Voices From Inside Iran: The Arrest & Beating of Farhad M.

touchIRAN brings you the story of Farhad M, an Iranian from Inside of Iran. Share your stories with touchIRAN and help be the voice to the voiceless. touchIRAN desires to partner with you to raise awareness of what is going on inside of Iran. E-mail your stories to yourvoice@touchiran.com!

Voices from Inside Iran: Farhad M. gives an account of his imprisonment since his arrest of 7/9/2009.

Farhad’s story is translated in English. The “Finglish” version is also included in this post.

On the 18th of Tir (July 9), I was walking not far from Fatemi street. The street was busy, but no one was chanting at that time. It was about 5:30 when two guys in plainclothes approached me from either side. It was interesting that at that moment I had no sense of being part of a demonstration and was just walking normally in the street. Still, I was nabbed and put into a car and left there until about 9 pm. Everyone in the car was blindfolded the whole time, and then we were driven somewhere. Three days later, I figured out that we had been driven to Motahari Street. There we were randomly assigned to an interrogator. My interrogation went on until 1 am, but I was not asked any questions. I was beaten with a cable and with other things without being asked a single question. Unfortunately, I had things in my backpack that made things worse for me: films of demonstrations on my mobile phone and a notebook of writing for my weblog. After three days, I was transferred to Evin. Others were sent to Kahrizak. I was lucky to be sent to Evin where I was kept in solitary for one week. Twice a day, I met with an interrogator. They did everything to get me to confess. To demonstrate to me that they had no belief in anything, they even burnt the Koran in front of me.

When I was put in the cell with others, I understood that what happened to be was much better than what happened to the others. I was not raped. Among us there were some whose colons had been ripped because of rape.

In any case, I understood that all my conversations during the past three months had been recorded, and that they had everything. When they arrest someone and get their telephone number, they look at all of their email, all of their facebook activity, and all of their weblog activity. Because I had political posts on facebook, in my weblog, and in private correspondence, the accusations in my file are extremely serious: breaching national security and plans to overthrow the government, for which the worst punishment is execution. If you confess you get a lighter sentence, but still you have to have patience and wait for your court date, which has not been announced.

Barkhi az goftehaye yeki az zendanian havadese pas az entekhabate 22 khordad be name Farhad M. (zaman dastgiri 88/04/18 zaman-e azadi be gheide vasighe pishaz zaman-e dadgah: 88/05/05):

dar rooze 18 e tir nazdik be kheiabane fatemi dar hale ghadam zadan boodan. khiaboon shologh bood vali too oon moghe kasi shoar nemidad. hodoode saate 5:30 bood ke 2 nafar lebas shakhsi be samte man oomadan va az do taraf mano gereftan. jaleb inja bood ke too oon moghe man aslan halate yek tazahorahi nadashtam va kheili mamooli dashtam rah miraftam vali be har hal mano be samte ye machine bordam ke ta hodoode saat 9 oonja boodim baad cheshme hamaye oonayi ke too machin boodan ro bastan va be jayi raftim ke man baad 3 rooz fahmidam ke samte khaiboone motahari boode. oonja har nafar be toore tasadofi ye bazjoo barash entekhab mishod. bazjooyi man ta saate 1:00 tool keshid ke albate amalan az man hata soali porside nemishod balke faghat ba batoom o cabl o harchize dige yi kotat mikhordam be doone inke soalli beporsan. motaasefane chiz hayi tooye koole poshti e man bood ke ozamo badtar kard mese filmaye ke az tazahoram tooye mobilam bood va hata ye daftarche az dastneveshte haye weblogam. baad az 3 rooz ke oonja boodim be evin montaghel shodam albate bazia ro be kahrizak bordan vali man joze afrade khosh shanse boodam va be evin raftam. oonja yek hafteye too enferadi boodam ke roozi yeki 2 bar bazjoo be soragham mioomadam. oona baraye eteraf gereftam harkari mikardan. baraye inke neshun bedan be hich chiz eteghad nadaran va hich chiz barashum mohem nist ghoran jeloom pare mikardan. vaghty varede band shodam va kasaye dige ro ham didam motavajeh shodam raftari ke ba man shode joze behtarin ha boode chon be man tajavoze jensi nashod vali beine ma kasayi oonja boodan ke dar asare shedate hamalate tajavoze jensi dochare paregi roode shode boodan.

be har hal oonja fahmidam ke tamame mokalemate afrad ta 3 mahe ghabl zapt mishe va hamaro daran. faghat zamani ke adam dastgir mishe va shomareye adam ro be dast miraran hameye ina va hata tamame email ha, safahate facebook va weblog kamalen chech mishe. man be dalile dashtane matalebe siasi facebook, weblogam va mokalemate poshte tell etehamati too parvandam daram ke kheili sangine: ekhtelal dar nazm va amniate omoomi va eghteshashgari, talash baraye bar andazi nezam va … . badtarin hokmi ke mitooni baraye in jorm ha vojood dashte bashe edame ke albate dar soorate ezhare nedamat va pashimani anjam nemishe vali be har hal bayad ta rooze dadgah ka hanooz ham elem nashode baraye hokm sabr konam.

