Supreme Leadership & Government
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the supreme leader since 1989, represents the first generation of Islamic rulers in Iran.
He controls many of the country's levers of power and draws particular strength from a close alliance with the powerful Revolutionary Guards, which are tasked with defending the country's Islamic system and providing a counterweight to the regular armed forces.
As supreme leader, he has a built-in advantage in any fight with the president because he gets to pick which candidates are allowed to run in any election and can disqualify any candidates considered threatening to him.
President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who is about to step down, represents a second generation of Iranian politicians - those who served in the Iran-Iraq war of the 1980s.
He and his supporters have support among the country's working class and they have sought to reduce the power of Iran's ruling clerics.
Supporters of President Ahmadinejad include a number of groups like the Islamic Government Supporters Front, the Young Advisers of the President, the Justice and Compassion Front and the Unity and Justice Front.
Reform Movement
In the 2009 presidential election, Green was initially used as the symbol of Mir Hossein Mousavi's opposition campaign, but after the election it became the symbol of unity and hope for those asking for annulment of what they regarded as a fraudulent election in which the official outcome determined they received roughly one third of the popular vote vs. two thirds for Ahmadinejad’s Alliance of Builders of Islamic Iran. Despite widespread protests, the essence of the Green Movement is a quest for an "evolution", a reform in the regime and not another "revolution". Supporters are no longer allowed to demonstrate and it almost impossible for anyone sympathetic to the opposition to make his or her voice heard, resulting in a boycott of the 2012 parliamentary elections.
The National Trust Party headed by Mehdi Karroubi, though a staunch supporter of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, champions greater personal rights and freedoms, the empowerment of women, and tolerance of religious minorities.
Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani was president for eight years from 1987 but ran and lost in 2005 to Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Though part of the religious establishment, he is open to a broader range of views and has been more reflective on relations with the West.
Mohammad Khatami was elected president in 1997 on a platform of greater freedom of expression and democracy, as well as measures to tackle unemployment and boost privatization. However, much of his initial liberalizations were stymied by resistance from the country's conservative institutions.
Iranian Diaspora
There are an estimated four to five million Iranians living abroad, mostly in North America, Europe, Persian Gulf States, Turkey, Australia and the broader Middle East. For the most part they emigrated after the Iranian Revolution in 1979. In addition, a considerable number of people who claim Iranian origins are found in Pakistan and Muslim communities in India.
The US hosts over a million Iranians - the largest Iranian émigré population in the world.
The United Arab Emirates, due to its proximity to Iran - a convenient hub for Iranian business and tourism - hosts some 400,000 Iranians. Canada is third with some 120,000 Iranians (Toronto is affectionately called 'Tehranto' by some Iranian-Canadians), followed by Qatar and Germany, with numbers fast approaching 100,000 each. Other countries with large concentrations include Sweden, with approximately 54,000 Iranians; the UK, home to some 43,000 Iranian émigrés; and Israel, home to some 48,000 Persian Jews.
Interestingly, many Persian Jews, with roots in Iran dating back to its foundation, have refused to leave the country, thereby making Iran's Jewish population - albeit small - the second largest in the Middle East, after that of Israel.
The Game
Join this interactive session that examines how new media, specifically social media affect Conflict. In this workshop, you will be asked to role play certain Irani factions involved in the current nuclear crisis. A specific important scenario related the nuclear question will unfold as you are prompted to employ various online tools to influence the outcome.
Using your tablets, laptops and cell phones, you will see how communications and perceptions play out in a conflict environment.
Examine whether parties to a conflict can employ certain internet tools to either contribute to heightened conflict or more intrinsic and transparent Conflict Transformation. Determine in this simulation exercise, how Conflict Management is hampered or facilitated by actors who use technology to influence conflict dynamics. Discover through creative online interactions the overall effectiveness of social media usage in conflict arenas and upon the field of Conflict Resolution in general.
Register to attend in person at the Car Barn (204) at Georgetown University or participate live online at the #IranResolved.com website.The first 10 campus registrations will earn a free gift, courtesy of oneblue.org. Bring your tablets, cell phones and laptops!
