Category Archives: Iran
Open letter from NYC Iranians to Mayor de Blasio: When you stand by AIPAC, you do not stand by us
Beaming with pride: “We stand with those Jewish New Yorkers who have recently said in their open letter to you, ‘AIPAC speaks for Israel’s hard-line government and its right-wing supporters, and for them alone; it does not speak for us.’ … Continue reading
Who Has Nukes in the Middle East
If there’s one relatively long YouTube video you watch this month, let it be this one. It puts much into perspective.
New Voyager | President Rouhani (Video)
I have to admit, US news sources are producing some amazing articles related to the Middle East. I’ve been gathering them and will post them soon in full. But before that happens, I wanted to share this probably-state-sponsored music video … Continue reading
The Failed Gamble of Khaled Meshaal
AbuKhalil’s recent post on al-Akhbar is concise and worth reading in full: It would be fair to say that Khaled Meshaal is one of the biggest casualties of the Arab uprisings. Early on, Meshaal appeared more arrogant and more self-confident … Continue reading
Netanyahu talks of Iran instead of Palestine
Israeli prime minister and the US secretary of state recently met in Italy to talk about prospects for peace between Israelis and Palestinians. Instead, the Israeli prime minister focused the discussion on the “Iranian threat” of nuclear proliferation. I suppose … Continue reading
Rohani: “Why Iran seeks constructive engagement”
Rohani and Khatami have both published letters in leading American publications in a major PR blitz. The millions in Iran must indeed be suffering from what Obama shamelessly bragged were “crippling sanctions” and Rohani and his administration seem to be … Continue reading
The Syria Intervention Plan Is Being Pushed by Oil Interests, Not Concern About Chemical Weapons
Alternet.org: “Whatever the case, few recall that US agitation against Syria began long before recent atrocities, in the context of wider operations targeting Iranian influence across the Middle East. In May 2007, a presidential finding revealed that Bush had authorised … Continue reading
Toxic legacy of US assault on Fallujah ‘worse than Hiroshima’
The US, which has used chemical weapons in warfare as recently as the Iraq War, now claims that it has the moral high ground to intervene in the Syrian War to stop Asad’s alleged use of chemical weapons. What’s next? … Continue reading
Iran the Winner of the Arab Spring?
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
Reconstructing a Persian Past: Contemporary Uses and Misuses of the Cyrus Cylinder in Iranian Nationalist Discourse
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
Iran’s 2009 Protests Haunt Upcoming Elections
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
The Failed Neocon Attempt to Destroy an Iranian American Anti-war Organization
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
Iran’s MEK to open Washington office
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
A Journey to IRAN by ISA at Penn State University
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.