Behind the Smile
Who is Hassan Rouhani and what does he want? Omid Memarian reports.
Omid Memarian is columnist whose writing has appeared in The New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, the San Francisco Chronicle, and other publications. He was a World Peace Fellow at the University of California at Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism in 2007–09 and the 2005 recipient of the Human Rights Defender Award, the highest honor bestowed by Human Rights Watch.
Moderation
Omid Memarian reports that Syria’s closest ally, Iran, is pushing for a diplomatic end to the crisis.
Election
In a surprise victory, a pragmatist candidate was declared Iran’s next president today.
Iranian Dissidents
Nasrin Sotoudeh, a jailed human-rights lawyer, ended her hunger strike after Iran met her demands.
Justice Denied
As Iranian authorities scramble to explain the death of blogger Sattar Beheshti, sources close to the family tell The Daily Beast exclusive details about the gruesome case.
Tehran Reacts
Iranians expect heat from Obama but believe he’s less likely to use military action than Romney. By Omid Memarian.
Middle East
Omid Memarian on why Mitt Romney's policies could spell doom for democracy in the Islamic Republic.
Monopoly Money
As the rial plummets in value and vendors desperately hoard dollars, president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad faces a harsh backlash from his political allies.
Protest Scapegoat
Who’s to blame for the anti-Islam film that has sparked riots across the Middle East? According to the Iranian government, the failure of the fatwa against Salman Rushdie. Omid Memarian on the new bounty on the author’s head. Plus, read the 11 juiciest bits from Rushdie's memoir.
For at least 15 years, the Islamic Republic has quietly been offering gay Iranians exemptions from mandatory military service. But those exemptions often come with a cost.