1219&language=englishOn the eve of the Iranian New Year, Hadi Khorsandi offers the readers of Gozaar a delightfully satirical piece focused on Spring. Khorsandi, one of Iran's most beloved satirists, has earned his fame through his improvisational poems and his examination of various Iranian socio-political issues. Khorsandi has lived in exile in London, England ever since the Iranian Revolution took place in 1979.http://www.gozaar.org/template1.php?id=1216&language=englishhttp://www.gozaar.org/template1.php?id=1216&language=englishAccording to an Iranian tradition, sitting at the Haft Seen table during the turn of the year and reciting prayer and wishing well for oneself, one’s family, friends, and country are worthy and admirable customs. But what has been added to this tradition in the last few years are “the tears” of mothers, fathers, wives, husbands, and children who have become the victims of the organized violation of human rights. If Norooz was the harbinger of happiness and peace in the past, it has now turned into an opportunity for visits that, instead of being an occasion for expressing good wishes, provides people with a chance to utter their sympathy and support for those who spend their Norooz beside the graves of their dearest ones, behind the walls of Evin or Rejayee Shahr prisons, or are filled with regret about the forced migration of their children and friends. This is the only “hope” and consolation they can offer each other.nhttp://www.gozaar.org/template1.php?id=1217&language=englishhttp://www.gozaar.org/template1.php?id=1217&language=englishNote: With the New Year approaching, we went to see Esmael Khoi, the London-based man from Khorasan who taught philosophy in Tehran many years ago. Khoi has a long history of intimacy with feelings and words and, after all these years, he still concerns himself with the Persian language and Iranian culture. We talked about the great Ferdowsi[1] and the reward he received for thirty years of patience and serenity, the myth of Jamshid, and a time when justice and goodness were present—at least in fables and legends. We talked about the appeal of those same legends in our lives today and our hopes for the future because, if what was then did not last, there is no doubt that this, too, shall pass.http://www.gozaar.org/template1.php?id=1211&language=englishhttp://www.gozaar.org/template1.php?id=1211&language=englishWith the start of the New Year, yesterday’s Iranian revolutionaries are facing their thirtieth spring. This could be an indication that the “newly established Islamic Republic of Iran” has been transformed into a sturdy tree, but when looking at the challenges and difficulties facing this regime of thirty years, one can easily conclude that turmoil awaits.http://www.gozaar.org/template1.php?id=1208&language=englishhttp://www.gozaar.org/template1.php?id=1208&language=englishOn the threshold of the Iranian New Year, when Spring dances again, we exchanged a few words with Shahrokh Moshkin Ghalam, a well-known Iranian artist among connoisseurs of Western performance art. In addition to Iranian folk dances—having studied dances performed in Indonesia like the Barris and Topeng, and traditional dance styles of India like Katak and Katakali, as well as the Kaboli of Japan—Shahrokh has pursued drama and dance side-by-side and has managed to successfully blend performance elements of the East and West while developing a new style of dance. According to Shahrokh, this dance, despite benefiting from Persian music and lyrics, is not entirely an "Iranian" dance.http://www.gozaar.org/template1.php?id=1212&language=englishhttp://www.gozaar.org/template1.php?id=1212&language=englishAt the present, the media no longer play up the themes of dictatorship of the proletariat and class struggle. One reason is that this line of propaganda was used as sort of a magical potion by the Gang of Four, who have now been overthrown. Another reason, which is even more important, is that the people have had enough of all that and can no longer be deceived.http://www.gozaar.org/template1.php?id=1213&language=englishhttp://www.gozaar.org/template1.php?id=1213&language=englishNorooz means “New Day” and always fall on the first day of Spring, but is not just celebration of beginning of the spring; it is also celebration of transition from winter to spring. The Azerbaijan region in Iran is known for having harsh winters with a lot of snow which usually stays on the ground for weeks. However, the last month of winter is usually mild, and the snow starts the gradual melting process. Azerbaijanis call this last month of winter “Bayram Ayi” [month of the holiday]. Norooz celebrations begin about one month before March 21st. On the eve of beginning of the last month of winter