Some 70 years ago, Reza Shah — the father of the last Shah of Iran — inspired by reforms of Kamal Ataturk in Turkey, decided to modernize and westernize Iran. Much of what he did was commendable, e.g. founding of universities. More »
Archive for the 'Iran' Category
In a male-dominated society, here is an example of the quiet but powerful women of Iran. Sara Khoshjamal-Fekri the first Iranian woman athlete to qualify for the Olympics, choosing that very gentle, feminine sport, Taekwondo!! More »
I was having dinner at my cousin’s house, and after dinner I was offered some Iranian dates. The first surprise was the “child bride” on the box offering me succulent dates. More »
If you have been following the progress of Elham, daughter of Bibi Zahra, I am excited to say that she kept her promise of studying hard and has scored a high mark in the national entrance exams. More »
It is a week since I returned to UK from Iran. While I was flying back the demostrations started. Everyone is waiting to see what happens today. Whatever happens, we all hope it does not involve bloodshed. But feelings are high, and frustrations intense. More »
I am visiting my dad in Mashhad, in Iran. The presidential election campaigns here are at their peak, ahead of voting on Friday. These include several live TV debates. Last night my friend Hamed Zaghaghi (a talented programmer, and one of the few free software advocates in Iran) asked if I wanted to go to one of the rallies for Karroubi, and to watch the debate on a makeshift, large-screen TV. More »
Following my promise after my first visit, a few weeks ago I returned with my cousin Mohammad and family, to see Bibi Zahra, the woman I found so much admiration for. Good news is that Elham is spending most of her time in the nearby village of Torgabeh, in the library, and takes sandwiches with her to maximize her study time. We hope to see her in a university in a few months. More »
The Persian new year, or Norooz, is calculated to the nearest second each year. It happened about 1 hour ago, at 12.45pm, London time. To coincide with this, Barack Obama has sent a video message to Iranians, wishing them a happy new year in Persian, or Farsi. More »
The nouveux riches in Iran are engaged in a depressing competition to build the grandest and the most unusual residences with little regards, I feel, for practicalities. More »
Bibi Zahra runs a tea shop in the village of Kang, near Mashhad. Her husband is a “Janbaz”, or an injured veteran from the Iran–Iraq war. Due to his post-traumatic stress disorder, he cannot work, and the meagre pension he gets has left Bibi Zahra as the sole breadwinner. Life is clearly tough, but you wouldn’t know it, looking at the smiling face of Bibi. More »
