عليرضا طاهري
Summary of Today's BroadcastRFE/RL Persian ServiceMonday, August 12, 2002 - Khatami's trip to Kabul - Russia-Iran nuclear cooperation - Iran-Saudi-US fight against al-Qaeda - Retirement benefits for housewives - Tehran city council early election - Violence against and by women - Heavy rock music in Tehran garages - Iran Air struggles with aging fleet Khatami to Visit Kabul Tomorrow * Amid heavy security precautions, President Mohammad Khatami heads to Kabul Tuesday at the helm of a high level delegation. Keeping the president alive in the one-day trip to the still volatile and unpredictable Afghanistan would be a trying job for his guards who, untypical for their job, were short, fat and sluggish during the Caspian summit in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, especially as compared to the tall and agile guards protecting the Russian and Turkmen presidents. Khatami's talks in Afghanistan is expected to cover the flow of water to Iran through the Hirmand river, which is being blocked by Afghanistan, crop replacement projects to reduce opium cultivation, and the issue of Iran's pressure on Afghan refugees to return home. (Alireza Taheri) Russian Official Warns against Building Additional Nuclear Plants in Iran * Russia's deputy atomic energy minister said it is too soon to speak about building additional power plants in Iran. Russia announced last week that according to an unsigned long-term cooperation agreement, it will build six more nuclear plans in Bushehr and Ahwaz. His comments came a few days after the US put pressure on Russia to abandon its nuclear cooperation with Tehran. (Siavash Ardalan) Iran-Saudi-US Cooperation against al-Qaeda * Newspapers around the world reported on Iran's handing over 16 fugitive al-Qaeda members, based on the Saudi foreign minister's comments to the Washington Post yesterday. (Fariba Mavedat, London) Retirement Benefits for Housewives * The director of women's social and healthcare services organization called for adding housewives to the workers covered by the social security fund so that they can receive retirement benefits. Monir Amedi, head of Tehran center for women's studies, says the idea of retirement benefits for housewives has been discussed in the Women's Cultural Council for the past three years. She tells RFE/RL that Islam and Iran's civil code consider housework a job, not women's duty. According to the law, women can ask for compensation from their husbands for doing housework and nursing the children. Monthly payments to a retirement fund by housewives would provide the resource to pay benefits to retired housewives, she adds. (Mahmonir Rahimi) Tehran City Council Fails to Reach Quorum for Two Weeks * The dispute among Tehran council members prevented them from holding a meeting for the past two weeks. To end the impasse, deputy council chair Ebrahim Asgharzadeh proposed holding an early election. (Jamshid Zand) Filmmaker Pouran Derakhshandeh Comments on Women and Violence The theatrical screening of "Women of Prison," a documentary on women convicts, brought to public attention the issue of violence against and by women. In a series of interviews, RFE/RL explores the issue. First interview in the series aired last week with the film's director Manijeh Hekmat. * Award winning filmmaker Pouran Derakhshandeh, who deals with women issues in her movies, tells RFE/RL that 90 percent of women convicted for murder killed their husbands because of the many social and legal obstacles for women seeking divorce. (Mahmonir Rahimi) Heavy Rock Music Flourishes in Tehran Garages * Iranian baby boomers pad rooms within garages for sound