Nowrooz and Reform

The Nowrooz holidays are an opportunity for travelling around the country. Along with the family we went to Mashad, the major pilgrimage city of Iran. Although the Shrine of the Eighth Imam was very crowded but the rest of the city was not. . Nowrooz is the time for a renewal of nature coming to life after a long winter rest. A spiritual and personal renewal is also intended in this celebration.The political stalemate in Iran , the earthquake and tsunami in Japan and the volatile situation in many regional countries were hot issues discussed in social circles these days. The events in the region may be in tune with the revival of nature in spring. 

Unrest and brutal suppression of the protesters in Syria was initially overlooked in Iranian State owned TV stations but I saw some reports a few days ago in Press TV , an indication of the fact that friends and foes of the Islamic Republic are all vulnerable in face of the democratic uprisings of the region.   People are more and more aware of the realities surrounding them and they have more expectations from their rulers. They expect more oversight and just democratic processes. They are fed up with corrupt pro West or pro East governments, they are in a quest for their freedom  and their independence. They are Muslims who seek the dignity that Islam proclaims humans are created with. Governments like Syria and Jordan are responding with reforms since they witnessed that in Tunisia and Egypt , Presidents were forced to resign after confronting popular demand. Syria has released its political prisoners with hopes to quell the protests and Bahrain and Yemeni governments are proposing reforms in the judiciary and political processes. It is now evident for all that reform and democratic rule without any foreign interference is the way ahead. Libya now faces very difficult circumstances due to the stubborn resistance of Qaddafi and the aggression of Western forces.

Governments which resist reform will take their countries to the verge of destruction and civil war or political stalemate, reform is a necessity for any dynamic political system in this era. Islam calls for self correction and control in the ethical and spiritual dimension and this reform process must be also considered at the social and political levels .

Earthquake Diary : From Bam to Japan

The earthquake and tsunami in Japan revived memories of the terrible earthquake of Bam in 2003. Bam is a city with about 100,000 residents in southeastern Iran. I had visited the city and the beautiful historical citadel  dating to centuries ago, once before the earthquake. Residential areas of  the city were mostly built of brick and steel and the historical citadel was all mud and clay. The city was surrounded by large date palm plantations and dates from Bam are still the most famous brands in Iran.
The  6.6 M earthquake devastated more than 80 percent of the buildings and 26, 261 people died and hundreds were injured. For the several initial hours the relief systems of the city were disrupted and it took some time before the officials realized the depth of the tragedy . Those golden moments were the time relief workers had to save lives.  The tragic images of the city I visited, in my capacity then as the Vice President, are still vivid in my mind. Avenue after avenue, street after street, homes were devastated and very few buildings remained. The government was very quick to provide relief and reconstruction projects were developed . I visited Bam once again 9 months later , the situation was much better and people were living in pre-constructed homes which were small, but provided the essential residential needs for a temporary period. Plans for reconstructing the ancient citadel were also underway at that time. The psychological and human rehabilitation would take much longer.
The government decided to set up a supreme national council for disaster response and to establish a national scheme including projects to strengthen existing building and enforce regulatory standards. Some of the construction projects were slowed down in the next government but the experience caused many officials to work for implementation of more stringent regulations in the construction sector.
Nowadays, when I visit districts of the greater Tehran Metropolitan area, as a Councilor and Head of the Environment Committee, I also visit the projects underway for education training and local earthquake response and relief groups which are underway. Tehran ,like many cities in Iran is located in an earthquake prone area and we all need to be prepared since many buildings in Tehran are not properly built and do not have the necessary strength to  withstand an earthquake.

The tragic scenes of Bam and now Japan are also a reminder to all of us, that the earth on which we stand and the ground on which we firmly walk and march is far more unreliable than we think . Our lives are numbered days on earth but our souls are eternal ....These natural disasters are a wakeup for all, a warning for those who oppress nature and the ecosystem with their excesses, it is a warning for those who oppress others, whether in the name of freedom and democracy or in the name of religion and peace. These events are a sign of the nearing of the day of reckoning when every soul will be summoned to respond for his or her deeds, it is a sign of the infinite power and reign of the Almighty Creator and the ultimate weakness and impotence of this selfish, egoist human being who sees none but his interests and profits........

