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Iran's Khatami snubs Argentine president
Feb 29, 2004, 21:23
Reuters

Iran's President Mohammad Khatami has refused to meet his Argentine counterpart until Buenos Aires apologises for accusing Iran of involvement in the 1994 bombing of a Jewish centre that killed 85 people.

An Iranian Foreign Ministry official told Reuters on Sunday President Nestor Kirchner had requested a meeting with Khatami during a two-day Group of 15 summit meeting of developing countries in Venezuela on Friday and Saturday.

"Khatami refused to receive the Argentinean president," the official said.

Argentine prosecutors have requested the extradition of eight Iranians in connection with the attack, including Iran's ambassador to Argentina at the time of the bombing, Hadi Soleimanpour.

Israel and the United States have said they suspect guerrillas backed by Iran were behind the bombing of the Argentine-Israel Mutual Association in Buenos Aires.

Iran denies any link with the attack and cut economic and cultural ties with Argentina in August last year after Britain arrested Soleimanpour at Buenos Aires' request. Britain later refused to extradite Soleimanpour saying Argentina had not produced enough evidence against him.

http://www.iranian.ws/iran_news/publish/article_1539.shtml

Iranian-American Success Story: Shohreh Aghdashlu in Oscar Running
Pezhvak of Persia, Profile,
Staff, Feb 29, 2004

About four years ago, Shohreh Aghdashloo heard about the book "House of Sand and Fog" on Oprah Winfrey. She was fascinated by the novel about an Iranian immigrant family and told her husband that when a film was made of the book she wanted to play the role of the immigrant wife. As husbands do, he scoffed, saying there would be no film of the book.

He was wrong, and she got the part.

And now, at age 51, Aghdashloo is one of the most talked about "new" actresses in Hollywood. She has received a New York Film Critics award for Best Supporting Actress and has been nominated in the same category for the Academy Awards, which will be presented February 29. Aghdashloo is in good company - other nominees include Renee Zellweger for "Cold Mountain," Patricia Clarkson for "Pieces of April," Holly hunter for "thirteen," and Marcia Gay Harden for "Mystic River."

"House of Sand and Fog" is not your typical American film that ends with everyone living happily ever after. "Saving Private Ryan" is light-hearted in comparison. Shohreh Aghdashloo has perhaps the oddest role in the history of American film, where foreign tongues are usually verboten. But about half of Aghdahloo's lines are delivered in Farsi. She is the voice of humanity trying to put the brakes on burgeoning conflict.

The immigrant family of the story could have been from any country. But the book makes them Iranian, and the film goes out of its way to emphasize their Iranian-ness. The wedding scene has Persian music. The family's furniture is typical of an Iranian home. And the use of Farsi brings it all together.

Aghdashloo made three films in Iran before the revolution, only one of which was released there. One of those still banned is "The Report," directed by Abbas Kiarostami.

In an interview with Variety, Aghdashloo described her decision to leave Iran. She was part of a drama workshop and went to the theatre each morning, ignoring the revolution around her. One morning she arrived at the theatre to find the doorway bricked up. "Right at that moment I decided to leave."

In Los Angeles, Ashdashloo appeared in television shows including "Columbo" and "Matlock." But she did not like the typical roles she was offered, which she has summarized as the wife or mother of Middle Eastern terrorists. She has spent 10 years hosting an opinion program on Persian language television in Southern California.

When Aghdashloo heard about “The House of Sand and Fog,” she knew she could identify with her character, Nadi, but she and Nadi are far from similar. While Nadi is adrift in American culture and deathly afraid of being deported to Iran even though her husband explains that she has American citizenship, Aghdashloo is far from adrift – she is reaching professional heights in her acting career.

http://news.ncmonline.com/news/view_article.html?article_id=b0da6007ac28ad1d7e84e9a39c705637

Iran (IRMO) hits out at hardliners over elections

Sunday, February 29, 2004 - Â©2004 IranMania.com

TEHRAN, Feb 29 (AFP) -- One of Iran's main reformist parties ousted from parliament in controversial polls has lashed out at hardliners, saying victorious conservatives only enjoyed the support of a small percentage of the electorate.

"The conservatives have the popular support of between 10 to 15% of society," the Islamic Revolution Mujahedeen Organisation (IRMO), a leftist pro-reform group whose candidates were barred from contesting the February 20 polls.

In a statement carried by newspapers on Sunday, the group said victory by right-wingers not only drew a record low turnout for major elections, but also a record high number of blank votes. It did not give figures.

"This election was the most ambiguous and strange parliamentary election in the 25-year history of the Islamic republic," said the statement.

"Campaigning was centered on orders, fatwas (religious edicts) and threats," the party said, referring to regime campaigning for voters to take part and hike the politically-sensitive turnout rate.

The reformist-run Interior Ministry put turnout in the polls at 50.57%, although hardliners behind the mass disqualification of reformist candidates have challenged this figure, a record low for a major election since the 1979 Islamic revolution.

The polls, won by a coalition of religious hardliners and conservatives, have dealt a devastating blow to a reform camp which swept to power in 2000 with a huge majority in the Majlis but saw its efforts to democratise the country blocked by more powerful hardliners.

The IRMO statement said reformists "have to stay in the field to comprehensively combat the totalitarians and safeguard the Islamic republic and the constitution".

http://www.iranmania.com/News/ArticleView/Default.asp?NewsCode=23029&NewsKind=Current%20Affairs

"EU,US adopt policy of pressure towards Iran"

Sunday, February 29, 2004 - ©2004 IranMania.com

TEHRAN, Feb 28 (Mehr News Agency) –- Ali Bigdeli, a university professor and a political analyst, said the US and the European Union (EU) have adopted an identical policy of pressure toward the Islamic Republic of Iran.

He stated all remarks made by the U.S. and EU officials concerning Iran’s elections show their struggle to protect their own interests.

He believes Iran should wait for ElBaradei’s report to be issued on March 8 and to get prepared for the U.S. and EU reaction, saying this is not more than a political game.

He expressed hope the Iranian officials would be wise enough to consider the change in the international system, saying Iran should also change the basic structure of its foreign policy.

He pointed out the weak point of country’s political structure toward the international challenges, saying Iran does not present its foreign policy using its well-known politicians.

He stressed Iran should make every effort to adopt an absolutely logical policy in foreign relations.

http://www.iranmania.com/News/ArticleView/Default.asp?NewsCode=23027&NewsKind=Current%20Affairs