Thread: Latest Iran News & Iranian Culture Journal

Originally Posted by everwiser

I would venture to say that there is just as much trouble from the Shiites in Iraq as the Sunnis thanks to Iran and Syria's meddling. You are correct about where the majority of the 9/11 hijackers came from and although there has been little about it in any news following 9/11, a lot has changed with the way the US deals with SA. We pulled our base(s) to Qatar and basically put them on notice to "play along". If you've not noticed, everytime OPEC anounces a cut in production to increase prices, SA announces they will increase production to compensate. This is only because of the relationship between the Saudi royal family and the government of the US. Without the money that the Western world and primarily the US spends on Saudi oil, the royal family would likely have been deposed by those same Sunni radicals that have been the backbone of Al Quaida's recruitment.

What is going on in the Middle East goes back in time a long way. Look at who was aligned with whom during WW2. You will find a lot of the same "divisions" even today. Iran simply changes the word "Jew" to "Zionist" and "Israel"...This is not to say that these animosities only go back to WW2; many go back to the beginnings of Christianity and Islam and will not ever be resolved because while spirituality can unite us, religion will always divide us...

tes my friend i agree again with a lot of what you are saying but here is another one for you everytime we attempt to reighn in iran through sanctions or what not who allways comes to thier aid,is it not china and russia but yet bush said he looked into puttins eyes and seen a good man,and china continues to violate copy rights ,practice unfair trade,keep and maintain a devalued currency,and on top of all this it to violates human rights and is now beefing up its military.I say all this to point out that we are told and made to believe that these are our friends when indeed i see them as not only a threat but an out right enemy to any american who cares about the future of this country and i see china and russia as a bigger threat than iran will ever be but because china buys a large portion of our debt we dont dare say anything bad because they might pull the rug out from under us and we would fall economically.but yet these our are friends so we are told and trade with china is good so we are told and so on and so on

Originally Posted by donald1439

tes my friend i agree again with a lot of what you are saying but here is another one for you everytime we attempt to reighn in iran through sanctions or what not who allways comes to thier aid,is it not china and russia but yet bush said he looked into puttins eyes and seen a good man,and china continues to violate copy rights ,practice unfair trade,keep and maintain a devalued currency,and on top of all this it to violates human rights and is now beefing up its military.I say all this to point out that we are told and made to believe that these are our friends when indeed i see them as not only a threat but an out right enemy to any american who cares about the future of this country and i see china and russia as a bigger threat than iran will ever be but because china buys a large portion of our debt we dont dare say anything bad because they might pull the rug out from under us and we would fall economically.but yet these our are friends so we are told and trade with china is good so we are told and so on and so on

No argument from me on that front. There is always more going on than is right in front of us. People keep their friends close and their enemies closer. Are there problems with Putin and Russia? Absolutely. They want to return to the "glory" days of the old Soviet Union; it's the only thing those in charge know. If anything, Russia is using China as the "communist model". Allow just enough capitalism to bring in the money you need to build/rebuild your military and turn all other businesses into "state-controlled shells".

Are there problems with China? Absolutely. There are "dependcy" issues at work. Are Russia and China and all of their "surrogates" the US's enemies? No doubt. However, at the moment, they need the money that the US spends with them. Don't believe that China decided against dumping the US dollar out of the goodness of their hearts. I'm sure the US played financial hardball and threatened either tarriffs or an outright cessation of trade. If it weren't for the consumer economy of the US, China would not be making 1/100th of what they do now and, as such, would be starving like North Korea...

Okay. Nevermind...This is about Iran, yes, but it is about Iran as it concerns Iraq and as such shouldn't have been put in a speculation thread about the Rial...

Originally Posted by everwiser

No argument from me on that front. There is always more going on than is right in front of us. People keep their friends close and their enemies closer. Are there problems with Putin and Russia? Absolutely. They want to return to the "glory" days of the old Soviet Union; it's the only thing those in charge know. If anything, Russia is using China as the "communist model". Allow just enough capitalism to bring in the money you need to build/rebuild your military and turn all other businesses into "state-controlled shells".

Are there problems with China? Absolutely. There are "dependcy" issues at work. Are Russia and China and all of their "surrogates" the US's enemies? No doubt. However, at the moment, they need the money that the US spends with them. Don't believe that China decided against dumping the US dollar out of the goodness of their hearts. I'm sure the US played financial hardball and threatened either tarriffs or an outright cessation of trade. If it weren't for the consumer economy of the US, China would not be making 1/100th of what they do now and, as such, would be starving like North Korea...

