Foreign Policy Blogs

Iran

More on the Hostile Relationship between Iran and Saudi Arabia

Here is a quick analysis presented by the Link TV on the growing tensions between Iran and Saudia Arabia over Yemen’s conflict between the government forces (backed by the Saudis) and the Houthi rebels (supported by Iran). The report also answers questions like why did Arab satellites carriers drop Iranian Al Alam TV? And will […]

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Watch PBS Tonight

Today, on your local PBS channel, Frontline will have a documentary investigating Iran’s controversial election and how Neda Agha Soltan became a potent symbol for the reform movement.  Frontline has a press release that provides more detail on this documentary: FRONTLINE INVESTIGATES THE CONTROVERSIAL IRANIAN ELECTION AND THE DEATH OF ONE YOUNG PROTESTER SEEN AROUND […]

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An Antipathetic Relationship

Continuing with the theme of the troubled relationship between Iran and Saudi Arabia, especially over Yemen, here is an Al Jazeera report examining how Yemenis are reacting to foreign interference in their country’s civil war: [kml_flashembed movie=”http://www.youtube.com/v/ybK4-DveFQ8″ width=”425″ height=”350″ wmode=”transparent” /] On Sunday, Ali Larijani, the speaker of the Iranian parliament,  criticized the Saudi government […]

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Yemen: Another Proxy State

Looks like a conflict that started out as a local civil war in the Northern Yemen is now turning to a full proxy war between Saudi Arabia and Iran. The feud involves the Shiite Houthi clan supported by Iran and the Sunni Yemeni government backed by Saudi Arabia. In October, Yemeni officials supposedly seized an […]

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Sistan Baluchestan Examined

Last month, Iran was shaken by a suicide attack in its province, Sistan Baluchestan.  The attack killed more than 42 people, including 15 members of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards.  Here is an Al Jazeera report that examines the root causes of discontent in this province: [kml_flashembed movie=”http://www.youtube.com/v/bySZvaQMv5w” width=”425″ height=”350″ wmode=”transparent” /] The report reveals that lack […]

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Turkey and Iran: A Growing Alliance

In the Muslim world, Turkey and Iran are usually perceived as standing on opposite sides.  Turkey stands for secularism, while the Shia clerics dominate the Iranian politics.  Turkey is a “friend of the West”, and is also a Muslim country that has normal relations with Israel. While Iran, if it is not in the news […]

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Iranian Nuclear Program: A Quick Recapitulation of Last Week

It feels like the last couple of days, each morning bought a new story about the Iranian nuclear program. Is Iran cooperating or not? How did their meeting with the IAEA go? What are the Iranian leaders saying about the ElBradei deal? How is the United States responding to Iran’s equivocation? Here is a quick […]

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Barack Obama Does Not Care About Iranian People?

It sounds like a travesty when you hear that the Obama Administration has cut down funding to Iranian human rights groups, until you take a deeper look at the facts. Iran Human Rights Documentation Center, Freedom House and International Republican Institute (IRI) will be among the groups that will be denied State Department funding this […]

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A Cleric Worth Knowing: Mehdi Karroubi

A Cleric Worth Knowing: Mehdi Karroubi

During the Iranian presidential elections, Mehdi Karroubi was the long-shot candidate.  He was not as well known as his opponents, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Mir-Hossein Mousavi.  His reformist credentials were strong, but with Mousavi in the race, reformists already had a leader.  His speeches about stronger women’s rights and more individual liberty resonated with many Iranians, […]

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Iran Mourns

Iranians have once again taken to the streets in Tehran.  But this time, instead of hearing slogans fulminating against the government, you hear people mourning the deaths of their loved ones in Sunday’s suicide attack in southeastern Sistan-Baluchistan.  Here is an Al-Jazeera report on how Iranians are coping with the suicide attack that killed at […]

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How did Iran do on the Press Freedom Index?

In the annual Press Freedom Index by the Reporters Without Border, it is no surprise that Iran ranked as one of the worst countries for journalists.  Iran, who was ranked 166th in 2008, has fallen to 172nd this year.  The only countries to fare worst than Iran are Turkmenistan (173rd), North Korea (174th) and Eritrea […]

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India: Not the Only Neighbor Upset with Pakistan

The terrorist attacked that killed more than 42 people, including 11 commanders of Iran’s elite Islamic Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, is being blamed on Pakistan.  Iran’s president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has accused Pakistan of having links to the bombers who carried out a suicide attack.  President Ahmadinejad is quoted as saying that he knew “some security agents […]

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China: A Growing Influence in Iran

[kml_flashembed movie=”http://www.youtube.com/v/gFc0zFUA9r0″ width=”425″ height=”350″ wmode=”transparent” /] This Al-Jazeera video examines the strong trade relationship that exist between China and Iran.  As the report shows, oil exports, which account for nearly half of Iran’s revenues , are being cut off from the West, they are being increasingly exported to Asian countries – and a big percentage […]

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And the Ignominious Trials Continue

And the Ignominious Trials Continue

Last week as the world buzzed with discussions about whether President Obama deserved the Nobel Peace Price or not, a grave human rights injustice was taking place in Iran.  Three protesters arrested for demonstrating against the disputed June reelection of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad have been given the death penalty. The Amnesty International has a press […]

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Going Beyond the State- Part 2: The United States

My last blog examined the public opinion in Iran, looking at how the Iranians felt about their nuclear program and their perception about the United States.  Continuing with the theme of deciphering public opinion, this blog will examine the American public’s viewpoint.  The Pew Center for the People and the Press has released a survey […]

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