Correspondence: Stamps and Sympathy

Stamps and Sympathy

Since the Ayatullah Khomeini came to power a decade ago, Iran's stampmakers have made a habit of tweaking the American eagle's beak. One issue depicted the takeover of the U.S. embassy in Tehran, another the abortive 1980 attempt by an American rescue team to free the hostages. Iran has a new addition to its philatelic collection: a stamp illustrating July's shootdown of an Iranian airliner by a U.S. warship. One such stamp came in the mail this month to International Pressure Service, a maker of high-tech aerospace equipment based in Urbana, Ohio. Inappropriately enough, the envelope contained a letter from an...

Want the full story?

Subscribe Now

Subscribe
Subscribe

Learn more about the benefits of being a TIME subscriber

If you are already a subscriber sign up — registration is free!