The Gonabadi Dervishes: Gnostics, Royal Advisors, Political and Religious Adversaries
by Nazenin Ansari
In the latest strike against Gonabadi dervishes of the Nematollahi Order in Iran, government authorities have isolated Dr. NoorAli Tabandeh, its spiritual master (Gutb), from his bodyguards and trusted assistants. They had...
All About Nowruz: The Persian New Year
Nowruz marks the start of a New Year for over 300 million people around the world –foremost among them the people of Iran, for whom it is the most important festive occasion of the...
Nowruz Events in Europe
By Tara Biglari
Nowruz, the Persian New Year, marks the first day of spring and is an Iranian word that translates as "New Day." The holiday is celebrated by Iranians across the globe with week-long...
Nowruz Events in the U.S.
By Fred Parvaneh
From coast to coast and in every major city in the US, Iranian-Americans celebrate the arrival of the Persian New Year, or Nowruz, which coincides with the first day of Spring.
This year’s...
A Memoir of Iran: Interview with Cyrus Kadivar
By Tara Biglari
"Farewell Shiraz" is the title of a new memoir by the Iranian author Cyrus Kadivar, which details how the 1979 Iranian Revolution uprooted his family and led them far from the place...
Comedian Nazanin Nour On Her Viral ‘Persian Mom’ Videos
By Fred Parvaneh
American-born Nazanin Nour is an actor, comedian and writer who has appeared on prime time U.S. TV shows like ‘Madam Secretary’, ‘Criminal Minds’ and ‘Political Minds.’ Nazanin (under the Instagram username @freclednaz)...
Iranian Wrestler Reza Abedi, Who Defected in 1982, to Join U.S. Hall of Fame
By Fred Parveneh
On April 15th, Reza Abedi – one of four wrestlers who defected from Iran to the West in 1982 – will be inducted into the California chapter of the U.S. National Wrestling...
Remembering Ghafour Youssefiani: Diplomat, Innovator and Equestrian
Former diplomat and innovator, Ghafour Youssefiani has died of natural causes at the age of 90.
Based in Washington, D.C., Youseffiani passed away during a visit to Tehran.
Youssefiani was born in 1928 in Hamadan, Iran,...
Singers Googoosh and Dariush, Artist Neshat Support Iran Protesters
Singers Googoosh and Dariush, visual artist Shirin Neshat and filmmaker Jafar Panahi are among the many performers, artists, actors, and film directors who have publicly expressed support for the demonstrators who, since December 28,...
Wikipedia Has a Rival, Everipedia: Meet Co-Founder Mahbod Moghadam
By Fred Parvaneh Iranian-Americans Mahbod Moghadam and Sam Kazemian are the duo behind the fast-growing competitor to Wikipedia: Everipedia.
A serial entrepreneur, Moghadam – a Yale Fulbright Scholar to France and a Stanford Law School...
