Evoking Sophia Loren in Iran

by Farideh Farhi When I was a teenager in the 1960s growing up in Tehran, Hollywood had not yet monopolized stardom. We had a number of European stars to swoon and argue over. I myself was a Jean-Paul Belmondo fan.… Continue Reading

Iran’s Conservatives Lose a Presidential Election and More

by Farideh Farhi In the past two decades, Iranian presidential elections have been accompanied with surprising results and even tumult. Newcomers have won against better known and financed politicians while presumed establishment candidates and assumed winners have done poorly. This… Continue Reading

Iran’s Presidential Carnival Kicks off

by Farideh Farhi  In the past two decades, Iran’s presidential election kickoffs have increasingly become occasions for comedy. It did not disappoint this time. During the five-day registration period, beginning on April 11, over 1,600 people signed up (1,636 to… Continue Reading

Iran’s Conservatives Try a Bit of Democracy: Will It Work?

by Farideh Farhi Iran’s presidential election is slightly over two months away, and Iran’s conservatives are still struggling to find a candidate to rally around against President Hassan Rouhani who has the support of a fairly unified alliance of moderates… Continue Reading