Another hectic day...

We headed to the central area of the city to cover the fervor of the people participating in a anti-Israeli protest supported by perhaps hundreds of thousands all over the world. As it was announced, it was not just being attended by conservatives and fundamentalists, but the opposition and I saw thousands of people against the Government marching. As they chanted anti-regime slogans, the supporters of the regime were swearing against them and everything was getting hectic in the streets. Once again I was able to witness the deep and grievous rift among the people and it seemed hopeless that this country will see the bright sun coming out sooner or perhaps never.


familiar slogans...

Issue closed

Any possible trip to New York was officially a closed issue today as I received an e-mail rejecting the proposed trip. One of my fellow correspondents working in Tehran for another organization is going and of course I feel let down, but being employed by a media corps, I have no choice but to back down.
There's one thing I can do and that is to believe this outcome was a preface to a much better route for success that I would be glad I didn't go. I might find out a year later when I decide to go for the next one where there could be a historical event which seems very unlikely this year!

PS
This year all the spotlight will be on this person... at least in Japan...

he's on the headlines of Iranian media too!

The real inauguration?

The voting finally took place... finally! After 5 days, the vote of confidence for the cabinet was carried out at the Parliament and 18 out of 21 ministers were approved. So can this country concentrate on the major issues on deck?

It's so interesting the MPs count the votes right at the floor of the Parliament...

there's no way to rig these votes! (pic from ISNA website)

Out in the cold

Clouds were surrounding the city... predicting a rough day coming up!


It was an important day for politics in this country as the deliberations of the President's choice for his cabinet started in the Parliament. But for the international community, the more influential issue is the historical event taking place in my native country. The opposition is calling it a "revolution" and surely with the reports coming in, the expression fits perfectly.
Sadly, I'm left out in the cold this time from this decisive election for the future of my country. I remember I voted for the opposition last time though the government side had won it in a landslide. This time I wasn't even able to vote as I didn't hand in the necessary papers to be registered. Looking at the news that the opposition has won more 300 seats in the lower house completing its "revolution", I should have been dancing around, but it's makes me more sad that I couldn't participate in the coverage of such an exciting event.


it was news for the Iranian media too!
(from Press TV)

(7PM news on IRIB Channel 1)


watching internet sights along with JSTV broadcasting the special coverage from Tokyo...

Anyways, the true battle has not ended today, it's actually going to be a rough ride for the new government, as there are so many inexperienced people on the roster and incompetence will not be an excuse to handle grave issues in the middle of an economic turmoil and major decisions in foreign policy coming up. I'm sure they're not treading in air at this early stage, but they must realize they're walking on a very rough minefield. The laid mines are the same element that has taken them to power... the people... they will be watching very carefully... if the expectations are not fulfilled, the people... with the help of the media... will crush this victory, just like they have done with LDP's last landslide victory only four years ago!

A rare occasion at the prayers venue

It was Friday, but many of my colleagues were working from the morning. We met many of our friends at the University of Tehran, the venue for the Friday Prayers, as we had heard that the President was going to make a speech. Right after we arrived, the speech started and many participants were excited, chanting "Death to America" and "Death to Israel". Since it was a rare occasion to get his speech on film, I did my best to file a story about his comments.


many of our colleagues were here for the man!

It was already around 5PM when the job was finished and the only day off was about to be over. Together with my wife, we went out to shop at the usual supermarket and finished the day watching TV together.

Right when I was about to go to sleep, the IAEA report on Iran came in and though I was desperate to sleep, I glanced through it and saw the complexity of the paper, that I decided to analyze it tomorrow. This report will be on the table of the coming talks and negotiations, but it seems that either side can use it to defend their stances and also attack the other side as well. Let's see how the media will use this report to emphasize their stances!

All night long...

I had to wait all day for the special program which was slated to be broadcasted after the 9PM news. Usually, you can finish earlier than usual on Thursdays, but today I had to watch this program, which the leader of the executive branch talked for about an hour and a half and it was nearly midnight when I finally finished my story for the morning news in Japan.
Well, I think I can take a day off tomorrow after the hard work... (just to write one short story in one week!)


he finally appears... but after he appears, he goes on forever!

Annoucement!?

I was waiting all night for the final list of the proposed cabinet to be announced. The last news piece was in fact the list was not turned in though the working hours of the Parliament was over. I had to make a decision whether to write the story now or wait until tomorrow. As the day was about to end, I decided to wait a bit longer but for sure, I don't have to report about it urgently. Anyways, I've waited for more than 7 hours for the news, but no progress... Oh, what a waste of time!