Domino of Events in the Region

On Friday last week we were watching the Friday prayers in Tahrir Square in Cairo. Millions had attended and shouted slogans calling for the cleansing of the Government from Mubarak agents. I was watching the scenes in Benghazi today, protesters had a banner saying " Thank you Egypt , Thank you Tunisia" . Protests and demonstrations are the word of the day everywhere and any time. More interesting were demonstrations in Amman, Jordan and other cities throughout the Arab world.  It seems that the domino of developments in the Middle East is so quick and so unpredictable that analysts cannot find the opportunity to provide insight into the events. Even the Saudi Monarchy has felt the tremors and has announced welfare measures for their citizens. Its also interesting to note that most of these cities have a square or circle named Tahrir or Freedom and yet they have to struggle and suffer for freedom.
The hypocrisy of the Obama Administration in sharply condemning certain repressive socialist or anti -imperialist governments such as Qaddafi and only lightly criticizing pro American dictators like Mubarak and Ben Ali has become evident. The question remains whether the ultimate model for governance in these countries is a western style liberal democracy, an Islamic Republic similar to the Iranian style or a more liberal Islamic Democracy like what is experienced in Turkey or Malaysia.
There are two major concerns for the future of  these nations, the first is the interference of foreign powers particularly the US which senses a loss of influence and  feels threatened for the safety of the Zionist regime. The second concern is for the dictatorial forces, the forces of wealth, power and media or hypocrisy who still yearn to regain power, this time with another face and color.

Egypt, Tunisia and the Future of the Middle East

After the successful Tunisian Revolution, the people of Egypt are now, after weeks of demonstrations and protests, celebrating the resignation of  Hosni Mobarak after 3 decades of autocratic and despotic rule. Many observers compare these events with those in Iran , 32 years ago . They try to draw an analogy between the Islamic Revolution in Iran and what happened in Egypt. While there are parallels to consider, there are also evident differences, as well. The military refrained from taking sides from the begining in Egypt, contrary to Iran in 1979. The movement in Egypt was national, not ideological, although  Islamic forces ( the Muslim Brotherhood)  played a major role,while Islam was in the mainstream of the revolution in Iran.

Some observers have drawn an analogy with the events of last year in Iran. They compare Egypt and Tunisia to the protests in Iran and believe that the people of Egypt were inspired by what happened in Iran last year, not what happened  32 years ago. However, we see and interpret the events as they are an important sign of change in the region. The life of the dictators is over and people do not look up to the US as their savior any longer. The US has once again, lost its face in supporting  despotic regimes in Egypt and Tunisis. Democratic and Islamic values will determine the fate of the Middle East. The people will learn from the lessons and mistakes of other nations including Iran and will build their future upon those valuable experiences .

Recent Developments in Air Pollution Policy

Air pollution is still a major problem for our large cities. Records indicate that air pollution was diagnosed in as far as 1974 as a major problem for Tehran. As the population and number of vehicles increased drastically over the years, from a few thousand to over 4 million in 2011,and due to the lack of serious determination in recent years the issue seems to have become unsurmountable.  In 1998, with the assistance of a team of experts and building upon three major studies a Comprehensive Plan to Combat Air Pollution was drawn up. The plan was adopted in 7 chapters a year later by the Government and implementation began. A strong inter-sectoral management committee was established, all car production lines were brought in line with environmental standards, lead was out-phased from gasoline, natural gas was promoted as a clean fuel and public transportation was enhanced during those years, until 2005 when the government changed.
The new government had other priorities, thus many of the programs concerning air pollution were cancelled or faced serious obstacles.This led to serious setbacks in programs and targets set for reduction of pollutants. This year we have faced more than 80 days of unhealthy air pollution levels. Aromatics, particulate matter, NO2 and ozone are major pollutants detected in Tehran . When it became clear for the Tehran City Council that the Government has a 5 year delay  in providing a revision of the Comprehensive Plan to Combat Air Pollution, they adopted the Environmental Committee proposal on this matter last month.
More interesting on this matter is the fact that the Tehran Municipality won an international award of Sustainable Transport, but the Government which sees the Mayor of Tehran,Mohammad Ghalibaf as a rival, opposed his presence in the US for accepting the award . Despite the Administrations opposition Alireza Dabir, a member of the Council went to receive the award instead.

