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</tr> </table> </td> </tr> </table> <table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tr> <td width="9"> </td> <td align="left" valign="top"> <table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tr> <td width="64%" valign="top"><br> <i><font color="#000000" size="2"><img src="/web/20030404071002im_/http://atimes.com/atimes//images/Iran-Diary-title.jpg" border="0"></font></i></td> <td width="36%" valign="top"> <table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tr> <td height="51" align="middle" valign="center"> <div align="right"><font class="time"></font></div> </td> </tr> </table> </td> </tr> </table> <table width="100%" border="0" align="left" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tr> <td width="65%" valign="top"> <table width="100%" border="0" align="left" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tr> <td width="65%" valign="top"> <table width="372" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tr> <td width="372"> <p><br><br><font color="black"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20030404071002/http://www.atimes.com/c-asia/DE23Ag04.html"><strong>Part 1: Sea of peace or lake of trouble?</strong></a></font> <br>Of all the claims and counterclaims among the five littoral states of the Caspian Sea, those between Iran and Azerbaijan are probably the most problematical as they are underpinned by deep suspicions in Tehran of United States interference. <font color="inactivecaption" size="1">(May 22)<br></font><br><strong><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20030404071002/http://www.atimes.com/c-asia/DE24Ag04.html">Part 2: Knocking on heaven's door</a></strong> <br>Qom, the second holiest city in Iran, means "uprising", appropriate for the heartland of the Islamic revolution that swept the country 23 years ago. The city is also home to Grand Ayatollah Saanei, a leading theologian and scholar, who shares some insights into Islam. George W Bush, take note. <font color="inactivecaption" size="1">(May 23)</font></p> <p><strong><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20030404071002/http://www.atimes.com/front/DE25Aa01.html">Part 3: Knocking on democracy's door</a></strong> <br>As never before, the curious political mixture of religious and secular rule in Iran is under scrutiny, with a growing clamor for an enlightened "Islamic democracy". These calls need to be heard, especially those coming from the under-25s, who make up 60 percent of the population. <font color="inactivecaption" size="1">(May 24)</font> </p> <p><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20030404071002/http://www.atimes.com/front/DE29Aa01.html"><strong>Part 4: Follow the leader</strong> </a><br>There is no doubting that Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Hoseini Khamenei wields vast powers, but this is no reason for the Western media not to attempt to understand him, and the particular form of democracy that the country practices. <font color="inactivecaption" size="1">(May 28)</font> </p> <p><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20030404071002/http://www.atimes.com/front/DE30Aa03.html"><strong>Part 5: The guardian</strong> </a><br>In the first-ever interview given by a member of Iran's all-powerful Council of Guardians to a foreign publication, lawyer Mohsen Ismaili locks horns with Pepe Escobar over press freedom in the country, and issues a plea to leaders in the United States to stop meddling as Iran moves toward its goal of a religious democracy. <font color="inactivecaption" size="1">(May 29)<br><br></font><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20030404071002/http://www.atimes.com/front/DE31Aa01.html"><strong>Part 6: Golden domes and mean streets</strong> </a><br>The town of Mashhad houses one of the most dazzling religious complexes in the world. It is also home to a ghetto for thousands of Afghan refugees, alienated and largely despised by their Iranian hosts. There is talk of sending the refugees home, but there's little guarantee that they will find conditions any better there. <font color="inactivecaption" size="1">(May 30)</font> </p> <p><strong><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20030404071002/http://atimes.com/front/DF05Aa03.html">Part 7: It's the economy, Ayatollah</a></strong> <br>As long as Iran bases its economy on a system that favors privileged business conglomerates, a plethora of subsidies and limited access to foreign currency - the country will not be able to develop the private sector or spread the country's oil wealth. Unless, that is, political reforms are introduced. <font color="inactivecaption" size="1">(Jun 4)</font> </p> <p><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20030404071002/http://atimes.com/front/DF07Aa02.html"><strong>Part 8: Stop press</strong> </a><br>There is a lot to talk about in Iran, especially when it comes to the fundamental issue of exactly how - and what - reform should be introduced. Unfortunately, debate is not being helped by overzealous and oversensitive muffling of the media. <font color="inactivecaption" size="1">(Jun 6)</font> </p> <p><strong><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20030404071002/http://www.atimes.com/front/df08aa06.html">Part 9: Girls in black</a></strong> <br>Behind the all-enveloping black veils and scarfs that Iranian women are required to wear, something of a revolution is taking place - make-up, jeans, flashy sunglasses and imported perfume. But beyond these physical manifestations of Western culture, a far more profound struggle is under way among the women of Iran. <font color="inactivecaption" size="1">(Jun 7)</font> </p> <p><strong><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20030404071002/http://www.atimes.com/c-asia/DF13Ag02.html">Part 10: Encircled</a></strong> <br>Having labeled Iran as a part of an axis of evil, Washington continues to propagate the notion that Tehran is a danger to American national security. This is simply nonsense: the US should be trying to embrace Iran, not exclude it.