Global Issues: IRAN SPECIAL - Masters of enrichment?

Iran’s proclamation that they are well down the path of being nuclear tipped, the international response to this and the ongoing issue of the fate of popular protest in the Islamic Republic tied in with the rather erratic but colourful current Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadin all are keeping Iran in the news spotlight. However, Iran is a highly complicated subject and veritable minefield when it comes to using it as a case study for the Global Issues course - given that it is relevant to WMD and the issue of proliferation; ‘rogue’ states; Cultural Conflict and even the international protection of human rights.

The latest edition of the Newstatesman is featuring a special on Iran [yes I do apologise for perpetual reference to this down at heal rado pinko publication - not least since some say they are keeping their political columnist in the basement and only feeding him Julius Nicholson’s special biscuits).

Iran is viewed from two angles - the power and the people; here is what the Newstatesman has to say:

“Firstly, we break down the power groups in the Islamic Republic and try to answer the simple question: Who rules Iran? US Secretary of State Hilary Clinton this week said that “Iran is moving toward a military dictatorship”, a claim rebuffed by Iran’s elected foreign minister Manouchehr Mottaki. We take a look at the power relationships which inform Iranian politics. Click here for article: Who rules Iran? Secondly, we look at the composition of Iranian society. In the wake of recent demonstrations in Iran, numerous articles have made reference to the “Iranian people” and “Iranian society”. Here we identify the heterogeneous composition of the 71 million people who inhabit Iran and the socio-economic situation in which they live. Click here for article ‘Iran: the People’

There are other articles too - but the two highlighted above really do give easy clarity and a quick grasp on Iran’s big picture.