Caption:
An Iranian girl runs with a kite during the ancient festival of Sizdeh Bedar, an annual public picnic day on the 13th day of the Iranian new year, west of Tehran, Iran, on April 2, 2014. Sizdeh Bedar, which comes from the Persian words for “thirteen” and “day out,” is a legacy from Iran’s pre-Islamic past that hardliners in the Islamic Republic never managed to erase from calendars. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)
Caption:
Iranian Kurds protest against the execution of Kurdish rebels in Iran in the northern Iraqi Kurdish city of Erbil on October 31, 2013. (Safin Hamed/AFP)
Executing Iran’s Political Compromise
Over the years, Iran has maintained a consistent response to persistent criticisms of its human rights record. If a report condemning Iran’s woeful human rights record is issued by an NGO, such as Human Rights Watch or Amnesty International, a statement is issued...Caption:
In this photo released by the official website of the Iranian supreme leader’s office, supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, foreground right, attends a graduation ceremony of a group of Revolutionary Guard members, in Tehran, Iran, Monday, May 27, 2013. (AP Photo/Office of the Supreme Leader)
The Long Shadow of the Guards
This week saw further clashes between the two rival power centers vying for influence over Iranian foreign and domestic policy. In one corner stands a faction dedicated to rehabilitating Iran’s international standing, epitomized by Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad...Caption:
In this Thursday, August 15, 2013 file photo, Iranian president Hassan Rouhani speaks during the debate on the proposed Cabinet at the parliament in Tehran, Iran. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi, File)