Tehran has no soul.

Posted on October 3, 2013July 10, 2024 by admin

Air pollution has become one of the most serious environmental problems in Tehran, the capital of Iran, and several other cities in Iran, considering its harmful consequences. Statistics show that during days of intensified air pollution in Tehran, the number of respiratory patients increases by up to 60%. The main factor associated with the exacerbation of cardiovascular, vascular, and pulmonary diseases is the increase in pollutants such as sulfur dioxide, suspended particles, and carbon monoxide. As a result, air pollution in Tehran has reduced the life expectancy of its residents by an average of 5 years. According to some environmental experts, the first serious warning about air pollution in Tehran was sounded in 1995.

It is enough to step out of the house for one day and not have a breath of fresh air; the kind of air that, when it enters the lungs, brings a feeling of life to every single cell. But it seems like it has been years since we’ve had this kind of air in the cities. We used to know Tehran for its crowds, traffic, and pollution. When you would arrive from other cities in Iran, close to the capital, you would see the mass of polluted air over the city and wonder, how do people live in this city? But now this question is less prevalent in our minds because Tehran is just one of the polluted cities.

If we review the news, every day we hear about another city’s air pollution. Pollutions that sometimes reach crisis levels and force the city to shut down. Cities like Ahvaz, Isfahan, Arak, Tehran, Mashhad, Abadan, Khorramshahr, and even Karaj have been forced to close schools or the entire city multiple times due to air pollution. And even if they haven’t been shut down, the level of air pollution has reached critical levels in these cities multiple times.

Is it the weather or the inversion of responsibilities?

These days, it seems that air pollution in cities is inevitable. No one asks where this pollution has come from, the only question that is raised is: when will this pollution go away? Why is the air not clean? Why is it not raining?

Most air pollution is related to the fall and winter seasons, when the phenomenon of “inversion” occurs. The mechanism of this phenomenon is that in the early morning and during sunrise, the layers of the earth become warmer due to the collision of sunlight rays, making them warmer than the layers below. As the day begins and human activities and fuel consumption increase, the temperature of the surface air rises. This warm air, when rising and moving upwards or when being displaced by wind, collides with a layer of air with the same temperature, formed by sunlight radiation in the upper layers of the atmosphere, and becomes a barrier to the upward movement and exchange of air. The result is the formation of a high-coverage layer over the city, which, over time and with the increase of urban activities, traps the pollutants produced on the surface and prevents them from rising. Sometimes, as the temperature increases with altitude in this layer, it shows an increase, which is called inversion. None of the pollutants

But before that, we must ask why the volume of pollutants has increased to such an extent. Pollutants that endanger the lives of many people every day.

Where is the source of air pollution?

Whenever pollution in cities is mentioned, the first thing that comes to mind is the cars that emit smoke in the cities and their numbers increase every day. If we think back to our memories, this childish poem probably remains in everyone’s mind: “Oh how lucky you are, village dweller / How happy and joyful, how pure / In our city, there is nothing but cries and screams / Oh how lucky you are to be free / In our city, there is nothing but smoke and cars / My heart is heavy from this and that; of course, this mindset is not entirely baseless. Mohammad Reza Tabesh, head of the Environmental Faction of the Parliament, said about the causes of air pollution: “The first source of pollution in cities is cars.”

Of course, he emphasized on this point that when talking about cars as the main source of air pollution, two factors must be considered; he explained it like this: in the pollution of cars, attention must be paid to both the structure of their engines and the type of fuel they consume. Many cars produced do not meet the pollution standards and on the other hand, the fuel they consume is also a significant factor in polluting the air of cities.

This representative of the parliament also pointed out that we must pay attention to the fact that air pollution is not limited to Tehran, but today all major cities in the country suffer from air pollution.

The head of the Environmental Fraction emphasized: Our duty as representatives of the Environmental Fraction is to protect the environment of the whole country; we use all our monitoring tools to protect the lives and health of the people.

He added: Representatives and relevant organizations monitor the environmental issues and air pollution and are responsible for their duties; wherever there is a legal vacuum, we strive to eliminate it.

The member of the ninth parliament’s Planning and Budget Commission also stated: After cars, industries are considered the second source of air pollution, although there are other factors involved in pollution, but cars and industries are considered the main factors in the air pollution of major cities.

And this is an issue that a city like Isfahan is also facing. Isfahan, with its large industries operating around it, gets closer to critical levels of pollution every day. This historical city, which is a destination for many domestic and foreign tourists, is now a victim of these large industries and its health is at risk.

The head of the Fuel Dealers Association in Isfahan had said: The main reason for air pollution is the operation of large industries around the city, as the quality of gasoline has improved.

Generating electricity with a cancerous ingredient.

A while ago (19th of Dey), Mohammad Hassan Asefri, the representative of the people of Arak, said in the open session of the parliament: “Due to the existence of the Shazand power plant, the city of Arak experiences pollution for 250 days out of 365 days a year, and there is no commitment to address this pollution in the city.”

This representative reported news of 300 cancer patients in the city of Arak and added: the main cause of this disease is the presence of the Shazand power plant and the pollution caused by it.

He also stated: The Ministry of Oil and Energy, using Mazut fuel in power plants, dumps over 200 tons of pollutants on the city of Arak daily.

The CEO of Shazand power plant also admitted to this issue and said: This power plant is one of the four major power plants in the country that supplies four to five percent of the country’s total electricity and it must be accepted that every industry has a level of pollution.

The Shazand thermal power plant can be considered one of the major sources of air pollution in Arak, as during the cold seasons, with the increase in gas consumption, mazut is used as fuel which multiplies the pollution several times.

The CEO of this power plant says: The decision to use either Mazut or natural gas as fuel for the power plant is not up to us, but rather determined by the National Gas Company.

The liquid of death in the veins of the car.

But how much does gasoline, which is considered by many officials and experts as a major air pollutant, contribute to the air pollution in cities these days? Sometimes there are statements about the poor quality of domestically produced gasoline, which are then denied by other officials.

The CEO of Tehran Air Quality Control Company recently announced the results of the investigation on domestic gasoline: the carcinogenic compounds in domestic gasoline are 2 to 3 times higher than the standard.

