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Omid Memarian

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.

articles/2013/09/23/hassan-rouhani-iran-s-mysterious-new-president/130919-iranian-president-tease_rntdi8
Behind the Smile

Iran’s Mysterious New President

Who is Hassan Rouhani and what does he want? Omid Memarian reports.

Omid Memarian

articles/2013/09/05/iran-says-give-peace-a-chance-in-syria/130904-memarian-syria-iran-tease-embed_lkwoxp
Moderation

Iran Says Give Peace a Chance

Omid Memarian reports that Syria’s closest ally, Iran, is pushing for a diplomatic end to the crisis.

Omid Memarian

articles/2013/06/15/hassan-rowhani-moderate-candidate-wins-iran-s-election/130615-Memarian-Iran-tease_ubcwvr
Election

Iran Votes for Reform

In a surprise victory, a pragmatist candidate was declared Iran’s next president today.

Omid Memarian

articles/2012/12/06/iran-nasrin-sotoudeh-s-victorious-hunger-strike/memarian-sotoudeh-hugner-strike-tease_ms1bm8
Iranian Dissidents

A Victorious Hunger Strike

Nasrin Sotoudeh, a jailed human-rights lawyer, ended her hunger strike after Iran met her demands.

Omid Memarian

articles/2012/11/15/friends-speak-out-on-iranian-blogger-sattar-beheshti-s-alleged-torture/iranian-blogger-memarian-tease_eswdur
Justice Denied

“Sattar Was Severely Tortured.”

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.

Omid Memarian

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articles/2012/11/08/many-iranians-see-nuke-talks-no-military-attack-with-obama-reelection/election-reaction-tehran-memarian_qagsen
Tehran Reacts

Iranians Feel Safer With Obama

Iranians expect heat from Obama but believe he’s less likely to use military action than Romney. By Omid Memarian.

Omid Memarian

articles/2012/10/11/why-obama-is-right-and-romney-is-wrong-on-iran/romney-and-iran-memarian-tease_smanqk
Middle East

Why Romney Is Wrong on Iran

Omid Memarian on why Mitt Romney's policies could spell doom for democracy in the Islamic Republic.

Omid Memarian

articles/2012/10/04/iran-s-currency-crisis-bad-news-for-mahmoud-ahmadinejad/iran-money-rial-memarian-tease_ylvwgt
Monopoly Money

Iran’s Currency Free-fall

As the rial plummets in value and vendors desperately hoard dollars, president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad faces a harsh backlash from his political allies.

Omid Memarian

articles/2012/09/18/salman-rushdie-s-new-nightmare-bounty-upped-amid-mideast-protests/salman-rushdie-iran-bounty_tivjtp
Protest Scapegoat

Rushdie’s New Nightmare

<p>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 1<a href="/content/dailybeast/articles/2012/09/18/11-revelations-from-salman-rushdie-s-memoir-joseph-anton.html">1 juiciest bits from Rushdie's memoir</a>.<br> </p>

Omid Memarian

articles/2012/07/28/outed-by-the-military-some-gays-fleeing-iran/gays-iran-saberi-memarian_yqoi1r

Gay and Fleeing Iran

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.

Omid Memarian

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