Shayan Ghajar

In a country as spiritual as Iran, it is impossible to separate religious and political issues. Any political movement or faction must substantiate its views and stances with religious rationale based on the rulings of a qualified Shi’a scholar, or risk appearing marginalized. more»

Arash Aramesh

Among all the countries in the Middle East and Persian Gulf, Iran has the most Internet users. For the past six months, Iran’s young population has used this effective medium as a tool for the opposition movement to organize events and demonstrations.
Harvard’s Berkman Center for Internet and Society says Iran is home to one of the world’s richest and most varied blogospheres, with major clusters for secularist and reformist politics as well as conservative politics, for “CyberShia” religious discussion as well as Persian poetry appreciation. more»

Edith Novy

After the International Atomic Energy Association (IAEA) adopted a resolution on November 27, which urges Iran “to comply fully and without delay with its obligations” (http://www.iaea.org/Publications/Documents/
Board/ 2009/gov2009-82.pdf), Iran blatantly disregarded international opinion. Iran’s leaders not only failed to answer questions, it threatened to expand its nuclear program and to withdraw from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). more»

Edith Novy

The increasing power of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, including recent executions and lengthy prison sentences, shows that Iran’s leadership is seriously threatened by the opposition and plans an unlimited crackdown for the foreseeable future. more»

Edith Novy

Even now, when it seems Iran has rejected the nuclear deal drafted in October in Vienna, the U.S. government and European states are surprisingly mute about Iran’s lack of cooperation as well as the human rights violations committed against the opposition. Western governments had hoped for Iranian compromises on the nuclear issue, if the Islamic republic were not pressured on other fronts. more»