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Islamic Republic News Agency (IRAN)

The Islamic Republic News Agency in Retrospect

The Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) was established in 1934 by the Foreign Ministry of Iran as the country's official national news outlet. For the next six years it operated under the Iranian Foreign Ministry working to disseminate national and international news. Pars Agency, as it was then known, published a bulletin twice a day in French and in Persian which it circulated among government officials, international news agencies in Tehran and the local press.

In May 1940, the General Tablighat Department was founded and the agency then became an affiliate of the department organizationally.

Agence France Press (AFP) was the first international news agency whose reports Pars Agency used. Gradually, the Iranian news agency expanded its sources of news stories to include those of Reuters, the Associated Press (AP) and the United Press International (UPI). An agreement with the Anatolia News Agency of Turkey further expanded the agency's news outlets to countries worldwide. The link-up also enabled it to provide classified bulletins to a limited number of high-ranking public officials.

It was in 1954 that Pars Agency made a significant move forward. It recruited better-educated people thereby improving its professional services while continuing to avail of dispatches of international newsagencies. It also went on air with radio broadcasts of international
news which it translated into Persian and offered to subscribers
locally.

Expanding further in news coverage, it operated under the supervision of various state offices and ministries such as the Ministry of Culture, Ministry of Post, Telegraph and Telephones, Office of the Prime Minister and the Labor Ministry until 1947. In 1957, the General Department of Tablighat fell under the supervision of the Publications Department of Tehran Radio as an independent department.

In 1963 the Information Ministry was created and activities of Pars
Agency was brought under this ministry. Its name was changed to `Pars News Agency,' or PANA, which then began operating 'round the clock.

In July 1975 a bill was passed by the country's legislature which
established the Ministry of Information and Tourism and changed the status of Pars News Agency to a joint public stock with capital assetsof about 300 million rials. It then became an affiliate of the new ministry. Its Articles of Association in 23 paragraphs and notes were adopted by the then National Consultative Assembly of Iran.

After the triumph of the Islamic Revolution in February 1979 the
revolution's council, in June 1979, decided to rename the Ministry of Information and Tourism to the National Guidance Ministry (or Ministry of National Guidance). This was followed in December, 1981 bya bill passed by the Islamic Consultative Assembly (Majlis) changing the name of the country's official news agency from Pars News Agency to Islamic Republic News Agency.

Science & Technology - Iran

Some internet sources about science and technology and Iran from the Library of Congress. Science is important to the human race we would all do well to remember this.

Federation of American Scientists (http://www.fas.org)
The Federation of American Scientists (FAS) ‘is the oldest organization dedicated to ending the worldwide arms race, achieving complete nuclear disarmament, and avoiding the use of nuclear weapons for any purpose.' Whatever one's views are on its goals, a search of the site yields valuable information on a country's armament found only with difficulty elsewhere.

Geological Survey of Iran (GSI) (http://www.gsi-iran.org)
Prepared by the Ministry of Mines and Metals of Iran, the site offers both in English and Farsi scientific and technological reports on geological topics relating to that country. Related links are also given.

Green Party of Iran (http://www.tse.or.ir/)
English and Farsi language home page of the Green Party of Iran (Hezb-e-sabz Hayeh Iran), dedicated to environmental issues in Iran.

International Institute for Caspian Studies (http://www.caspianstudies.com/E-home.htm)
‘The International Institute for Caspian Studies (IICS) is a non governmental research and consultancy institute based in Tehran and aimed at promoting and undertaking scholarly studies regarding political, economic, social, cultural, environmental, and legal issues of the Caspian region.' Its English language site offers newsletters, seminar and program information, links and other services related to its mission.

Ministry of Agriculture Jahad (http://www.agri-jahad.org)
Farsi and English language site published by the Iranian Ministry of Agriculture.

National Research Center of Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology (http://www.nrcgeb.ac.ir/)
Located in Tehran, the Center has provides an English language site which presents its faculty, programs and other aspects related to its mission and initiatives.

Research Institute of Petroleum Industry (RIPI) (http://www.ripi.ir/en/)
Founded in 1959 as a subsidiary of the National Iranian Oil Company, RIPI conducts research and develops technology relating to the petroleum industry. The site is invaluable in providing access to information on this industry vital to Iran's economy.

World Health Organization (http://www.who.int)
The official site of the WHO offers text in English, French or Spanish on its mission and health initiatives, programs and warnings world wide.

