Stories written by Omid Memarian
Omid Memarian is well known for his news analysis and regular columns in English and Persian. Omid has been regularly writing for IPS since 2006. He is also a regular contributor to the Daily Beast and BBC Persian and regularly blogs for the Huffington Post. He has had op-ed pieces published in The New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, San Francisco Chronicle, Los Angeles Times, Institute for War and Piece Reporting and Opendemocracy.org. In 2005, he received Human Rights Watch’s highest honour, the Human Rights Defender Award, for his courageous work. Omid Memarian received his master’s degree from the University of California, Berkeley's Graduate School of Journalism in 2009 as a Rotary World Peace Fellow. He was awarded the Golden Pen Award at the National Press Festival in Iran in 2002. | Web

POLITICS-IRAN: Hardliners Try to Steer Crucial Polls

By Omid Memarian
Iran's government is attempting to suppress its critics and consolidate its power before two key elections on Dec. 15 - for the Tehran city council and the national Assembly of Experts.

RIGHTS-IRAN: Nobel Peace Winner Threatened With Arrest

By Omid Memarian
Nine Nobel Prize laureates have sent a letter to the Iranian government asking it to retract its threat to prosecute Iran's most prominent independent human rights organisation founded by Dr. Shirin Ebadi, winner of the 2003 Nobel Peace Prize.

BOOKS: Starting a New Conversation About Iran

By Omid Memarian
Amid the overwhelmingly negative media coverage of Iran in the west, a chorus of new literary voices has emerged that portrays a far more complex image of that nation and its culture.

MIDEAST: Iran Walks Razor’s Edge in Israel-Lebanon Conflict

By Omid Memarian
Despite Iran's strong rhetoric condemning Israel's military onslaught against Lebanon, Tehran, which is accused by the U.S. of supplying weapons to Hezbollah, has become cautious in supporting its most flourishing investment abroad.

RIGHTS-IRAN: No Winners in False Confession Game

By Omid Memarian
On Jul. 15, a conservative Iranian newspaper with strong ties to the Iranian Intelligence Ministry reported that Ramin Jahanbegoo, a prominent scholar, had confessed to having collaborated with foreigners to spark a "Velvet Revolution" in Iran.

IRAN: Civil Society Feels Conservatives’ Wrath

By Omid Memarian
Nearly a year has gone by since Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad came to office, and his establishment is continuing to suppress civil society, intimidate the press and arrest activists.

RIGHTS-IRAN: Braving Threats, Women Demand Legal Reforms

By Omid Memarian
On Monday, Iranian women activists will again demonstrate in Tehran to demand changes in the oppressive laws that are written into the country's constitution.

IRAN: Letter to Bush Lands With a Resounding Thud

By Omid Memarian
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's recent letter to U.S. Pres. George W. Bush, which was quickly dismissed by the administration as offering no useful concessions, has found new critics in Tehran amid the uncertainties surrounding Iran's nuclear programme.

IRAN: Activists Fear U.S. “Help” Could Spur Crackdown

By Omid Memarian
The United States is struggling with Iran's fundamentalist government on two fronts - while U.S. diplomats are negotiating with other members of the U.N. Security Council to impose sanctions on Tehran, Washington has allocated 75 million dollars to inspire "regime change".

MIGRATION: Many Iranians Embrace Asylum as a Way Out

By Omid Memarian
Increasingly, Iranians hoping for a brighter future and disappointed with the conservative direction of their homeland are seeking asylum abroad. They're crossing the border into Turkey and some are even employing human smugglers in their rough journey to Europe and even the United States.
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