I agree again with much of what you say however i dont think it is a matter of if china will dump the dollar as much as it is when,they have no reason to do anything right now as they are haveing thier cake and eating it to however at such time that we make serious demands on china or we get in thier way of furthering thier power as i believe they are buildin up thier military to begin to extend thier power throughout asia and will probably start with tiawan then we will see if they are indeed fearful of dumping the dollar as they could virtualy criple this nation without fireing a shot,imight add that they are more and more dumping the dollar for the euro as we speak they are deversifieing so again not if but when,russia with its nuklear ability is a threat as well and we have seen more and more they are willing to use oil as a weopon as well and they have the might to back it up as well,however iran is another issue as it could easily be transformed and is ripe for democracy,more and more they are the youth rebelling and crying out for our help to overthrow akmadenajad and as of yet they have no nuclear weapons,and they have an oil supply that is dwindleling in which they depend to maintain influence and power,i believe whith the proper incentives and diplomacy we could avert futher trouble with iran i wish i could say the same for russia and china

Updated: 9:31 a.m. PT April 29, 2007
TEHRAN, Iran - Iranian police have warned barbers against offering Western-style hair cuts or plucking the eyebrows of their male customers, Iranian media said on Sunday.

The report by a reformist daily, later confirmed by an Iranian news agency, appeared to be another sign of the authorities cracking down on clothing and other fashion deemed to be against Islamic values.

"Western hair styles ... have been banned," the newspaper Etemad said in a frontpage headline.

It came a week after police launched a crackdown against the growing numbers of young women testing the limits of the law with shorter, brighter and skimpier clothing ahead of the summer months.

Under Iran's Islamic Sharia law, imposed after the 1979 revolution, women are obliged to cover their hair and wear long, loose-fitting clothes to disguise their figures.

Violators can receive lashes, fines and imprisonment.

The student news agency ISNA quoted a police statement as saying: "In an official order to barber shops, they have been warned to avoid using Western hair styles and doing men's eyebrows."

Iranian young men have in recent years started paying more attention to the way they look and dress, especially in affluent parts of the capital Tehran. Spiked up hair, by using gel, is known as the Khorusi (Rooster) style and some also use make-up.

Several hairdressers for men in Tehran offer cuts in the style of Hollywood movie stars and other Western celebrities. Clients can also have their eyebrows plucked.

Barbers could face losing their permits
The head of the barbers' union, Mohammad Eftekharifard, said police had instructed it to "exercise specific regulations in barber shops that work under its supervision."

Barbers who do not follow these rules might be closed down for a month and even lose their permits to operate, Etemad quoted him as saying.

"Currently some barber shops apply make-up and use (hair) styles that are in line with those in European countries and America," Eftekharifard said.

He added: "An official order has been sent to the union ... not to apply make-up on men's faces (or) do eyebrows ... and hence the barbers are not allowed to do these things."

Since hardline President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad won the presidency in 2005 promising a return to the values of the revolution, hardliners have pressed for tighter controls on what they consider immoral behavior.

see susie's post 342 in the dinar news thread - Iran pres condoning killing of Christians, and vowing to stop Christianity in Iran. More backwards progress, and more to add to their alienation from the global community.

God bless USA where You even please muslins and even give them a place for doing their prayers .
jrod

Originally Posted by Lemonboy

God bless USA where You even please muslins and even give them a place for doing their prayers .
jrod

Yes, whenever practical Muslims have been given a fair amount of freedom for prayer. Also, they have their own places of worship and that is just the way things are done here. But, the Freedoms end when they step on the toes of others; so they can not expect to have their way all the time.

There have been complaints that employers are not allowing prayer during the work schedules and since the employer has the right to expect time for pay, this is just.

Life does not always give us what we want, but if we bend a little with the wind and walk in the same direction, life is so much simpler.

Freedom is a blessings for all here in the USA and I would hope more and more people who have arrived here realize that this is the USA and their freedoms are guaranteed by the US Constitution and Bill of Rights. Without these documents, there would be no freedoms for anyone; to include religious freedom.

With all our problems and growing concerns this is still the greatest country on our beautiful planet. Those lucky enough to have been born here or arrive here legally should feel those blessings and have the desire to keep them safe. Freedom is not Free.

Iran pres condoning killing of Christians, and vowing to stop Christianity in Iran. More backwards progress, and more to add to their alienation from the global community.
sure is heartbreaking to hear this kind of thing. Seems like we will be going up against them sooner or later.
LIT

Bush to Urge Putin to Aid in Pressuring Iran

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/01/us...html?th&emc=th

By JIM RUTENBERG and DAVID E. SANGER
Published: July 1, 2007
KENNEBUNKPORT, Me., June 30 — President Bush, seeking to change the tone of an increasingly caustic, fraught relationship with President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia, will urge him on Sunday to support a major escalation of pressure on Iran, administration officials said.