According to today's paper...

eeyup! he's supposed to unveil it today folks!

The controversial inauguration

After working till 2AM last night, I woke up just after 6AM and after fixing up just some of the scripts for today, we headed to the Parliament, "Majlis" of the Islamic Republic of Iran. On our way, I saw tons of security forces getting ready to crush down any opposition that would be defiant enough to go on to protest that was being called on by the green supporters. The ceremony process went on smoothly as I thought, starting around 9:15AM and the only problem I had was getting the simultaneous translation service, but luckily go the earphones right after the Majlis speaker started to give his speech. The speech of the inaugurated President was not fancy, but it was enough to have a story. When we headed out from the Majlis after I took my standing report, it was only 10:30AM. We got back to our office an hour after and I was scrambling to work on the bunch of stories and reports I had to give out. With the help of brilliant colleagues in Tokyo, everything went smoothly. The other concern was how the protests were going to turn out, but it seems that nothing crazy had happened and I felt relived that no one had been killed... according to reports at least... I was getting more and more confident that perhaps I would be able to take my wife out to a trip though it would have been impossible if a major development took place today. After recording my radio report, I also had a request to do my report in English, but feeling much better, I had no problem taking the offer.


in the Majlis...

The next mission...

It was supposed to be a crucial day today and I had to concentrate on getting ready for tomorrow. I would have to write a story right away after the inauguration ceremony and get ready for the live coverage in the evening, and then work on my report for the morning news in Japan. I also had a radio report!
But somehow, I couldn't get my mind moving and time just went by... very fast!

PS
We bought our tickets for our possible trip from Friday... It's a load of money I've paid and I pray everything will be all right tomorrow...

PPS
Yesterday's news...

tomorrow these two will not appear together, so it will be a very valuable pic for newsmakers!

Endorsement

It was an important day and we were all set before the TV sets to watch and cover the crucial event for the regime. As we were not invited, we had no choice but to wait for the live coverage. But though we had been alerted from our friends that the event had started, we could not see anything happening on the state broadcast and I was quite disappointed to find out we just had to wait for the 2 o'clock to hear any of the soundbites the President and the Leader have made for the Endorsement ceremony of the executive branch. I was given the opportunity to participate in the broadcast late at night in Japan, but I really didn't like how they hadn't broadcasted the event on TV. Well, the most important will come up in two days and I hope they would not change their minds and not let us in!


the recorded version on TV... why was it not broadcasted live!?

PS
In Japan, I see the lay judge trials were starting. Citizens chosen to be like the juries in Western nations will be deciding on a verdict in four days. If I had stayed in my previous position at the Judicial Press Club, I surely would have been working on this. I had no idea I'd been working on the inauguration process of a Middle East country I had no connection to!

Sympathy?

Today, I spontaneously proposed that I would write a story and things were looking good until I found out at nighttime that there were more information coming in after 7PM. It was too ridiculous to write the story over so I decided not to think about it. But I was worried so much that I decided to be on the alert till midnight. Fortunately, I had no calls from Tokyo and though I never feel relieved, it's much better than hearing sarcastic comments via phone calls.
Working under an "absolute" authority, I even feel some sympathy to this person who seems to be defiant to such unconditional entities. I seems like suicide, but maybe like the supporters, you see a hero in adversity which could very well be just a Don Quixote. For me, it would be unimaginable to make such a challenge, but I feel some sympathy in the fact that I would have done the same if I had the guts to fight back the adversities.
Several years back, I think I was accumulating enough expertise to be a bit defiant to my "absolute" organization, but I was thrown out to somewhere completely different twice... and whatever happens twice happens thrice as we say in our country, and here I am. They have ripped off my expertise and even my confidence that all I could do is obey.
Of course if I look at everything positively, I should say these are great opportunities for me to build up more capacity and further develop as a stronger professional.
But was this what I wanted? At least everybody is trying to hypnotize me to believe that this was what I had wanted. But hey, I'm not going to fall into that kind of trap... maybe like... him!

PS
Another one I always feel sympathetic...

he or she always cries for food...


meow, meow
I'm sorry... I don't have anything for you...

PS
We had power cuts in the daytime...

completely dead...

PPS
Watching closely how the change of power in Japan is taking place...

democratically!

First day of the Iranian year!