Yousef Rashidi, CEO of Tehran Air Quality Control Company, emphasized that without a doubt, poor quality gasoline can have a significant impact on worsening air pollution. He stated, “Samples of domestically produced gasoline have been sent to a research center in Germany for examination.”

He said: In the results of this study, the octane numbers of regular and premium gasoline produced domestically were 83 and 95 respectively, while the global standard is at least 95.

Rashidi stated that the level of carcinogenic aromatic compounds in domestic gasoline is two to three times higher than the standard level. He also pointed out that the amount of sulfur and other impurities present in domestic gasoline is approximately three and a half times higher than the standard level.

Do not take “air” from people.

Air pollution is one of those things that many people easily pass by. It seems like pollution only causes eye irritation and coughing, and sometimes headaches and nausea, and then it is forgotten. Some people even wear masks and go outside, not realizing that the pollutants are smaller than what regular masks can block from entering their respiratory system.

Just recently, Hossein Aghajani, the advisor to the Minister of Health, had announced the death of 4460 people due to air pollution in Tehran last year. A shocking statistic that may make officials think a little more. Meanwhile, there is still no accurate statistics from other cities in the country.

In truth, what should be done to free the country’s cities from deadly pollution? Can we close the gates and stay away from the cities? Or even shut down the city for a few days?

These are short-term solutions that are sometimes suggested by officials; not to mention some interesting actions by the country’s managers; decisions that sometimes were just a joke. Spraying Tehran with airplanes, or even suggesting the use of fog machines were among the solutions proposed to combat pollution.

But in order to reduce the pollution in cities, officials must prioritize rational and long-term solutions. Comprehensive plans for reducing air pollution in cities should be developed by experts and specialists in this field, and all responsible organizations should work together to implement them, as air pollution is a problem that directly affects people’s lives.

Improving the quality of domestic car production and the necessity of monitoring their compliance with pollution standards, improving the quality of fuels such as gasoline and diesel according to international standards, developing green spaces in cities, removing polluting industries from the outskirts of cities, and ultimately developing the quantity and quality of public transportation systems such as subways and electric buses in major cities of the country are among the measures that executive officials of the country must prioritize in order to reduce air pollution. One of the important issues of these days may be the quality of car fuels. After the sanctions, the country faced a severe shortage of the required gasoline, and as a result, many refineries and petrochemical plants in the country hastily started producing gasoline to show that the sanctions were ineffective. However, producing gasoline at any cost and with any quality has only resulted in deadly air pollution in cities.

The Acta Law

Posted on October 3, 2013July 10, 2024 by admin

Sharing knowledge and information is a part of cultural, social, and political activities through digital technologies. Thanks to the internet, information is shared and spread quickly. That’s why we like to share our favorite cultural information with others. For this reason, we produce shared information and works such as Wikipedia or some free software.

ACTA, a multilateral agreement on stopping internet theft, has had a serious impact on the way internet actors deal with copyright issues. ACTA puts pressure on the internet industry, companies, and those who provide access to information, video games, search engines, and social networks. ACTA requires them to cooperate with the entertainment industry in a specific way and without the need for a judge or court. Therefore, when the entertainment industry asks them to remove their products from access, these companies must comply with their demands.

Therefore, in terms of bypassing legal rules, when anyone is faced with an accusation, this agreement prevents any defense. In order to prevent others from accessing the relevant

These are part of the remarks of “Jeremy Zimmermann” from the organization “Quadrature du Net” (an organization that supports internet users’ rights) which he made on EuroNews network about the role of this law.

ACTA is a legal agreement that was formed through negotiations between 39 countries, including members of the European Union, the United States, Japan, Australia, South Korea, Singapore, and others. The whispers of such negotiations began in May 2008, after news was leaked on the WikiLeaks website. The law, which focused heavily on “intellectual property rights,” suddenly became a controversial decision and sparked numerous protests. It is said that from the start of negotiations until October 2011, news of such negotiations did not leak to any media outlet, which only added to the suspicion of internet users as to why it was kept secret from them.

This agreement, which is primarily designed to combat illegal buying and selling of drugs and protect intellectual property rights in cyberspace, covers a wide range and includes preventing the sale of counterfeit goods and illegal downloads from internet websites.

The Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) is an international effort to protect the intellectual property rights of cultural products by prohibiting the counterfeiting of goods and online piracy. At least thirty countries, including Japan, the United States, Canada, and members of the European Union, have reached an initial agreement on this treaty, and some European countries such as Germany have also delayed their agreement.

Opponents say that this agreement opens the way for interference in online legal freedoms, including blocking this network. Data guardians have also expressed concerns about the information of citizens. They say that this agreement could force active companies in the field of communications to provide information about their customers to other authorities.

Protests of opponents.

Despite the fact that protests have taken place throughout the European Union and the world, there is no opportunity in this writing to examine and express them, and for this reason, I will only refer to the successful example of Poland, which was the first country to protest against this law. To understand the depth of the protests, it is enough to mention that major websites such as Google, Wikipedia, and Twitter blocked their services for a day in protest against the complementary laws (SOPA and PIPA).

The first protests in Poland took place when the government announced that it would sign this law on January 26, 2012. On the 21st of this month, a group of anonymous hackers shut down several government websites, including the Prime Minister’s website. Protests against this law continued. On January 24, more than a thousand protesters marched to the European Parliament. 15,000 people in Krakow and 5,000 people in Wroclaw also protested. Finally, a number of famous Polish websites were taken down to put this law to a public vote, so that the people could determine the fate of Poland’s membership. The result of this vote was very surprising, with 64% of the people opposing the government’s signing of this law. 60% of the people believed that by signing this law, the government would not meet the demands raised, and 50% of them believed that this law violated the principles of freedom. Protests continued on January

What does this law say?

To understand what this law says and the reasons for objections, I refer to a summary of news.

