Narguess Farzad SOAS Membership – the Largest Concentration of Middle East Expertise in Any Institution in Europe
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Volume 8 - Number 3 February - March 2012 £4 | €5 | US$6.5 THIS ISSUE : IRAN ● The political cost of sanctions ● Iran’s online war ● Norouz ● Shirazeh Houshiary ● Veggiestan ● The Hajj in London ● Poetry ● PLUS Reviews and events in London Volume 8 - Number 3 February - March 2012 £4 | €5 | US$6.5 THIS ISSUE : IRAN ● The political cost of sanctions ● Iran’s online war ● Norouz ● Shirazeh Houshiary ● Veggiestan ● The Hajj in London ● Poetry ● PLUS Reviews and events in London Interior of the dome of the house at Dawlat Abad Garden, Home of Yazd Governor in 1750 © Dr Justin Watkins About the London Middle East Institute (LMEI) Volume 8 - Number 3 February – March 2012 Th e London Middle East Institute (LMEI) draws upon the resources of London and SOAS to provide teaching, training, research, publication, consultancy, outreach and other services related to the Middle Editorial Board East. It serves as a neutral forum for Middle East studies broadly defi ned and helps to create links between Nadje Al-Ali individuals and institutions with academic, commercial, diplomatic, media or other specialisations. SOAS With its own professional staff of Middle East experts, the LMEI is further strengthened by its academic Narguess Farzad SOAS membership – the largest concentration of Middle East expertise in any institution in Europe. Th e LMEI also Nevsal Hughes has access to the SOAS Library, which houses over 150,000 volumes dealing with all aspects of the Middle Association of European Journalists East. LMEI’s Advisory Council is the driving force behind the Institute’s fundraising programme, for which Najm Jarrah it takes primary responsibility. It seeks support for the LMEI generally and for specifi c components of its George Joff é programme of activities. Cambridge University Max Scott Gilgamesh Publishing Sarah Searight Mission Statement: British Foundation for the Study of Arabia Th e aim of the LMEI, through education and research, is to promote knowledge of all aspects of the Middle Kathryn Spellman Poots AKU and LMEI East including its complexities, problems, achievements and assets, both among the general public and with Sarah Stewart those who have a special interest in the region. In this task it builds on two essential assets. First, it is based LMEI in London, a city which has unrivalled contemporary and historical connections and communications with Ionis Th ompson the Middle East including political, social, cultural, commercial and educational aspects. Secondly, the LMEI British Foundation for the Study of Arabia is closely linked to SOAS, the only tertiary educational institution in the world whose explicit purpose is to Shelagh Weir provide education and scholarship on the whole Middle East from prehistory until today. SOAS Co-ordinating Editor LMEI Staff: Rhiannon Edwards Administrative Assistant Director Dr Hassan Hakimian Alice Piller Roner Deputy Director and Company Secretary Dr Sarah Stewart Listings Executive Offi cer Louise Hosking Vincenzo Paci-Delton Events and Magazine Coordinator Vincenzo Paci-Delton Designer Shahla Geramipour Th e Middle East in London is published Disclaimer: Letters to the Editor: six times a year by the London Middle East Institute at SOAS Opinions and views expressed in the Middle East Please send your letters to the editor at Publisher and in London are, unless otherwise stated, personal the LMEI address provided (see left panel) Editorial Offi ce views of authors and do not refl ect the views of their or email [email protected] Th e London Middle East Institute organisations nor those of the LMEI or the Editorial School of Oriental and African Studies Board. Although all advertising in the magazine is University of London Th ornaugh Street, Russell Square carefully vetted prior to publication, the LMEI does London WC1H 0XG not accept responsibility for the accuracy of claims United Kingdom made by advertisers. T: +44 (0)20 7898 4490 F: +44 (0)20 7898 4329 E: [email protected] SSubscriptions:ubscriptions: www.lmei.soas.ac.uk ISSN 1743-7598 To subscribe to Th e Middle East in London, please email [email protected] to request subscription information and a form. Contents 4 18 LMEI Board of Trustees IRAN POETRY Professor Paul Webley (Chairman) EDITORIAL Mimi Khalvati and Qeysar Director, SOAS Aminpour Dr John Curtis British Museum 5 selected and translated by H E Sir Vincent Fean KCVO Consul General to Jerusalem INSIGHT Narguess Farzad Professor Ben Fortna, SOAS Th e political cost of sanctions Professor Graham Furniss, SOAS Lord Norman Lamont REVIEWS Mr. Alan Jenkins Dr Karima Laachir, SOAS 7 20 Professor Annabelle Sreberny, SOAS Iran’s online war Exhibition: Th e Hajj in London Azadeh Moaveni Ionis Th ompson Dr Barbara Zollner Birkbeck College, University of London LMEI Advisory Council 9 22 Lady Barbara Judge (Chair) Norouz Film: Mourning Professor Muhammad