Want to go to Iran for a quantum computing conference? IICQI07, website here:
The first International Iran Conference on Quantum Information (IICQI) will be held at Kish Island 7-10 September 2007. The conference will feature the latest developments in theoretical and experimental quantum information science, feature talks by leading international researchers, and provide the opportunity for research discussions and collaborations between international and Iranian quantum information researchers.
you’ll have to be careful. you could get shot.
i know that this is a scientific blog, and i know that the article Suresh has pointed out is about a proposal by a Law Professor to send US assassins to kill Iranian scientists;
however, if someone is a bit lazy to click on the link, he/she will naturally assume that it’s just the same “Iran is a dangerous place where people ride camels”-stereotype being sold by the likes of Fox News.
as an Iranian physics PhD student in the US, who is constantly being bombarded with these sort of “you could get shot” comments whenever people talk about Iran, i have to say that Iran is definitely not such a place. it’s a beautiful country with peaceful people, but unfortunately with a crazy government just like the government of the US…
i’m sure that if you go to this conference in the amazingly beautiful island of Kish (some random photos are here if interested to see), you’ll definitely enjoy your trip and the conference.
i apologize to Suresh if i sounded harsh and to Dave Bacon for hijacking his post.
Iran is a beautiful and friendly country to visit. I was there about 10 years ago. Sounds like an interesting conference. Hmm…
If the Instapudnit has his way, perhaps the CIA will hire the Quantum Pontiff to quietly rub out a few of the conference participants while he’s there?
“it’s a beautiful country with peaceful people, but unfortunately with a crazy government just like the government of the US…” – Soheil
Without getting into the politics of how or why (this is a science blog, after all), I can’t help but observe that those two governments are hardly getting along right now. It seems that there is a not-infinitesimal chance of a US or Israeli strike against Iranian nuclear facilities or leadership. Both Iran and Israel have made some bellicose statements recently, and the US is sending a second carrier battle group to the region. I’d be worried about being stuck in Iran if such a thing happened, especially if I was going to be traveling on a US or Israeli passport.
It must be frustrating for the scientists there, to have to put up with this stuff.
Travelling in Iran with an Israeli passport?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Israeli_passport#Countries_that_do_not_accept_Israeli_passports