The United States, Japan, South Korea, and other countries in favor of the ACTA agreement state that the existence of such an agreement is necessary to establish coordinated and unified principles and regulations at the international level to protect the rights of producers in music, film, medicine, fashion, and a wide range of products and innovations that have not yet reached the market. (Voice of America news agency)
Some of the protesters carried placards with them that read, “Octa equals 1984,” which is a reference to the famous book by George Orwell with the same title, which depicts an imaginary society where the government constantly monitors all movements of the people through surveillance cameras.
One of these protesters says: “My main reason for participating in these protests is that the Octa agreement was approved without consulting the people. Before it was approved, it should have been discussed with the people.”
The discussions related to the preparation of this controversial contract were brought up in complete secrecy. Last year, the text of this contract was published. Prior to that, only the name of this contract and the covert operations of member countries had caused many rumors in this regard. Finally, 22 European countries, including Sweden, signed this contract in Tokyo. (Radio Sweden)
Opponents say that the general and interpretable text of the contract gives the authorities the power to trample on the individual rights of citizens. The vagueness of the details of this contract has caused fear and created many rumors. For example, it is said that airport customs can confiscate people’s computers or electronic devices to check if there is any pirated software or music on them. Furthermore, more responsibility has been placed on internet service companies to monitor their subscribers and they will face heavy fines if they do not comply with the terms of this contract.

Magnus Graner, spokesperson for the Swedish Ministry of Justice, says that this agreement undermines the balance between the rights of copyright holders and the rights of citizenship and freedom of individuals. He states that such agreements are in conflict with the constitution.

Increase in population, political crisis and violation of human rights – Part two

Posted on October 3, 2013July 10, 2024 by admin

The world population began to grow rapidly after the end of the Great Famine and the Black Death (plague epidemic) in 1350, increasing from around 370 million to its current amount. Annual population growth reached over 1.8% for a short period in the 1950s and for a longer period in the 1960s and 1970s, experiencing its peak growth of 2.3% in 1963. The rate of population growth then gradually decreased and reached 1.1% in 2011. In that year, approximately 134 million people were born and 50 million people died. It is predicted that in the future years, the birth rate will remain constant, but the death rate will increase, reaching 80 million deaths per year by 2040.

The leaders of the Islamic Republic generally refer to the Zionist and imperialist control over population as a whole and usually mention less about the harms of population control or reduction from their own perspective. However, it seems that the main reason for their concerns can be found in population reduction (or lack of population growth). In any case, population and land area are considered as indicators of a country or government’s power, and the more military and security-minded the rulers are, and the more they constantly define their situation as warlike and crisis-ridden, the more these indicators become prominent in their view, and they pay less attention to more modern indicators such as growth rate, inflation, women’s employment, and the like. Many people who try to theorize the statements of the leaders of the system, led by Ayatollah Khamenei, cite high population density in Japan, Indonesia, France, and Germany as examples to prove the leader’s demands, and introduce the high population of Muslims as a

The result of the author’s research in books and articles of supporters of population growth is that there is no other significant reason mentioned for population growth and the rest of the presented content is probably not taken seriously by most of their writers.

If the Islamic Republic system did not define itself in conflict with international order and utilized the achievements of modernity, democracy, and cooperation with the people, its leaders would surely understand that the safest countries in the world today follow the models of non-military security and establish their security and power on the basis of trade and true representation of the government by the people. However, the reality is that this government is in extreme crisis and free trade with the global community or cooperation with the people of Iran changes its nature. The more the people of Iran need non-military security, the Islamic Republic is seeking military security. An increase in population, if not accompanied by an equal or higher rate of capital growth, will lead to a decrease in the quality of life for citizens and will cause the country to face its own specific social problems.

Continuous political unrest, both among elites and in society, is one of the issues that can cast its shadow even on the next government and hinder the wheels of democracy, greatly reducing human rights indicators. The decrease in government capabilities, the crisis of elite succession and the resulting conflicts, and the increase in the potential of mass movements without civil responsibility are the consequences of population growth with limited or uneven development.

The safest countries in the world today follow the models of non-militarized security and establish their security and power on the basis of trade and genuine representation of the government from the nation. However, the reality is that the Republic…

“Islam is extremely critical and free trade with the global community or partnership with the Iranian nation changes its nature.”

In the previous section, we mentioned the crisis of government power reduction. However, in a society with rich resources, the unity of elites has helped to maintain the government to some extent and there is potential for reforms and maintaining a minimum level of economic quality. The decrease in government capacity does not necessarily lead to serious crises. However, in countries with polarized societies like Iran, where the unity of elites is constantly challenged, the decrease in government capacity can ignite internal conflicts on a large scale and worsen human suffering and human rights violations. This bitter reality will not be limited to the era of the Islamic Republic and even if the country is run in a democratic form, the content of it will be undemocratic, leading to the crisis of democracy and eventually destroying its form.

The increase in population pressure and shortage of resources, followed by the concentration of wealth in certain groups and the harm caused to others, will increase the Gini coefficient and bring class differences to a critical point. A weak government or an ineffective democracy will not be able to control the conflict between elites and maintain order, and the framework of balance and distribution of wealth will be shattered. When the government weakens, the elites will strike their own deal, resolve their conflicts by force, and ultimately stand against the government, tearing society apart and causing division.

Continuous political unrest, both among elites and in society, is one of the problems that can cast its shadow even on the next government and hinder the wheels of democracy, greatly reducing human rights indicators. The weakening of the government’s capabilities, the crisis of elite succession and the resulting conflicts, and the increase in the potential of mass movements that usually lack civil burden are among the consequences of population growth with limited or uneven development.

National or regional division, alongside population pressure and resource scarcity, can lead to a social rift on the brink of explosion. In a healthy society with abundant resources and the ability to build institutions and its own economy, there is usually room for adaptation to the increase of elites. However, in a society with a stagnant economy and universities constantly producing elites for the future (as has happened in Iran to the most extreme extent possible), and such a future is not realized, competition among the elites intensifies and the continuous elimination of elites leads to social crises.

The increase in population and destruction of resources, in addition to weakening the government’s capabilities and creating animosity among the people towards the elites, prompts them to take to the streets through mass mobilization (a significant portion of which is caused by animosity towards the elites). This reality leads to widespread political and social unrest, and raises the statistics of human rights violations.

