Spartans vs Persian = Modern politics !!!

Today a friend was here for lunch ... While we were talking, he mentioned that he has seen 300 movie last night. He said :

When I was watching the movie last night, I felt that how dangerous Iranians can be if they have power!!! they will conquer the whole world !!! I was thinking that's why Iranian president is acting this way these days !!!

300 message for the world : Iranians are dangerous !!! they will conquer the whole world if they become powerful, so we should bomb them before they can harm free world ...

Spartans are Americans and maybe with 300 B52 bombers they can turn Iran into dust ... But first of all Iran is not Iraq plus with an external attack, radicals take the power and the process of democracy in Iran will be delayed for at least 10 years... Look at the acts of Iranian radical government these days and you will see how much radicals wish to start the war faster ...

Iranian anti-British government mentality !!!

Today I want to write about one of strange but completely explainable Iranian mentalities ... What made me to write about this was not that this anti-British government mentality lays inside Iranian culture but what Iranian president said in his interview with Channel 2 of French TV.

President Ahmadinejad is populist, there is no word about it. But what he said in his interview was shocking and showed (or maybe he wanted to show it this way ) that he totally believes in this Iranian anti-British government mentality that is in Iranian culture blaming everything on hidden British government's hands behind the curtains ...

But why is this strange mentality so widely accepted between Iranians ? Of course lots of them say that this mentality that every problem is related to an external superpower and we can't do anything about it, is totally stupid and nonsense ... But still the same people say it sometimes and it shows how deep is it inside Iranian culture ...

The story of this mentality dates back to 18th century when Royal British forces were sailing all around the world, capturing countries, making slaves , turning free nations to 2nd hand nations ...

They pressed Iran so much !!! From separating some parts of Iran to occupying the country with Russian help ... Iran lost big parts of our country at that time to Russians and British and was like a sheep between two wolves !!! south for British and North for Russians !!! We still remember those days ... Iranians still remember how British embassy was threatening court and parliament with their Royal forces in Persian gulf ...
But how history is so much deep inside Iranians mentality ? These things have happened in 1800-1900, but still awake in Iranian minds ? The loss of country and pride (the kings were exactly being ruled by British and Russian embassy) was so painful for proud Iranians ... You can see how alive it was (around 1960s we have a humeri book called My Uncle Napoleon )

So it's still a very common expression saying : "British hand is behind the curtains" or "British job" or "That's a British trick" ... all these expressions reminds British government dirty games in Iran ... Nothing better comes to Russians as well, when Iranian government is so close to Russians, simple people and nowadays after U.N. sanctions even internal Iranian fundamentalism politicians says in Iran : "Always you will find Russians knife on your back ...", remembering Russians dirty games 100 years ago in Iran, running Iranian parliament to help dictatorship comes back to power in Iran


You can hear these words from Iranian taxi drivers up to Iranian politicians ... It lays inside Iranian mentality ... So deep inside that even if you don't believe in it, it comes up sometimes automatically ...

Iran note ties nuclear stance to fear of attack

VIENNA, Austria (AP) -- Iran, in a confidential letter posted Friday on an internal Web site of the U.N. nuclear monitor, said its fear of attack from the United States and Israel prompted its decision to withhold information from the agency.

In the letter, Iran said the U.N.'s International Atomic Energy Agency had repeatedly allowed confidential information crucial to the country's security to be leaked.

The IAEA, in response, urged Iran to reconsider, saying the decision would be in defiance of the monitor's 35-nation board. Both the Iranian document and the confidential IAEA response were made available to The Associated Press.

----------------------------------------

My opinion : Their fuss is completely logical, as everything comes from Iran ends up on U.S. intelligent services desk ...

Think it was in cold war period and U.S. were giving all her nuclear and military bases details to an international department, where soviet diplomats could easily access to them and at the same time soviet government was threating that U.S. is a big threat for the world and we might attack them ... Would it be a good idea to cooperate with that international department ?

Snow in Iran !!!

One of the things that was so shocking for me was that people kept asking me if it snows in Iran !!! It was like sure it does ! of course depends on where in Iran you mean, in south it hardly snows but in north, west and north east it mostly does in winters, even earlier than NORWAY !!!
Now Oslo's temperature is about 28 degrees Celsius and in Tehran and whole north Iran, it is snowing, raining and is so cold in spring ...