Knowledge Dispersion - Iran

I was doing some research on knowledge dispersion in our society. You know how is scientific knowledge shared and how is it used. When I came across this website;

Knowledge Diffusion Network is a nonprofit organization that aims to promote collaboration of Iranian academics living abroad with the scientific community in Iran.

Click on the title to this blog entry and you will go to the site. I have not looked too closely at it yet so this link is here so I can come back and look when I have more time. If anyone looks let me know what you think.

Death in the name of Religion

Sunni's and Shia's continue to kill each other in Iraq. In August the Iraqi death toll was down to 1,500. Down to 1,500 from a high last year of 3,000 per month. Humans killing each other because they are not members of the same religious group. Does anyone think this makes any sense what's so ever? Killing in the name of religion.

Iran Terrorist Organization

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States is preparing to declare Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps a foreign terrorist organization, The New York Times reported in Wednesday editions, citing senior administration officials.
If the declaration is imposed, it would be the first time that the United States has placed the armed forces of any sovereign government on its list of terrorist organizations, the newspaper reported.
The U.S. government has long considered Iran an active state sponsor of terrorism. Singling out the guard would signal a more confrontational turn in the administration's approach to Iran, the newspaper said.

Iran Nuclear Program

Saturday Talks on Iran Nuclear Program
By ALI AKBAR DAREINI
The Associated PressTuesday, June 19, 2007; 1:14 PM

TEHRAN, Iran -- Iran's top nuclear negotiator and the European Union's foreign policy chief will meet Saturday in Portugal for a new round of talks over Tehran's disputed nuclear program, state television reported.

From my experience this week in Kuwait I would say nuclear based electrical power would be a good thing. Perhaps Kuwait could buy electricity from Iran. But remember folks the Bush adminstration will never allow WMD's in this region. I don't want them anywhere in the world. We have more pressing needs, like stopping the electrical brown outs in Kuwait so I can surf the web 27X7 and have something cold to drink.

Assassins' Gate

I just finished reading "The Assassins' Gate - America in Iraq" by George Packer. Excellent read which gives insights into the indivdual human side of the war and it's aftermath in Iraq. It also begins to examine the historical context of the war and the lead up to its execution and what may happen next. From my perspective I hope that America moves back and let's the Iraqis begin nation building. Our role should be to provide the protection to give them the chance to do it on their own terms. We need to keep Iran, Saudia Arabia, Syria and others at arms length. Let's hope they can survive religion.

Brown Outs

So this is new, I come home from work today and stuck on my door was a note from the apartment manager informing us that Kuwait City is starting 45 minute a day electrical power brown outs. How 3rd world of them. We are to conserve our use of electricty so that Kuwiat will not increase the duration and quantiy of electrical brown outs. Getting to be like Iraq now. This development, along with the usual drive home consisting of dangerous, inconsiderate and rude Kuwaiti drivers makes we want to go home, and I just returned a few days ago.

The Case for Bombing Iran

The neocons want to start World War IV, read the above story in the Wall Street Journal by Norman Podhoretz.

Iran & Iraq

So the US meet with representatives from Iran in Baghdad to talk about how each would approach Iraq. Seems to me that the US and Iran just need to take a low profile and let the Iraqis work out their future. Until basic services; electricity, water, and garbage removal are in place how can they even begin to work on feeling safe. The whole country is full of war weary people who have dealt with war since Iraq and Iran went to war.

Knowledge

When rational people have complete knowledge of a situation they can make better decisions. Of course not all people are rational. But knowledge is available for the seeker. Just google any subject or visit wikipedia. One problem we humans have is waiting to gather and analyze knowledge before we act. If our decision makers had complete knowledge would I be here in Kuwait? Would Iran have captured the British sailors? Would America be in Iraq and Afghanistan? I wonder. And I continue to seek complete knowledge.

Sanctions against Iran

UNITED NATIONS, March 24 (KUNA) -- The Security Council on Saturday adopted further sanctions against Iran to pressure it to comply with UN demands to suspend its uranium enrichment activities, and warned it would impose tighter measures in 60 days if the IAEA reports that Tehran is still in defiance. ...
and what good will this do? Looks like war will expand from Iraq into Iran. History repeats itself but this time the American tax payer foots the bill. I need to head for home before this whole place goes up. That is if I can survive the freeways of Kuwait where the worst drivers in the world battle it out daily while talking on their cell phones.

Iran

So the big winner in the war between the US and Iraq is Iran. This should be no surprise to President Bush but I except that it is. Iran gets bolder every day. From thier nuclear program to the recent capture of UK personel today in the Gulf. A long history of Muslims waring against Muslims continues, at least this time it is Arab against Persian.