A. S. Abdel Haleem Rashna Writer Mohammad Mirbashiri Near and Middle East Department, SOAS H E Khalid Al-Duwaisan GVCO Ambassador, Embassy of the State of Kuwait 11 23 Mrs Haifa Al Kaylani Arab International Women’s Forum Iran Heritage Foundation Books in brief Dr Khalid Bin Mohammed Al Khalifa President, University College of Bahrain Armin Yavari Professor Tony Allan 24 King’s College and SOAS 12 OBITUARY Dr Alanoud Alsharekh LMEI and Fellow, St Antony’s College A window into the mind of an Alexander (Sandy) Morton Mr Farad Azima artist George Lane Iran Heritage Foundation Professor Doris Behrens-Abouseif Shirazeh Houshiary speaks about Art and Archaeology Department, SOAS her work 25 Dr Noel Brehony MENAS Associates Ltd. Narguess Farzad EVENTS IN LONDON Mr Charles L. O. Buderi Curtis, Mallet-Prevost, Colt & Mosle LLP Dr Elham Danish 14 Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia Veggiestan Mr Kasim Kutay Moelis & Company Vegetables in Middle Eastern Mr Rod Sampson Barclays Wealth, Dubai cuisine Sally Butcher Founding Sponsor and Member of the Advisory Council 16 Sheikh Mohamed bin Issa al Jaber Norouz around the world MBI Al Jaber Foundation Baqer Moin February-March 2012 The Middle East in London 3 EEDITORIALDITORIAL © James Morris DDearear RReadereader Shirazeh Houshiary, Undoing the Knot (2008) Lisson Gallery Narguess Farzad and Sarah Stewart f you search newspaper headlines on New Year – a national day, with its roots in a bustling market cafe. Sally Butcher looks Iran since the elections of 2009 they pre-Islamic Iran that today transcends geo- at the history and rich variety of traditional Imake for a grim read. So far this year, in political boundaries. Iranians both religious vegetarian food from the region which has January alone, little seems to have changed: and secular, as well as communities living established its own place on the London Why Iran could start the next global recession in the ‘Persianate world’, celebrate Norouz in culinary scene. (January 5), Iranian court sentences 'CIA the various ways that it has evolved through In the review section Ionis Th ompson agent' to death (January 9), Iran bans MPs the centuries, including in its most ancient takes us behind the scenes of the much from standing for re-election to parliament and traditional forms. Both the historical anticipated Hajj exhibition at the British (January 10), Iran nuclear scientist killed in and the contemporary approaches to this Museum, which gives a comprehensive, Tehran motorbike bomb attack (January 11), festival are outlined in this issue by Rashna visual account of the journey, the rituals UK businessman loses extradition fi ght over Writer and Baqer Moin respectively. and what it means for those who have alleged export of arms to Iran (January 13). Poetry, cinema and painting bear witness undertaken the pilgrimage to Mecca. All Th e Middle East in London this month goes to the continued creative engagement with other forthcoming Middle East related some way to present another face of Iran, the arts by Iranians, whether living in Iran programmes are as usual listed in the Events while not entirely overlooking the fi rst. Our or abroad. Th e artistic contributions by in London section. attention is drawn to the sober side of the Iranians in Britain are oft en viewed as a It is with immense sadness that we current situation in Iran vis-à-vis the West fusion of the two cultures. Th e accuracy mark the death of Sandy Morton with an by Lord Lamont’s analysis of the political of this assumption is considered in the obituary by George Lane. Sandy will long cost of sanctions, while the writer and interview with the painter and sculptor be remembered at SOAS and beyond with journalist Azadeh Moaveni explores the war Shirazeh Houshiary and the work of the great aff ection and held in high esteem for waged by the Iranian government against poet Mimi Khalvati. his contribution to many fi elds of Persian its citizens' use of the internet. As usual, the magazine off ers an insight studies. A memorial service will be held for A magazine issue on Iran at this time into the Middle Eastern love aff air with him at St George's Bloomsbury on February of year would be incomplete without its cuisine and the ritual preparation of 9 at 4pm, followed by a reception. Further highlighting the Norouz festival of the food, whether for a special occasion or in details will be posted on the LMEI website. 4 The Middle East in London February-March 2012 IINSIGHTNSIGHT Lord Norman Lamont discusses why economic sanctions against Iran are fuelling instability in both domestic policy and international relations TThehe ppoliticalolitical ccostost ooff ssanctionsanctions © UKinIsrael Ehud Barak, Israeli Defence Minister, seen here in 2010 with William Hague, says Iran does not pose a threat to Israel elations between Iran and the West negotiate with Iran. But is that a correct Islamic Republic as an attempt to bring the have recently entered a new highly analysis? economy and country to complete collapse.