Dear Mr. Derakhshan, do you really mean that Iranian blogs should be written in non-Persian languages? The only reason I most of us in exile write in English (in my case French & German) is that we're more at ease with typing on latin-alphabet keyborads. Even my children (3 out of 4 born in Europe, prefer to read in Persian about their country. Regards Empe
- By: M. Paya on November 1, 2005

I might be a low level staffer for a not-very-well-known-Congressman (guess the party) but I do know that the Administration has very real plans to move into Iran. The troops are there, the Iranian al-Qaeda links are unassailable and their talking about the annhilation of Israel made the case a slam dunk. Must say that I am happy about the agressiveness. Maybe Piglet may be displayed again, maybe we can go after wife-beatin Muslims in Australia, maybe the Prince of Stupidity worries more about his own stupid indiscretions than he does about America's treatment of bloodlusting murderers. The greatest enemies in this country today are those who defend the rights of Muslims to preach hatred. I dont know if Allah has a decree about stupidity, but PC, stupid, left-wing reporters have a stranglehold upon it. Move on brave soldiers and CONQUER IRAN!!!!!
- By: Joe on October 30, 2005

Hi There, I am a german who, in fact, found your blog via this book. Well, I'm just on page 240 of about 380 (in the german version) and I must say I really can't stop reading. Unfortunately most of the quoted blogs are in Persian, so I cannot read on, where I find some very moving, insightful and fascinating writing. Anyway - I am quite glad that blogsbyiranians.com exists and hope to bring some more insight to the german blogosphere that doesn't really seem to know what exactly is going on in countries like Iran. Anyway. Just wanted to tell Niki, that nobody in this book claims to be iran. It is a good collection of texts from a large variety of blogs - accompanied by good explanations necessary to understand those postings and gives exactly the impression you describe: many different people blogging out of the context you describe. Well, more soon when I'm through. Guess the book will keep me awake for another night or two :)
- By: Julian on October 30, 2005

Upon my experience in previous similar translations, I think it may contains some directed messages. I mean sometimes people select some special things about Iran and show that things to other people to prove some unreal things about Iran. In recent years this kind of stuffs going to grow based on some political things. So be curful if you are not Iranian.
- By: Donya on October 30, 2005

Hello Hoder, This post is quite relevant to me. The first blogs that I ever read were the English versions of Lady Sun and Pinkfloydish. That was about two years ago. They both wrote that you had encouraged them to write in English. At that time they both lived in Iran. I know that they both now live in the U.S. Unfortunately, they both have given up writing in English. That was disappointing to me as English is my only language. I have since become friends with other Iranian bloggers who write in English, but some of them have largely stopped writing in English and are now just writing in Persian. I am wondering if expatriot Iranians tend to stick with Persian blogging because they miss Iran? I wish that Blogger and other blog hosting services would provide some sort of language translating function to make blogging more universally accessable. Do you know if something like that is being developed?
- By: David R. on October 30, 2005

I beg to differ: the best thing about Iranian blogs is that they are written in Persian. I say this even though my main blog is in English, and I have my reasons for writing predominantly in English. But by far the most intersting and dynamic Iranian blogs are the ones written in Persian, and if I were writing in Persian, I'm sure my blog would be better too. Iranian blogs in English, read as they are primarily by a non-Iranian audience, tend to water down their content and often self-censor lest they fall into the stereoytpes that a western audience may hold. Finally, i'm glad that people are publishing books about iranian bloggers, but the title alone is cause for worry. "we are iran"? Please, I mean can we stop fanning the flames of blogger self-importance? Bloggers emerge out of the context of Iran, not the other way around: a bunch of bloggers cannot make claims to "being Iran", no matter how diverse their views are.
- By: Niki on October 29, 2005

Looking forward to it,thanks for the info.
- By: David on October 29, 2005