Iran

On Sept. 4, the Democratic Party adopted its party platform. The platform credits President Barack Obama for his cooperation with the international community and implementing “the toughest UN sanctions ever on Iran.” It states that “a diplomatic outcome remains the best and most enduring solution”…
Farideh Farhi                    The Non-Aligned Movement summit in Tehran highlighted three aspects about Iran’s foreign relations and domestic politics.             First, given Iran’s geographic location and resources, many countries in the neighborhood believe it is simply not good business to…
On Aug. 30, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s inaugural address to the Non-Aligned Movement condemned nuclear weapons. The following is an excerpt from his speech.International peace and security are among the critical issues of today’s world and the elimination of catastrophic weapons of…
            On August 30, the U.N. nuclear watchdog criticized Tehran for failing to provide information and access to scientific personnel that would help resolve questions about Iran’s controversial nuclear program. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) specifically warned that Iran had “…
Farzaneh Roudi         Iran has reversed its population policy and cut back an innovative program to bring down fertility rates that almost doubled the population two decades after the revolution. Alarmed by a rapidly aging population, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is now calling on…
Robin Wright Iran has jockeyed to regain international legitimacy and political leverage while hosting some 100 delegations at the Non-Aligned Movement in Tehran. The Islamic Republic won a diplomatic tug-of-war with the United States when U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon agreed to attend…
On August 21, State Department Spokesperson Victoria Nuland issued the following statement condemning Iran’s new education policy. Iranian Women Excluded From Major Areas of University Study  We have seen reports that 36 Iranian universities have banned women from 77 critical fields of…
Garrett Nada         The United States and Israel are at odds over the need for imminent military action against Iran because of widespread concern about its controversial nuclear program. In mid-August 2012, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said talks between the world’s six major powers and…
Garrett Nada         In August 2012, Israeli officials appeared increasingly divided over the need for imminent military action against Iran because of its controversial nuclear program. Israeli decision-makers and military elites now fall into three broad camps.          One group surrounding…
Haleh Esfandiari  Why are 36 Iranian universities now barring women from 77 academic fields, including engineering, accounting, education, counseling, and chemistry?   Rather than announcing across the board restrictions on women in higher education, the government has cleverly left it to…