in order to practice and play intimate concerts of rock music that is considered moral corruption by the regime, reports London's Daily Telegraph from Tehran. (Fariba Mavedat) Iran Air Struggles with Its Aging Fleet * Iran's national airline has been blocked by US sanctions from buying European-made Airbus jets, as its fleet of old Booing jets pass retirement age. The Ukrainian "Iran-140" passenger jets did not meet the approval of Iran's airlines, including the Iran Air. (Fereydoun Khavand, Paris) RFE/RL Roundtable on Iran's Future * Tehran-based nationalist-religious activist Taqi Rahmani, Los Angeles-based sociologist Kazem Alamdari and Berlin-based political analyst Mehran Barati discuss Iran's future in RFE/RL's roundtable. (Amir-Mosaddegh Katouzian) ARTS AND IDEAS Daily medical advice (Dr. Mansur Moslehi, Los Angeles) Daily Internet Report: An Iranian IP Expert Warns against Abuse of Freedoms * Excessive use of the free expression on the Internet by domestic and foreign political groups may cause the authorities to begin controlling Internet traffic, IT consultant and journalist Kurosh Shams writes in Iran IT website. Also, Bourse, the stock market monthly began distribution on the Internet. (Behnam Nateghi, New York) Daily Book Review (Kamran Fani, Tehran) Today in History (Gholamhossein Mirzasaleh, Tehran) Qualification of Education Officials * The minister of education said the officials in charge of school districts and authors of the textbooks are either highly educated or have long-term experience in their jobs. Paris-based sociologists and education expert Said Peyvandi says in addition to experience, the education officials need to have a correct attitude. (Shireen Famili) Discovery of the Hunger Hormone * An international team of researchers led by Professor Stephen Bloom, from Imperial College, London, discovered a hormone that prevents the feeling of hunger. The hormone, a natural chemical known as PYY3-36, is normally released by the gut after eating. The discovery that PYY3-36 suppresses appetite could be a turning point in the fight against obesity. (Fatemeh Aman, Washington) Pop Song: Do-Kabutar by Vigen * RFE/RL Mahmud Khoshnam discusses "Do Kabutar (Two Pigeons) with lyrics by Parviz Vakili, sung by veteran pop singer Vigen who celebrated his 50th year on the stage last year in Los Angeles. Joy (Shadi) * Los-Angeles DJ Afshin Gorin spins latest Persian pop tunes. Middle East Magazine * New national museum in Egypt to be built near the pyramids. Also, Mecca University Persian studies scholar Adel Abolnaim, Egyptian translator of the novel "Modir Madreseh (The Schoolmaster)" by Persian contemporary writer Jalal Al-Ahmad, tells RFE/RL that he finds conditions of the school and students described in the novel similar to that of Egypt. Also, Arab world's top pop song; and Baghdad's move to ban smoking of the hookah for economic reasons. (Farideh Rahbar and Jamshid Chalangi, Cairo) WORLD * With its large scale maneuver in the Caspian Sea, Russia seeks to project the image of a power on the rebound, writes Izvestia. (Mani Kasravi, Moscow) * Rain and flooding kills 59 in Europe. (Shahram Mirian, Cologne) * South Korea and North Korea begin a three-day talk. (Shahran Tabari, London) * Columbian president Alvaro Uribe declares emergency rule. (Homayoun Majd, Washington) * Zimbabwe's Mugabe seeks to deport white farmers. (Shahran Tabari, London) * The Pope criticized Israel. (Ahmad Ra'fat, Rome) * Kamal Darvish, Turkish prime minister's economic advisor quits. (Jamshid Zand)عليرضا طاهري (راديوآزادي): محمد خاتمي در حالي به كابل مي رود كه افغانستان همچنان روي يك بشكه باروت بسته به فتيله يي