Iran

The Iranian Economy under Its 4th and 5th Five Year Development Plans

Reza Ghasimi* | 22 Oct 2012

Source: LA Times Blog For a short summary of this article, please see: Iran’s Economy Crisis: A Failure of Planning by Reza Ghasimi   For many years, medium-term economic planning has played an important role in Iranian economic life.  Before the Iranian revolution, the government designed and implemented several five-year and seven-year economic plans,... 

Magical Mystery Tour – A Visit to the London Studio of Iranian artist, Afsoon

Joobin Bekhrad* | 18 Oct 2012

Afsoon’s London Studio On a typically wet and dreary day in London, I arrived, umbrella in hand, at the doorstep of Afsoon’s Ladbroke Grove studio, and rang the buzzer. Seconds later, I was greeted by a grinning woman with mid-length jet black hair, a red neckerchief, psychedelic Doc Martens, and a quaint, super-cool jumper which read Ginsberg is God on... 

Art in the Iranian Diaspora: A Conversation with Sara Zia Ebrahimi

Muftah Editors | 12 Oct 2012

Sara Zia Ebrahimi is on a mission to support the young, creative members of the Iranian diaspora. Through her new project, “From the Mouth of the Lion,” Sara has created a platform to connect and publicize the work of Iranian artists, musicians, filmmakers and other creative types born after 1979 and living outside Iran. A number of notable members... 

U.S. Prisons, Muslim Converts: A Conversation with the Director of “Re-Made Men,” Justin Mashouf

Muftah Editors | 27 Sep 2012

Iranian-American filmmaker, Justin Mashouf, is drawn to stories that highlight the unique interactions and blurred distinctions existing within the Muslim world. In his new documentary, Re-Made Men, Justin looks at the transformative power of service and leadership in the lives of Muslim converts transitioning out of incarceration in the United States. As with... 

Special Issue: Iran and Its Neighbors Post-Arab Uprising

Muftah Editors | 13 Sep 2012

In 2011, an unprecedented wave of popular demonstrations shook the Middle East and the North Africa region. One by one, dictators in Tunisia, Egypt, and Libya were toppled; Bahrain witnessed mass protests and Syria fell victim to a bloody struggle between the Assad regime and its people. Amid this instability, Iran has found an opportunity to exert its influence...