62nd Tehran Derby ... 1 - 1

While Iran is on breaking news of every other news agency all around the world, as always people in that region of the world are used to it and today two most popular Iranian soccer clubs (Blues and Reds) in Tehran, stood in front of each other at Azadi sport complex ( World's 4th largest sport complex). More than 70,000 audiences were watching this match live at the stadium.

Blues are called Esteghlal ( in Persian language means independent ) and Reds are called Perspolis ( Name of ancient Iranian capital located in central Iran ). Perspolis has been officially announced By Asian Football Confederation as having the hugest number of fans in Asia, numbered more than 1 million. As an Iranian I can say there are far more fans for both foes, Esteghlal and Perspolis ... Maybe around 10 years ago if you would ask any Iranian, he/she would answer she is a fan of blues or reds ... Every single Iranian ...
But lately as local teams have became so strong to keep beating capital blues and reds, now locals have a lot of fans as well ... Like Sepahan and Zobahan in Esphahan, Esteghlale Ahvaz, Sanate naft & Foulad in Khozestan, Abou moslem in Mashhad, Malavan in North of Iran , ...

Shahab,

Poetry, Iranian modern style ...

Shot is taken @ Italy, Pisa

Persian poem ...

به کجا چنین شتابان؟ گون از نسیم پرسید
دل من گرفته زینجا , هوس سفر نداری؟
ز غبار این بیابان؟
همه آرزویم اما چه کنم که بسته پایم
به کجا چنین شتابان؟
به هر آن کجا که باشد بجز این سرا سرایم
سفرت به خیر اما تو و دوستی خدا را
چو از این کویر وحشت به سلامتی گذشتی,
به شکوفه ها به باران
برسان سلام ما را.

شفیعی کدکنی

Where are you heading ? Asked thorn from the wind,
I am so bored and sad here. Don't you like to take a trip ?
Getting away from the dust of the desert,
All my wishes for it, but what to do with the tied feet,
Where are you heading ?
To where ever but not here,
Good luck with the trip but for our friendship, for god sake,
When you passed this frightening desert safely,
To blossoms and the rain,
Say Hi ...

Sorry for bad translation, this poem is so famous in Iran and the poet is Shafiye Kadkani.

6th of April

Is 6th the day ?

we will soon see ...

New year market ...

I've always said when I came to Oslo, I felt like I am in a village ...

This photo is from a small city in Iran while people are buying stuffs for new Iranian year celebration ...

I think now you can say why I thought Oslo was just a village :-D

Iranian point of view...

Lets see what Iranians think about seizing 15 British sailor who are accused of entering Iranian waters illegally by Iranian government. The points of view is translated from BBC website, Persian language department and of course does not reflect what every Iranian thinks about this issue inside or outside Iran.

-------------------

As an Iranian I pray for the immediate release of the British mariners.
Farhad, Tehran

It is our obvious right to keep our borders safe. At least you saw your sailors they were safe, but what about our diplomats in Iraq.
Majid, Tehran

Instead of arresting them, it would be better if they issued warnings to these British marines - if they really had entered Iranian territory - and then guide them to the International waters. In such an intense situation, it is not to the benefit of Iran to get itself involved in another political row.
Babak, Tehran

Somebody (either Iranians or the British) has made a mistake and it does not need so much hue and cry! The story is becoming more like the arrest of two Israeli soldiers by Hezbollah in Lebanon, which resulted in a month of killing in that country. I am very surprised at Tony Blair's remarks, which makes the situation even more sensitive. It is not a positive step towards resolving the issue.
Behnam Beikzadeh

I think it seems impossible to say where exactly these marines where arrested, but I hope the Iranian government will release them as soon as possible, especially because of the current situation of Iran towards the international community. I think with regards to the recent remarks by Ayatollah Khamenei who said Iran might resort to illegal means (if the West does anything illegal towards Iran), it might be the case the Iran wants to get some concessions by arresting the UK marines. I hope they act more wisely about this issue.
Nima, Dubai

I feel no compassion for the British sailors. They are transgressors and deserve to be punished. I am completely sure that the British sailors are safe and have not been subject to any torture. In my opinion Iran has detained them in a move to secure the release of the Iranian diplomats (held by the Americans in Iraq).
Mehrdad, Sydney

In my opinion the British are exaggerating the situation. With the current circumstances, it is inconceivable that Iran would have detained these soldiers with no reason. Actually, quite opposite to their propaganda, the Iranians are very careful not to give the West any excuse. I think such a risky act by Iran shows that the Iranians have really lost their patience. One would have to be bigheaded to come and invade a country from the other side of the world and then to violate its neighbours borders and expect no reaction at all.
Morteza, New York