نه چندان بلند است. سه روز پيش، در انفجاري سنگين در جلال آباد - مركز استان شرقي ننگرهار - ، دست كم بيست و شش تن كشته شدند. علت اين انفجار هنوز بگونه يي قطعي روشن نشده است. چند روز پيش از آن نيز وسيله نقليه يي سرشار از مواد منفجره در نزديكي سفارت آمريكا در كابل كاملا تصادفي به دست ماموران امنيتي افتاد. در همان زمان گفته شد كه تروريست ها با انفجار اين وسيله نقليه در پي كشتن حامد كرزي - رهبر افغانستان در دوران گذار - بوده اند. نا امني در كابل تا اندازه يي است كه حامد كرزي پاسداري از جان خود را به نيروهاي آمريكايي سپرده است. آقاي كرزي زماني به فكر بهره گيري از نيروهاي آمريكايي براي پاسدار از جان خود افتاد كه مردان مسلح ناشناسي به روي حاجي عبدالقدير - معاونش - آتش گشودند و او را كشتند. بر همين پايي، مهمترين مساله در سفر آقاي خاتمي به كابل چند و چون پاسداري از جان اوست؛ به خصوص كه - آن چنان كه در سفر آقاي خاتمي به اشك آباد، پايتخت جمهوري تركمنستان به روشني به چشم مي خورد - پاسداران شخصي رييس جمهوري اسلامي، نه تنها ورزيده و چالاك نيستند، كه بيشتر آن ها كوتاه اندام اند و بر اثر فربهي، يكسره نامناسب با وظيفه و كارشان كند و خمود مي نمايند. در اشك آباد، پاسداران آقاي خاتمي در سايه پاسداران بلند بالاي ديگر روساي جمهوري حاضر در گرد همايي خزر گم شده بودند و تنها چهره هاي اصلاح نشده شان آن ها را در حواشي اجلاس سران كشور هاي كرانه خزر، انگشت نما مي كرد. حضور پراكنده تروريست هاي وفادار به شبكه القاعده، جنبش طالبان و نيز حزب بنيادگراي «اسلامي» به رهبري گلبدين حكمتيار - نخست وزير پيشين در افغانستان - عامل ديگريست كه بر اهميت پاسداري از جان محمد خاتمي رييس جمهوري اصلاحگراي ايران در كابل دو چندان مي افزايد. دشمني اين افراد با دولت و با شخص آقاي خاتمي بر كسي پوشيده نيست. آن ها آقاي خاتمي و دولتش را در روي كار آوردن حكومت حامد كرزي در افغانستان، از شركاي اصلي آمريكا مي دانند. آن ها ،همچنين، همكاري هاي گسترده دولت آقاي خاتمي با جبهه متحد شمال - جبهه عمدتا تاجيك افغانستان- در مقابله با جنبش طالبان را از گناه هاي نابخشودني رييس جمهوري ايران مي دانند. شايد همين عوامل سبب شد كه سفر آقاي خاتمي به كابل بار ها به تعويق افتد. حتي هم اكنون نيز عده اي معتقدند كه احتمال تعويق مجدد ديدار آقاي خاتمي از كابل تا آخرين دقيقه وجود دارد. از مسايل امنيتي كه بگذريم، پيكار با قاچاق مواد مخدر، ادامه كشت خشخاش در افغانستان، تقسيم آب رودخانه هيرمند، آينده پناهندگان افغان در ايران و چه گونگي پاسداري از 900 كيلومتر مرز مشترك ايران و افغانستان، محور هاي اصلي گفت و گو ميان ميزبان-حامد كرزي- و ميهمان -محمد خاتمي- در كابل خواهد بود. ايران افغانستان را يكي از عوامل اصلي گسترش مصرف هرويين و ترياك در ايران مي داند. آب رودخانه هيرمند نيز همانند دوران فرمانروايي طالبان بر افغانستان به روي ايران همچنان بسته است و بر اثر آن استان سيستان و بلوچستان چنان آسيبي ديده كه درياچه هامون بكلي خشك شده است و روستاييان اين استان فقير و محروم خانه و كاشانه خود را به گونه يي روز افزون رها مي كنند و آواره مي شوند. از سوي ديگر، بر پايه گزارش تازه كميسارياي سازمان ملل متحد در امور پناهجويان و آوارگان، دولت آقاي كرزي از فشار هاي دولت ايران براي بازگرداندن پناهندگان افغان به زادگاهشان ناخشنود و نگران است. دولت افغانستان از آن بيم دارد كه با سرازير شدن سيل پناهجويان رانده شده از ايران به سوي افغانستان، بر تزلزل حكومت مركزي در كابل افزوده شود. رهبران پشتون - قوم اكثريت در افغانستان - نيز از اين كه به گفته آن ها ايران تنها به ياري رساندن به اسماعيل خان، والي تاجيك استان هرات علاقه نشان مي دهد، ناخوشنودند.
محمد خاتمي، رئيس جمهوري اسلامي روزسه شنبه در راس يك هيات بلندپايه از مقامات حكومت ايران، در ميان تدابير شديد امنيتي به كابل مي رود. حفظ جان خاتمي در افغانستان ناامن، دغدعه بزرگ پاسداران خاتمي است كه در جريان سفر او به اشك آباد، به علت كوتاهي قد و فربهي، در ميان پاسداران بلنداندام و چالك روساي حكومت هاي روسيه و قزاقزقستان گم شده بودند. آب رودهيرمند، مبارزه با قاچاق مواد مخدر و جانشين سازي كشت خشخاش و همچنين موضوع فشار ايران براي بازگرداندن آوارگان افغاني از جمله مسائل مورد علاقه دو كشور است.
