Windows on Iran - Part 33

by Fatemeh Kashevarz

NY Times Does it Again!

It looks like we need a permanent section in these windows to correct and clarify the NY Times reporting on Iran. Take a look at the letter that my friend Professor Ghamari (Univ. of Illinois) wrote to the editor, about an article in today’s NY Times called “Iran Cracks Down on Dissent”:

“Dear Editor:
The photograph used in the story about “Iran Cracks Down on Dissent,” in the Sunday June 24 edition is misleading.  While disturbing on its own right, the picture has nothing to do with the crack down on dissent. This episode happened in late May as part of Tehran’s Police Department anti-corruption project to secure the safety of “rough neighborhoods” in the southern part of the city.  Those who were paraded in public, as shown in the picture, had nothing to do with “western style clothing or haircuts,” as Neil MacFarquhar asserted.  They were thugs and drug dealers who had terrorized these neighborhoods.  After the publication of these pictures, the Tehran Police Chief acknowledged that the methods used in these operations were unjustified.  While residents of those neighborhoods supported the crack down on gang members, they were also scandalized by the disgusting public humiliation of these thugs perpetrated by the police. I would appreciate it if you publish the correction.”

<>http://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/24/world/middleeast/24iran.html?_r=1&hp&oref=slogin

Current Issues:

The U.S. commander of NATO forces in Afghanistan rejected the charge that Iran is getting arms to the Taliban fighters for the second time in less than two weeks.  http://www.commondreams.org/archive/2007/06/21/2019/

Iranian Women in Sports

If you read Persian you can check out the online Iranian Women’s Sport magazine Shirzanan. If you don’t, just look at the latest photos of the Iranian women athletes. Iranian women skaters constitute 60% of all the skaters in the country http://www.shirzanan.com/spip.php?article213  Kickboxing and Kung Fu are among popular sports among Iranian women http://www.shirzanan.com/spip.php?article208 Mahdiyeh Montazeran won the first international gold medal for the Iranian women in fencing: http://www.shirzanan.com/spip.php?article216 and, finally, Iranian women won third place in the rowing competitions in Bulgaria http://www.shirzanan.com/spip.php?article218