Although I feel no compassion for the detained British sailors, but have to say that Iran's regime has acted far from expediency. I have no doubt that the sailors will not be subject to any torture and that they will be released very soon. Once again the Iranian regime will survive a crisis created by itself.
Alireza, Tehran

It is not important if the British sailors had really entered the Iranian waters or not. They were detained because of certain political circumstances and they will be released again under new political circumstances. It is useless to argue about the sailors' location. Because everything that happens in our country is politically motivated.
Asad, Iran

The so called Iranian officials are spoiling the reputation of our country. When our own people are getting detained and forced to confess under torture - many of whom later deny their confessions - one can guess how our reputation is going to be spoiled when such an act is done to a foreigner.
Kaveh Ahangar

-------------

My Opinion :

• Very complicated situation, violating borders is something that can easily happen, as it did about 3 weeks ago in Iran-Afghanistan border and one Iranian and one Afghan soldier died but nothing happened ... It's not that big deal but in such sensitive situations, it can end up to such big deals ...
  I think best way for both sides is to cool down issue and try to negotiate over it in a more friendley manner. I think behind this story, Islamic republic is trying to give hope to people inside Iran about its military power and how others are afraid of them and a message to all the world, specially U.S. and her allies in middle east.
  

Human rights ...

What the hell does this guy think ? He is riding the his donkey with his children while it seems that his wife is following him on foot !!! What the hell does he think ? I think a woman is weaker than a man in walking on FOOT !!!! what the hell does he think with riding and letting her walk on foot ?!?!

It doesn't matter where this photo has been taken BUT we ( the men ) should think more about it ... just a little bit more ... not just the shot but what we do in our daily life ...

Photo from BBC

Iranian naval patrol seized 15 British marines and sailors ...

LONDON, England (CNN) -- An Iranian naval patrol seized 15 British marines and sailors who had boarded a vessel suspected of smuggling cars off the coast of Iraq, military officials said.

The British government immediately demanded the safe return of its troops and summoned Tehran's London ambassador to explain the incident.

The Royal Marines and ordinary naval officers were believed to have been apprehended by up to six ships from the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy who claimed they had violated Iranian waters.

British naval officials said the sailors, using small boarding craft, had completed an inspection of a merchant vessel in Iraqi waters when the Iranians arrived.

Commodore Nick Lambert, commander of the HMS Cornwall -- the frigate from which the British patrol had been deployed -- said the incident did not involve fighting or use of weapons.

"We've been assured from the scant communications that we've had from the Iranians at the tactical level that the 15 people are safely in their hands," he said.

The British defense ministry said that it was pursuing the incident "at the highest level."

There was no immediate comment from Iranian officials.

-------------------

P.S. Well, Well ... Things are getting hot baby !!! Watch out ! Be careful !

Iranians wishes ...

I was listening to Radio Farda which is an Iranian radio which is broadcasted from united states. There were Iranians calling form inside of Iran and outside ( as this radio station is both popular inside and outside Iran ) talking about their wishes in the new Iranian year ...

I thought it might be cool to share some of their wishes in the new year with you on here ...

• I hope I reach the girl I love in this year and her father accept that we get married befor all my hair gets white !!!
  
• The exact real cure for HIV
• Peace and friendship for east and west
• Freedom in the following year
• Freeing of political prisoners
  
• Passing university entrance examination
  
• America and Iran sitting at one table after 28 years and talk things out
• Glory and success for all Iranians all around the world
• I wish the one I love would love me too in this new year
• No more drugs addicted for our dear youngs
• No war all around the world, I hope no other child ever hears a bomb blast
• I hope all new years travelers get back home safe.
• 
  

Norouz and the people inside Iran ...

Forget polititians, lets see the pople :-)

We got more ...

Supreme Leader: Nation will foil enemy's divisive plots in New Year

Tehran, March 21, IRNA –

In a message issued on the occasion of the New Year, the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei called the Year 1386 the year of ''national unity and Islamic solidarity''.

Iranian nation forerunner of peace, friendship

Tehran, March 21, IRNA
The Iranian nation has been the forerunner of peace, friendship, monotheism, justice and pure thoughts throughout history, said President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad Wednesday in a message to the nation on the occasion of the Iranian New Year (Nowruz).