Summary of Today's BroadcastRFE/RL Persian ServiceMonday, August 12, 2002 - Khatami's trip to Kabul - Russia-Iran nuclear cooperation - Iran-Saudi-US fight against al-Qaeda - Retirement benefits for housewives - Tehran city council early election - Violence against and by women - Heavy rock music in Tehran garages - Iran Air struggles with aging fleet Khatami to Visit Kabul Tomorrow * Amid heavy security precautions, President Mohammad Khatami heads to Kabul Tuesday at the helm of a high level delegation. Keeping the president alive in the one-day trip to the still volatile and unpredictable Afghanistan would be a trying job for his guards who, untypical for their job, were short, fat and sluggish during the Caspian summit in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, especially as compared to the tall and agile guards protecting the Russian and Turkmen presidents. Khatami's talks in Afghanistan is expected to cover the flow of water to Iran through the Hirmand river, which is being blocked by Afghanistan, crop replacement projects to reduce opium cultivation, and the issue of Iran's pressure on Afghan refugees to return home. (Alireza Taheri) Russian Official Warns against Building Additional Nuclear Plants in Iran * Russia's deputy atomic energy minister said it is too soon to speak about building additional power plants in Iran. Russia announced last week that according to an unsigned long-term cooperation agreement, it will build six more nuclear plans in Bushehr and Ahwaz. His comments came a few days after the US put pressure on Russia to abandon its nuclear cooperation with Tehran. (Siavash Ardalan) Iran-Saudi-US Cooperation against al-Qaeda * Newspapers around the world reported on Iran's handing over 16 fugitive al-Qaeda members, based on the Saudi foreign minister's comments to the Washington Post yesterday. (Fariba Mavedat, London) Retirement Benefits for Housewives * The director of women's social and healthcare services organization called for adding housewives to the workers covered by the social security fund so that they can receive retirement benefits. Monir Amedi, head of Tehran center for women's studies, says the idea of retirement benefits for housewives has been discussed in the Women's Cultural Council for the past three years. She tells RFE/RL that Islam and Iran's civil code consider housework a job, not women's duty. According to the law, women can ask for compensation from their husbands for doing housework and nursing the children. Monthly payments to a retirement fund by housewives would provide the resource to pay benefits to retired housewives, she adds. (Mahmonir Rahimi) Tehran City Council Fails to Reach Quorum for Two Weeks * The dispute among Tehran council members prevented them from holding a meeting for the past two weeks. To end the impasse, deputy council chair Ebrahim Asgharzadeh proposed holding an early election. (Jamshid Zand) Filmmaker Pouran Derakhshandeh Comments on Women and Violence The theatrical screening of "Women of Prison," a documentary on women convicts, brought to public attention the issue of violence against and by women. In a series of interviews, RFE/RL explores the issue. First interview in the series aired last week with the film's director Manijeh Hekmat. * Award winning filmmaker Pouran Derakhshandeh, who deals with women issues in her movies, tells RFE/RL that 90 percent of women convicted for murder killed their husbands because of the many social and legal obstacles for women seeking divorce. (Mahmonir Rahimi) Heavy Rock Music Flourishes in Tehran Garages * Iranian baby boomers pad rooms within garages for sound in