Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani

Hashemi Rafsanjani: Iran Seeks To Quiet Critical Former President

AP | BRIAN MURPHY | Posted 11.25.2009 | World


DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — When Iran holds state-run ceremonies this week for an important Islamic feast day, there will be one very noticeable c...

Ahmadinejad Kicks Diversion Efforts into High Gear

Melody Moezzi | Posted 11.23.2009 | World


Melody Moezzi

In the lead-up to his speech at the UN General Assembly in New York on Wednesday, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is up to his old tricks. And sadly, the global community seems to be falling for them.

Iranian Regime Faces Worst Enemy Yet: Itself

Melody Moezzi | Posted 11.19.2009 | World


Melody Moezzi

Iranians could empathize with Palestinians Friday more than ever, but not in the way that Iran's self-proclaimed President, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, wanted them to.

Quds Day: Powerful Iranian Cleric, Ayatollah Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, Barred From Delivering Prayers

latimes.com | Borzou Daragahi | Posted 11.16.2009 | World


Reporting from Beirut - A powerful cleric who supports Iran's opposition movement has been barred from delivering Friday prayers during Quds Day in Te...

The Unconstitutional Un-Islamic Republic of Iran

Melody Moezzi | Posted 09.14.2009 | World


Melody Moezzi

With increasing accounts of rape, torture, forced confessions and skewed judicial proceedings, the Iranian government is losing any credibility it had left, including any legitimate claim to Islam.

Iran's Red Tulip Revolution

Melody Moezzi | Posted 08.29.2009 | World


Melody Moezzi

With each death at the hands of the regime, a martyr is born, and with each martyr, the seed of revolution is planted.

The Basij Are Cordially Invited to Join the Opposition

Melody Moezzi | Posted 08.25.2009 | World


Melody Moezzi

Thanks to their new duties, which include increasingly violent and inhumane acts, reports of Basiji taking protesters up on their invitations to join the opposition movement are growing.

Iran, Protest, and Intelligence: Why Strategic Reports Often Get it Wrong

Jamsheed K. Choksy | Posted 08.22.2009 | World


Jamsheed K. Choksy

Revolutions are accurately designated as such only after the fact, not when protests begin. The protests in Iran are not yet and may never become a revolution.

Hey DJ Rafsanjani, Play Us Some Ayatollah Khomeini

Melody Moezzi | Posted 08.16.2009 | World


Melody Moezzi

At the heart of Iran's Islamic Revolution was a stencil duplicator and a tape recorder. These were the Ayatollah Khomeini's Facebook and Twitter.

Separation of Mosque and Mosul

Jeff Schweitzer | Posted 07.30.2009 | World


Jeff Schweitzer

With the Supreme Leader's divine authority in question, the appeal to God as a source of legitimacy is no longer a viable basis on which to promote democracy.

Iran: Is Larijani the New Rafsanjani?

John Ghazvinian | Posted 07.25.2009 | World


John Ghazvinian

Where should we be looking for an early indication of which way things might go in Iran's election crisis? Two words: Watch Larijani.

Iran and America: The Spirit of 1908

John Ghazvinian | Posted 07.24.2009 | World


John Ghazvinian

Is 101 years a bit far to go back to help us understand what's happening today? Not in Iran.

An Exclusive Interview with a Pro-Ahmadinejad Cleric in Qom, Iran

Ali A. Rizvi | Posted 07.24.2009 | World


Ali A. Rizvi

A recurring theme in many of the cleric's answers is his very strong belief that "foreign" Western powers, particularly England, are behind the current unrest in Tehran

Faeze Rafsanjani's Arrest and Ayatollah Khamenei's Fears

Meir Javedanfar | Posted 07.22.2009 | World


Meir Javedanfar

As the demonstrations in Iran continue, sooner or later, the demonstrators are going to need the support of a leader. Otherwise, the demonstrations may disintegrate, due to factionalism and dispute over how to continue.

Obama Must Speak Up Quickly or Iran Can Become His Rwanda

Sam Sedaei | Posted 07.21.2009 | World


Sam Sedaei

What ignited the protests may have been Ahmadinejad's hijacking of the election, but what has been fueling the protests and disobedience by millions of Iranians goes much deeper than this election.

Supreme Leader to Demonstrators: "Drop Dead!"

Amb. Marc Ginsberg | Posted 07.20.2009 | World


Amb. Marc Ginsberg

The titanic struggle of wills between the Supreme Leader and Mousavi is so riveting that it may very well seal the fate of any durable prospect of a rapprochement between Washington and Tehran.

Weekly Foreign Affairs Round-Up

Christopher Herbert and Victoria Kataoka Rebuffet | Posted 07.20.2009 | World


Christopher Herbert and Victoria Kataoka Rebuffet

The Week's Top Stories in Foreign Affairs : What to Make of Iran's Post-Election Uproar Facts: Incumbent Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was quickly declared the...

The One Thing 39 Million Iranians Decisively Voted For

Ali A. Rizvi | Posted 07.18.2009 | World


Ali A. Rizvi

Out of 46.2 million eligible voters, a staggering 39 million came out to vote, making a strong, unequivocal statement: Iranians value democracy

Iran: Washington Responsible For Post-Election Protests

AP | ALI AKBAR DAREINI and BRIAN MURPHY | Posted 07.18.2009 | World


TEHRAN, Iran — Iran directly accused the United States of meddling in the deepening crisis over a disputed presidential election and broadened i...

Revolution? No. Regime Change? Maybe

Olivia Sterns | Posted 07.17.2009 | World


Olivia Sterns

It's difficult to draw any conclusions from the rapidly unfolding election crisis in Tehran. Not even the regime has any idea what is going to happen, but perhaps that's the most important point.

Iranians Launch Nonviolent Resistance Campaign On The Web

Sam Sedaei | Posted 07.17.2009 | World


Sam Sedaei

Protesters have been lacking in a clear sense of strategy and direction; they're without a meaningful long-term plan or set of goals.

Is Katherine Harris in Tehran?

Amb. Marc Ginsberg | Posted 07.16.2009 | World


Amb. Marc Ginsberg

While Iranians yearn for an end to their isolation, what has driven hundreds of thousands to the polls and subsequently into the streets is the boiling resentment of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

48 Hours Later: A Tipping Point In Iranian Resistance

Sam Sedaei | Posted 07.16.2009 | World


Sam Sedaei

The current resistance on the part all three candidates shows a deep and permanent crack within the Iranian regime that demonstrates that it no longer speaks with one voice and acts with one hand.

Elections in Iran: What It Means For Oil

Michael Martin | Posted 07.13.2009 | World


Michael Martin

Stable government regimes in the Middle East, especially ones that are becoming more moderate towards the US, can have a stabilizing effect long-term on crude oil prices.

Iran Election: Ahmadinejad Chances Threatened By Leading Clerics

Independent | Posted 07.11.2009 | World


By Katherine Butler | The Independent Iran's hardline President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, seeking a return to power for a second term in landmark electio...