in many parts of Iranian Azerbaijan, especially in the villages, small camp fires are built. Usually neighbors have joint campfires in a court or ally in front of their houses. In the local language this ceremony is called “Chille Qovdu” which means sending-off [or expelling] winter. It is similar to building camp fires on the eve of the last Wednesday before Norooz when people, especially teenagers, jump over the fire.http://www.gozaar.org/template1.php?id=1209&language=englishhttp://www.gozaar.org/template1.php?id=1209&language=englishNot too long ago, a meeting was convened in London entitled the “Democratic Alternative.” In this one day seminar, which took place at the Kensington Hotel in London, speakers deliberated the current impediments to realizing democratic goals in Iran, and in doing so, contemplated prospects for the next thirty years in Iran’s future. During this session, which was meant to be a discussion with the goal of dialogue between pro-democracy groups, several representatives from the media, political activists, and students were present, so that each could express and share their views and existing impediments regarding the establishment of democracy in Iran. The son of the former Shah, Reza Pahlavi, was also a special guest at this conference.http://www.gozaar.org/template1.php?id=1206&language=englishhttp://www.gozaar.org/template1.php?id=1206&language=englishThe most urgent and pivotal policy of the followers of Islam in the recent century has been to curtail the freedom and rights of women. They justify it by calling it their campaign against moral corruption and promiscuity, and preserving women’s status and dignity. At times this goal was considered even more important than establishing the Islamic government and gaining authority. From their point of view, this moral corruption and promiscuity has its roots in the western world, not in the Muslim nations. The freedom that women enjoy in the West is often used as an example of moral corruption. They believe that in the West women are turned into sex objects. They then conclude that the salvation of society lies in returning women to their homes, covering the different parts of their bodies, hiding their shape, and putting a limit on their freedom in the public domain.http://www.gozaar.org/template1.php?id=1203&language=englishhttp://www.gozaar.org/template1.php?id=1203&language=englishOn March 8, 1857, female workers at textile and garment factories in New York staged a demonstration demanding better working conditions. In response to the protest, police attacked the women. Fifty years later, in 1907, the women of New York marked the anniversary of this event by once again taking their protest to the streets of the city. On February 23, 1909, the last Sunday of the month, two thousand women's suffrage activists staged a wide-spread demonstration shouting slogans demanding their right to vote. At the 1910 meeting of the Second International Conference of Socialist Women in Copenhagen, Clara Zetkin put forth the idea of an International Women’s Day. In 1913, the Women’s International Secretariat declared March 8 as International Women's Day in commemoration of those women workers from the factories of New York who had dared to stand up and protest. Finally, in 1975, the United Nations formally proclaimed March 8 as International Women’s Day.http://www.gozaar.org/template1.php?id=1202&language=englishhttp://www.gozaar.org/template1.php?id=1202&language=englishThe events that took place over the past few days at Amir Kabir University of Technology remind us of the bloody events of July 8, 1999, also known as the 18th of Tir by the Iranian calendar. In a repeat of the University of Tehran dormitory events, the events at the polytechnic turned into a free-for-all by plain-clothed security squads.http://www.gozaar.org/template1.php?id=1201&language=englishhttp://www.gozaar.org/template1.php?id=1201&language=englishI met her only once in 1966 in front of the “Iranian-American Association,” which was located near the University of Tehran back then. I remember there was a poetry night in which Forough also participated. When the session ended, I went to Forough who was sitting on a staircase and chatting with Ahmad Reza Ahmadi.