The government’s misuse of human rights, such as civil rights, and the disruption of public order and government concerns all contribute to the weakening of social control. The increase in population without balanced development leads to a decrease in real wages and the occurrence of various forms of visible and hidden unemployment, causing difficulties in providing for the physical needs of the people.

The increase in population in the medium term leads to a younger society, and the younger the population, the less balanced the distribution of the population. If a large group of young people are faced with economic opportunities, and the elites of society compete with each other in providing opportunities and attracting supporters, the possibility of mobilizing them for high political conflicts increases.

All of these are part of a future that has already come to pass, as if the leaders of the Islamic Republic intend to overflow the ongoing social crises in Iran even after the Islamic Republic with incentive packages to increase the population. The reality is that Iranians will not see peace unless their accumulated capital increases the population growth rate, otherwise the government’s (any government’s) inability, the conflict of the elites, and the mass mobilization will be used to control their sustainable living resources.

The beginning of awareness of rights in Iran

Posted on October 2, 2013July 10, 2024 by admin

The wars between Iran and Russia were like a great shock, making Iranians realize their backwardness. Sparks of progressive thinking, whether willingly or unwillingly, were combined with justice, rule of law, and the will of the people, and intellectuals became familiar with the idea of “human rights”.

It seems that the oldest poem about human rights in constitutional literature was written by Mirza Agha Khan Kermani, one of the enlightened thinkers of the Constitutional Revolution.

Come and see the amazing work.

You can easily achieve success.

But until you know good from evil.

It is necessary to read human rights.

So that you may know the customs and ways.

Good and bad are not the same in nature.

If your knowledge is a hundred or less.

See everything in your own hands.

“Human rights” in the words of the constitutional pioneers, naturally did not fully encompass its modern meaning, but in Iran at that time it was a very progressive concept. Most advocates of this concept tried to establish a balance between human rights and Islam. They either tried to prove that there was no conflict between the two, or claimed that human rights were derived from Islamic laws and that Europeans had learned to govern their societies through their experience with the Crusades and familiarity with Muslims.

Mirza Yousefkhan, the state advisor, completed writing a treatise in the year 1287 AH, which is essentially a translation of the principles of the Declaration of Human Rights and the French Citizen with Islamic explanations that he deemed more important.

His question is about the reason for Europe’s progress and Iran’s backwardness. He writes:

As I was lost in thought one day, my intense thinking stole my sleep. I thought that a hidden caller from the west, between the earth and sky, had become aware of the Islamic nation and was loudly proclaiming:

Why are you sitting so ignorant and idle, and why don’t you think about the progress of other nations? Your neighboring wild mountain people have been brought into the circle of civilization, yet you still deny the advancements of the West. In the smallest villages near you, there are organized hospitals and schools for both males and females, yet in your most esteemed city, there is not even one hospital or school.

And it goes on to say that the progress of Europeans did not come from industry and steam engines, but rather this advancement is based on a word, which is none other than law. He writes:

Some of you are familiar with the order and progress of Europe and imagine some of the sciences and industries, such as telegraph, ships, steam engines, and military equipment, as results rather than prerequisites; and you only consider simple theories and ignore practical operations. And if you want to launch the means of progress and civilization in Iran, you neglect the determination of the basic unit at the beginning of your work.

The word “unit” was a law. He then brings up 21 articles from the Declaration of Human Rights and Citizen and tries to prove their compatibility with the laws of Sharia in his message.

Seyed Javad Tabatabai says that in criticizing the approach of constitutionalist intellectuals, he says that the Iranian intellectual movement was formed in the absence of a traditional legacy and in the best case, it was able to explain “some aspects of the history and history of thought in Iran with some concepts of the history of thought in Iran”.

However, in the book “The Freedom of Thought and the Introduction of the Constitutional Movement”, Adamiat writes: The state advisor was one of the first writers to consider the source of power as the will of the people and wrote that the consent and acceptance of the nation is the basis of all government measures, and this term comes from social discourse. He was also the first to speak about the separation of state power from clerical power. He introduced this new and progressive idea in Iran that both Muslims and non-Muslims are equal in terms of fundamental rights and that the king and the poor are equal before the law.

The State Advisor then explains in his letter to Akhoondzadeh, who had harshly criticized the drafting of this thesis based on tradition, that: “I have found evidence in the Noble Quran, authentic hadiths, verses, and proofs for all means of progress and civilization, so that it can no longer be said that such and such thing is against the religion of Islam or that Islam hinders progress and civilization.”

In any case, he touches upon the translation of the Declaration of Human Rights and the French Citizen, which has been discussed in another section of the magazine, and pays a heavy price for it. “When they chained him, exiled him to Qazvin and imprisoned him, they beat him so much with a book that his eyes watered from the effects of it.”

The role of Muslim victims of homophobia in the Islamophobia project.

Posted on October 2, 2013July 10, 2024 by admin

Muslim homosexual men and women have been recognized in television programs, articles, newspapers, research projects, and political events. This is considered a progressive step and is seen as a positive development. Additionally, as Leslie Feinberg states, there has been a strong interest in Muslim homosexuals arising from a fear of Islam. This raises the question of what discussions have been published in this field and how these discussions have strengthened or weakened racism.

This article focuses on the current situation in Britain, where the terms “Muslim” and “homophobia” are widely understood to mean the same thing. The central figure in this process is Peter Tatchell, who has been able to play a liberating and expert role in the field of Muslim gay men and women. This point highlights the problems of one-dimensional representation policies, which equate gay with white and ethnic minorities with heterosexuals. However, the fact that the Tatchell group is known as Outrage and is recognized as a post-colonial policy in Britain, shows that Islamophobia cannot be reduced to a critical analysis of identity. The active participation of both right and left, feminists and gays, official authorities and civil forces in the industry of Islamophobia shows that racism is more than ever a problem of whiteness and is linked to other political and social differences.

Two writers named Jasper Powar and Leslie Finberg, both of whom are queer and non-Muslim, examined the racial policies of English-Australian politician Peter Tatchell and his group. This group was known for a long time as a pioneer of queer policies and opposed the Stonewall group, which had chosen lobbying as their political method, and put direct actions on their agenda.