Help Families in Iran who have a loved one in Prison & are struggling to survive. Make a difference in the life of an Iranian family who is in need of support and help.

Revolution in my Living Room

By Sienna Mae Heath

I am an Irish-Iranian American member of the human race. Who are you?

Iran has been defined as “over there” by many people who are not familiar with the country. But ever-growing technology has brought “over there” into our houses.

The burst of publicity on the Iranian people’s peaceful freedom fighting has proven to be not always so peaceful through our television and laptop screens. In my house, such broadcasts are particularly poignant. YouTube videos are playing throughout the house, surrounding my parents and me with the sounds and struggles of the Iranian people’s bittersweet cries. We’re also surrounding ourselves with the sounds of loving and creative solidarity events like poetry readings and musical collaborations from all across the globe. Sometimes it feels like it’s all right here in my living room, right here in America.

While Iranian and non-Iranian people are coming together, it hasn’t been enough yet. Once in a while I’ll see my Iranian mother crying over her computer screen. Sometimes I cry too. I’m crying because a part of me that I barely know is dying, or maybe just being born. The comedies we used to watch don’t brighten our days the way they used to. My Facebook posts aren’t as popular: many of my Iran-related links are left without any comments, but I know that someone is clicking on them.

At the same time, the attention isn’t so bad. The Iranian people – not just the Iranian government – should have made CNN headlines long before the summer of 2009. Not only their cries for human rights but their literature and music have finally become appreciated and admired around the world. They should have made headlines for the past thirty years, but like their last revolution in 1979 (when my mom left her home in Iran), the news reports lost interest.

As the Twitter updates dwindle and as the Iranian government cracks down on the already weary and broken backs of their citizens, will the American interest, fascination, and maybe even sympathy fall into the cracks of the Iranian soil, in between the government and its opposition? Will the brief American curiosity and compassion for people over there fade away?

As an Irish-Iranian, an American, and a human being, I sincerely hope not.

While I have relatives in Iran, the focus of recent news broadcasts should transcend heritage bonds and form bonds throughout humanity. The news on television and the voice of the people through mediums such as Twitter have come together, as should the people over there and the people over here. Through technology and through our hearts, it is time. My aunts, uncles, and cousins deserve just as much as yours.

While we’re on Facebook for hours, my cousin in Iran got on Facebook for just five minutes to let me know she was alive.

As the Twitter updates and trending topics sway from genocide to pop culture: What are you doing?

Sienna Mae Heath is a contributing author and an Irish-Iranian American. Sienna is passionate about writing and touchiran.com looks forward to posting more of her work here!

Reflections on Iran: Dream, With Eyes Wide Open

Dream, With Eyes Open is written by Azarin Sadegh. Sadegh wrote this piece to remind herself and others of her memories of Iran. As you read this piece that reflects on Iran’s history that stand out in Azarin’s mind, ask yourself the following questions: What are your hopes for Iran? What would you like to see happen there? What is your ultimate idea of what a good and happy Iran is? Do you have any ideas on how to reach those goals?

One day, I woke up and the world had changed.

I was back to July 1978, having the best time of my life. It was also the time when the Shah was told that he was going to die soon, and this certainty had pushed him into a bizarre kind of depression. He had decided to make everyone remember him as the greatest king of Persia. A king who didn’t want to be a king anymore.

“Call me Mohammad Reza,” he had told on national TV. “I’m just a mortal like you.” Then, he let everyone know that it was ok to say “Marg bar Shah”, since he was going to die anyway, and his eyes got red.

It made the country pitiful and sad. Uncountable lines of people gathered in front of his modest mansion to kiss his hands, but it was him who kissed everyone’s hands asking for forgiveness.

People didn’t know who else to blame for their miseries. His son was just a kid and it was hard to hate a soon-to-be-orphan.

