BEIRUT, Lebanon, Dec. 12--"Khatami, an Intellectual Leader" written by Hossein Sharafuddin, a researcher with the Center for Lebanese Studies and Researches, has appeared in Beirut's bookstores.
Commenting on Khatami's biography, Sharafuddin writes that Khatami dealt with ideas pertaining to the revolution and Islamic Republic in a way that a new horizon opens before a reader.
The author believes Khatami's ideas, similar to those of many other thinkers, have not yet been realized.
In the five chapters of the book, Sharafuddin quotes Khatami on reforms, freedom, religious democracy, citizen's rights and Dialogue Among Civilizations in a scientific manner.
According to the author, Iran's president has viewed Islamic Revolution as a revolution for gaining freedom and not power, and considers any conflict between religion and freedom to be harmful for religion.
"Khatami has created a halo around the concept of freedom, because the concept includes all aspects of human relations," he notes.
The book states, "Khatami believes reforms are mainly aimed at moving within the framework of the country's constitution, which is accepted by most citizens. All actions, especially of those at higher echelons, should comply with the document."
Sharafuddin describes religious democracy, civil society and Dialogue Among Civilizations as the product of Khatami's ideas.
"Khatami believes a civil society should be established so that the government may not abuse power," he wrote.

Ahmad Shamlou

TEHRAN, Dec. 12--A critical study of the works of the late poet Ahmad Shamlou indicates that love is a dominant feature both for mankind as well as at the individual level.
Dr. Parvin Salajeqeh, a literary critic who has published a book on her studies about Shamlou, also notes that his love for his partner Aida was at times mixed with a feeling of melancholy.
"From the beginning of his career to his last poem ÒThe Story of Mahan's AnxietyÓ, Shamlou remained faithful to two themes--love for mankind and his lover," she said.
She divides Shamlou's love life into three periods: the period when Shamlou was single and waiting for a partner, his marriage, and the period during which he wrote six love poems when he fell in love with Aida (his young lover).
Shamlou maintained that he was not happy using similes in his poetry to convey such a theme.
Salajeqeh also believes that an atmosphere of love predominates Shamlou's poems, indicating that he was overwhelmed by Aida's love.
ÒAfter a while, Shamlou's strong love for the young lover is mixed with anxiety which you may call 'Aida melancholy',Ó she says.
The critic notes that 'The Elegy of the Soil' is a series of Shamlou's poems conveying two themes: his strong love for Aida and the feeling that his lover will become lonely if the lover (the poet himself) were to die.
Salajeqeh says that she believes Aida was not the only love of the poet and Shamlou was also concerned about his love for mankind.

TEHRAN, Dec. 12--Iran's Cultural and Media Atlas is being compiled under the guidelines of the Leader of Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei.
Addressing a ceremony to inaugurate a new IRIB building in Mashhad, the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting's deputy for parliamentary and provincial affairs, Ali Kordan, said his department has issued instructions for compiling the atlas to all IRIB's branch offices.
He also said that IRIB will determine the priorities of its national programs based on the cultural atlas.
"Since Khorasan province boasts of a rich cultural background, Islamic history, religious zeal and defense of the Shiite culture, it serves as the pioneer in compiling the atlas," he said.
Kordan further said that since 40 million pilgrims annually visit Mashhad, Qom and Shiraz, IRIB plans to design special programs for these provinces.
Speaking at the same gathering, governor general of Khorasan Razavi province stressed that IRIB is committed to strengthening national unity and defending the Islamic Republic's doctrine at the international level.
Seyyed Hassan Rasouli also said that his province boasts of high scientific capabilities because it is home to the shrine of Imam Reza (AS).
He called on the national media, news agencies and the press to prepare the ground for a massive turnout in the May 2005 presidential elections.
Secretary of Khorasan's Assembly of Representatives Javad Arian-Manesh also said that the prospects of the Iranian 20-year development plan has been approved by the leader and declared to the government for implementation.
"The plan, which covers Iran's cultural future over 20 years, will be based on moral principles, the rule of religious democracy, legitimate freedoms, reinforcement of family, work ethics and social discipline," he said.

