Christiane Amanpour Interviews Ahmadinejad

And in light of Barbara Slavin's recent witty piece in Foreign Policy:

"Freedom, For a Second"

منا نیستانی / Mana Neyestani 

When Backwards Is Progressive

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad studies the Cyrus Cylinder, named after 'Cyrus the Great' of the Achaemenid Empire and widely considered to be the world's first charter of human rights. The cylinder was recently loaned to Iran's National Museum in Tehran from the British Museum in London, where it has been on display since prior to the 1979 Islamic Revolution. Ironically, while the historical artifact dates back to 539 B.C. at the height of the Persian Empire, Iran had one of the worst human rights records worldwide more than 2,500 years later in Freedom House's 2010  "Freedom in the World" report.

Another Diplomat Resigns

Following the trickle of diplomatic resignations earlier this year, Hossein Alizadeh, Iran's second-ranking officer in its Finish embassy, has resigned in protest of the illegitimacy of the Ahmadinejad administration and the Islamic Republic's hardline policies. He has also pledged his support to the Green movement.

Mahmoud's Awkward Friend

The Economist provides a glimpse at Esfandiar Rahim Mashai, the peculiar and controversial figure who serves as a close adviser to Ahmadinejad. An excellent piece worth reading.

Karoubi Reacts to Basij Attack on His Home (in Persian)