order to practice and play intimate concerts of rock music that is considered moral corruption by the regime, reports London's Daily Telegraph from Tehran. (Fariba Mavedat) Iran Air Struggles with Its Aging Fleet * Iran's national airline has been blocked by US sanctions from buying European-made Airbus jets, as its fleet of old Booing jets pass retirement age. The Ukrainian "Iran-140" passenger jets did not meet the approval of Iran's airlines, including the Iran Air. (Fereydoun Khavand, Paris) RFE/RL Roundtable on Iran's Future * Tehran-based nationalist-religious activist Taqi Rahmani, Los Angeles-based sociologist Kazem Alamdari and Berlin-based political analyst Mehran Barati discuss Iran's future in RFE/RL's roundtable. (Amir-Mosaddegh Katouzian) ARTS AND IDEAS Daily medical advice (Dr. Mansur Moslehi, Los Angeles) Daily Internet Report: An Iranian IP Expert Warns against Abuse of Freedoms * Excessive use of the free expression on the Internet by domestic and foreign political groups may cause the authorities to begin controlling Internet traffic, IT consultant and journalist Kurosh Shams writes in Iran IT website. Also, Bourse, the stock market monthly began distribution on the Internet. (Behnam Nateghi, New York) Daily Book Review (Kamran Fani, Tehran) Today in History (Gholamhossein Mirzasaleh, Tehran) Qualification of Education Officials * The minister of education said the officials in charge of school districts and authors of the textbooks are either highly educated or have long-term experience in their jobs. Paris-based sociologists and education expert Said Peyvandi says in addition to experience, the education officials need to have a correct attitude. (Shireen Famili) Discovery of the Hunger Hormone * An international team of researchers led by Professor Stephen Bloom, from Imperial College, London, discovered a hormone that prevents the feeling of hunger. The hormone, a natural chemical known as PYY3-36, is normally released by the gut after eating. The discovery that PYY3-36 suppresses appetite could be a turning point in the fight against obesity. (Fatemeh Aman, Washington) Pop Song: Do-Kabutar by Vigen * RFE/RL Mahmud Khoshnam discusses "Do Kabutar (Two Pigeons) with lyrics by Parviz Vakili, sung by veteran pop singer Vigen who celebrated his 50th year on the stage last year in Los Angeles. Joy (Shadi) * Los-Angeles DJ Afshin Gorin spins latest Persian pop tunes. Middle East Magazine * New national museum in Egypt to be built near the pyramids. Also, Mecca University Persian studies scholar Adel Abolnaim, Egyptian translator of the novel "Modir Madreseh (The Schoolmaster)" by Persian contemporary writer Jalal Al-Ahmad, tells RFE/RL that he finds conditions of the school and students described in the novel similar to that of Egypt. Also, Arab world's top pop song; and Baghdad's move to ban smoking of the hookah for economic reasons. (Farideh Rahbar and Jamshid Chalangi, Cairo) WORLD * With its large scale maneuver in the Caspian Sea, Russia seeks to project the image of a power on the rebound, writes Izvestia. (Mani Kasravi, Moscow) * Rain and flooding kills 59 in Europe. (Shahram Mirian, Cologne) * South Korea and North Korea begin a three-day talk. (Shahran Tabari, London) * Columbian president Alvaro Uribe declares emergency rule. (Homayoun Majd, Washington) * Zimbabwe's Mugabe seeks to deport white farmers. (Shahran Tabari, London) * The Pope criticized Israel. (Ahmad Ra'fat, Rome) * Kamal Darvish, Turkish prime minister's economic advisor quits. (Jamshid Zand)عليرضا طاهري (راديوآزادي): محمد خاتمي در حالي به كابل مي رود كه افغانستان همچنان روي يك بشكه باروت بسته به فتيله يي نه چندان