Ask Iranians

[PersianBoy]

You can read it here. Both sides. A little strong on both sides but both sides.

ME blog

This thread is an ongoing conversation between a guy in Beirut and another who's in a kibbutz on the northern border.

Conversation

Oh and Fox you spelled monitor wrong as well.

thank you they are very interesting.

 

[PersianBoy]

PersianBoy,
In light of the current event with Lebanon and Isreal it is believed in the west that Syria and Iran are behind Hizboallah. Ahmadinejad has made comments that if Isreal attacks Syria then Iran would attack Isreal and it doesn't take much math to figure out that this would bring America into the mix and likely would result in America taking military action against Iran and Syria. While I understand the Isreali response as I lived there and in Lebanon for a few years. For all my understanding of Isreal, they are a loose cannon and I wouldn't be surprised to see them chase Hizboallah all the way into Syria. My question finally, how do your people feel about the growing tensions and the knowledge the the US has forces on both side of your country if Ahmadinejad decide to attack Isreal?
I can't believe anyone wants war, but sadly things are not looking very good for either of our countries. IMO. As I write this Isreal is building troops on the boarder of Southern Lebanon and calling up reserves.
BTW it is nice to have civilized conversation of this nature.

sure that never Iran enter that war except Israel enter war with Iran I mean if Israel attack Iran, we will force to war with Israel
condition of inter and out of Iran don't allow Ahmadi nejad to declare war with Israel even Israel attack syria. Iran help Syria and maybe Hizboallh with all things have except things that need for itself (I mean if u have a strategic weapon, don't give it to others even your best friend, because with that weapon they stronger than you and you must obey your freind).
poeples worry but they know that no nations come to kill all of Iranians one by one. maybe some poeples kills in future war but most of poeple will remain and must try to live with Mollas or USA
Poeples are forever and rullers come and gone
my parents talking about time that previous king of Iran Shah rules Iran and nobody thinks that by a revolution poeple depose him because about 35 years ago he was in power and USA and other countries support him but after some years no country allow him to go inside of it's borders
maybe Mollas have such fate, but I don't mean that tommarrow another revolution will occur in Iran and a government who begin freindship with Isreal and cut supporting Syria and Hizboallah get in power in Iran

 

[PersianBoy]

PersianBoy: Congratulations on a very interesting thread.

I have a slightly different set of questions, based in a curiousity of my family history, but I feel I need to give some social history for wider understanding of the questions and also to give context...

Background:

I am of Indian heritage. My family partly hail from the Parsi community, the old Zoroastrians that fled Persia for the west of India around the 10th century AD. Many such communities of these Parsis (the preservers of Persia's most ancient religion) are found in Bombay/Mumbai but there are also large numbers down the west coast of India too. If I am not mistaken, I believe that the largest numbers of Parsis today are in fact in India, not Iran. We no longer follow this religion by the way, owing more to the passage of time, migration and other cultural influences.

I am told by my ancestors, and the (sometimes quite cryptic and vague) histories they have left us behind, that the reasons for fleeing from Persia (c.10th century AD) were twofold:

a) A major drought took place, with a major river drying up severely. Fresher fields needed to be found. Apparently, it was a significant cause of large scale migrations across Persia and north India around this time.

b) That they were fleeing political and religious persecution. Indian rulers gave refuge.

Question relating to a)

~ Have you heard of this drought event?
~ I still have no idea what river this may have been. Any ideas or clues?

And to b)

~ Do you have any knowledge of this historical persecution?
~ What is left of Zoroastrianism and its legacy in today's Iran?
~ What is the prevailing attitude towards Parsis and indeed Zoroastrianism today?
~ Would they be welcomed back for example?

Bonus trivia questions:

~ Did you know that the singer from Queen, Freddie Mercury, was a Parsi?
~ Does it please you to hear that the descendants of these migrants fought the British and their claim to rule India, tooth and nail?


EDIT:

Whomp: You have spelt "spelled" wrong btw (and it's late cos I have been on the wheels of steel)

so much questions and so much hard

in history of Iran many times drought happens and maybe in one of them your ancestors leave Iran to India. I don't have any answers for this questions and better you ask other Zoroastrians in this site http://www.amordad.net/ and maybe name of amordad is familiar for you. its the name of 5th mounth of Iranian time that begains tommarrow, then u can check amordad.net in first of amordad and all Iranians use this time, I mean if you ask an Iranian on tommarrow he certainly answer first of mordad

about persecution ask them and write thier answer in this thread, so that me and others can have information about that for today and past. you have same religion with most of poeple in that site and probably they wellcome you and be easier with you then me.