The next day, Khomeini sent him a get-well note and to show his new friendship, he called him M.R. (But it was rumored that the exiled Mullah was hooked on American series and Dallas’s J.R. was his favorite character.) In this note, he reminded the ex-King of their coming dinner together. “We’ll cry for you every year,” Khomeini promised.

M.R. decided to free all the political prisoners, and since he didn’t have too much time to waste his money on, so he went totally insane and paid 1000000000 Tomans to each man and 2000000000000000 Tomans to each woman to prove his firm belief in the equality of men and women. To establish his sincerity and Iran’s longevity, M.R. changed the Iranian flag by adding a smile on the sun’s face, and the lion held an umbrella (instead of a sword) over his head to protect the country from sunburn. Every forbidden book was sent to schools to be added to the curriculum. Everyone read them, and even I read them and we all learned – only after a chapter or two – that it wasn’t worth the hassle and I found all of them pretty boring or childishly optimistic.

Only weeks before his death, M.R. organized a huge festivity to mark the end of his reign. Every celebrity in the world was invited. Jimmy Carter danced with Batool, Khomeini’s wife who felt liberated and decided to burn her bra while Cezar Chavez’s grand grand grandson played with the little girl from the little House on the Prairie.

When the man we used to call the Shah died, the country mourned for 40 days, and Khomeini decided to live under an apple tree in Ghom forever and the elected president of the Republic of Iran had to update the constitution to force people to laugh at least one hour a day without laughing at each other. People dreamed again about their lost dreams and dared to take a first step toward making things happen.

This world, the way it was, surpassed all my expectations.

As long as I kept my eyes open, Abadan’s Cinema Rex never burned and nobody died in Jaleh. Saddam never attacked Iran and all the two million ghosts of the war lived to build the biggest charity, named “humans without hatred”. Nobody killed Bakhtiar and Rajavi never married Maryam and the twin towers stood tall, and Neda became a famous singer to replace Googoosh and Sohrab passed the Concour with success.

In this strange world of mine, I never left Iran and I never knew about homesickness.

Never.

But the fatigue and boredom made my eyes shut for a second, and in this brief encounter with darkness, everything crushed and hope became the only remnant of my imaginary existence.

You Know You’re Iranian When…

We found a bunch of comical lists online that listed off signs that prove you’re an Iranian.
Here’s a few of the best ones we found, but we thought it’d be even better if you came up with your own original lines to add to the list! 

Read the ones we have here and comment with any new ones you can come up with…it’ll be fun, we promise!

1. Your cologne precedes you into the room/car.
2. You refer to yourself as a Persian, not an Iranian.
3. You refer to every other Persian as a FOB.
4. You have a fear of being deported.
5. You refuse to drive anything but a BMW or Mercedes.
6. You refer to a BMW as a BMV.
7. You have a friend that designs websites.
8. You know all of the lyrics to either a Black Cats or Andy & Kouros song
9. You only hang out in groups of 12 or more.
10. Your wardrobe consists of black, black, and more black.
11. You celebrate when you receive your citizenship.
12. You wish Denny’s and iHOP had “kaleh pacheh” on the menu.
13. Your hair is a fire hazard.
14. You own a fake Rolex, Omega, or TAG.
15. You think you’re the first one to come up with Persian Mafia and the movie Clueless stole your line.
16. You rewind the movie Clueless to show your friends the Persian Mafia part.
17. You tell people your half Italian.
18. You find cow tongue appetizing.
19. You have convinced yourself that your eyes are really green or blue.
20. You know an Ali.
21. You have to explain to your American friends that a VISA is NOT a credit card.
22. Your refer to your dad’s friends as Amoo!
23. You order hot tea at Chili’s.
24. Your parents have a samovar.
25. You have a hooka as a centerpiece in your living room.
26. You take dates out to chelo kabob.
27. You have a Persian rug in every room.
28. You have an endless supply of pistachios, dates, and figs.
29. You go to Persian concerts for the falloudeh.
30. You actually like carbonated yogurt drinks.
31. You always taroff about who will pay & you know what taroff means.
32. You either tip 2% or 50% but never 15%.
33. You know how to flash your wallet and then put it back without paying.
34. You only wear Adidas athletic wear.
35. Your grandmother insists you eat something every time you visit her.
36. You refer to your group as Khodemuni.
37. You’re intramural team consists of all Persians and that one white guy.
38. You name your pet Versace.
39. You have gotten or are planning on getting a nose job.
40. You’ll listen to anything but country music.
41. Your parents say your becoming Americanized anytime you get into trouble.
42. You know Samad is funnier than Jim Carrey.
43. You’re parents have been here for 20 years but they still say “I like dat von”.
44. All your jokes are targeted towards Afghans and Turks
45. You hug and kiss relatives you have never seen before in your life.
46. Brag to everyone how you are from the true “Aryan” race
47. You have sudden and strange cravings for “doogh”
48. You have to constantly remind your American friends to take off their shoes when they enter your house
49. You know all the local Persian restaurants within a 30 mile radius of your house
50. You take Persian food to school or work to eat, even if it is cold kabob
51. Your wardrobe consists primarily of two colors: black and grey.
52. You have been mistaken for Mexican, Indian or Italian…
53. The last three cars you owned were either Lexus, Mercedes, or BMW.
54. You have to explain to all your friends that being Persian and Iranian are the same thing.
55. You try to get hooked up with a discount when the owner of a shop is Persian.
56. You own a Persian pride hat, shirt, or an Iran jersey so everyone knows you are Persian.
57. You have looked into some kind of laser hair removal treatment or could give a thorough review on hair removal methods.
58. Your AOL screen name/E-mail Address is or contains a Persian word.