• P.S. If you look for my opinion, I have NO COMMENT !!!
  

Look what we got for Norouz ...

President George W Bush Sends Nowruz Greetings

Presidential Message: Nowruz

March 2005

I send greetings to those celebrating Nowruz.

Nowruz marks the arrival of a new year and the celebration of life. It has long been an opportunity to spend time with family and friends and enjoy the beauty of nature.

Many Americans who trace their heritage to Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Azerbaijan, Turkey, and Central Asia observe this special occasion to preserve their rich heritage and ensure that their values and traditions are passed on to future generations. This festival also reminds all Americans of the diversity that has made our Nation stronger and better.

Laura and I send our best wishes for peace and prosperity in the New Year.

GEORGE W. BUSH

-------------------------------------------------------------

P.S. I hope we don't get some ten tons pound bombs, full of democracy, as a Norouz gift, after this greetings ;-)

My wishes for new Iranian year ...

In new Iranian year, I wish :

1. Peace and friendship for the whole world ...
2. Better humor in my relationship with others ...
   
3. Expansion of people will in the whole world and my homeland, Iran ...

Happy new year 1386,

4 minute to renewal of the old year ...

Shahab,
On the other side of the known seas,
1st of Farvardin 1385

Happy Norouz ...

When the winds blow to melt the snows,

When the flowers try to grow through the snows to shout the early message of spring,

When girls pick flowers to put it in the middle of their hair,

When life rebirth after a long sleeping,

It's Spring,

It's Norouz,

Happy Norouz, Iranian new year ...
هر روزتان نوروز، نوروزتان پیروز

P.S.1, This photo is mine & is taken in Iran at the city of Kashan, Baghe fin ...

P.S.2, Happy Norouz to all the people who celebrate it :-)

and the life goes on ...

Ever sat by a window beside the street ??? I mean like a shop window or like this shot that I took from an Italian pizza shop in Oslo.
There we can see exactly how the life goes on beside you and there is a border(glass) between you and the life which is going on beside you. You can observe it without being mentioned by those who passes by you ... It's very cool experience and I like it ... You feel the passing of time & life ...

It makes me feel so good ... It makes me feel like that Iranian famous movie that is called " and the life goes on ... " by Kia Rostami .

300, The movie ...

I have not seen 300 yet. I am waiting for screening to start on cinemas in Norway, but the pictures I see on internet and the reviews I read makes me feel not bad but not good either ...

I believe in democracy as the best achievement the humanity has reached ... But do we need to lie about history to make it bigger and look better ??? Do we need to show another advanced ancient civilization, savages, to make democracy look better ???

Those who are called and showed savages in this movie have done alot for humanity ...

• Their fathers built the first chapters of human rights in the world,
  
• They are inventors of the first real state in the ancient world ...
  
• They were the most advanced civilization in the ancient world
  
• First super power of the world that connected east and west, economically, politically and culturally ...

Democracy is great, is one of the best achievement and of course the real foe of Iranian old type of monarchy, but can the culture level of two lands beside each other that have been in communication all the times, be that different ? Xerxes pictures are on the ancient walls in Iran, Does he look like what they showed in 300 ? How come Alexander, the conquerer of the old Persian empire, who ruined all democracies of old Greece and the libraries burner in Iran, deserves being called THE GREAT !!! but a king from Iran should be showed savage because of attacking one Greek city ? What I said up here is not defending Xerxes, but defending the culture of my home land in front of invaders ... We were not savages and history witness that ...

One sided media, I call this way of showing history ...

Cyrus the great
Xerxes
Alexander the great

Norouz, Iranian new year :-)

Norouz (Persian: نوروز‎ , various local pronunciations and spellings) is the traditional (dates back to 15000 years ago) Iranian new year holiday in Iran, Azerbaijan, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Turkey, Albania, Georgia, various countries of Central Asia such as Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Kazakhstan, as well as among the Iranian peoples everywhere. It is even a Zoroastrian holiday, while also a holy day for adherents of Sufism as well. In Iran it is also referred to as an Eid festival, although it is not an Islamic feast(Completely non religious).

Norouz marks the first day of spring and the beginning of the Iranian year as well. It is celebrated by some communities on March 21st and by others on the day of the astronomical vernal equinox (start of spring), which may occur on March 20th, 21st or 22nd.