I know that most of Zoroastrian live near Yazd a city in middle of Iran and middle of Loot desert and ex president Khatami come from that city
last year I traveled to Yazd and me and my mother talk with Zoroastrians and their religion and my mother wanna to introduce Islam for them

I have question for You and by any chance do you hear about Jamasp and his forecasting about future happenings?

with this situation of Iran I don't think they have any motive to come back Iran (threats of USA and others) but I'm sure that in Iran with vast and various lands they can find a place for living if they wanna to come Iran. better ask Zoroastrians of Iran?

I don't know freddie and that brave fighters but I think in 10th century AD, rullers of India had been Muslims, am I true?
then I heard that some of wealthiest poeple of India are Parsi, is it true (not sure but the owners of Tata companies)?

thank you for your answers and writing answer of Zoroastrians of Iran.
wish you come here more.

 

[PersianBoy]

Hey Persian Boy,

At first when i saw this thread i thought "i can't under stand it, it must be rubish" and whomps trying to hard. But after i read through what you wrote i think alot of its great and you speak alot better english than i speak persian.

About the 5-10 percent hardliners, this is the way it is in every country. You might think americans, israelis, russians and french want to bomb iran but in reality it is the 5-10 who spread the word to the average people who want to get on with their life and not worry about iran.

Anyway this is a question and answer thread so here goes:

1. Is there much foreign tourism in Iran? can you give me any infomation about it. What restrictions are there on travling there.

2. Whats your oppion on Israel? Should it be removed? or just left the way it is. Do you think Iran should open up relations with Israel?

first thank u for remainding me that only 5 to 10 percent of poeple cause war and other problems, I forgot this about other countries. so in persian we say every man make mistake.

yes there are many of them espicially in near of Shiraz (city near places of Parse and Pasargad) and in my city Hamadan everyday see them in near historical sites, my city had been capital of ancient median, they rule Iran before rulers that attack Greece and cyrous was the grandson of last median ruler.
better that say cultural tourists in always seen in Iran and I am glad that other kind of tourists like sex finders and other don't come Iran.

some poeple that deported from euorop and better others accept that they live and probably will live in middle east, so a solution for this problem is necessary and I say my solution in near future
no I DON'T believe that they must remove
relation help poeple to be familiar with each others believes so IMO relation is better to be started
but I think a forigners must pay for relation starting and think most of Israelies comes from out of ME

 

[PersianBoy]

okay here's my question:

Do you like chicks whose eyebrows meet in the middle?

what do you mean by this question?
if you mean what kind of girls I prefer to marry or have ...
I will answer no I don't like that kinf of face in old persian drawing the most beautifull girl had been darwn by that shape
but today the Blonde is preffered like poeple of other world
can you explain a desired face that you prefer? then I can explain myself.
Think this will be enough

 

[PersianBoy]

Here's mine do chicks there like guys with eyebrows in the middle?
and seriously any big music festivals worth going too? (Probably be in the region at one world cup or another)

I think the first question had been answered
(explain urs to explain mine)

for secound :
If you like Iranian muzic of course yes follow the plans of Shajarian (no official site I found, search with google and others)
but for western singers I don't recommend you will find better of them in western countries

 

[Fox Mccloud]

Exactly how well do you speak, read and write Farsi?
آیا شما فارسی حرف میزنید ؟
Aya shoma Farsi harf mizanid?

(psst - that's one of the languages of Iran)

only well enough to know that فارسى is just an Arabized name for the Persian language and that پارسی is the correct term. I don't know any, but I'm interested in lerning either Persian or Arabic.

By the way, Perseanboy, how popular is the idea to switch the alphabet to "UniPers". Are the Persians just as disgusted as me by this idea?

Edit: Spelled Persianboy wrong...

 

[Sidhe]

I think the first question had been answered
(explain urs to explain mine)

He was trying to make a joke, don't worry it isn't funny even when you get it

What do you think of your leader, is the way he is represented in the West a realistic portrayal, ie we tend to see him as an Iranian version of Neville Chamberlain(declared Hitler wanted peace in Europe and he had a piece of paper in his hand to prove it) Someone who puts their foot in there mouth diplomatically. Obviously all we see is radical comments about denying the holocaust and nuking Israel, because him saying he wants something positive would be of no interest to us I suspect

 

[Leatherneck]

Sobh Be Kheyr!

sure that never Iran enter that war except Israel enter war with Iran I mean if Israel attack Iran,

I don't think Isreal will ever attack Iran directly, thier military does not have the range or refuelers to my knowledge. To get there and back, while the US says this is not our war I doubt they would sign off on it.

Iran don't allow Ahmadi nejad to declare war with Israel even Israel attack syria. Iran help Syria and maybe Hizboallh with all things have except things that need for itself (I mean if u have a strategic weapon, don't give it to others even your best friend, because with that weapon they stronger than you and you must obey your freind).

