Frustrated... but helpless...

It was supposed to be an easy-going holiday and as it was hot as ever outside, surely over 40 degrees, we decided to go outside later at night. We spent the day inside and I helped my wife start her blog in a Japanese site.
There were surprisingly no calls from Tokyo and I thought we took the right decision... We left our home at around 8PM and didn't think of going to an ambitious place for dining... just a hamburger shop that my wife said she always wanted to go...
Right when we decided what to order... a call from satan... no... it was from Tokyo. Apparently a plane accident took place in Mashhad and we had to leave without ordering... I was quite frustrated... why did they choose this moment? Why? Well, being frustrated doesn't help at all... feeling helpless I took my wife back and off I went to work!!


right in front of burger shop counter... I received the call...

It was exactly a year after I left Tokyo for this country having worries but slightly having hope that I might have a good time... Please don't ask me if I'm having a great time now. Please don't!

Suddenly!

I went to a lunch meeting with Japanese business people and it was supposed to be another ordinary day, but... As I received an urgent call from Tokyo that the agencies were writing a plane crashed, I thought they were kidding, but when I saw the English state TV broadcasting screen I saw the eyecatching words: BREAKING NEWS PLANE CRASH
Our staff scrambled to get information and the crash was confirmed right away and it was a roller coaster experience after that. I decided not to go the scene and concentrate on gathering information as I found out it was a plane model, Russian one, that would not be used in Japan. Rather than thinking of getting our footage it was important to get as many information as possible to fill in the evening news in Japan.
The battle was over at nighttime, but I was once again shivering to realize how dangerous riding planes in this country is... Actually we took the same airline and perhaps the same type of plane when we flew to Tabriz in October. I was relieved to feel how lucky I am to be alive and I told myself I have to cherish what I have... my life... my family... I don't want to lose it now... or the near future!

PS
I went through my picture library... I found it...

it's the same type of plane we took in October!

More than a brawl...

Now it's getting VERY serious. The west has always been the enemy and there were no exceptions this time and everything is blamed on the US and UK. But it's getting so serious that the UK embassy staff were detained by the security forces and it's not just a brawl between the two countries any more!
I really don't know where this country is heading and I'm sure it's going to take years to earn the trust back!
Well, my trust is gone and I think it will take forever for me to give my trust back... I think nobody cares, but for me, it's a real disaster!

Extension!?

Tomorrow was supposed to be the so called "X-Day" as the annoucement that the election results would be confirmed (or not confirmed) was to be made...
They announced that they would look over the complaints another 5 days! If they have any chance of changing their conclusion, I think everybody should congratulate such a decision, but since they already have a conclusion, this means we will just have 5 more days to suffer!
Sorry for my pessimism... But I'm really getting tired of this...

PS
Today's lunch...


a nice pizza!


orthodox Napolese style!

Slowly uncovered

We had no idea how many were killed yesterday, and as the day went by, I thought the state media would not even release a clue. They did saying at least 10 were killed and more than a hundred injured.
It would be a lucky guess to say there's perhaps more casualties out there, but as I continuously say, there no way to confirm it!
Working on two live reports, the day went past so quickly. For two days in a row, I had to stay inside and read articles and blogs written by media and reformist supporters... There was breaking news that one of our foreign media collagues were told to leave the country in 24 hours. Will we get that call too!? Who knows... I might get lucky...

Decisive day!?

I'm not an Iranian and I can't sense how crucial the Leader's message to the people is. Could it be something like our Emperor's message during the second world war in our nation where it was a word of God that everybody had risked their lives for a "divine" cause. If it is, the protests should stop, but there's no indications that it will easily stop.
The Supreme Leader clearly warned that the protests should stop. He even hinted there could be bloodshed. The opposition has a mass demostration ready tomorrow and there's no clear sign of its cancellation. Are we going to see something we don't want to tomorrow?
I don't want to see these people killing each other, but now I think both sides see a "divine" cause in this, and who could stop either!? I don't think I can, so I have to stand put and report about what is going on... impartially!


in front of the University of Tehran


broadcast live!

Broadcasting frenzy!

I had three live broadcasts today... The death toll at yesterday's shooting has climbed to seven... They even announced the number on state media and it was very surprising that they even showed some footage!
Though I didn't go outside to cover anything, it was turmoil inside my office to prepare and talk about the breaking news updated as time goes by minute after minute!

PS
Our correspondent from Tokyo collapsed late last night... we had him go to the hospital first thing in the morning, and again I was very surprised I could have made the wrong mistake not to get him to one overnight... he seemed to have slept fine with some medication and after his treatment at the hospital, I finally felt relieved everything seemed to be fine... phew...

PPS
We had words from the authorities that we are banned to cover any material that is not permitted, especially the demonstration by the reformists... it's in fact a ban on the foreign media including us... I think we're in deep trouble!


this is how use things are censored!