A Letter to Gorbachev

Mikhail Gorbachev, had unusual high profile guests on January 4, 1989. Imam Khomeini, the founder of the Islamic Republic of Iran had decided to send an official letter, carried by a high-level delegation, for the Soviet leader. The Imam had sent very few such letters during his 11 year term, thus this event was considered to be of utmost importance.
His envoys consisted of Ayatollah Javadi Amolli a prominent religious scholar, Dr. Javad Larijani a top diplomat and Marzieh Dabagh a revolutionary woman activist, imprisoned and tortured for opposing the monarchy. The sending of the letter was unconventional , its contents were confidential and not disclosed even for the emissaries. The members of the delegation received much publicity during and after the event. Particularly important was the inclusion of a woman in this high level delegation, indicating the importance Imam attached to their role in diplomacy and dialogue. Although this diplomatic role for women has yet to be appreciated in the Iranian administration today.
The envoys were warmly welcomed in the Kremlin where they met Mr. Gorbachev and the letter was read out loud and translated simultaneously. The timing of the letter was also significant; this was soon after Iran had accepted the UN resolution 598 for ceasefire ,after the aggression of Saddam against Iran. No one could anticipate what Imam had to say to the Soviet leader. The message praised Mr. Gorbachev's boldness in changing the Soviet system.
''It is clear to everyone that Communism should henceforth be sought in world museums of political history,'' ''Materialism cannot save humanity from the crisis of disbelief in spirituality, which is the basic affliction of human societies in the West and the East.'' Finally Imam had asked Mr. Gorbachev to seriously study and research Islam.
Gorbachev had carefully listened , and then replied after a brief contemplation . Initially he had thanked , Imam for the letter and had pledged to reply appropriately , he had noted that legislation for the freedom of religions was underway and he believed different faiths could live in harmony together. He then made the point that this religious invitation could be considered as a form of interference in the affairs of another country , since each country is free to chose its religion and faith.
In reply ,the head of the delegation thanked Mr. Gorbachev for patiently listening and pledging to provide a response. Mr Javadi noted that on the interference point, he must make a clarification, he noted: “You are free Sir to rule the Soviet Union as you prefer, this message does not concern what is above nor below the land or even the skies of the Soviet Union, this message concerns only you and your soul.”
Mr. Gorbachev is a respected former leader a now  active in sustainable development and peace issues. He has founded and leads an international NGO, Green Cross with active branches in many countries.
The Brisbane Earth Dialogues was an international conference held in 2006 in Australia under his auspices. I was invited to address the Conference as the first woman Vice President of Iran and as a Champion of the Earth and I met Mr. Gorbachev on the sidelines.
We discussed about Imam's letter. I asked him whether he recalled the meeting and the letter . He said he recalled them very well. He even recalled that the lady in the delegation wore gloves. I pointed that Imam had not sent any letter to any world leader other than him, indicating that he regarded him highly and worthy of a intellectual dialogue. Mr. Gorbachev acknowledged that he had been very engaged and busy during those times and that he had not given due attention to the matter at that juncture. I pointed that through this letter Imam had attempted to initiate a dialogue between two cultures and religions. Although Imam had passed away, the letter was still a matter of lively debate in Iran and in other Muslim media. Every year on the anniversary interviews, seminars and debates on the mission and the letter were convened. Mr. Gorbachev was surprised to hear that the letter is still a relevant entity for Iran and the Islamic world. He indicated his readiness to work on an initiative to revive this dialogue and to revisit the message that Imam sent him.
Now in 2011 we face very difficult challenges in Iran and in many parts of the world.
The concept and policy of Dialogue among Civilizations reinstated by former President Khatami is seriously challenged now by radical power structures in Iran, violent groups who deny dialogue at the national and international dimensions have undermined many democratic processes of the Islamic Republic. Revisiting the letter of Imam Khomeini on the anniversary might remind us of the importance that he gave to dialogue and understanding among faiths, cultures and even politicians.