It is the understanding I believe in the west that Ahmadi nejad doesn't really care what anyone says, as we do not have a full understanding of just how the Iranian political systems works, if it is anything like the west then it falls as often as it succeeds. He is shown in the west as a mad man that wants to control all of the Arab countries and control all of the oil, and to destroy Isreal as an added bonus. How do your people see him and how do they see the west, mainly the US.

poeples worry but they know that no nations come to kill all of Iranians one by one. maybe some poeples kills in future war but most of poeple will remain and must try to live with Mollas or USA

If the people of Iran rose up before to over throw the rule of Iran, and if the current leadership is bringing them closer to conflict then can they not rise up against it. Or would this not be in their best interest?

Poeples are forever and rullers come and gone
my parents talking about time that previous king of Iran Shah rules Iran and nobody thinks that by a revolution poeple depose him because about 35 years ago he was in power and USA and other countries support him but after some years no country allow him to go inside of it's borders
maybe Mollas have such fate, but I don't mean that tommarrow another revolution will occur in Iran and a government who begin freindship with Isreal and cut supporting Syria and Hizboallah get in power in Iran

We can only hope, as I think every wants peace in the middle east but few believe it is possible. What is the belief in Iran? Do they think peace is possible and if so how is this achieved?

Thank you for your effort on this thread ...

 

[Fox Mccloud]

What do you think of your leader, is the way he is represented in the West a realistic portrayal, ie we tend to see him as an Iranian version of Bush,a man who keeps putting his foot in his mouth. Obviously all we see is radical comments about denying the holocaust and nuking Israel, because him saying he wants something positive would be of no interest to us I suspect

Please, don't bash Bush here. We have enough of that crap already.

 

[Leatherneck]

ie we tend to see him as an Iranian version of Bush,a man who keeps putting his foot in his mouth.

 

[Rossiya]

do the iranians, such as yourself, feel oppressed by your leaders?

i ask this because the media in the UK is very americanated and i do not feel that it is very balanced at all.

 

[Elta]

He was trying to make a joke, don't worry it isn't funny even when you get it

)

GAH! it's true
on Samba music it is the national music of brazil GRES means something close to performing circle samba school. they say there are over 250,000 persians in brazil so I figured that they might have a school there that competes (many of the schools in europe play agianst each other in competions like in brazil) since the carnaval festival come from lent a catholic holiday I assumed there are no Samba schools there but there are some christans so you never know

 

[Fox Mccloud]

I wouldn't normally but it is a fair comparison, I couldn't think of another leader more apt for the title of shoe eater. At least one that is universally recognisable, have you noticed bashing Bush has become passe recently, this is the first example I've seen in ages. I'll shut up now shall I

No. It is no fair comparison. Bush never done anything so stupid as to deny the holocaust, nor said we should nuke Iran. It's just your blind Bush hatred. Oh well, people compare Bush to Hitalr too.

 

[Leatherneck]

oops too late, sorry. I'm sure the mods'll clean it up, maybe? :/

EDIT: if not I made a crass comment about Bush and have withdrawn it my apologies to all concerned.

There is a Persian Proverb ....

Whatever is in the heart will come to the tongue.

and another

Spilled water cannot be gathered again.

However, apology is not necessary but accepted ... now let us all move along and back to the thread at hand.

 

[Rambuchan]

PersianBoy: Thank you for the kind response and sorry for so many difficult questions.

I checked the site Amordad, but unfortunately, I cannot read it. So I cannot ask them and post the answer back here.

Thanks for the information about Yazd. I did not know this and will look into it more.

I have question for You and by any chance do you hear about Jamasp and his forecasting about future happenings?

I had not heard of him before and, to be honest, I am more interested in the cultural and social history of Zoroastrianism than the religious. But it seems he is significant to the history of the faith.

However, in case I disappoint you with this news, let me tell you that I am a big fan of medieval Persian poetry. Nizami, Ferdowsi, Omar Khayyam and Rumi are the ones I have a read a lot of - and it is some of the world's most beautiful literature in my opinion. I want to learn more about the Khorasani school of verse and that will come some day. If you can recommend some that you may know of, then I would be very grateful.

with this situation of Iran I don't think they have any motive to come back Iran (threats of USA and others) but I'm sure that in Iran with vast and various lands they can find a place for living if they wanna to come Iran.

I can understand and sympathise with why you think they may not want to come back (I disagree with the way the USA and others are treating your nation now, and indeed in the last century). But I am pleased to see your positive attitude here. Very pleased.

I don't know freddie and that brave fighters but I think in 10th century AD, rullers of India had been Muslims, am I true?