Now leave us comments with new ones you’ve come up with or have found!

The Green Movement Isn’t About Recycling Anymore…

This article was written by Sam Mazaheri, an Iranian Student who was born and raised in Los Gatos, California.

It’s hard to avoid hearing about Iran these days. The election protests and the
government’s backlash have been dominating headlines. In America, Iranians
are flocking by the hundreds to show their support with nightly public protests and
candlelight vigils. Over 160,000 twitter users have made their profile pictures
green, the official color of this Iranian movement. Dozens of green Iranian
facebook groups have been formed, totaling hundreds of thousands members.
These groups are formed for the purpose of showing the people of our Iran our
support, but I’m not convinced the Iranian-Americans protesting are actually
aware of what they are supporting.

Sure, they know what they are protesting against. They have seen the injustices;
thousand of videos circumventing the ban on journalism in Iran have surfaced on
YouTube. Videos revealing organized police forces terrorizing both protesters in
the street and silent citizens in their homes. Graphic videos of bystanders injured
and bleeding in the pursuit of freedom have leaked out of the country.
Iranian Americans are rightfully troubled by these videos. Many of them are still in
contact with their family in Iran and have heard first hand accounts of the chaos.
It is now common to see Iranians in California wearing green in their attempt to
draw awareness. But green has become the color of the movement because it is
the official campaign color of Mousavi, Ahmadinejadʼs challenger for the 2009
presidential elections. The second generation Iranians protesting in California
donʼt seem to realize this, and if they do, they arenʼt quite informed on the
candidatesʼ differences.

For second generation Iranian Americans, green has become their symbol for
democracy, for freedom… for an Iran more like America.
But what do you think? How could Iranians living abroad show their support most effectively? Should their faith be in a politician or in some greater ideology?

Ma Yeky Hasteem — We Are One

Mandana Mohsenzadegan is a budding journalist and an Iranian-American. William Treseder is an American and a Marine who has faithfully served his country. Together, Mandana and William, share their views on Democracy in Iran and the unity needed between Americans and Iranians to fully support the Iranian community.

Ma Yeky Hasteem — We Are One

By Mandana Mohsenzadegan and William Treseder

Mandana:

On November 4th, 1979, as the Islamic Republic held 53 Americans captive in Tehran, American patriotism was at a peak, as was the growth of hostility toward Iranians. Bumper stickers read “I Play Cowboys and Iranians” and “Bomb Bomb Iran” filled the airwaves. It was a time when Iranian-Americans were terrified by the simple question, “Where are you from?”

Tragically, the American public failed to understand the separation of the people from their government. They failed to understand just how deeply the Iranian people have desired a democratic and peaceful nation and just how much they have suffered for that desire.

Now as we watch Iranians struggling, the American public is beginning to understand.

During the first few days of the post-election riots in Iran, CNN aired continual coverage of the Basij forces’ sadistic violence upon the Iranian protestors flooding the streets of Tehran. American viewers watched in horror and disbelief as protesters were being beaten and killed.

The pain of oppressed Iranians was being brought to light in the most transparent manner, as videos flooded Twitter and Facebook showing the Islamic Republic’s militiamen beating, arresting, and shooting the brave Iranian youth protesting for the basic human right of democracy. And for the first time since the Islamic Revolution, Americans have been getting a true inside-look into the hearts of Iranians, their hopes and their fears.

