Insights & Analysis

Iran's Forgotten Mental Health Crisis

They Didn’t Kill Him, So They’re Torturing Him

Few know the cost of freedom better than Amir Hossein Moradi, who at the tender age of 25 endured incomparable suffering at the hands of the Islamic Republic occupying Iran since 1979, and all because he wanted his country to be free. While Amir is just one of the countless Iranians oppressed,...

Iranian Poet Sheydaye Hamedani Detained

Ghasem Bahrami known by his artist name Sheydaye Hamedani is an Iranian poet who was jailed for his outspoken opposition to the Islamic Regime, its corruption and its inhumane treatment of the Iranian...

Tehran views the rise of the Taliban with both glee and suspicion

Originally published in the Washington Examiner. The regime in Iran initially welcomed the triumph of the Taliban over the central government in Kabul, celebrating the humiliation of the U.S., their ...

Toomaj’s “Normal” in English

On September 13, Iranian rapper Toomaj Salehi was arrested by the IRGC. Read NUFDI’s introduction of Toomaj and his work here. His song “Normal” described life under the Islamic Republic in Iran. NUF...

Toomaj’s “Mouse Hole” in English

On September 13, Iranian rapper Toomaj Salehi was arrested by the IRGC. Read NUFDI’s introduction of Toomaj and his work here. Many believe he was arrested for his latest song, “Mouse Hole” which cal...

Dissident Rapper Who Defied Regime Arrested in Iran

Who Toomaj Salehi is and Why he Was Arrested:  Toomaj Salehi is an Iranian dissident rapper, originally from Isfahan, who was arrested on Monday, September 13, 2021, by Iranian authorities. The offic...

NUFDI’s Complaint to NY Times: Farnaz Fassihi’s Problematic Iran Reporting

Dean Baquet, Executive Editor and the Editorial Board The New York Times 620 Eighth Avenue Manhattan, New York 10018 Thursday 9 September 2021 Re: Complaint Against Farnaz Fassihi In light of rec...

NUFDI to Amnesty: Help Imprisoned Dissident in Iran

Paul O’Brien Executive Director Amnesty International USA Washington, DC Monday September 13, 2021 Dear Mr. O’Brien, As the Islamic Republic in Iran continues its four decade-long campaign against ...

President Biden is Betraying the Truman Doctrine

In 1947, President Harry Truman established what became his lasting and namesake foreign policy doctrine: America will always protect, from both internal and external threats, all who fight for democracy. Originally focused on protecting the sovereignty of nations from assimilation by the Soviet...

NUFDI to Biden: Use Frozen Assets for Vaccines

Mr. President, The people of Iran are facing an unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe. While the world struggles with COVID-19, the Iranian people are struggling under a regime condemning them to de...

Soviet Disinformation Finds New Life in the Islamic Republic

From the tattered desk of a distant country’s diplomatic office, a loyal state official diligently disseminates falsified messages and memorandums. The agent’s sole intent: skew adversarial perceptions and maintain domestic control. The contemporary concept of disinformation campaigning — or the...