[1] I joined them and, after some initial greetings, showed her one of my poems. After reading my poem, she encouraged me to continue my work. At the time I was a 12th grade student, but I had already published some of my poems in Ferdowsi Magazine. Unfortunately, I never met her again. The next memory that leaps to my mind is the day when Forough’s body was buried and that cold atmosphere of Zahiroldoleh cemetery. What was interesting to the young people on that day, including myself, was the presence of many of Iran’s well-known literary personalities [at the funeral]. For example, I remember Jalal Ale-Ahmad’s[2] face very well. I remember that I went to Jalal and had a picture taken with him on that day. I also remember the tears of Kiumars Monshizadeh who was kind to young people. That day I stood beside Mr. Monshizadeh and cried with him. This occurred once more when we had to make our farewell to Jalal Ale-Ahmad.http://www.gozaar.org/template1.php?id=1200&language=englishhttp://www.gozaar.org/template1.php?id=1200&language=englishThe announcement of Mohammad Khatami’s candidacy in the upcoming Iranian presidential election, and the support of some traditionalists for Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has helped clarify the agenda of the authorities, and others involved in the tenth presidential election. The elections could be bipolar (Ahmadinejad vs. Khatami) or multipolar (Khatami, Mehdi Karroubi, and Mirhossein Moussavi on behalf of the reformists who back Velayat-e Faqih and Mahmood Ahmadinejad, Hassan Rohani, Ali Larijani, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, Mohsen Rezaii, Mostafa Pourmohammadi, and Ali Akbar Velayati on behalf of the hardline and totalitarian faction), but all declared candidates represent the interests and concerns of the ruling class and adhere to the leadership’s interests.http://www.gozaar.org/template1.php?id=1199&language=englishhttp://www.gozaar.org/template1.php?id=1199&language=englishKhatami is the most liberal and democratic person who can take part in the elections and stand a chance to win. Of course, there are people along the liberal camp who are farther to the left than Khatami, but it is highly unlikely they would be able to pass through the filters of the Council of the Guardians. Of the short-listed candidates approved by the Council of Guardians, such as Mehdi Karrubi and Mir-Hossein Musavi, I believe Khatami is more concerned about democracy.http://www.gozaar.org/template1.php?id=1198&language=englishhttp://www.gozaar.org/template1.php?id=1198&language=englishWe are in the same days that revolution took place. If we go back by thirty years, we will find ourselves in the same days during which people were bound together as links in a chain. They were acting as a single soul. Their sweet dreams mingled with their pleasant anxieties. People, who had put their years of sufferings in their backpacks, were carrying them in the streets. They hoped the wind would blow them away forever. It seemed as if they had all fallen in love, the young and the old. On those days no one was afraid of death. Death was afraid of them. They had expelled the Shah, despite all his power. The suffering people were supposed to be their own masters. Why couldn’t they? They were not supposed to have another master. All miseries and misfortunes had been because of the Shah and his accomplices who were all gone.http://www.gozaar.org/template1.php?id=1194&language=englishhttp://www.gozaar.org/template1.php?id=1194&language=englishWith “Prostitution behind the Veil” and “Four Wives - One Man,” Nahid Persson Sarvestani had already established her reputation as a documentary filmmaker in Sweden, her adopted country of many years. Now she has chosen another provocative Iranian subject: Farah Pahlavi, widow of the deposed Shah of Iran. Her documentary film, “The Queen and I,” has been shown at the Documentary Film Festival of Amsterdam, the Sundance Film Festival, and the Göteborg International Film Festival, where it was the opening film.http://www.gozaar.org/template1.php?id=1195&language=englishhttp://www.gozaar.org/template1.php?id=1195&language=englishCensorship is a behavior some governments adopt in order to control people’s eyes, ears, and minds. The imposing government tries to control the entire mass media, from the press, television and internet, to books, music, art and cinema. It even denies people the freedom of choosing their clothing and grooming. These governments strive to control people by feeding them the information needed for the survival of their regime. Censorship is a useful tool for any ideological regime such as the Islamic Republic. The regime maintains its authority by integrating the people’s belief system into its own ideology, thereby organizing a new tyranny.http://www.gozaar.org/template1.php?id=1193&language=englishhttp://www.gozaar.org/template1.php?id=1193&language=englishThe totalitarian rule of the Shiite Clergy in Iran has survived in the past three decades through pretensions to sacredness and by creating enemies, playing the role of the victim, making embarrassing scenes, psychological projection, fraud, mendacity, corruption, suppression, and terror. These fraudulent behaviors are an inseparable part of the rule of the