!روزگار غریبی ست نازنین

From the recrudescence of the omnipresent anti-Baha'i rhetoric in the state controlled Iranian media, it is apparent that a new wave of persecution against this largest religious minority in well under way. The underpinning beliefs of the community that will fall victim to this campaign are non-violence and love. This environment of hatred reminded me of a wonderful piece by the late Persian poet, Shamlou, who speaks of how a suffocating environment can make the expression of love impossible: