 RFE/RL Iran Report 5/27/2010 5:57:22 PM A review of RFE/RL reporting and analysis about Iran. For more stories on Iran, please visit and bookmark our Iran page . |
 ‘What’s Your View Of Killing People In The Streets?’ A short amateur video clip is making the rounds, apparently showing a May 25 question-and-answer session with former Iranian Culture Minister Hossein Safar Harandi in which a student at Semnan University asks him a very tough question. More  Iran 'Breaks World Record' For Intelligence- and Security-Related Work More  How Schoolchildren Are Brainwashed In Iran Acting on orders from the supreme leader to counter the "soft war" launched by Iran's enemies after last year's disputed election, the Basij militia have beefed up their ideological indoctrination of schoolchildren. More  American Detainees' Mothers Ready To Return To Iran At A 'Moment's Notice' The mothers of the three American hikers detained in Iran on spying accusations tell RFE/RL that they are ready at a "moment's notice" to travel to Iran a second time to secure the release of their children. The three women returned on May 22 from Tehran, where they'd met with their children -- Shane Bauer, 27, Sarah Shourd, 31, and Josh Fattal, 27 -- for the first time since those three were sent to Tehran's notorious Evin prison. RFE/RL correspondent Nikola Krastev spoke to the mothers by telephone during their May 24 stopover in New York. More  Despite Tightening Up Of Society, Iranian Art Sees A Boom For the last few years Iranian art has been going through what experts say is a "golden age." Largely attributed to the stabilization of the Dubai art market and strong ties between the United Arab Emirates and Iran, the boom is also being fueled by a younger generation of artists attempting to push the boundaries of freedom of expression. More  Ahead Of Election Anniversary, Iranian Government Tightens Its Grip Iran's opposition has called for peaceful demonstrations to mark the upcoming anniversary of last year's disputed reelection of President Mahmud Ahmadinejad. But a redoubled crackdown has created an atmosphere of widespread intimidation and dampened hopes of an opposition show of strength. More  Interview: Longtime Art Advocate Discusses Irania 'Boom' Lebanese-Iranian gallerist Rose Issa, 61, has spent the last 30 years championing artists from Iran and the Arab world. Issa, who now runs her Rose Issa Projects in New York, told RFE/RL why Iranian art has experienced a boom in recent years. More  Iranian Art: A Conversation With Hamid Dabashi Hamid Dabashi is an internationally renowned culture critic and award-winning author on subjects ranging from Iranian studies, medieval and modern Islam, comparative literature, world cinema, and the philosophy of art. Born in southwestern Iran, Dabashi now teaches Iranian studies and comparative literature at New York's Columbia University. He spoke to RFE/RL's Kristen Deasy. More  Former Iranian Vice President Mohammad Ali Abtahi Attacked Former Vice President Mohammad Ali Abtahi, who was jailed in the postelection crackdown, has been attacked by unknown assailants. More  Iranian Student Leaders Given Lengthy Prison Sentences Bahareh Hedayat and Milad Asadi, senior members of Iran’s largest pro-reform student group, Daftar Tahkim Vahdat (Office to Foster Unity), have been given lengthy prison sentences. More  Why Is Iran Not Arresting The Leaders Of The 'Sedition'? The comments seem to suggest that despite growing pressure on opposition leaders -- particularly Musavi -- the Islamic establishment believes it is not in its interest to arrest them. More |