بلند است. سه روز پيش، در انفجاري سنگين در جلال آباد - مركز استان شرقي ننگرهار - ، دست كم بيست و شش تن كشته شدند. علت اين انفجار هنوز بگونه يي قطعي روشن نشده است. چند روز پيش از آن نيز وسيله نقليه يي سرشار از مواد منفجره در نزديكي سفارت آمريكا در كابل كاملا تصادفي به دست ماموران امنيتي افتاد. در همان زمان گفته شد كه تروريست ها با انفجار اين وسيله نقليه در پي كشتن حامد كرزي - رهبر افغانستان در دوران گذار - بوده اند. نا امني در كابل تا اندازه يي است كه حامد كرزي پاسداري از جان خود را به نيروهاي آمريكايي سپرده است. آقاي كرزي زماني به فكر بهره گيري از نيروهاي آمريكايي براي پاسدار از جان خود افتاد كه مردان مسلح ناشناسي به روي حاجي عبدالقدير - معاونش - آتش گشودند و او را كشتند. بر همين پايي، مهمترين مساله در سفر آقاي خاتمي به كابل چند و چون پاسداري از جان اوست؛ به خصوص كه - آن چنان كه در سفر آقاي خاتمي به اشك آباد، پايتخت جمهوري تركمنستان به روشني به چشم مي خورد - پاسداران شخصي رييس جمهوري اسلامي، نه تنها ورزيده و چالاك نيستند، كه بيشتر آن ها كوتاه اندام اند و بر اثر فربهي، يكسره نامناسب با وظيفه و كارشان كند و خمود مي نمايند. در اشك آباد، پاسداران آقاي خاتمي در سايه پاسداران بلند بالاي ديگر روساي جمهوري حاضر در گرد همايي خزر گم شده بودند و تنها چهره هاي اصلاح نشده شان آن ها را در حواشي اجلاس سران كشور هاي كرانه خزر، انگشت نما مي كرد. حضور پراكنده تروريست هاي وفادار به شبكه القاعده، جنبش طالبان و نيز حزب بنيادگراي «اسلامي» به رهبري گلبدين حكمتيار - نخست وزير پيشين در افغانستان - عامل ديگريست كه بر اهميت پاسداري از جان محمد خاتمي رييس جمهوري اصلاحگراي ايران در كابل دو چندان مي افزايد. دشمني اين افراد با دولت و با شخص آقاي خاتمي بر كسي پوشيده نيست. آن ها آقاي خاتمي و دولتش را در روي كار آوردن حكومت حامد كرزي در افغانستان، از شركاي اصلي آمريكا مي دانند. آن ها ،همچنين، همكاري هاي گسترده دولت آقاي خاتمي با جبهه متحد شمال - جبهه عمدتا تاجيك افغانستان- در مقابله با جنبش طالبان را از گناه هاي نابخشودني رييس جمهوري ايران مي دانند. شايد همين عوامل سبب شد كه سفر آقاي خاتمي به كابل بار ها به تعويق افتد. حتي هم اكنون نيز عده اي معتقدند كه احتمال تعويق مجدد ديدار آقاي خاتمي از كابل تا آخرين دقيقه وجود دارد. از مسايل امنيتي كه بگذريم، پيكار با قاچاق مواد مخدر، ادامه كشت خشخاش در افغانستان، تقسيم آب رودخانه هيرمند، آينده پناهندگان افغان در ايران و چه گونگي پاسداري از 900 كيلومتر مرز مشترك ايران و افغانستان، محور هاي اصلي گفت و گو ميان ميزبان-حامد كرزي- و ميهمان -محمد خاتمي- در كابل خواهد بود. ايران افغانستان را يكي از عوامل اصلي گسترش مصرف هرويين و ترياك در ايران مي داند. آب رودخانه هيرمند نيز همانند دوران فرمانروايي طالبان بر افغانستان به روي ايران همچنان بسته است و بر اثر آن استان سيستان و بلوچستان چنان آسيبي ديده كه درياچه هامون بكلي خشك شده است و روستاييان اين استان فقير و محروم خانه و كاشانه خود را به گونه يي روز افزون رها مي كنند و آواره مي شوند. از سوي ديگر، بر پايه گزارش تازه كميسارياي سازمان ملل متحد در امور پناهجويان و آوارگان، دولت آقاي كرزي از فشار هاي دولت ايران براي بازگرداندن پناهندگان افغان به زادگاهشان ناخشنود و نگران است. دولت افغانستان از آن بيم دارد كه با سرازير شدن سيل پناهجويان رانده شده از ايران به سوي افغانستان، بر تزلزل حكومت مركزي در كابل افزوده شود. رهبران پشتون - قوم اكثريت در افغانستان - نيز از اين كه به گفته آن ها ايران تنها به ياري رساندن به اسماعيل خان، والي تاجيك استان هرات علاقه نشان مي دهد، ناخوشنودند.
محمد خاتمي، رئيس جمهوري اسلامي روزسه شنبه در راس يك هيات بلندپايه از مقامات حكومت ايران، در ميان تدابير شديد امنيتي به كابل مي رود. حفظ جان خاتمي در افغانستان ناامن، دغدعه بزرگ پاسداران خاتمي است كه در جريان سفر او به اشك آباد، به علت كوتاهي قد و فربهي، در ميان پاسداران بلنداندام و چالك روساي حكومت هاي روسيه و قزاقزقستان گم شده بودند. آب رودهيرمند، مبارزه با قاچاق مواد مخدر و جانشين سازي كشت خشخاش و همچنين موضوع فشار ايران براي بازگرداندن آوارگان افغاني از جمله مسائل مورد علاقه دو كشور است.