TEHRAN, Dec. 12--Discovery of shells at the Kharand Cemetery in Semnan reveals that its inhabitants had historical links with the Persian Gulf coastline's residents.
Research by archeologists in this respect has strengthened this theory, despite the 1,000-kilometer-long distance between the two sites.
Kharand Cemetery is located 51 kilometers from Semnan and dates back to between 550-1400 BC.
Tribal communities used Semnan as their summer residence and the cemetery, which is the only site bearing the imprints of their history, indicates that Kharand's people enjoyed a rich culture and adhered to religious rituals.
Earlier, it was presumed that the people had interactions with inhabitants of the southern bank of Caspian Sea, but the discovery of these shells belonging to the eastern coast of Persian Gulf confirmed their links with the inhabitants of Kharand.
Head of the excavation team for Kharand and Gandab, Abdulmottaleb Sharifi, said questions regarding ties of Kharand's residents with others and the route through which they interacted had always faced archeologists researching this area.
"The discovery of objects in Kharand's Cemetery which resemble those found in the southern coast of Persian Gulf indicates that residents of the two sites were in contact with each other," he said.

About 200 cultural heritage items will be presented in the exhibit and most items are from Iran National Museum.

TEHRAN, Dec. 12--The Japanese people will get to view the exhibit named 'Glory of Iran' when it tours five cities in 2006.
The Persian daily Jam-e Jam noted that Iran National MuseumÕs Curator Mohammad Reza Karegar will visit Japan to help organize the exhibit on Iranian civilization.
Karegar will hold talks with JapanÕs cultural officials for the arrangement of the event.
IranÕs Cultural Heritage and Tourism Organization (ICHTO) plans to hold the exhibit in Tokyo, Nagoya, Sappora (Hokaido), Fukuoka and Osaka.
The event will be the largest in terms of size and period of time envisaged for the exhibit in Japan which will be held first in Tokyo before moving on to the other four cities.
Karegar told Jam-e Jam that an agreement to the effect will be signed with the Japanese officials soon.
ÒAbout 200 cultural heritage items will be presented in the exhibit and most items are from Iran National Museum and the remaining are from other museums,Ó he said.
'Glory of Iran' exhibit is currently underway in Bochum, Germany. The Iranian national airline will transport the items from Germany to Japan.
The exhibit was earlier held in Spain.
Tourist officials believe the exhibit will encourage western and Japanese tourists to get a glimpse of the great Iranian civilization and cultural heritage as well as the countryÕs monuments and tourist sites.

TEHRAN, Dec. 12--Honorary membership of foreign nationals on the Board of Trustee of National Heritage has been authorized.
The Persian daily Jam-e Jam stated that a proposal to that effect was made by Iran Cultural Heritage and Tourism Organization (ICHTO) to cabinet ministers who approved the grant of honorary membership on the Board of Trustee of National Heritage to foreign nationals.
The cabinet approved ICHTOÕs proposal to grant honorary membership to five well-known foreign cultural figures who should have a good reputation in the field of cultural activities.
The members of the board of trustee of national heritage will be selected on the basis of the proposal of ICHTOÕs chief and the ratification of the Supreme Council of Tourism and Cultural Heritage. And the board of trustee of provincial heritage departments will be selected by ICHTOÕs chief.
The board of trustee of the provincial heritage departments will comprise the head of the provincial Islamic council, the governor general and a director of ICHTO will serve as the secretary.

TEHRAN, Dec. 12--Deputy Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance for Cinematic Affairs Mohammad Mehdi Heidarian said a special court will prosecute those charged with illegal reproduction of films and CDs.
He told IranÕs Labor News Agency (ILNA) that the ministry will support those who take legal action against film pirates.
"We have called for strong punishment of those involved in the illegal copying of films and CDs. We have also made efforts to recognize the copyright in the country," he said.
Heidarian noted that there never had been any obstacles to the private sector taking action against the illegal reproduction of their films.
ÒHowever, we have formed an executive headquarters since past one year. We have held meetings with the deputy prosecutor and officials of the Islamic Republic of Iran Police. We are currently working on setting up a central headquarters in Tehran and other headquarters in the provincial capitals and will devise an executive procedure for them," he said.
Heidarian said the minister of culture and Islamic guidance has written to the judiciary for the establishment of a special court to examine the charges over piracy of films and CDs.