clergy because this regime, which is not in power through the votes of the people but which holds itself out to be the representative of God on earth, has no choice but to resort to fraud in order to survive. Although the history of the fraudulent ways of authoritarian regimes is as old as the social life of humanity and, despite the fact that the literature of political opposition is replete with references to the regime’s lies, the fraudulent methods and tactics of those at the very summit of power in the Islamic Republic have rarely been discussed.http://www.gozaar.org/template1.php?id=1192&language=englishhttp://www.gozaar.org/template1.php?id=1192&language=englishI have witnessed these developments from the very beginning. We can start with “Iranshahr,” created by Hossein Bagherzadeh and edited by Ahmad Shamlou, which was first published in London before the revolution and continued afterward. Many monthlies, weeklies, and other more random publications have appeared during these thirty years. Many of them were run by those who were not journalists and writers before the revolution, and most, if I may say so, didn’t even read newspapers. But here, in this vast space, they have all turned to journalism.http://www.gozaar.org/template1.php?id=1187&language=englishhttp://www.gozaar.org/template1.php?id=1187&language=englishSince Mahmoud Ahmadinejad took office as President of Iran, academic freedom has eroded as the leaders of the Islamic revolution have assumed control of every aspect of the nation's universities in a determined effort to suppress thoughts that might weaken their hold on the country.http://www.gozaar.org/template1.php?id=1186&language=englishhttp://www.gozaar.org/template1.php?id=1186&language=englishAs Iranians, we are heir to an ancient and rich civilization. As immigrants, we have been exceptionally successful in attaining the highest levels of education and the highest standards of living. But we are a divided nation. And it is only in finding a shared humanity that transcends our ideological, religious, and political differences, that we can heal the wounds of the past. It is only in recognizing the fundamental rights of each and every Iranian citizen that we can build a better and stronger nation that will be a leader in the world community rather than an outcast.http://www.gozaar.org/template1.php?id=1185&language=englishhttp://www.gozaar.org/template1.php?id=1185&language=englishIn response to this question, we have to take a closer look at the revolution’s ideals once again to see whether any deviation from those ideal has really occurred or not. Then we can examine its roots and consequences. To understand the revolution’s ideals, it is essential to know the views that the founders of the revolution held and the slogans they employed. To appraise these views correctly, we should go back to the Constitutional Revolution when, for the first time, the theory was put forward that religion could solve all problems, including the problems that existed between Iran and the modern world. In a nutshell, this theory asserted that, by returning to Islam and according to the principles of figh (Islamic jurisprudence), we can find the answer to all the riddles of history, including the constitutional rule.http://www.gozaar.org/template1.php?id=1179&language=englishhttp://www.gozaar.org/template1.php?id=1179&language=englishThose who travel for the first time to Tehran, capital of the Islamic Republic of Iran, will find this crowded and dirty city different from what they had imagined, especially if they are coming from a Western country. It is said that Iran is an Islamic country but it does not quite have all the emblems of an Islamic country such one might see in Saudi Arabia or Oman. However, as much as the Iranian government claims that Iran is an Islamic country, unofficially, one can find dancing, alcoholic drinks, and even relationships outside of marriage displayed out in the open in Iran. However, Iran is still a society with a Muslim majority and an Islamic power whose fingerprints can be found on many global crises.http://www.gozaar.org/template1.php?id=1178&language=englishhttp://www.gozaar.org/template1.php?id=1178&language=englishShirin Neshat, who immigrated to the U.S. with her family around the time of the 1979 Iranian Revolution, is an internationally known visual artist whose works are some of the most highly priced pieces by Iranian artists. Neshat made a name for herself with Allah's Women, a striking collection of photographs of chador-clad women with lines of Perso-Arabic script on their faces, hands, and legs. Her foray into video installations has also yielded impressive results, including two titled Tooba and