Our guest John Tirman, Executive Director of the MIT Center for International Studies and an expert on US-Iran relations, has passed away. We had the honor of hosting professor Tirman a few months before his passing to discuss his last book, Republics of Myth. Here is that conversation from May 2022.

Negar Mortazavi speaks to Nader Hashemi, Director of the Center for Middle East Studies at the University of Denver, about the attack on Salman Rushdie, the Fatwa by Iran, and the response to the Satanic Verses across the Muslim world.

Negar Mortazavi discussed Iran nuclear negotiations discussion on The Newsmakers with Hassan Ahmadian at Tehran University and Ali Fathollahnejad at the American University of Beirut.

Negar Mortazavi joins a panel discussion at the University of Chicago’s Pearson Institute, about Iran’s foreign and domestic policies under the new hardline administration of Ebrahim Raisi, with Mahsa Rouhi, Vali Nasr, Pouya Alimagham and Ali Vaez.

How are Iranians represented in Western media and cultural products? Iran Podcast host Negar Mortazavi joins a panel discussion with Assal Rad, Yahya Kamalipour, and Mehran Kamrava hosted by the Iranian Studies Program at the Arab Center.

Negar Mortazavi joins Tom Collina, policy director at Ploughshares Fund, on “Press The Button” podcast to discuss the future of Iran nuclear negotiations, the current stalemate in Vienna, and prospects for reaching an agreement.

Negar Mortazavi speaks to Giorgio Cafiero, the CEO of Gulf State Analytics, about Iran’s relations with the GCC, US policy towards the region, the Abraham Accords, and the impact of the Ukraine war on the region.

Negar Mortazavi speaks to Sanam Naraghi-Anderlini, Director of the Centre for Women, Peace and Security at the London School of Economics, about Afghanistan after the US withdrawal and under the Taliban, the fate of women peacemakers who were left behind. Sanam has two decades of experience as a peace strategist working globally on conflicts, crises and violent extremism with a mix of civil society, governments and the UN. She was appointed to the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2020 New Year Honours list for services to International peace building and Women’s Rights.

Negar Mortazavi speaks to John Tirman, Director of MIT Center for International Studies, about four decades of animosity between Iran and the United States, key historical events that have caused the enmity, and how the national narratives of the two countries put them at odds over the decades.