Peter Tatchell not only plays an important role among the people of Britain and is known as one of the major representatives of the gay community, but he has also introduced himself as an expert on gay issues in Muslim countries, as well as in Zimbabwe and Jamaica on the international stage. Frinberg introduces him as one of the main actors in the International Day Against Homophobia in Iran on June 19, 2006. Although his request for sanctions against the “Islamic fascists of Iran” was a vague translation of a text into Persian, he was able to expand his “global” agenda through the creation of a new organization called the Peter Tatchell Human Rights Fund. Tatchell lists the actions of this fund on his website.

Her sentences are interesting in the sense that she wants to evoke the idea that Southern queers have put themselves in danger by sacrificing their own well-being to respond to their requests for help. However, she uses racist language to describe the environmental and social problems in the South that, if left unchecked, will reach a breaking point. Her sentences bring to mind the old metaphor of the white man who, in order to save helpless victims who cannot help themselves, ignores his own needs.

In fact, in the current context of Islamophobia, white people can once again present themselves as international champions of civilization, modernity, and identity development. Muslim homosexuals are the latest symbol of this identity. These individuals are victims of ideological signs and must be rescued from their savage and backward society in a way that also includes political and military pressure. In this regard, Muslim homosexuals join Muslim women, whose liberation has traditionally been used as a document for imperialism.

The concerning issue about these images is not just the representation of Muslim homosexuals as victims without representation, but rather the problem is that these images directly feed into the racist and anti-Muslim hatred. This issue is happening in the context of a new global order, where Islam and Muslims have replaced the Eastern bloc and communists as the new global enemies. The differences of Islam, compared to the old enemy that was only seen as different in political beliefs, are now being portrayed much deeper and rooted in a non-civilized and pre-modern culture.

The creation of “Muslim Homophobia” has been placed at the center of discussions on security and has been transformed into the core values of the new Europe. This issue has led to legitimizing repressive actions against anti-terror, attacks on nationality, educational and immigration rights, as well as limiting the civil liberties of individuals. Sexuality and sexual orientation, alongside terrorism, have become areas in which Islamophobic wars are fought both domestically and internationally.

This issue reflects a transformation in European identity, which now counts claims of women’s equality and LGBTQ rights as symbols of modernity and civilization alongside democracy. Through this, gender and sexual orientation gain a political position. While we celebrate this progress, we must remember that its main foundation is not progress in gender and sexual politics, but a return to racist policies.

For example, regarding the intense discussions that took place after the homophobic remarks of Iqbal Sacranie, the leader of the Muslim Council of Britain, and during which the rights of homosexuals were recognized as a central value, it must be said that this happened only 5 years after the legal age of consent for homosexuals was equalized and only 3 years after the repeal of Section 28, which prohibited discussion of homosexuality by teachers. The resistance of the British people against the equality of homosexuals can also be seen in the fact that the Labour government had to use the Parliament Act to repeal Section 28, as it had been repeatedly rejected by the House of Lords.

The creation of “Muslim Homophobia” gives value to Western identities and provides Westerners with a political capital that they have generally been deprived of. The biggest beneficiaries of this event are white male feminists and homosexuals, who have even worse positions compared to language and colorful minorities. White feminists have been able to gain access to the political arena for the first time by representing Muslim women. Similarly, white homosexuals also play a key role in representing Muslim homosexuals. We have seen previously how Touchell was able to obtain financial resources and recognition for his international human rights campaign.

His success is based on using the language of empathy, unity and coherence, cosmopolitanism and anti-fascism. However, he often describes Muslims as Nazis. He also addresses the Supreme Leader, the Iranian government, and the Muslim Council as Nazis in an article on his website, and compares the Muslim Council to the British neo-Nazi National Party. The main effect of this article is to equate Muslims with Nazis and Muslims with evil.

The misuse of empathy becomes clear when we see the negative consequences of his policies on the majority of Muslim communities. Politicians like Touchel have made it difficult for them to help the situation of the majority of Muslims, instead of helping them. Protesting against sexual discrimination in Muslim communities will be difficult for groups that have been forced to create an artificial divide between Muslims and homosexuals. The more homophobia is attributed to Islam, the more the discourse against homophobia will turn into a discourse of white supremacy and even racism, making it harder for straight Muslims to tolerate and understand.

Rights of homosexuals in Iran

Posted on October 2, 2013July 10, 2024 by admin

During the reign of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, the last king of the Pahlavi dynasty, homosexuality was tolerated to a certain extent, to the point that news of same-sex marriages was even covered. In the late 1970s, some Iranians began to talk about organizations for the rights of homosexuals, such as the Homosexual Liberation Movement. Until the 1979 revolution, there were nightclubs where homosexual behavior was tolerated. However, during the time of the Shah, homosexuality was taboo and no one could turn to their family or friends for guidance and support. There were no institutions to help confused youth or individuals who had questions about their sexuality and desires.

Jeanette Avari says that the 1979 revolution was triggered by a moral outrage towards the Shah regime, especially regarding a court-ordered fake same-sex marriage between two young men.

The religious regime that was established after the 1979 revolution put transgender individuals on the same level as homosexuals, who were subject to punishment such as flogging and even execution. In 1986, transgender individuals were redefined as being part of the LGBTQ+ community.

Homosexuality or same-sex relations between men is a crime in certain circumstances, punishable by death for both partners. If the participants in this crime are of sound mind and have consented to it, the method of execution will be determined by the court. If one of the participants has been involved without consent, the punishment will only apply to the perpetrator. If a minor has engaged in this act, the punishment will be 74 lashes.

The punishment for sexual intercourse between two women, if both parties are mentally sound, mature, and consenting, is 100 lashes. After the fourth time of engaging in sexual intercourse, the punishment for the individual will be death.

The UNHCR, Iran Country Report, 7th European Country of Origin Information Seminar was held in Berlin on June 11-12, 2001. The final report includes information on transsexual individuals, which can be found on page 104.

Safra Project Country Information Report Iran.