I hope I can rest like you... or pretend I'm dead like you!

Bang bang!

They opened Pandora's box and now it's real turmoil heading our way! Gunshots have killed a protest participant and I could have risked my staff to get into major trouble! It could have been pure luck that it wasn't my staff who had been killed! I really have to be careful about my decisions as I'm in charge of their lives and not just about the broadcasting!
I was really happy to see their faces back in our office and I swore I have to think not twice but ten times before making decisions!

NO PICS TODAY...
HOW CAN I TAKE PICTURES...
IT'S TOO DANGEROUS TO DO ANYTHING!

Broadcasting time! But...

It was finally the date for our special reports about the election was going to be on the air. But I have to admit it was a rigid road to get here as what we had planned was coverage showing the incumbent and the challenger, perhaps in the middle of campaigning for the run-off election. As everybody knows, that's not the case, and even worse, there's unrest in the streets!
The President held his victory gathering and the reformists held a huge demonstration in the street that is very familiar to us... just around the corner from our office...
I have no idea where this thing will head... I'm sure it's not going to finish soon...


everything seemed normal in the city... which I found out later on that it was only at this moment that it seemed peaceful...

END OF PEACE!?

It was nothing but turmoil today... We had to see the results come out all night, starting with a clear and big lead for the incumbent...
It didn't change all day and in the end the supporters of the challenger were so angry they went out to protest... actually more than a protest! There were clashes and the street that I always see with shoppers was now a stage of chanting and beating! How easily could a safe city turn into a chaotic mess!?
I see trouble coming up... real trouble!


completely unexpected... double score finish...

Media circus in Tehran...

It was a precious day, but once again I had to use my time for an important issue. It was the first time ever for me to see the most famous American lady (or most famous Iranian lady!) at this moment as she had spoken in front of the media today after her release yesterday. I was happy things went well... especially before everything will become chaotic with the election coming up.
I wrote the story quickly and started getting ready for my trip from tomorrow. It will be a very critical trip and I don't know if I'll be successful on this one... really!


media circus!


everyone satisfied to see her... LIVE!

Prison...

It was the first time for me to visit the famous prison in northern Tehran, but I was together with almost all of my colleagues working in this field, waiting for their former colleague to be released.
It was risky to use so much time just to wait for her release, but as we thought it would be the first time to at least take a glimpse of her freedom, many just waited for hours in front of the prison gate.


just a bunch of journalists and no sign of her!

We found out she left through the back door and I was so angry that I had to use my precious time as a work load was waiting in my office! We also could not get pictures of her in front of her home, as it was her father that just appeared to say hello... another betrayal...
I know how bad thing could have gone for her and it would be wrong to tell her to show her face, but she's talked to her friend journalist who is writing a story like she's got everything to herself. That's not how you treat your colleagues who were all worried about your well-being! I mean it!


here too...
just a bunch of journalists and no sign of her!

I hate this!!

Today, the missle, which the North Koreans say is a satellite, flew over the skies of Japan and I found out about it after I woke up... I tried to follow up on reactions here, but there wasn't any significant ones...

okay... they shot it...

I also had to get information about some future stories so I could e-mail the info to Tokyo before tomorrow morning which will be the start of the weekdays in Tokyo.

These things I do all the time, but the most important thing that was taking all of my mind today was making papers about my staff's salary... I've already talked to my staff and they of course all want a raise. With the 24% inflation being the latest figure (the true number seems to be near the 30% mark, but there's no papers that I can show to the folks in Tokyo...), they all want something near that, but Tokyo will never grant such a big raise! I'm sure they will say I have to negotiate and convince them to take less than 10%, or even near the 5% mark... There's a 10-15% difference! How can I negotiate!!

I really hate doing this and I decided to become a reporter/correspondent of an organization and not a business person and even a manager so I wouldn't have to negotiate about salaries! I can't take my mind off, and I really pray that this will not derange my mental state, as I already feel some nervous depression coming around the corner... Oh, I really hate this!!

After the first phase... traps...

We were able to complete our first mission without any trouble as the live coverage was successful and my report was received quite well. I was thinking if the first phase goes well, all the other will. So I was happy that I could believe that, nothing more than me but for my colleagues, we would go through a successful path.
But I realized later on that I was being too optimistic! One of our colleagues fell into a trap and coping with it was very painstaking... Actually, we were not able to solve the problem and all I could pray it will tomorrow morning...
I can't forget... you never can be optimistic here, and it would be only after you finish the task, you can be relieved... I have to be very cautious... three more days!

Having a piece of cake before the live coverage...

yeah, it's going to be a piece of cake!

The popular place for live coverage!

here, before the famous spot!

Hello... I just finished my live report...

did you like it!?

