IRI canceled air show upon Russian warning of Israeli plan to destroy all 140 warplanes

This news story is from DEBKAfile, a Jerusalem-based open source military and intelligence website. So I'm not totally sure about its accuracy and truthfulness. It certainly makes you ponder though. What do you think?

Ghobadi awaits Saberi's release because...

...they are a couple!

Bahman Ghobadi is an internationally acclaimed Kurdish-Iranian film director, whose films painfully portray the plight of Kurds in Iraq, Iran, and Turkey while applauding their resilience despite years of facing adversity. Roxana Saberi is an American journalist born to Iranian and Japanese parents, who was sentenced to eight years in prison for espionage in a closed one-day trial last week in Tehran (read the story below).

Ghobadi's new film has gone to the Cannes, but he now says he has no desire to go. He is staying put in Tehran waiting for the outcome of Saberi's appeal.

Ahmadinejad intervening in Saberi's and Derakhshan's cases - unusual but encouraging

Apparently, Ahmadinejad has sent a letter to Tehran's prosecutor requesting that Roxana Saberi - who was convicted of spying and sentenced to eight years in prison yesterday - must have her legal rights to defend herself. This is a first.

What does this mean? Is this a signal to the west, especially the U.S.? Is this a ploy? Is IRI showing signs of softening up? Or is this simply a showdown between different factions of the government in a presidential elections year? You tell me. I welcome your comments.

In the letter, Ahmadinejad has also mentioned Hossein Derakhshan, an Iranian blogger who has been jailed in Iran since November. Derakhshan is an Iranian-born blogger who left Iran a few years ago to live in Canada. While he constantly criticized the policies of the government on his blog, he was also vehemently against a military attack against Iran and was constantly accused to be a an IRI spy by anti-IRI groups outside Iran. He challenged the Iranian government's travel ban to Israel by visiting Tel Aviv and wrote about it in his blog. Last year, he went to Iran for a visit and was arrested. Derakhshan is also famous for being the "godfather of Iran's blog movement."

IDF and Peres give conflicting signals about attacking Iran, or are they?

Are these two reports really conflicting? One is talking about preparations to attack and the other about not planning to attack. Are preparations to attack and not planning to attack two separate things? Read both news reports and you be judge. I'd like to hear your comments.

Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) is basically saying it's making preparations to be able to launch an aerial attack on Iran's nuclear facilities within days or even ours of being given the green light. An Israeli intelligence official further stated that Israel would not make the threat without the force to back it.

Yet only last Thursday President Peres dismissed speculations that Israel is planning to attack Iran. He further stated that progress with Iran depended on international cooperation and exploring whether dialogue presented a real opportunity or if Tehran was just stalling.

Ahmadinejad's interview with Spiegel

Nothing new or earth shattering. Read the interview and judge for yourselves.

Georg Gerster Exhibition in Manhattan - Paradise Lost: Persia From Above

For the first time ever, 29 breathtaking aerial photographs of old Persia by award-winning Swiss photographer Georg Gerster, taken in the immediate years before the 1979 Iranian Revolution, will be on exhibition at the Leila Taghinia-Milani Heller Gallery (LTMH) in Manhattan from April 4th through April 21st, 2009.

A friend of mine loved it. You should definitely go if you live in the Tri-State region. If you are unable to check it out, here are all of the pictures with captions following the press release. Enjoy and pass on to friends.

Iran's women volleyball team participating in Asian championships

They are in a group with Vietnam, Sri Lanka, and Australia. Iran is ranked 84th in the world. Their biggest challenge will be beating the 36th-ranked Australia. Vietnam is ranked 73d and Sri Lanka 84th. Rankings are current as of January 2009.

These women are Iran's lionesses. Take a look at this picture. Could you imagine playing a whole game like this?

http://www.mehrnews.com/en/NewsDetail.aspx?NewsID=858474

Link to website making a case for voting in the upcoming Iran Presidential elections

This link was sent to me anonymously. It makes a case for voting in the upcoming presidential elections in Iran using data from its own "studies". It also argues that not voting in the last round ultimately elected _____ .

However, the site is in Persian! Pass it around if you find it interesting.

http://ishallvote.org/default.aspx

Israel cries wolf by Roger Cohen

Please read and ponder.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/09/opinion/09iht-edcohen.html

Iranian Americans have a player in the NBA finishing his first season

First ever NBA player from Iran.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123906169774395129.html

Iran's inflation in 2009, 5th highest in the world - not the shocking part of this news story

Oh no. I'm actually insulted that we're 5th. I was hoping more for 1st or 2d. What's shocking is that Press TV - English language 24-hr. news channel funded by the Iranian government - cites a CIA report for this finding!!! Never thought I would live to see this.

Here. Check it out for yourself:

http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=87879&sectionid=351020102

AFC holds women's refrees course in Iran

The course will run April 21-24 in provincial capital of Qazvin, 165 km (100 mi) northwest of Tehran.

http://www.the-afc.com/eng/articles/viewarticle.jsp_168624803.html