“Search for the Iran Human Rights Memorial, Omid – Boroumand Foundation for Human Rights in Iran”

“Search for Memorial – ABF Iran
http://www.abfiran.org/english/memorial-search.php?do_search=Search&charges=1778515990&pagenum=0”

بازیابی شده در ۲۲ اکتبر ۲۰۱۰.

Retrieved on October 22, 2010.

Love between women in Islamic countries

Posted on October 2, 2013July 10, 2024 by admin

Women have recently become visible in all Islamic countries. In most Islamic countries, where even heterosexual relationships are heavily censored, sexual relationships between women are completely hidden. What follows is a collection of evidence that supports the existence of this type of relationship in Islamic countries.

It is believed that there may be more sexual relationships between women in harems than what is visible. There are dramatic reports about this, such as the concern of Caliph Musa al-Hadi who had brought two beautiful young girls to his harem. Later, these two girls were caught committing indecent acts, separated from each other, and their heads were cut off.

In one of the stories of One Thousand and One Nights, a man goes to visit his beloved and sees that his slave is kissing her. Richard Burton claims that harems were “warm [sexually] beds for female homosexuality. Every woman who had passed the age of youth had a young girl at her disposal, called a Teflon flower (in Damascus).” He adds: Among Arabs, men have been more jealous of their female lovers’ female friends than their male rivals.

Chabel

The absence of any mention of lesbian love in the Quran indicates its absence in early Islamic tradition (and therefore in Arabia during the time of Muhammad). Rousseau states that same-sex relationships between women were completely separate from sexual diversity in medieval Arabia and Iran.

Abukhaili reports that the word “suhāqīt” is an esteemed term in Arabic for “lesbian who has declared it herself” and refers to the fact that many of the poems of Walidah bint al-Mustakfi, an Arab Safavid, praising her lover, the poet Muḥjā, have been lost because most authors have refrained from mentioning them due to the explicit sexual language. He claims:

There are parts in the Torah where men tolerate lesbian love. A man was told that his wife is also attracted to the same sex and he replied: As long as she considers me free from any sexual restrictions, let her do whatever she wants. A poet has expressed: I drank wine in the pursuit of love/ And turned towards lesbianism as I fear pregnancy.

Sharif al-Idrisi refers to the relationship between two women as a lack of access or disorder in accessing a male sexual partner, which is known as situational homosexuality.

There are also women who are smarter than others. They have many masculine ways, even in their movements, way of speaking, and voice. These women may want to be active sexual partners and want to be dominated by a man who is capable of doing so for them. Such a woman is not ashamed to seduce someone who is interested in her. If she is not interested, a man cannot force her to love. This makes it difficult for this woman to submit to a man’s desires and leads her towards lesbian love. Most of these women are educated among women and are passionate, writers, Quran reciters, and female writers.

Hijab and Iranian Women

Posted on October 2, 2013July 10, 2024 by admin

Iranian women have had a subordinate social and economic position compared to Iranian men during past centuries. In her research on the history of Iranian women, Massoumeh Price writes that the documented struggles of women for freedom began in the 19th century, where Fatemeh Baraghani, also known as Tahereh or Qurrat al-Ayn, a professor of Islamic, Arabic, and Iranian literature, succeeded in reaching a high position in theology. In 1828, she met with Sayyid Kazem Rashti and Sayyid Mohammad Baba, the founder of the Babi movement in Iraq, which led to further advancement in her religious studies. Gradually, Tahereh reached a high position in leading this movement. She often appeared without a veil in public gatherings, which caused anger among the people, even among the Babists themselves. In 1852, after being persecuted and harassed by the Babists, she was executed for her radical views and her struggles

On January 7, 1936, Reza Shah announced the abolishment of the veil and provided modern education for both women and men on a large scale. This led to the liberation of women in society. On that day, all female teachers in the capital were invited to attend a party with unveiled women from the military and government officials at the Teacher Training College (for men). Reza Shah, alongside his unveiled wife and daughters, delivered a historic speech:

“Ladies, know that today is a great day, use the opportunities that are available to you today to contribute to the progress of the country.”

This was a part of the activities that Reza Shah did for modernizing Iran. The mandatory unveiling of women, which was strictly enforced, caused rebellion and great suffering in various communities.

In technical terms, hijab means covering oneself in a way that Islam desires, which is to prevent instability in society. Therefore, Islam requires women to cover themselves in their interactions with men with whom they have no relationship.

For many women, hijab was a symbol of tradition, honor, femininity, and sometimes comfort; therefore, most women stood against the ruling of monarchy alongside their husbands.

Some women did not leave their homes for months, while others went to the streets with full hijab and bought the risk of being arrested and having their headscarves pulled off.

Despite all the efforts of the government to abolish the hijab, women’s resistance was much greater than they had anticipated. Many women continued to preserve their modest dress in a more moderate manner. When Mohammad Reza Pahlavi became the Shah of Iran, the ban on hijab was lifted.

According to the book “Veils and Words” by Farzaneh Milani, this event happened shortly after the “renewal of attitudes towards veiling”. This time, it wasn’t just traditional and religious women who were seen with Islamic veils; some freer and non-traditional women in the middle and upper classes also adopted veiling.

This “trend of modernization” coincided with the freedom of reforms during the White Revolution of Mohammad Reza Shah. As Zahra Soltani writes in her book “Avoiding Feminism”, these reforms, which were mostly aimed at modernizing and westernizing society, resulted in consequences such as poverty and crises, leading to mass migration of people from villages to cities.

The groups of people who were concerned about the growing gap between the rich and the poor, prepared themselves and a counter movement slowly began to take shape.

Following this movement, the lifestyle and values were leaning more towards traditionalism, which included wearing modest clothing for both women and men, and even hijab for some women. For many women, the decision to wear the headscarf was not due to religious reasons, but a conscious effort to make a statement against the Pahlavi regime. It was in this context that the Islamic Revolution took place in 1979, a revolution that could only happen with the active participation of women.

In a subtle manner, Khomeini’s order for women to wear hijab was issued on March 7, 1979, one month after his return to Iran and one day before International Women’s Day. Women, who were excited and energized by the achievements they had fought for, were preparing to celebrate International Women’s Day in Tehran and other parts of Iran through women’s organizations and groups.