“Dardeh toh, dardeh maan,” the legendary rock artist Jon Bon Jovi belts out into his microphone in a touching rendition of “Stand By Me” on June 24th. The words are short, yet powerful. Their translation: Your pain is my pain.

These are not merely the lyrics of one charismatic American singer, but the sentiment of a great majority of Americans at this time – a sentiment that has deeply touched the hearts of both Iranians and Iranian Americans, and brought tears of gratitude to our eyes.

As I joined with others in the rallies and candlelight vigils two weeks ago, my heavy heart was touched as I saw the Americans attending, their “Democracy for Iran” signs held high as they approached me with their tears of condolence and offering their prayers. Likewise, my own American friends have continually shared in my pain, showing their loving support for the Iranian community and expressing their anger at the lack of urgency with which the democratic leaders of the world are dealing with this crisis.

William:

As Americans we tend to forget the powerful element of struggle inherent in a democratic experiment we have lived for more than two centuries. We see the costs and the excesses, the worst vulgarities of our politicians, and the sensationalized stories that dominate the media; these are the costs of a vibrant and free democracy. Many feel frustration in the current political arena, a sense we have not lived up to the unique promises of America. But we learn, we soldier on, and we daily live the struggles of a free nation.

Watching, listening to, and reading about the protests in Iran awoke in me a powerful desire to see these people given their right to free elections and fair governance, to realize the hope that has been denied them in such a manipulated and corrupt manner for the last thirty years. Many other Americans, I know, have felt this same blazing empathy for those demonstrators, and have choked on the international community’s tepid response.

The appropriate reaction isn’t obvious by any means: in a time when our nation must balance its existing military operations against manpower needs and a crippled economy, some options cannot be considered. The United States must, however, lead the effort to freeze out the authoritarian regime and allow the Iranian people to lead their own political reform.

We have slowly learned—through the blood of many Iraqis, my brother and sister Marines, and other American servicemen and women—that we cannot blindly impress our form of democracy on another nation, nor should we. Iran can become democratic, but only in its own way, with our well-placed and intelligent support.

America can seek sustainable and democratic methods for encouraging the organization and representation of the Iranian people. This is their struggle; but we can ensure it’s a fair one.

Iranian? American? Iranian-American?

You may have been born in The United States, moved to the U.S. as an adolescent, recently immigrated and struggling through ESL classes, trying to reconnect with your Iranian roots- either way you live in The United States, but you’re undoubtedly Iranian. Does that make you an “Iranian-American”?

What does it mean to be “Iranian-American”? Who are “Iranian-Americans”? How do they contribute to The United States? How do they support and represent their motherland while living in America?

When generating a google search for the term “Iranian-American” the search results are endless and flooded with statistics and accomplishments of the Iranian people who live in America.

Here’s what Wikipedia has to say when it comes to defining an “Iranian-American”…

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iranian_American

Are you American? Iranian? Iranian-American?

What do you have to say? How do you identify? When asked about your nationality, how do you respond?

Terrible Sandstorms Close Most Parts of Iran

Most of Iran is suffering from terrible sandstorms that are blanketing the cities. In Tehran, authorities have ordered state offices, schools and businesses to be closed for two days while the storms pass. Medical authorities have warned parents to keep children inside and have told the elderly and sick not to go outside. Emergency services have been put on alert during this time period that is being called a “two-day holiday”.

The sky over Tehran and over many towns in the eastern half of the country have been filled with sand, blown in from neighboring Arab countries, particularly Iraq. The heavy pollution has blacked out the sun. These sandstorms are left over from last weeks’ paralyzing sandstorms in Iraq which have been named the worst in their history.

I have experienced sandstorms and it is very hard to breathe or go outside. If you drive, the sand is pouring down your windows like rain. Have you talked with your family in Iran? How are they coping with the sandstorms?
Tell us about it.

Welcome to touchIRAN!

Photo by: HAMED MASOUMI

Hello everyone,

It’s finally here! In this space, we’d like to ask our viewers and readers to take part in discussions about our Iranian community. Viewers don’t come here to just read the news; they come here to be immersed in it.

This blog community is a place where we can share, discover and participate in conversations. We’ll cover not just the headline news about Iran but also discussions on Iranian culture, history, arts, music, poetry, politics, food, religion, film, family, philanthropy, events, living in the US and in Iran, and so much more.

touchIRAN delivers one central location that brings viewers into the heart of our culture – any where at any time.

We hope to get your thoughts on what is important to you, what you like about our website, and where we need to improve. And through discussions, we hope to deliver with you a site that meets your needs.

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