The Haft Sîn

Haft Sîn (هفت سین) or the seven 'S's is a major tradition of Norouz. The haft sin table includes seven items specific starting with the letter S or Sîn (س) in Persian alphabet). The items symbolically correspond to seven creations and holy immortals protecting them. Originally called Haft Chin (هفت چین), the Haft Sin has evolved over time, but has kept its symbolism. Traditionally, families attempt to set as beautiful a Haft Sîn table as they can, as it is not only of traditional and spiritual value, but also noticed by visitors during Norouzi visitations and is a reflection of their good taste.

The Haft Sin items are:

• sabzeh - wheat, barley or lentil sprouts growing in a dish - symbolizing rebirth
• samanu - a sweet pudding made from wheat germ - symbolizing affluence
• senjed - the dried fruit of the oleaster tree - symbolizing love
• sîr - garlic - symbolizing medicine
• sîb - apples, - symbolizing beauty and health
• somaq - sumac berries - symbolizing (the color of) sunrise
• serkeh - vinegar - symbolizing age and patience

Other items on the table may include:

• traditional Iranian pastries such as baghlava, toot, naan-nokhodchi
• dried nuts, berries and raisins (Aajeel)
• lit candles (enlightenment and happiness)
• a mirror
• decorated eggs, sometimes one for each member of the family (fertility)
• a bowl with goldfish (life, and the sign of Pisces which the sun is leaving)
• a bowl of water with an orange in it (the earth floating in space)
• rose water for its magical cleansing powers
• the national colours, for a patriotic touch
• a holy book (e.g., the Qur'an, Avesta, Kitáb-i-Aqdas, Bible, or Torah) and/or a poetry book (almost always either the Shahnama or the Divan of Hafez)

Source : Wikipedia

More information about Norouz :

• English

• Norwegian

• French

Happy 8th of March ...

Happy 8th of march, the international women day ... I wish the best for all the women all around the world and should confess that I am so happy that I live in a world that informed me about respecting the nearest being on earth to my own type of being ...

Because it seems like my ancestors or even better say my fathers, didn't respect much the most precious being on earth and I am ashamed of it ... Where I come from the laws are not so friendly with women :-( The laws in my country, should change ...

At last I wanted to answer a question that today I read on BBC world. The question was if I would like to be a man or a woman if I would be be born again ? My answer is that I don't care what I would be but I know that I would still be a reformist and criticizer to all those unfair cultural and religious habits ... Doesn't matter against who ... men, women, children or minorities ... I would stand in front of those limitations and would demand for their alternation ...

Best regards to all the women all around the world ...

Shahab,

The beauty, Simplicity ...

Sometimes things can get soooo simple and beautiful, exactly like this shot of two sticks on a rope for hanging wet cloths ... Simplicity is the best beauty ... Sometimes we forget all about it ... As an old Iranian poem says :

مشک آن است که خود ببوید نه آنکه عطار بگوید.

Translation : The good quality perfume is the one which is yelling how good it is with its smell not with the seller advertising ...

and not always looking beautiful matters, sometimes feeling beautiful matters more :-)

Pure simplicity ...

P.S. Unfortunately I don't know the photographer but I loved her/his work and I wish her/him the best ...

Too complicated ...

This political game between Iran and America is getting too complicated ... It looks like a big chess that both sides are trying to get over conflict while trying to show each other how though they are ...
Too complicated for me ... even keeping track of news has became too complicated ... Analyzing ?! Paugh ... very hard ...

While Iran and U.S.A are supposed to sit at a table and negotiate in Iraqis negotiation in less than 2 months, marching in front of each other with military forces is going on by both sides in and around Persian gulf ...

Poor people ...

Where I come from ...

Where I come from, spring is comming soon and the land is preparing its self for letting those flowers and plants to grow agian.

Where I come from spring winds are blowing again to melt all snows and encourage the plants to rise through snow and shout : Hey ... Spring is comming, New Iranian(Persian) year is comming :-) Prepare for new year ... Clean your house, Wash the walls, Decorate the house and gather around traditional new year (Called No'rouz in Persian that means New Day ) table which Iranian families have gathered around for more than 3000 years now ...

Prepare, Spring is comming, even if where ever you look, you can see the stress of a near war in the faces, but still spring is comming and Iranians are once again getting ready to celebrate their old ancient new year ...

I am getting ready too ... even if I am in the middle of bunch of snow in far far north on the other side of those known seas ...

Shahab,

*** The picture up there is from one of western Iranian provinces.