<font color="inactivecaption" size="1"> (Jun 12)</font> </p> <p><strong><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20030404071002/http://www.atimes.com/c-asia/DF15Ag04.html">Part 11: The magic mountains</a></strong> <br>Come Friday prayers, when the more devout head for the mosques, young Iranians of a more frivolous nature head for the mountains surrounding Tehran, where they indulge in pursuits that can only be described, in the Muslim context, as sinful. The mountain excursions are a symptom of the cultural dilemma that engulfs Iran. <font color="inactivecaption" size="1">(Jun 15)</font></p> </td> </tr> </table> </td> </tr> </table> <br> </td> </tr> <tr> <td width="65%" valign="top"> </td> </tr> </table> </td> <td width="9" valign="top" background="/web/20030404071002im_/http://atimes.com/images/f_images/line.gif"><img height="1" src="/web/20030404071002im_/http://atimes.com/images/f_images/1pix.gif" width="9"></td> <td width="131" align="left" valign="top"> <table width="117" border="0" align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tr> <td><a href="/web/20030404071002/http://atimes.com/atimes/advertise.html" target="_blank" target="_blank"><img hspace="0" src="/web/20030404071002im_/http://atimes.com/atimes/images/book-rainbow-2.jpg" border="0"></a></td> </tr> <tr> <td height="5"><img height="5" src="/web/20030404071002im_/http://atimes.com/images/f_images/1pix.gif" width="5"></td> </tr> <tr> <td><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20030404071002/http://www.wsicorporate.com/business.asp?id=5292" target="_blank"><img hspace="0" src="/web/20030404071002im_/http://atimes.com/atimes/images/Big-Button-new.gif" border="0"></a></td> </tr> <tr> <td height="10"><img height="10" src="/web/20030404071002im_/http://atimes.com/images/f_images/1pix.gif" width="5"></td> </tr> <tr> <td><a href="/web/20030404071002/http://atimes.com/atimes/advertise.html"></a></td> </tr> <tr> <td height="10"><img height="10" src="/web/20030404071002im_/http://atimes.com/images/f_images/1pix.gif" width="1"></td> </tr> </table> <table width="117" border="0" align="center" cellpadding="6" cellspacing="0"> <tr> <td bgcolor="#000000"><font color="#ff9900" size="2" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><strong>Affiliates<br></strong><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2"><a href="/web/20030404071002/http://atimes.com/atimes/advertise.html#AF"><font color="#ff9900" size="1">Click here to be one</font></a></font> </font></td> </tr> <tr> <td align="middle" valign="top" bgcolor="#000000"> <table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tr> <td align="middle" valign="center"> <div align="center"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20030404071002/http://www.brudirect.com/" target="_blank"></a></div> </td> </tr> <tr> <td height="10" align="middle" valign="center"><img height="10" src="/web/20030404071002im_/http://atimes.com/images/f_images/1pix.gif" width="1"></td> </tr> <tr> <td align="middle" valign="center"> <div align="center"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20030404071002/http://www.sulekha.com/" target="_blank"></a></div> </td> </tr> <tr> <td height="10" align="middle" valign="center"><img height="10" src="/web/20030404071002im_/http://atimes.com/images/f_images/1pix.gif" width="1"></td> </tr> <tr> <td align="middle" valign="center"> <div align="center"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20030404071002/http://www.manager.co.th/" target="_blank"></a></div> </td> </tr> <tr> <td height="10" align="middle" valign="center"><img height="10" src="/web/20030404071002im_/http://atimes.com/images/f_images/1pix.gif" width="1"></td> </tr> <tr> <td align="middle" valign="center"> <div align="center"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20030404071002/http://www.suratkabar.com/" target="_blank"></a></div> </td> </tr> <tr> <td height="10" align="middle" valign="center"><img height="10" src="/web/20030404071002im_/http://atimes.com/images/f_images/1pix.gif" width="1"></td> </tr> <tr> <td align="middle" valign="center"> <div align="center"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20030404071002/http://www.studien-von-zeitfragen.de/" target="_blank"></a></div> </td> </tr> <tr> <td height="10"><img height="10" src="/web/20030404071002im_/http://atimes.com/images/f_images/1pix.gif" width="1"></td> </tr> </table> </td> </tr> </table> <p> </p> </td> </tr> </table> </td> </tr> </table></td> <td background="/web/20030404071002im_/http://atimes.com/images/f_images/sha.gif"><img height="7" src="/web/20030404071002im_/http://atimes.com/images/f_images/1pix.gif" width="7"></td> </tr> <tr> <td height="50" align="middle" valign="center" bgcolor="#003366"> <div align="center"> <table width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="table-text"> <tr> <td height="17"> <div align="center"></div></td> </tr> <tr> <td height="17"> <div align="center"><font color="#ffffff" size="2" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">No material from Asia Times Online may be republished in any form without written permission. </font></div></td> </tr> <tr> <td height="13"> <div align="center"><font color="#ffffff" size="2" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"> Copyright Asia Times Online, 6306 The Center, Queen抯 Road, Central, Hong Kong. </font></div></td> </tr> </table> <p><font color="#ffffff" size="1"> </font><font color="#ffffff" size="2"> </font></p> </div></td> <td background="/web/20030404071002im_/http://atimes.com/images/f_images/sha.gif"> </td> </tr> </table> </body> </html>

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