Mahdokht.http://www.gozaar.org/template1.php?id=1177&language=englishhttp://www.gozaar.org/template1.php?id=1177&language=english2,000 students, defenders of equal rights, and civil society activists protested, in a statement, the treatment of Zeynab Bayazidi, a woman activist in the Kurdish city of Mahabad. They also decried the treatment of other women activists who are in prison and expressed their support for the appeal made by Syed Mehdi Hojjati, Zeynab Bayazidi's lawyer, to review the ruling issued against her.http://www.gozaar.org/template1.php?id=1176&language=englishhttp://www.gozaar.org/template1.php?id=1176&language=englishThe Federation of Iranian Journalists has issued a statement criticizing recent actions taken by the Press Supervisory Committee saying in it that the wave of suspensions against independent publications over the past three years by the Press Supervisory Committee has now reached a point well beyond the warning stage, while at the same time, this same Committee has been unfairly favoring applicants for a publication license.http://www.gozaar.org/template1.php?id=1175&language=englishhttp://www.gozaar.org/template1.php?id=1175&language=englishTwo themes run through Professor Mehran Kamrava’s new book about contemporary Iranian intellectuals: one is the debate about the source of political legitimacy and the responsibilities of those who govern, and the other is the degree to which modernity has a place in an Islamic republic.http://www.gozaar.org/template1.php?id=1172&language=englishhttp://www.gozaar.org/template1.php?id=1172&language=englishDuring both the Khomeini and Khamenei eras, the oppressive and totalitarian regime of the Islamic Republic has systematically undermined civil institutions, independent media, labor syndicates, nonconformist parties and, finally, student and university organizations. This is even truer of independent religious and clerical institutions in Iran. The inception of the religious government in Iran marked the demise of a thousand-year coexistence of the Shiite institutions with secular states in the country. It put an end to the dual roles of these institutions as the apologists of the ruling systems on the one hand, and the spokesperson for the people on the other.http://www.gozaar.org/template1.php?id=1169&language=englishhttp://www.gozaar.org/template1.php?id=1169&language=englishThe name “Theatre Workshop,” which in the 1970s had an important role in shaping Iran’s modern and experimental theater, is inseparable from Arbi Ovanessian’s name. But since the revolution, Arbi has been living outside Iran and has kept the secrets of this valuable movement in Iran’s theatre by not having any conversation in Farsi about it.http://www.gozaar.org/template1.php?id=1170&language=englishhttp://www.gozaar.org/template1.php?id=1170&language=englishOn November 1st, the controversial Canadian-Iranian weblogger Hossein Derakhshan was arrested in Tehran by agents of the judiciary. They were acting on orders of the notorious prosecutor-general Saeed Mortazavi, implicated in the torture and murder of Canadian-Iranian photojournalist Zahra Kazemi in July 2003. The arrest has created a predicament and challenge for the Canadian government as well as democratic forces in the Canadian-Iranian diaspora. Since President Ahmadinejad's reign in 2005, the self-styled "blogfather" who once championed the reformist cause in cyberspace had turned his talents to defamation of human rights advocates and anti-Western propaganda. It is now up to those he mercilessly defamed to ensure that he doesn't meet a tragic fate similar to Kazemi.http://www.gozaar.org/template1.php?id=1168&language=englishhttp://www.gozaar.org/template1.php?id=1168&language=englishThe leaders of Iran’s totalitarian faction have often spoken of the collapse of the United States in a manner similar to how leaders of the Soviet Union once spoke. Their reasoning stems from their belief in the ‘rightfulness’ of the repressive government that rules Iran; Iranian clerics regard themselves as striving to uphold absolute good, and label their enemies as the manifestation of unadulterated evil. Applying the title ‘the Great Satan’ to the United States aims to accentuate this by contrasting a satanic America with the Iranian mullahs’ supposedly virtuous rule. Apart from their disregard for international law, engagement in a global arms race, imprisonment and assassination of opponents, and massacre of adversaries wherever they have seized power, Iran’s totalitarians have resorted to slogans and prayers[i] as their prime method for bringing about the collapse of the United States.http://www.gozaar.org/template1.php?id=1167&language=englishhttp://www.gozaar.org/template1.php?id=1167&language=englishThe “merging of religion and democracy” is a meaningless construction. I