California to Divest Iran Investments
The Associated Press is reporting that insurance companies that do business in California are being asked to withdraw any of their finances currently invested in Iran. A probe conducted by California’s Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner has revealed that insurance companies in the state have $12 billion invested in Iran. Poizner has said that he is […]
IRGC Given Expanded Naval Command
The Agence France Presse reports that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has been given command over “naval operations” in Persian Gulf and Strait of Hormuz. A study conducted by the U.S. Office of Naval Intelligence concluded that, the military reorganization launched in 2007 transfers responsibility for the Gulf from the regular navy to the elite […]
U.N. General Assembly Censures Iran
From Bloomberg.com: The Iranian government’s treatment of protesters following the re-election of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, including torture and arbitrary imprisonment, was censured today by the United Nations General Assembly. The General Assembly, consisting of all 192 member governments of the world body, voted 74 to 48 to adopt a resolution sponsored by the U.S. and […]
What Could Come after the Last Supreme Leader?
A recent article published on the Newsweek website discusses the widespread discontent amongst Iran’s religious scholars with the position of Supreme Leader, and suggests that the position itself is in danger of being abolished after Ayatollah Khamenei’s death. According to the author, the religious establishment—including those who helped create the system—plainly sees the institution [Supreme […]
“A Death in Tehran”
Frontline’s “A Death in Tehran” has long been billed as a documentary re-visiting the June 20, 2009 murder of Neda Agha Soltan. However, the segment focuses more on those who are still alive, and who carry the emotional scars of those who have both lost a loved one and had their government turned against them. […]
A History of Exchange
As I meandered through the Falnama: The Book of Omens exhibit at the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, I was reminded once again of the shared history between Europe and Iran, the East and the West or the Occident and the Orient. However and wherever the dividing lines are drawn, they obscure a history that is […]
Deal or No Deal, Talks Must Continue
The rigmarole surrounding the supposed failure of negotiations with Iran is causing the media and government to lose sight of what is really important: talking with Iran. Talking is, in and of itself, a confidence building measure. It allows for the growth of familiarity between the parties, and, therefore, greater confidence that the other side […]
(Updated) Espionage Charges for American Hikers?
Reuters is reporting that the three Americans who crossed into Iran while hiking in Iraq are being charged with espionage. “The three are charged with espionage. Investigations continue into the three detained Americans in Iran,” Tehran general prosecutor Abbas Jafari Dolatabadi said. The three were held after they strayed into Iran from northern Iraq at […]
Reporter Arrested by Security Forces
The Associated Press is reporting that a reporter working for the Agence France Presse was arrested on November 4th. The Agence France Presse has said it has not heard from reporter Farhad Pouladi since Wednesday. The AFP’s acting bureau chief in Tehran said Iranian reporter Farhad Pouladi was taken into custody Wednesday as he headed […]
The Bakhtiari Alphabet Documentary
Sacred Heart University in Fairfield, Connecticut is screening “The Bakhtiari Alphabet,” a documentary that follows the nomadic Bakhtiari tribe. The Bakhtiari are located in southwestern Iran. The film is directed by filmmaker Reza Ghadiani and Professor Cima Sedigh. According to a press release for the film, “The Bakhtiari Alphabet” was created over the course of […]
A License to Chat
Cross posted from the Huffington Post The U.S. Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) should clarify its position regarding the legality of Microsoft’s offering its instant messenger service within Iran. As a result of ambiguities within OFAC’s guidelines on Iran sanctions, Microsoft Corporation voluntarily withdrew its Windows Live Messenger program from Iran in late […]
Khamenei Criticized at Public Meeting
Mowjcamp is reporting that a student from Sharif University of Technology was apparently arrested in Iran after criticizing Ayatollah Khamenei at a public event. At least some of the comments were made while television cameras were broadcasting the event live. The event, a meeting between the Supreme Leader and various academics, took place on Wednesday. […]