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Kennebunkport Journal: Little Odessa? Maybe Not, but Bush-Putin Talks Lend This Resort a Russian Flavor (June 30, 2007) On Friday, just 48 hours before Mr. Putin was to arrive at the Bush family compound on the edge of this historic seaside town swelled with summer residents, the administration discussed for the first time with Russia and other members of the United Nations Security Council a proposal to require all nations to inspect cargo to or from Iran for illicit nuclear-related material or arms.

The meeting took place by telephone, and the United States was represented by R. Nicholas Burns, the under secretary of state for political affairs. The proposal was cast as preventive, but American officials know that, like a proposed asset freeze on some Iranian banks, the effect could be to slow Iran’s economy.

Two successive resolutions have resulted in less punitive actions against Iran, with modest economic effect. None has achieved the goal of forcing the country to suspend its enrichment of uranium.

While Mr. Bush is not expected to discuss the specifics of the American plan with Mr. Putin, a senior official, who would not speak for attribution because the conversations with Mr. Putin have yet to take place and will be surrounded in secrecy, said Mr. Bush was increasingly intent on stopping the Iranian nuclear program. The International Atomic Energy Agency says it is progressing.

“He will make the point that this is the third set of sanctions against Iran, and now we have to make them really count,” the official said.

For the Americans, the effort to squeeze Iran is the most immediate issue on the table with Mr. Putin. Washington needs Russia’s support as it presses the Security Council to pass new sanctions, the third round this year, by mid-July.

But it is uncertain how Mr. Putin will react. He has sharply criticized the proposed new American missile defense system, which would include installations in Poland and the Czech Republic, former Soviet satellites, and made inflammatory characterizations of the United States as an unrestrained power.

American officials say he may be aiming those comments at a domestic audience and seeking to cement an influential role in Russian affairs after he leaves office in the spring.

Some proposals by Britain, which leaked out before Gordon Brown succeeded Tony Blair as prime minister on Wednesday, would deny Iranian airlines and ships permission to take off from, land in, or fly over the territory of other nations. A measure that harsh bears little chance of passage.

Mr. Bush has told aides he has doubts about how willing Mr. Putin would be to put his country’s trade with Iran at risk. Russia supplies much of the equipment and expertise for Iran’s main civilian nuclear reactor, and has other ties with Iran, including in the oil sector.

“We imagine that the Russians and the Chinese are going to play slowball here,” said a senior official involved in the sanctions talks. “They don’t want Iran to get nukes, but they worry what happens if the diplomacy here does not work.”

White House officials have portrayed Mr. Putin’s visit with Mr. Bush as a chance to rebuild their relationship. It now holds little of the warmth displayed after their first meeting in early 2001, when Mr. Bush said he had “looked the man in the eye” and gained “a sense of his soul.”

In fact, it may be the last chance for Mr. Bush and Mr. Putin to cement a common legacy, with Mr. Bush entering the last 19 months of his term and Russia preparing to choose Mr. Putin’s successor.

The agenda for the visit includes social encounters with the former president George H. W. Bush, including a dinner and possibly some fishing. American officials said that Mr. Putin would probably seek to avoid any public disagreements.

The American plan for a missile defense plan in Europe, which it says is largely to deter Iran’s growing missile forces, will certainly be under discussion here.

Speaking with reporters on Friday, Dmitri Peskov, a Putin spokesman, said the Russians were dissatisfied with the United States’ continued interest in building the system.

Mr. Peskov said a surprise Russian proposal to cooperate on a similar system in Azerbaijan two weeks ago was meant as an alternative to American plan, not, as Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates has suggested, a potential complement to it.

He portrayed the Russian plan as polite acquiescence with the overheated and questionable fears the United States has expressed over Iran’s nuclear capabilities.

But American officials dismissed that, and said there was in fact a coming together of American and Russian views on Iran.

A senior administration official, speaking on condition of anonymity before the meetings, said Russia was coming to agree with the United States’ assessment of Iran.

“I do think we see the threat very much the same,” the official said. “It’s why we’ve been able to cooperate very well in terms of the nuclear issue, why we’ve had their support for two U.N. Security Council resolutions. I think when the time comes we’ll have their support for a third.”

Technical experts for both sides have quietly moved forward in seeking a compromise on the defense system, according to senior Defense Department officials.

Lt. Gen. Henry A. Obering III, director of the Missile Defense Agency, and senior aides held an unannounced meeting on Friday with Russian counterparts to begin preliminary technical discussions that included the Azerbaijani radar, according to an agency official.

Officials at the White House and at the Kremlin played down expectations of any breakthrough agreements on Iran or the defense system during Mr. Putin’s stay. Both sides said they considered it an unofficial visit, not a summit meeting.

Administration officials said it was Mr. Putin who had initially suggested the timing to meet in the United States, since he was heading to an Olympics committee meeting set in Guatemala. Mr. Bush decided upon his family compound here. Both sides portrayed that as a show of respect for Mr. Putin.

Thom Shanker contributed reporting from Washington.