Wednesday, February 15, 2012

Iran

Iranian Sportswomen Boycott Games Over Veil Ban

Iranian women at a rally addressed by President Mahmud Ahmadinejad (file photo) (Fars)

October 25, 2006 -- Iran's female karate team is to boycott December's Asian Games after the Asian Karate Federation refused to approve the wearing of Islamic head scarves during fights.

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October 25, 2006

A spokesperson for the Iranian Karate Federation Jabar Pur-Hosseini, explained that the ban was imposed due to a "technical matter" related to what would be done if the garment were to slip during a bout.

(AFP)

Ancient Persepolis

A gallery of images about one of Iran's most spectacular archeological sites.

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RFE/RL coverage of Iran. RFE/RL web special on Iran's nuclear program.

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Iranian President Mahmud Ahmadinejad (center) looks on as scientists unveil a fuel rod at the Tehran Research Reactor.

Iranian Nuke Still One-To-Three Years Away, Says Expert

Iran on announced on February 15 that it has installed its first domestically produced nuclear fuel rods in a reactor in Tehran. Tehran also announced that it activated a new generation of centrifuges at its Natanz nuclear facility. RFE/RL spoke with nuclear physicist Frank Barnaby about what the advances reveal regarding Iran's uranium enrichment abilities, which Western countries allege are aimed at secretly building a nuclear weapon. More

Iran has stepped up its pressure on activists using the Internet

Iranian Activists, Journalists Receive Threatening E-mails

A number of Iranian activists and journalists based inside and outside the country have told RFE/RL’s Radio Farda they have been threatened in anonymous e-mails. More

A vendor in the central Bosnian town of Zenica sells heart-shaped cushions with proclamations of love for 1 euro each.

Love It (Or Hate It), It's Valentine's Day

Valentine's Day, the Western holiday celebrating love, has become a global phenomenon over the past two decades. The fall of communism and the emergence of the Internet have helped February 14 become something of an unofficial international day of romance. However, not all the passions the holiday stirs are related to love. While some countries have openly embraced the holiday, others are attempting to ban it or replace it with local customs. More