As Parvin writes, these celebrations were resolved in protests and marches: protesters of all ages, with and without hijab, poor and wealthy, just as they had once put their lives on the line and marched in support of Khomeini against the regime of Mohammad Reza Shah, now they were protesting against Khomeini’s police for women’s rights. Thousands of women participated in the protest against hijab.

Once again, women were demanding their rights, but this time they were demanding them from a government that had promised to support their rights. Despite all the meetings and protests in the University of Tehran campus, the streets, and even the Ministry of Justice, women were unsuccessful in overturning the mandatory hijab law.

Bani Sadr, the first president of the Islamic Republic of Iran, justified compulsory hijab with the following statements: “The way of dressing has a social role and the goal of society should be to establish a ‘united society’ in which the relationship between women and men should be a relationship between minds, and to achieve such a society, they must reduce the relationship between bodies. The way of dressing should be in line with such a goal.” In another place, Bani Sadr says, “Women’s hair emits something that affects men’s minds.” This statement by Bani Sadr was inspired by stories and myths older than Islam.

In order to worsen the situation, most active political groups, many of which had women as members, were unable to support women in their opposition to mandatory hijab. Although some political groups declared their condemnation of mandatory hijab, they were unable to back up their words with actions.

During the revolution, women were encouraged to participate in protests against the regime. Women, who were actively opposing the Shah’s regime through various means, had become an inseparable part of the movement against the Shah. They had ideals just like their male counterparts. They believed in equal rights for women and men, freedom of expression, and the abolishment of all legal discrimination against women, especially in the realm of family.

None of these ideals became a reality after the revolution. As Haleh Esfandiari mentioned, almost all the women she interviewed for her book “Reconstructed Lives” felt betrayed and harmed. Almost all of them said, “We have felt deeply humiliated by the actions and policies of the regime towards women.”

Some of the women that Esfandiari has interviewed said that even one or two years after the revolution, they still held onto their hopes; for some of them, their dreams were shattered immediately after the Islamic Republic. It didn’t take long for their dream of a democratic society for women to turn into a nightmare.

The hijab was not just a matter of personal choice. Girls had to wear a headscarf and cover themselves in school, which prevented them from playing, running, and engaging in almost all activities. Wearing a headscarf on hot days meant sweating and discomfort. Children are children, no matter where they are in the world. For young girls in Iran, this is meaningless.

Although women in modern Iran may not see hijab as their top dissatisfaction, they know that hijab is a symbol of the regime’s disregard for women’s rights. Mandatory hijab takes away women’s ability to express themselves and denies them their basic human rights. Today, most women in Iran believe that hijab is not their main restriction, but rather it is the laws and denial of their rights that is their “main hijab”.

New passport law

Posted on October 2, 2013July 10, 2024 by admin

Iranian passports are about to be renewed with the approval of a new bill in the spring garden of Nonavar, which for the first time in 80 years, the country had a passport law and during this time, this law was only amended once. The first passport law was passed in 1311. Forty years later, in 1351 and six years before the victory of the revolution, this law was reviewed again and until now, with changes and revisions based on the change in the country’s political system, the issuance of passports and handling of foreign travelers’ affairs for Iranian citizens was still being done according to this law passed forty years ago. Although this law allowed women under 18 to have a passport with the permission of their guardian and after marriage with the permission of their husband, nowadays it has taken on a different color and scent…

According to the Civil Law of the Islamic Republic of Iran, married women of any age need permission from their husbands to leave the country. On the other hand, the parliament is pursuing a plan that would require single women over the age of 40 to obtain permission from a “guardian” or “religious ruler” in order to leave the country. According to Article 15 of the Family Protection Law, guardianship is only considered for “minor children”. This plan has been approved by the National Security and Foreign Policy Commission of the parliament and is expected to be voted on or rejected by representatives after being sent to the parliament’s open session. This plan conflicts with some details of the Civil Law of the Islamic Republic of Iran, especially regarding guardianship. This is while until now, unmarried girls over the age of 18 could leave the country at their own discretion and these restrictions did not apply to them.

Based on this, we decided to gather the opinions of supporters and opponents of this bill.

Argument in favor of the plan:

Laleh Eftakhari (member of the Women’s Faction in Parliament in an interview with ISNA): “The proposal of the Women’s Faction was to add a clause of being righteous in the passport bill, which prohibits women under 40 from leaving the country without permission from their male guardian. This way, if women under 40 are deemed righteous by competent authorities, they will not be banned from leaving the country… In our opinion, permission to leave the country should not be given to anyone without considering the consequences, nor should everyone be banned from leaving the country. We believe that if someone is deemed righteous, they should be allowed to leave the country.”

Zahra Sajjadi (Deputy for Family Affairs at the Women and Family Center of the Presidency Institution in an interview with ISNA): “Just as a woman, even at the age of 40-50, must obtain a passport with her husband’s permission, a daughter must also do so with her father’s consent. Currently, 18-year-old girls can obtain a passport without their father’s permission, while in Islam, the father has guardianship over his daughter and in many cases, such as marriage, the daughter can do so with the consent of her guardian. However, a law is being passed that allows this same daughter to leave the country without her guardian’s consent, which is not permissible according to Sharia law… If a girl reaches the age of 40, because her mental maturity is complete, she can make the decision to leave the country for purposes such as educational opportunities and obtaining specialized education, but girls under the age of 40 are also not allowed, according

Hosseini Naghavi (spokesperson for the National Security and Foreign Policy Commission of Parliament): “The justification for government representatives in the commission to set a maximum age limit of 40 for issuing passports for single women was to address the current issue of a high number of single women traveling abroad, especially for pilgrimage trips, which can potentially jeopardize their health and overall well-being. Setting an age limit of 40 for passport issuance is a necessary measure to protect the health and safety of women. This bill does not mean a complete ban on single women leaving the country, as they can easily obtain permission from their legal guardian and request a passport. Even if the guardian does not grant permission, they can still take legal action through the appropriate channels to obtain a passport.”