It's the first day of Farvardin, the first month of the Iranian year, and I was thinking I can take a rest without being bothered as there were supposed to be no activities in this country! I was wrong...
There was an activity in Mashad, the holy city in the northeast! The Supreme Leader did talk bitterly of their archrival which was taken as a reaction to Obama's Nowruz message to the Iranian nation...
Before noontime, I went to my office and started writing about the story... My staff also came to the office in the evening, and the day was over just by doing my job and spending around my office...
Three days of the six-day holidays are gone! Using two of them for work! There's only three more days left and I have to start working on my Nowruz cards!! Good night!


the Supreme Leader giving his speech... with sunglasses!

Sal-e No Mobarak!

Exactly at 3:13:39PM, Iran has entered officially the New Year! Today is Nowruz (Noruz), meaning the "new day". The first day of the year 1388 will officially start tomorrow, but we entered the New Year today which it is traditional to make it coincidental with the Vernal Equinox Day.

I'm sure the 1388 will be a very crucial one with the Presidential Elections coming up with the 20th Anniversary of the demise of Imam Khomeini and other 30th Anniversary of vaiours events that happened in the post Revolutionary frenzy, including the takeover of the US Embassy. I want to start being human rather than a robot, but with many elders having so much power in Tokyo, I have no way of causing a Revolution...

First thing in the afternoon, my wife and I took a walk around our residencial area. All the flower shops were selling the Haft Sin goods. Most of the other shops were closed and it was surprising to see how empty the streets were! They say most of the people of Tehran are out of the city, but wow... it's true! Anyway, that fact has nothing to do with me as after the short walk was over, it was time to write a story... no holidays for me!

A warm day outside...

all the flower shops were open!

selling the New Year Day necessities!

We also found...

the Nowruz messenger dolls!

Back in my office... watching the Nowruz special program on Channel 1...
And it reached the Vernal Equinox time...

the clock was ticking in the right lower corner...


the upshot! 3:13:39PM!

And the leaders appeared!


first, the Supreme Leader!

and then the President!

The day did not start a happy one for me... I had a call just after 7AM being informed that Obama has sent a video recorded message to Iran and I had to follow up on the reactions... I was sure there wouldn't be any concrete reactions as the Iranian Government was practically inactive, but there's always no limits on Tokyo's requests and as a servant I had to follow it up...

After saying Sal-e No Mobarak, meaning Happy New Year, it was time to go back to work... Tokyo gave no mercy as they called me right away after the Supreme Leader and the President broadcasted their Nowruz, and gave me no choice but to write about it right away. I was trying to see which parts might make a story, but as Tokyo gets their nice English written news stories from the agencies, they already know which parts would fit. Oh, then why the hell am I here for!? And I don't really think it's a story I have to urgently write! Well anyways, I'm only a part of a big machinery and I must follow the orders like a nice robot!

There were no firm reactions about the "Obama video message" and in the Nowruz speeches, there were no mentioning of the this unexpected and surprise message from the archrival... I'm sure both the Leader and the President had recorded the message well before Obama has announced to make his surprise move. Of course the Iranian side had all the time to replace the speech to a new one, but since they didn't, all I could do was honestly write that there were no quotes referring to Obama's message! Would that satisfy Tokyo's request? I'll give it a nah, but sorry... that's all I could do on New Year's Day!

PS
I received a gift from my staff today...

I was surprised and very happy!
what's inside...
oh! wow! xeily xeily xube!
can't paste the pic here though...
you know why, right!?

Back to the capital...

Leaving first thing in the morning...


good-bye Bam!

I reached my office in the afternoon after one stop. There was very heavy traffic, surely affected by the increase in the number of cars because of the year end activities.


back to the major traffic zone...

In the office I had to run around to selecting gifts we have to give to people we have to say "thank you" to and also take care of the Eidi, giving money to the messangers and workers who come to the office regularly, which is like a year end gift money to say we need their help next year too. It's a tradition in Iran, but handing out money to these people would surely not be permitted in my accounting papers, so I decided to pay from my pocket money, as the amount was not more than showing appreciation to them.
In the nighttime, we were following a news about the former President dropping out of the Presidential election, but could not get his official words on them. Meanwhile I was writing the Nowruz cards I wanted to send to many divisions in Tokyo and all of the bureaus in the world. It was my last night to be alone, but it went by so quickly that I had no time to enjoy it. Well, I'm already fed up with spending my nights alone so there's nothing to be sad about!

Summertime!?

It was a very nice day, a little smoggy than yesterday, but a fine enough to hang around the city and do some shopping...
In the afternoon, it was so hot that I wanted to wear half sleeves as the sunshine was strong enough like it was summertime! It's still more than a week before the vernal equinox, which coincides with the New Year for this nation, but the sun is at its work already. It seems like this year would be a hot one!

