by Abbas Milani via PolicyEd
In spite of systematic gender discrimination at every level, Iranian women have continued their fight for inclusivity. As a result, Iranian women have become harbingers of a movement of civil disobedience. The women’s movement is not just about the veil – it is about breaking the authority of a repressive regime.
by Tony Badran via The Caravan
Since the end of the Cold War — and, most dramatically, in the Bush and Obama years — American strategy in the Middle East has shifted from one anchored in the state system to one focused on non-state actors, particularly terrorist groups, and on projects disconnected from geopolitics. The result has been the return — after nearly five decades — of Russian sway, the commandeering of large swaths of territory by Iran, and the emergence on the scene of China. The Russian-Iranian military campaign in Syria, and the increasing Chinese influence in the Middle East require a return to Cold War principles.
with Abbas Milani via KCBS Radio Hoover Institution fellow Abbas Milani explains the implications of the United States declaring Iran's Revolutionary Guard a "foreign terrorist organization." The designation is the first time that America has categorized a part of another country's government as terrorists.