FRANCESCO FIMIANI WRITES — I’m deeply honored to have had the opportunity to interview Father George Bet-Rasho of St Mary Assyrian Church of the East in Tarzana, CA. Father George gave me a tour of the Church grounds and he explained each biblical reference painted on the walls of the…
Full Article INTERVIEW: HISTORY IN ALL JUSTICE MUST SAVE THE ASSYRIANS
FRANCESCO FIMIANI WRITES — Why should Middle East analysts and anyone else interested in the region’s economy and geopolitics be concerned about the tiny nation of Lebanon? Because, in shambles as it is now, it provides yet another theatre for proxy war in the region. The country is facing its…
Full Article LEBANON: WORST ECONOMIC CRISIS OVER A CENTURY AND WHY WE SHOULD CARE
KIANA KARIMI WRITES — As hope for reform and freedom slowly inched forward, a new cloud of darkness arose over the Iranian public, and for good reason. The media will be under substantial scrutiny and attack soon. Apps such as Signal and Instagram are crucial to everyday modern society by…
Full Article IRAN: WHO NEEDS “BIG BROTHER” WHEN YOU HAVE THE NEWLY ELECTED PRESIDENT RAISI?
SARAH ALTUWAIJRI WRITES — This past Saturday, October 20, hundreds took to the streets in Santa Clarita, marching to bring awareness to the plight of Armenians and to raise funds for military purchases, infrastructure and humanitarian aid. One of the protesters, Anna Sarvkian, a 19-year-old student stated, “Armenia is on…
Full Article ARMENIA VERSUS AZERBAIJAN: WHY, SUDDENLY, THE SOUND OF SILENCE INSTEAD OF A TWEET FROM PRESIDENT TRUMP?
SARA ALTUWAIJRI WRITES – Afghans are under attack in Iran. The war in Afghanistan left many without a home. Having no choice but to flee their country, they sought asylum in Iran, where about 2.5 million, documented and undocumented, live today. They have not found a new home. On May 1st,…
Full Article IRAN: BRUTALITY AGAINST AFGHANS
SENAY EMMANUEL WRITES — Last month, Arab leaders held an emergency summit in Mecca to address threats presented by Iran, following attacks on oil tankers off the coast of the United Arab Emirates. While Saudi Arabia described the attacks as “naked aggression,” Iran denied having anything to do with them.…
Full Article GULF GEOPOLITICS: WILL THE LACK OF UNITY ENTICE THE U.S. TO GO IT ALONE?
ALEXIS CRUZ WRITES – Anthony Bourdain, the American celebrity chef and documentarian perhaps best known as tour guide/TV host of the CNN series “Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown,” died June 8, but his taste for international cuisine, culture and adventure lives on. Some of the best “Parts Unknown” episodes took place…
Full Article TV: Anthony Bourdain on Asia
NICK ARMER WRITES – Jason Rezaian, a Washington Post correspondent, was charged with serious crimes by Iranian authorities on April 20 after being detained and held by the government for over nine months. The White House and the Washington Post have denounced the charges against Rezaian, who is an American…
Full Article IRAN: Of Politics and Prison
NICK ARMER WRITES – While members of the media and politicians of both Iran and Israel continue to preach suspicion and rivalry between the two nations, their citizens have begun a new conversation online. An unexpected campaign for love and respect between Iranians and Israelis all began with a single…
Full Article IRAN: Spreading the Love One Facebook Post at a Time
NICK ARMER WRITES -The Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy announced that the 2015 Women’s Rights Award would be given to Iranian journalist Masih Alinejad. Yet, this victory has not come without severe backlash from Iranian authorities. On February 24, Alinejad was presented with the award in a public ceremony…
Full Article IRAN: Female Journalist Lets Her Hair Down
NICK ARMER WRITES – U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry announced earlier this week that the U.S. strategy to defeat the Islamic State is “working”. It is hard to imagine how funding the organization’s expansion into Iran and Pakistan is helping to achieve national goals. Unfortunately, the American campaign to…
Full Article IRAN and US: Helping or Hurting?
NICK ARMER WRITES – Though the election of President Hassan Rouhani came with the hope of a more moderate Iranian government, the result has been quite the opposite. The Iranian authorities have brought forth tighter controls on the media and strict punishments for those bold enough to voice controversial beliefs.…
Full Article IRAN: Give Tweets a ChanceELODIE INTROIA WRITES – Whether or not the Movement succeeded, it looks like the climate is finally turning green in Iran. According to Thomas Erdbrink of The New York Times, the phone call between President Obama and Hassan Rouhani established the first official diplomatic relation between the US and Iran…
Full Article IRAN: President Rouhani’s Public ‘Charm Offensive’Pakistan’s gutsy decision to continue building its share of the Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline against the warnings of possible sanctions by the US has made its way into the headlines. Within the next two years (and 1.5 billion dollars later), Pakistan plans to finish the construction of 781 km of the…
Full Article PAKISTAN: None of Your Business, United States
ARGO, the thrilling film that copped the Oscar award for Best Picture last month, was anything but a documentary. Canadians will argue that the CIA role was greatly romanticized — and blunders smoothed over. But the opening newsreel footage was commendable. It quickly depicted the sordid history of Western intervention…
Full Article FACT VERSUS FICTION: SOURCES OF IRANIAN ANTI-AMERICANISMIran and Iraq have not shared the friendliest of histories but recently both countries seem more willing to set aside their differences in order to collaborate within the media field. Ezzatollah Zargham, Director of the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB), initiated talks with several Iraqi officials as a means…
Full Article IRAN and IRAQ: Media Try to Smooth Over Historic Divide