You can see the snow in the mountains are melting!

less white areas than before!

PS
In the morning we went to a meeting to see one of the candidates for the Presidential Election... but...

he didn't show up at the venue... oh well...

Interested in my nation...

As my staff had such a wonderful time in Japan, I think it's great that the other staff are also being more interested in my native country. I hope when this staff talks to the our other colleagues working in the media world here will hear more of his story and feel more excited about Japan. I really think that many people living in this country should see my nation and see how different it is. I don't know if many of the people here will say the same thing to my countrymen being proud of their native land.
I know Japan is starting to be in turmoil with the unstable state of both politics and economy, but still I think there's a lot of room till everything is spoiled. There's of course so many ways to improve my country and I could even say there's many chances lying around in my country being battered with adversaries.
This country could well be in the same situation. There's so many ways to improve the situation here and visiting countries like mine could help to realize that. Not just for my sake, but for everybody that live here, I hope, from the bottom of my heart, this country develops more and more!

PS
I realize it's exactly one month since the Anniversary of the Revolution! Already!? I also realize it's only a week until I welcome my family to a life together here! In the time of confusion and hardship, time flew by so quickly, but this one month felt even faster! I hope the remaining days here goes by quickly too... but that will make me reach the age where I really have to think about how I would like to spend time enjoying life... the "arafour" (="around fourty") stage!

PPS
In the morning I went to see the Assembly of Experts, another powerful organization in the political world...

the Assembly...


we took the taxi with a price meter!
maybe we'll see more of these in the future!

Lingering heat of the drama...

The political drama that was covered in every news channel of the world was giving me some chances to continue on sending some stories about the reactions from its old enemy in the Middle East. I'm sure you always need an "Antithese" when all you hear is the words of praise from mostly allied countries. Well we have Russia who is strongly going head to head because of the recent developments in the Caucusus and the return of the rivalry. I'm sure the nation I'm staying in will remain a strong contender too, but I'm sure it would also be interesting to go to New York around next September!


almost all the papers had the MAN on the front page... even the most conservative paper! all under the nation's leader's story though!

Rain in the city...

It was raining from the morning. I really hate it when it rains, and it was really uncomfortable with my shoes all soaked with water!

good thing I brought my portable umbrella...

all wet in the streets!


can't even see the Empire State Building!

I was spending my time at the UN and them moved to my bureau to get ready for my last report. I got some footage from an Iranian friend who promised to help me and I just hope this footage will be enough to get me through!

where the stakeout is done... the funniest guy is undoubtedly the French FM when he's on stage here!

having some snacks...

surprised at the package! wow! you should write all the countries of the world!
does this mean they're being honest!? or maybe they can't keep track!?

At nighttime, the broadcasters were obsessed with the debate that the Presidential candidates were about to fight. It started from 9PM and all the channels were hijacked by the two hopefuls.

the screens were filled with Mr. McCain and Mr. Obama...
they say Mr. Obama had a slight edge, but not a decisive one...

I went out to have dinner with a colleague visiting New York and our choice was...

a prime rib!
the grand total for two was a hefty $135.47, but it was worth it!

For lunch I also had something that I really wanted these several days...

oh I see it!! I finally found one!!

hey move over! here I come!

a Whopper meal!

Now I'm satisfied. I've eaten everything I wanted and I have no regrets concerning the food I've had!!

A birthday to worry through...

It was my birthday... I really didn't want to tell my colleagues about it, but they asked for a cake at the Chinese restaurant for me at dinner time.
Still, I didn't feel happy... I'm 36 and I'm going to start something very new in about a month. I should be happy that I'm getting the chances that all reporters would crave for. The private e-mails I received added some agony to my mental state and it doesn't seem like it's going to be a happy ending in that sense...
Well, when I get back I'll go over many things about my private life, and I will try to do my best to get some better way to make us happy... some better way... which I have no idea of...

After having coffee with my colleagues in the afternoon, I went out to the largest bookstore in Bangalore to buy some books...

bookstore with lots of books, but I had no idea where the books I want were placed!

yes, the books about Iran and nuclear proliferation!

stopping by a state-run souvenir shop

having coffee at a shopping center!

In the evening, we took a Rikusha for the first time to a restaurant!

riding through the M.G. Road...

a Chinese dinner for my birthday!

A birthday to start thinking seriously about my latter half of the 30s... I gotta settle down more and think about all the advantages I will get from all of this!

And...

bye-bye Mrs. Clinton!