PS
Former President Seyed Mohammad Khatami announced his run for the presidency in June... It seems to be a head to head between the active President and the former President... it would be nice if this would be the main focus in June, so it wouldn't be too complicated... well there still four months to go and let's not be too optimistic!

Mr. Khatami just before the announcement...

Breakthrough!?

Early in the morning, I was given a call that Iran has annouced that they have sent their first homemade satellite into space. The last time I heard this, it was concluded that the thing that went to space was just a "dummy" and it was more of the testing of its domestic rocket. This time, they announced it was a real one! The launch was of course coincidental to the celebrations of the 30th Anniversary of the Revolution and anyone would get the message that Iran wants to emphasize its achievements. I'm told that there will be more achievements I would witness through the coming years, but sadly all I can do is watch the news and find out... just like anyone can in Tokyo!
There's only a week to go until the Anniversary! I gotta tell you how insecure I feel!!


snowing again... back to the cold!?

Escalating... to phase two!

Today it was supposed to be a day to follow the Iraqi PM's talks in Tehran and I was working on my story as the breaking news came in...
Both CNN International and BBC World had its BREAKING NEWS sign and live coverage up and started just after 10PM Tehran Time.
All I could do was stare at the TV and witness the new phase that will continuously bring chaos to the Middle East... and also to my nation that surely will strongly condemn the the incursion...


another nice menu shared by my staff... the lamb meat was very tasty!

Breaking news in the end...

I was quite dr... oh, I can't say the word... but you know... when you have some of the you know what acommodations with friends especially with Japanese ones, when you want to fight with the stress and pain. The magic liquids have easily dominated my state of mind as all the stress from the pressure I get is killing me. I couldn't work after returning to my office and went to bed right after going back home...

From early in the morning, I left Tehran to head for the religious center of this nation. Qom was more than 2 hours of driving and it looked like a nice city with many mosques. I was not there for sight seeing so I didn't get to see so much of the city, but I'm sure I'd be here more than once!

Another stressful thing today was that I had to give up going to Oman as everything had opposite results to what was intended... It was more than a backfire having Tokyo turning away from me as they entered their 9 day vacation period... It was too unfortunate and to be honest, I swore that I wouldn't want to be involved in covering the GCC nations any more!

A unprecedent attack was undergoing in the Palestine State and it was obvious that this would be the largest news of the Gregorian Year end. Maybe it was tough for me to get any broadcast time for a meeting that only covers the Persian Gulf!

PS
At Qom...

we stopped by a shop to buy sweets made in Qom...

quite tasty with cinnamon flavor


and also stopping by the rest area along the highway between Qom and Tehran...

lunch time!

a big piece of meat!

Inshallah...

I had to react to a news that jumped in, but at night although I had to be worried about calls from Tokyo, I went out to have dinner at a Thai restaurant in Estegral Hotel with my Japanese correspondent friends based in Tehran. It was nice to share our sufferings here but we all came to conclusion that we will surely see the better days coming.

Inshallah...

PS:
for lunch...

having some kyabab!

and after I returned home... I had my...

last gummy bear pack!

Out of time...

I really didn't have time to waste. Sadly, things did not work out as scheduled. I had to even cancel a lunch meeting with someone I had to see as soon as possible.
It was the sudden live broadcast of a missile test that ruined everything. Of course I had to write something to fill in the news and it was probably the worst timing to be using my time on current events.
I also had to send some ideas about next week's event that could be connected to the economic crisis, but I had no time to gather information. Missile test at the best timing... What timing!?


missiles... missiles... studying them while having my only meal of the day...

PS
I was happy to see my favorite soccer club team become the Asian Champions. I see it's not easy to capture the top spot in the J-League, but it's an honor to be able to perform at the World Club Championship in the end of this year. Sadly I probably won't be able to watch it here. Well, I'm sure I'd be too busy to watch any match!

Buzy like crazy!

It was the last day before "Ramazan" in Iran. Most of the Muslim countries have started their Ramadan today, but it's always a day later than the others, my staffs say.

So my staff made me an omelette with tomatoes...

the last day I could have lunch with my staff for a while!

It was a hot day... it seemed peaceful...

at least Behruz was enjoying the calmness in the shades...

But the satellite seemed to be out of service...

we found out that the angle of the dish outside was moved by someone... Behruz!

In the evening, breaking news about our leader in Japan announcing his resignation jumped in... I had nothing to do with this, but I was in the middle of turmoil working and negotiating about a different issue. I also had a young visitor from Japan and suddenly I was taking care of three different things at once! I had to pay my staff and I had to watch over the accounting... oh how busy could this get!?

I needed help... hey Behrooz...

oh... you won't be of any help...

I got the okay signal about a special mission I was working on right after returning from Dubai... There's still no telling whether I will succeed, but I must try my best to get the best result!