You are partly correct. It was in the 10th century when the power that would introduce Islam to India was growing. That power was the Ghaznevids / Ghaznavid Empire. Mahmud of Ghazni was the precise man in question. These rulers were a mix of Turkish and Persian rulers, whose base was in what is now Afghanistan. Their expansion into northern India was what brought Islam to those lands. However, this religion was still very limited in the 10th century AD and found itself confined to the very north of India. Actually, to be more precise, it was the conquering of Lahore, in modern day Pakistan, that is considered the start of Islam's influence in the sub-continent. It took a lot longer, with many more invasions from the north and west, to bring more of Islam to India. It simply wasn't very widespread in 900s AD.

It is most likely that anyone fleeing Persia for India at this time would have gone to Hindu rulers for refuge. Afterall, they were fleeing from persecution at the hands of Muslims, so I doubt if they would have liked to run into the arms of more! The majority of rulers in India at this time were Hindu, with many other faiths in their populations (Jainism, Buddhism etc).

then I heard that some of wealthiest poeple of India are Parsi, is it true (not sure but the owners of Tata companies)?

I think this is correct about the Tata owners but I am not entirely sure. I don't know how to check this for you. But let me say, there are many communities in India who are famed for their wealth and ability to generate it. Parsis are indeed one such group but there are sooooo many more!

Leatherneck: Just to be clear, I was joking with you every step of the way.

 

[William GBTW]

First of all I like you idea very much PersianBoy; your answers to my questions via PMs have been very enlightening & has shown me that not all Iranians are bad at all; his answers showed me that Iran is a Democracy (or rather an Islamic Republic). Anyways since PersianBoy already knows some of my opinions I'll skip straight to the question(s):
1. Is there much public support for Hezbollah in Iran;
2. Would Iran consider defending Lebanon & Syria from Israel;
3. Would the Iranian Government consider conducting 'friendly' diplomatic relations if the US ceased supporting Israel & rather supported Lebanon & the cause of Palestinian Statehood?
Thanks.

 

[PersianBoy]

here are some links for whom like to know more about ehtnic and languages spoken in Iran
http://www.everytongue.com/iran/all-languages.htm
this link give some informatoin about them but without any original example
and this links further information
http://www.farsinet.com/
but I think some of them is not certainly correct.

 

[Steph]

Would the people of Iran accept and support a union of countries in the area?
With which countries would you accept to join?

For instance is a Syria - Iraq - Iran union acceptable to then Iranian people?
A Iran + Azerbaidjan + Saudi Arabia, etc?

Could it be a political union (like EU), or just a military alliance (like NATO) to defend against USA in case of conflict?

 

[PersianBoy]

only well enough to know that فارسى is just an Arabized name for the Persian language and that پارسی is the correct term. I don't know any, but I'm interested in lerning either Persian or Arabic.

By the way, Perseanboy, how popular is the idea to switch the alphabet to "UniPers". Are the Persians just as disgusted as me by this idea?

Edit: Spelled Persianboy wrong...

yes of course the ancient name of my language is persian or Parsi but IMO what poeple call and say is correct
to day in Iran few poeple call this language Parsi and majority call it Farsi (the arabized word because arabs can't spell P and some other alphabets of my language)
few poeple like to call it Parsi and call Iran, Pars but Pras and Prasi reffered to Parsis that darius and Cyrus and other famous ancient kings of persia had been from that ethnic minority (also it have majority between ethnic minorities of Iran) and they are ancestor of some of today iranians
when Iranian callland that live on, Iran means that this land belong to all Iranians minorities speak in language like Farsi, Turki, Kurdi, Lori, Bakhtiari and others that I link in previuos post
so when call language that most of poeple in Iran speak, Farsi don't mean that ancient language but means language that borrow some words from Arabic, some from Turkish, some from other languages and finnally English and French and other western languages
In Iran this arabized, englishized ... language called Farsi
and most of poeple can understand it although maybe most of poeple' mother langauge are not Farsi
like an international accent of English (I doubt it really exist)
I check UniPers that offers do the same thing with our alphabet like Turks do (I think at the end of Otthman empire time they change alphabet of thier language from arabic to Latin for better and easy understanding, from first days of contacts of Iranians and other muslims with new civilization of western countries this recommondation had exist and some nations like Turks change their alphabet but not Iranians) but I thing this is immpossible in Iran because like Japanese like thier beautifull handwriting, Iranian like beautifull handwriting of poems of famous Iranian Poat like Hafiz, Saadi, Rumi and others
but IMO in future all thing is possible and IMO maybe in future poeples like me have not problem of writing correct English , because most of poeple in that time speak in english and born with it