Parvin Hedayati (Deputy for Social Capital at the Center for Women and Family Affairs of the Presidency Institution in an interview with ISNA): “In the regulatory bill proposed by the government, there was no mention of increasing the age requirement for single girls to obtain a passport and obtaining permission from a guardian or religious authority. The government has not imposed any restrictions on issuing passports for unmarried women over the age of 18 or individuals recognized as mature by a court order. Currently, the parliament’s commission on its duties and legal rights is reviewing the bill and all stakeholders can submit their opinions to the relevant commission at this stage.”

Shahla Mirgolubiat (Vice President of the Women’s Faction in an interview with ILNA): “According to the proposal of the Women’s Faction in Parliament, this law should not only be applied based on the age of girls, but also to girls who are planning to travel abroad for unknown reasons. They should also be subject to this law.

We are only trying to add a clause that is necessary in this law. It is almost clear what the purpose of our women and girls is when they travel abroad. Some girls have been accepted for education, some go to scientific conferences, some are businesswomen and travel for business deals, and some girls go to visit their families. In these cases, there are invitations and clear documents. But some trips do not fall into any of these categories and this group makes up a small percentage of women… In recent years, restrictions on girls leaving the country have been lifted, but some people have taken advantage of this situation, causing problems

Argument against the proposal:

Farideh Ghirat (lawyer and women’s rights activist): “When we give a passport to an 18-year-old girl or boy, we determine that they have legal capacity. Now we delegate this decision to the permission of the father or guardian, which is present in our laws. Important issues arise in this type of decision. A girl who has reached the age of 18 and is unmarried, or an older woman who is still single, needs to obtain permission from her father. We have taken away her legal capacity, so the question arises, why should we take it away? She is not insane or insane, she is of sound mind and has reached the legal age to conduct transactions, buy and sell property, rent, and engage in all types of transactions… Unfortunately, this law does not have any protective aspect for women. The bill to ban women under 40 from leaving the country is simply a way to restrict women’s rights and is a form of insult to this

Elaheh Koolai (former representative of the parliament): “Is approving the restriction of women under 40 years old and questioning their eligibility for managing their affairs intelligently and responsibly during their travels abroad, disregarding the valuable achievements of women’s widespread social presence and their comprehensive growth of knowledge and consciousness, not a neglect? In a situation where the competence of Iranian women to form a family and assume the crucial and determining role of motherhood at the age of 16 has been recognized in the country’s laws, why should women under 40 need permission from their guardian to obtain a passport and leave the country? Despite all the contradictions and problems in the country’s laws, we hope that the representatives of the Islamic Consultative Assembly will reject this insulting decision and distance themselves from injustice and discrimination, and pave the way for heavy waves of global infiltration and experiences of other societies. The Islamic Revolution has created the expectation for Iranian women to eliminate long-standing historical injustices. It is the responsibility

Puran Vali Morad (Secretary of the Islamic Women’s Coalition in an interview with Khabar Online): “Today, women are voting for their President, representatives of the Supreme Leader, members of the legislative assembly, and members of the city council. It is these women who will also vote for the second phase of choosing the leader of the system and ministers. Similarly, women’s votes play a determining role in all branches of the system. The question is, what have the members of the National Security Commission, who have responded to the government’s request, said about these women who are seen as determining their own fate and maintaining their own safety while traveling outside the country, and are in need of permission from a male guardian? This view of women as beings in need of a guardian is what allows for the permission of sexual violence against prepubescent children and the legal and authorized marriage of children under the age of puberty. This young girl, who is capable of being married to a

Mohammad Jafar Naenakar (Attorney at Law): “In the Iranian Constitution, Article 20 and Clause 14 of Article 3 acknowledge that women and men are equal in social rights and the law will equally protect them. It is not clear why the National Security and Foreign Policy Commission of the Parliament has suddenly restricted the eligibility of women to carry out their affairs and changed the age limit from 18 to 40. This is while a large number of Iranian women have higher education and are actively living in society, with many unmarried and experienced women studying or teaching in foreign universities or working in fields such as medicine, teaching, social work, and commerce both inside and outside of Iran. Until now, according to the Civil Code, married women of any age only needed permission from their husbands to leave the country. However, if this law is passed, considering the current state of the courts and competent authorities, it is likely that unmarried women who have lost their fathers will have

Rebellion of young women

Posted on October 2, 2013July 10, 2024 by admin

In the past few years, especially after the end of the Iran-Iraq war, the Islamic Republic has always been faced with the problem of youth rebellion and disobedience. It has consistently denied the existence of this deep social problem. Why? The simple reason is that the rebellion and disobedience of the youth is the best evidence of the failure of Islamic values and a clear sign of the failure of the Islamic government’s efforts to prevent the invasion of Western culture and impose a compliant and submissive generation. This rebellion is a manifestation of the obvious failure of the Islamic regime in enforcing the policy of “either the veil or the sword” and implementing the model of the ideal woman by suppressing and forbidding her sisters and agents.

The issue of disobedience and escape of girls has become so severe that it has not only forced various institutions of the Islamic Republic to acknowledge this social issue, but has also led to the creation of places such as welfare centers and rehabilitation centers for their arrest or detention. The main factor that causes their escape and disobedience is the pressure of traditional morals and excessive social control in society, schools, and families. These girls flee from patriarchal and traditional morals, violence in society and family, and seek liberation from these pressures and the pursuit of a free life. Their message and cry of disobedience is a disgust towards the imposition of tradition and backwardness and a thirst for freedom.

The reality is that the attitudes and expectations of the younger generation, especially young girls, have undergone a serious transformation and change after the 1979 revolution. Many of the dos and don’ts that were considered natural for the previous generation, are now being challenged and disobeyed by the younger generation. This is particularly true for young girls. While the Islamic Republic tried to confine the mothers of this generation to the corner of their homes with the enforcement of the “scarf or chador”, they were met with conscious resistance. Therefore, expecting these mothers to adhere to traditional rules is futile. Many girls have rebelled and escaped, openly disregarding taboos such as the hijab and considering them meaningless. They want to break free from the restrictions of Islamic conservatism and tradition and enter into social life, employment, and education. For them, unveiling is a symbol of women’s freedom from the grip of prejudice, backwardness, and superstition. While under the control of officials in correction

Long live freedom and equality!!!!