Category Archives: Iran

Iran the Winner of the Arab Spring?

Posted on June 17, 2013 by iPouya

On March 7th I participated in my 4th HuffPost Live discussion, this time joined by Flynt Everett. I argued that Iran’s regional clout had been weakened by the Arab Spring and that it was an opportune moment to reach an … Continue reading →

Posted in Arab Spring, Iran | Leave a comment

Reconstructing a Persian Past: Contemporary Uses and Misuses of the Cyrus Cylinder in Iranian Nationalist Discourse

Posted on June 11, 2013 by iPouya

Ajam Media Collective: Recently, the Cyrus Cylinder, an imperial decree that dates from the sixth century B.C., left its home in the British Museum to be displayed on a museum tour across the United States until the end of the … Continue reading →

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Iran’s 2009 Protests Haunt Upcoming Elections

Posted on May 26, 2013 by iPouya

Here is my most recent article at the Huffington Post: On May 21, 2013, Iran’s Guardian Council, the powerful 12-member body charged with vetting hopefuls for the Iranian presidency, determined that Iran’s former president, Ayatollah Hashemi Rafsanjani, 78, was unfit … Continue reading →

Posted in 22 Khordad, Iran | 3 Comments

The Failed Neocon Attempt to Destroy an Iranian American Anti-war Organization

Posted on May 10, 2013 by iPouya

From a former AIPAC insider, M.J. Rosenberg: The war over war with Iran has many battlefronts. Inside Washington, the battle line is between a small coalition of peace and security, non-proliferation and religious groups opposing war and favoring a peaceful … Continue reading →

Posted in Iran, US-Iran Relations | 1 Comment

Iran’s MEK to open Washington office

Posted on April 12, 2013 by iPouya

The “People’s Mujahideen” or Mujahideen-e Khalq Organization (MEK) went from being listed as a terrorist organization for years to moments later opening up an office in DC.  I wonder what they had to do in order to get the official … Continue reading →

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A Journey to IRAN by ISA at Penn State University

Posted on April 8, 2013 by iPouya

This is a magnificent video compilation that captures Iran’s diversity, both cultural and geographical. It’s a nice change beyond the regular depictions of a menacing Iranian monolith.

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Syrian government guerrilla fighters being sent to Iran for training

Posted on April 6, 2013 by iPouya

Reuters: The Syrian government is sending members of its irregular militias for guerrilla combat training at a secret base in Iran, in a move to bolster its armed forces drained by two years of fighting and defections, fighters and activists … Continue reading →

Posted in Iran, Syria | 1 Comment

The Unknown Arab Uprising: Shia Muslims in Saudi Arabia Keep the Protest Movement Alive

Posted on April 5, 2013 by iPouya

The Global Post: Editor’s Note: When Arab Spring protests broke out in Saudi Arabia in 2011, the government reacted quickly. It pumped $130 billion into the economy, including hiring 300,000 new state workers and raising salaries. It also brutally cracked … Continue reading →

Posted in Arab Spring, Bahrain, Iran, Saudi Arabia, US Foreign Policy | Leave a comment

Iraqi Sunnis await a Baghdad spring

Posted on April 3, 2013 by iPouya

The Guardian: Abu Saleh sits in a striped tent pitched by the side of the highway joining Jordan and Syria with Iraq and reflects on the latest, improbable twist in his 10-year career fighting those he considers the enemies of … Continue reading →

Posted in Arab Spring, Iran, Iraq, Syria | Leave a comment

Caught Shopping While Iranian: Diasporic Solidarity and the Globalization of Collective Punishment

Posted on April 3, 2013 by iPouya

Jadaliyya: In recent years, the Iranian New Year, Norooz, has become a fairly predictable time for US presidents to gesture towards “dialogue” and mutual respect between the United States and the Iranian people, while criticizing the repressive policies and nuclear … Continue reading →

Posted in Iran, Racism, US-Iran Relations | Leave a comment

Happy Nowruz to you all!

Posted on March 20, 2013 by iPouya

To mark the festive occasion, I’d like to share this awesome video with you… a classic never dies! The header above is a spectacular image of Chaharshanbeh Soori festivities in Iran.

Posted in Iran | 1 Comment

12 Iranians, 12 Opinions, 1 Stance

Posted on March 18, 2013 by iPouya

“We might disagree on a lot of things, but we are all opposed to blind and broad sanctions on Iran.” See the video here.

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Iran’s president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad criticised for hugging mother of Hugo Chavez

Posted on March 11, 2013 by iPouya

There is a tremendous amount of controversy regarding this little news story (posted below).  Some Iranians are convinced that it was photoshopped in order to embarrass Ahmadinejad. I do not think it was altered whatsoever. Others have rightly criticized him … Continue reading →

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