The Pahlavi Immortal Guard: Guardians of the Peacock Throne Introduction The Pahlavi Immortal Guard (Persian: Gard-e Javidan) was an elite military unit in Imperial Iran, established to safeguard the monarchy, particularly the person of the Shah and the royal family. Active during the reign of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, this elite guard represented not only a physical bulwark around the monarch …

“A Ride to Terror”: The Story of a Young Cleaner and a Predatory Scheme in Tehran On a mild spring evening in mid-March 2024, a young woman stepped out of her modest home in the western districts of Tehran. Born in 1985, the woman, whose name we are withholding for privacy reasons, had spent the last several years working as …

The Embassy of the United States of America in Tehran: A Symbol of a Broken Bond The Embassy of the United States of America in Capital once stood as a symbol of close ties between the United States and the Imperial State of Iran. Located in the heart of Iran’s capital city, Tehran, the U.S. Embassy was not only an …

The Nowruz Ceremony with Seyyed Mohammad Khatami: A Gathering of Political Reflection and Cultural Continuity On Farvardin 6, 1404, a symbolic and resonant Nowruz ceremony was held, drawing together a select group of Iranian politicians, reformist thinkers, civil society leaders, and cultural figures. At the center of this ceremonial convergence stood Seyyed Mohammad Khatami, the former President of the Islamic …

Seyyed Mohammad Hossein Behjat Tabrizi, better known by his pen name Shahriar, stands as one of the most iconic literary figures in modern Iranian literature. Born on January 11, 1906, in Tabriz, and passing away on September 17, 1988, Shahriar created a bridge between the traditional Persian literary heritage and the emerging socio-political consciousness of the 20th century. A master …

The funeral ceremony of Hossein Ali Nayiri was held today, Saturday, April 6, in front of the Arak Mosque in Tehran. The solemn event drew a large crowd, including high-ranking government officials, members of the judiciary, and Nayiri’s family. Notably present was Gholam-Hossein Mohseni Ejei, the current head of the Judiciary, whose attendance underscored the importance of Nayiri’s role in …

Hossein Ali Nayyari: The Cleric, the Judge, and the Shadow of 1988 Early Life and Religious Formation Hossein Ali Nayyari was born in 1935 (though some sources state 1956), in Iran, during a period of intense political transformation and growing tension between the secular monarchy and the rising religious forces. His early years were shaped by the deeply traditional Shiite …

Sizdeh Bedar: The Iranian Celebration of Nature and Renewal Sizdeh Badr, observed on the thirteenth day of Farvardin in the Iranian calendar, is one of the enduring celebrations associated with Nowruz, the Persian New Year. It is widely recognized in contemporary Iran as “Nature Day” and is a national holiday. The event is a unique occasion that stands apart from …

Mohammad Reza Aref (born December 17, 1955) is a prominent Iranian politician, academic, and engineer who has played a significant role in Iran’s political and educational landscape. His career spans several decades, marked by his contributions to academia, government, and reformist politics. Early Life and Education Born in Yazd to a religious family, Aref exhibited an early aptitude for mathematics. …

Morteza Mahjoubi: A Pioneer of Iranian National Music Morteza Mahjoubi, born in 1909 in Tehran, was one of the most influential figures in Iranian music. His contributions to Persian music were monumental, as he seamlessly blended traditional Iranian melodies with the Western piano, an instrument not originally designed for Persian musical scales. His unique style and dedication to Persian music …