also don’t understand the definition of a “religious democracy.” In Jewish societies such as Israel, or Christian societies such as those in Europe and the United States, democracies have emerged. In the U.S., society is, in some ways, more religious than its counterpart in Iran. This is partly because, contrary to Iran, religious freedom is actively practiced and officially recognized. Because of this, we can testify to the possibility of establishing a democracy in a religious society.http://www.gozaar.org/template1.php?id=1166&language=englishhttp://www.gozaar.org/template1.php?id=1166&language=englishThe Islamic Republic of Iran’s policy of countering, arresting, and quelling its opponents remains in force as the end of the Ahmadinejad administration draws near. In this climate, students who had already paid dearly for their actions over the past three years took it upon themselves once more to act when no leader showed up to listen to them at this year’s “Student Day” function. They found a way to make their message of protest heard, and although it did not reach beyond the walls of the University of Tehran, it was nevertheless so piercing that it forced the leader of Iran into meaningful silence.http://www.gozaar.org/template1.php?id=1165&language=englishhttp://www.gozaar.org/template1.php?id=1165&language=englishhttp://www.gozaar.org/template1.php?id=1164&language=englishhttp://www.gozaar.org/template1.php?id=1164&language=englishIn the last decade of Mohammad Reza Shah’s rule, the legal and social situation improved dramatically for Iranian women. They gained the right to choose, and be chosen. They gained the right to judge. Family law was amended, and family courts were established. As a result, men could no longer divorce their wives without having a court ruling in their favor. Women’s access to seek divorce increased. The child custody law was changed so the court maintained custody and would grant it to the parent deemed the most suitable. Before the monarchy was overthrown by the Islamic revolution, women had enjoyed the right to choose their own attire for over 40 years. Those who wanted to cover themselves could so choose, and those who did not, could wear whatever they pleased. Separation of the sexes was not practiced except in mosques and religious places. In professional environments, universities, recreational, and other places, the two sexes intermingled. So, the Islamic government’s forced veiling, and invasion of privacy of women after the revolution, was not acceptable under the legal provisions of the time.http://www.gozaar.org/template1.php?id=1163&language=englishhttp://www.gozaar.org/template1.php?id=1163&language=english"To answer the question of whether or not human rights activists have been effective in the past few years, we must pose another question: if activists had not cried out in defense of the victims, made announcements, formed campaigns and protests, or opposed human rights violators, what would the state of human rights in Iran be like today? Without a doubt, these efforts have been useful and, of course, effective. At this time, the effectiveness of a human rights activist is measured by the role they play preventing the spread of human rights violations and thwarting the growth of the authoritarian base..."http://www.gozaar.org/freeform.php?id=83&language=englishhttp://www.gozaar.org/freeform.php?id=83&language=english"The founding, establishment, and organization of particular social movements in Iran since 1993—including those of women, workers, students, and human rights activists—are among the results of civil society activists’ efforts toward promoting democracy in Iran. While this is not the place for analyzing these results or determining the breadth of their scope, a glimpse at the resources and potential of both the Iranian government and society reveals the high value of these results. In fact, this is all a part of the democratization of Iran, a process that—taking into account the meddling of Iranian affairs from the sidelines or abroad—seems to continue at a remarkable speed..."http://www.gozaar.org/freeform.php?id=84&language=englishhttp://www.gozaar.org/freeform.php?id=84&language=englishIran is a revolutionary power, still in an exuberant phase of its revolution. Geopolitically it seeks to dominate the Gulf; ideologically it challenges the legitimacy of moderate governments in the region. Indeed, Iran aspires to be the leader of Islamist radicalism in the Muslim world as a whole. Iran’s conventional military buildup, its pursuit of nuclear weapons in defiance of the UN Security Council, and its interventions in Lebanon and Iraq not only reflect its ambitions but also explain its current