Critical Comments

Geneive Abdo

The debate over whether the United States has shown enough support for Iran’s opposition movement has intensified since protestors in Tehran last week shouted, “Obama, Obama! Either you’re with them, or with us.” more»

Geneive Abdo

President Obama’s critics –including Israeli leaders and key figures in Iran’s opposition movement – are looking pretty smart right now. In ignoring the United Nation’s deadline to respond to a draft proposal to cut its nuclear stockpiles, Iran has lent credibility, at least for the moment, to the view that Tehran is negotiating in bad faith in order to buy time on its nuclear program. more»

Editor’s Note: The following letter was written by Mehdi Karroubi’s son, Mohammad Taqi Karoubi, in response to an interview President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad gave to Charlie Rose. The letter is an attempt to defend Mehdi Karroubi, the prominent opposition figure who is facing mounting calls for his trial and imprisonment. The letter also draws attention to the distortion in Iran’s state-run media, particularly at a time when most opposition media outlets have been banned. more»

‏

Editor’s Note: Grand Ayatollah Hossein Ali Montazeri has served as Iran’s conscience since the 1979 Islamic revolution. Since the June 12 presidential election, he has issued several letters and fatwas, expressing his anger with Iran’s political and religious leaders. He believes Iran has strayed from the principles upon which the Islamic republic was founded in 1979. The following is a letter he wrote to religious scholars on September 13. more»

Editor’s Note: Presidential contender Mehdi Karroubi, who lost to President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in the June 12 poll, has made numerous allegations of rape, torture and other human rights violations being committed against defendants in Iranian prisons. The defendants are charged with participating in the demonstrations since June. Karroubi wrote the letter below on September 10 to the newly-appointed chief of the judiciary, Sadeq Larijani. more»