Tehran Talks

A debate on Iranian foreign policy during a global transition from an American-led world order to a new multipolar system. The participants discuss the implications of America’s decline and the rise of new powers, such as China and Russia, and how Iran can leverage its growing regional influence and unique ideological principles to secure its place in this new world order. They debate the merits o...

A discussion between two prominent women scholars, Dr Farhamandpur and Dr Ardabili, about the challenges and opportunities surrounding women's roles in contemporary Iranian society. The conversation focuses on the tension between women's participation in public life and the traditional family values in the Islamic Republic. Dr Farhamandpur argues that the Islamic Revolution initially opene...

A debate on the representation of society in the media between  Mohammad Gouchani , a journalist and political analyst, and  Qasem Ravankhush , an Islamic scholar. The two participants discuss the role of the press in recent protests, the nature of dissent in Iran, the impact of both internal and external media on Iranian society, and the historical context of Iranian politics. The debate explores...

Two experts, Dr Mohammad-Mehdi Shariatmadar and Dr Mohammad Hussein Zoragh, were invited to analyse the event. The experts discussed the historical context of terrorism in Islam, exploring the role of sectarianism, political opportunism, and foreign influence in fuelling such violence. They also examined the motivations behind the attack and discussed broader themes of security, regional power dyn...

A discussion about cultural governance in Iran: the speakers, Dr Mehdi Jamshidi and Dr Abdolhossein Khosropanah, discuss cultural governance's shortcomings in the Islamic Republic of Iran. They explore the effectiveness of cultural policy and debate whether the issues stem from a lack of qualified leadership or an inadequate understanding of cultural governance. The conversation highlights the...

This is a debate on the topic of  Iran's independence . Two political analysts, Dr Zeidabadi and Dr Koushky, discuss the complexities of Iranian independence, arguing over the meaning of  "independence"  in the context of international relations and the nation's domestic political landscape. The debate focuses on whether Iran’s foreign policy and domestic decisions are  independe...

Two Iranian women, Dr. Zohreh Kharazmi and Dr. Turan Vali-Morad, discuss the current state of women in Iran, particularly in the context of the Iranian Revolution and its societal impacts. The discussion centres around the evolution of the "third way" of Iranian women, which seeks to navigate a space between the traditional Islamic view of women and the Western feminist model. The speake...

This is a debate on cultural policy in Iran by two Iranian academics, Dr Masoud Kothari and Dr Seyyed Mohammad Sadegh Emamiyan. The discussion discusses the challenges of governing culture in a society with diverse viewpoints. Dr Kothari argues that the current system is flawed, characterized by excessive state intervention and a lack of genuine participation from the public. Dr Emamiyan proposes...

The participants,  Dr Majid Tafreshi  and  Dr Abolfazl Amoei , discuss the impact of Western media narratives on Iran's image and the effectiveness of Iran's public diplomacy efforts. They analyse the portrayal of Iran as an aggressive, backward nation in contrast to the West's depiction as peaceful and progressive and examine the role of social media in shaping perceptions. The discus...

This text comes from a discussion programme on Iranian television focusing on the challenges of adolescence in contemporary Iran. Two academics, Dr Sina Kallehr and Dr Abdollah Bicharanlou, explore how teenagers in Iran navigate a world of rapid social and technological change, specifically focusing on the impact of online culture and social media. They discuss the role of social media platforms l...

This text presents a discussion between two Iranian academics, Dr. Motaqi and Dr. Salimi, concerning Iran's relationship with the international system. They debate whether Iran's perceived lack of understanding of global affairs has contributed to its historical and contemporary struggles. Dr Motaqi argues that Iran has been a victim of international power dynamics and has been repeatedly...

A debate between two Iranian scholars,  Dr. Nematollah Fazeli  and  Dr. Ahmad Naderi , regarding the  current state of Iranian society . The discussion focuses on the recent protests in Iran, explicitly exploring their  cultural, economic, and political context . Both scholars analyse the  dynamics of dissent  in Iran, with  Dr Fazeli  emphasising the role of  cultural tensions and a lack of freed...