You can see the New York Times Article of January 1986 below:
http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=950DE1DA153EF936A35752C0A96F948260

Jesus (AS) in the Holy Quran

Our religious leaders have taught us to resort to the Holy Quran in difficult times. The Quran is a gauge and a compass in times of distress and loss. Its universal message talks to every human in a context relevant to the inner and social challenges they face. The Quran is a revelation to Prophet Mohammad but it is also a witness to the history of Revelation and Prophethood. The narrations of the Prophets, beginning  from Adam and Eve, are an integral part of the Quran and the Quranic version is in many cases similar to the Torah and  to the Bible. There are however differences which are noteworthy may reveal many points. The Quran also points to the distortions appearing later in Holy Scripture including the Torah and Bible and clarifies the ambiguities in many cases. The Quran has devoted much to the birth and life of Jesus the Son of Mary and Mary herself. Concerning the birth of Eisa or Jesus the Quran has beautiful verses in several chapters including the chapter Maryam.
"And mention, [O Muhammad], in the Book [the story of] Mary, when she withdrew from her family to a place toward the east.
And she took, in seclusion from them, a screen. Then We sent to her Our Angel, and he represented himself to her as a well-proportioned man
She said, "Indeed, I seek refuge in the Most Merciful from you, [so leave me], if you should be fearing of Allah."
He said, "I am only the messenger of your Lord to give you [news of] a pure boy."
She said, "How can I have a boy while no man has touched me and I have not been unchaste?"
He said, "Thus [it will be]; your Lord says, 'It is easy for Me, and We will make him a sign to the people and a mercy from Us. And it is a matter [already] decreed.' 
So she conceived him, and she withdrew with him to a remote place.
And the pains of childbirth drove her to the trunk of a palm tree. She said, "Oh, I wish I had died before this and was in oblivion, forgotten."
But he called her from below her, "Do not grieve; your Lord has provided beneath you a stream.
And shake toward you the trunk of the palm tree; it will drop upon you ripe, fresh dates.
So eat and drink and be contented. And if you see from among humanity anyone, say, 'Indeed, I have vowed to the Most Merciful abstention, so I will not speak today to [any] man.' 
Then she brought him to her people, carrying him. They said, "O Mary, you have certainly done a thing unprecedented.
O sister of Aaron, your father was not a man of evil, nor was your mother unchaste."
So she pointed to him. They said, "How can we speak to one who is in the cradle a child?"
[Jesus] said, "Indeed, I am the servant of Allah. He has given me the Scripture and made me a prophet.
And He has made me blessed wherever I am and has enjoined upon me prayer and zakah as long as I remain alive.....
That is Jesus, the son of Mary - the word of truth about which they are in dispute."


 There is much beauty in the Quranic version of the birth of Jesus(AS) and much emphasis on the human nature of Jesus and his first miracle, speaking upon birth. The most important notion given is that the Holy Quran is so strong and confident of its message that it devotes a major part of its discourse to a narration of other Prophets and events related to their lives.  The Quran conveys the message of Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus and many other Prophets to emphasize on the continuity of Revelation and the evident Truth behind it.
Jesus has come as a great tiding to humanity for worship of God and denial of oppression and deceit. According to Islamic tradition , Jesus (AS) will return with the awaited Mahdi to bring peace and love back to a war stricken and depressed world. 

So eat an

So eat and drink and be contented. And