self-confidence.http://www.gozaar.org/template1.php?id=1140&language=englishhttp://www.gozaar.org/template1.php?id=1140&language=english"A group of faculty members presents this statement on the current condition of Iranian universities to academics and learned people in Iran. The statement lists concerns about the little amount of attention given to developing a structured infrastructure for scientific growth in Iran and about the lack of adhering to the law of the Fourth Development Plan, most notably the establishment of 'Development based upon Knowledge.'"http://www.gozaar.org/template1.php?id=1143&language=englishhttp://www.gozaar.org/template1.php?id=1143&language=english"In assessing the influence and effectiveness of human rights activists within Iran, it is crucial to take into account the limitations and obstacles they face, while still expecting achievements that are proportional to their abilities and resources."http://www.gozaar.org/freeform.php?id=81&language=englishhttp://www.gozaar.org/images/article_images/11%20Momeni2(1).jpghttp://www.gozaar.org/freeform.php?id=81&language=englishhttp://www.gozaar.org/freeform.php?id=81&language=english"The civil society of Iran, which has always tried to overcome weakness and transition to a strong civil society, has, in the past few years, taken positive steps in this direction. However, with the rise of Ahmadinejad and his government—a government hostile toward civil society—to power, this trend has lost some of its momentum."http://www.gozaar.org/freeform.php?id=82&language=englishhttp://www.gozaar.org/images/article_images/15davoodi(1).jpghttp://www.gozaar.org/freeform.php?id=82&language=englishhttp://www.gozaar.org/freeform.php?id=82&language=englishIn an effort to identify new ways to accelerate the process of democratization and recognition of human rights in Iran, Gozaar invites Iranian civil society activists and observers to participate in a short survey on democracy and human rights in Iran. Gozaar has already published the responses of select activists and will post other expert opinions on a continuing basis. If you would like to participate in the debate, please send your answers to info@gozaar.org.http://www.gozaar.org/freeform.php?id=79&language=englishhttp://www.gozaar.org/freeform.php?id=79&language=englishMajid Mohammadi shares his views on the upcoming Iranian presidential elections as part of Gozaar’s series of articles and interviews exploring the implications of the elections on U.S.-Iranian relations. In this piece, Mohammadi compares the factors that facilitated Iran’s influential presidential elections in the 1990s with those that have led to today’s seemingly inconsequential elections.http://www.gozaar.org/template1.php?id=1127&language=englishhttp://www.gozaar.org/template1.php?id=1127&language=englishIn her report on Iranian women’s rights activist Mahboobeh Abbasgholizadeh’s recent speech at the University of Toronto, Laleh Bahar details Abbasgholizadeh’s views on the women’s movement in Iran. Bahar highlights the principles and activities of Abbasgholizadeh’s Women’s Field feminist movement and the activist’s analysis of the origins and current activities of her fellow reformers in today’s Iran.http://www.gozaar.org/template1.php?id=1130&language=englishhttp://www.gozaar.org/template1.php?id=1130&language=englishAs the U.S. presidential elections quickly approach, commentators have taken note of the candidates’ foreign policy positions. A principal component of these platforms is the candidates’ respective stances on Iran and how the U.S. should proceed in its relations with the Islamic Republic. Here, Gozaar has published the relevant sections of the Republicans and Democrats’ platforms that relate to Iran.http://www.gozaar.org/template1.php?id=1135&language=englishhttp://www.gozaar.org/template1.php?id=1135&language=englishJournalist and U.S. foreign policy expert Robin Wright gives a voice to the silenced reformers in the Middle East in her new book Dreams and Shadows: The Future of the Middle East. Wright devotes two chapters to Iran, analyzing the country’s struggle for reform since the 1979 Revolution. Don’t miss Gozaar’s review of Wright’s new thought-provoking book.http://www.gozaar.org/template1.php?id=1134&language=englishhttp://www.gozaar.org/template1.php?id=1134&language=englishThe sudden death of Iranian actor Khosro Shakibai prompted journalist and literary commentator Mohammad Sefriyan to analyze the films and unique point of view of filmmaker Dariush Mehrjui both before and after the Revolution. Sefryian discusses the correlation between the digression of Iranian intellectualism and the downward spiral of Iranian intellectual cinema.http://www.gozaar.org/template1.php?id=1129&language=englishhttp://www.gozaar.org/template1.php?id=1129&language=english