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| '''Hooman Majd''', born 1957 in ], is currently an ] journalist and author based in ], from where he makes frequent trips to Iran. | '''Hooman Majd''', born 1957 in ], is currently an ] journalist and author based in ], from where he makes frequent trips to Iran. He has been described as a “sometimes sympathetic communicator” of the Iranian government's positions. | ||
| <ref name="tweet">{{Cite news | |||
| |first=Steven | |||
| |last=Edwards | |||
| |title=Iranian-American author claims hackers behind offensive tweet about Nazanin Afshin-Jam | |||
| |url=http://news.nationalpost.com/2012/07/20/iranian-american-author-claims-hackers-behind-offensive-tweet-about-nazanin-afshin-jam/ | |||
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| |agency=Postmedia News | |||
| |work=National Post | |||
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| |location=Toronto | |||
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| |date=20 July 2012 | |||
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| |accessdate=2012-07-23 | |||
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| |quote=“F—ing a Canadian minister doesn’t make you Canadian, azizam. Come back to papa …" | |||
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| |archivedate=}}</ref> | |||
| His maternal grandfather was the Ayatollah Seyyed Mohammad Kazem Assar (1885-1975), who had been born in a village in Iraq "to an Iraqi mother and an Iranian father". The Ayatollah, along with other contemporary ], overcame traditional opposition to serve as a professor of philosophy at the ].<ref>Mehrzad Boroujerdi, ''Iranian Intellectuals and the West. The tormented triumph of nationalism'' (University of Syracuse 1996) at 95, 188-189.</ref> His own father, whose origins were in the village of Ardakan, Iran, became representative of a "middle class" that was "pro-democratic and pro-modernization".<ref>Majd, ''The Ayatollahs' Democracy'' (2010): the Ayatollah at 89, his own father at 90-91. The Ayatollah's son Nassir Assar (born 1926), Majd's uncle, incurred controversy and later personal danger due to his appointment under the Shah as "deputy prime minister in charge of ''Oghaf''" (an Iranian ] ). ''Ibid.'' at 89-90. The expatriate singer and author ] (1935-2008), a daughter of the same Ayatollah, was his aunt.</ref> | His maternal grandfather was the Ayatollah Seyyed Mohammad Kazem Assar (1885-1975), who had been born in a village in Iraq "to an Iraqi mother and an Iranian father". The Ayatollah, along with other contemporary ], overcame traditional opposition to serve as a professor of philosophy at the ].<ref>Mehrzad Boroujerdi, ''Iranian Intellectuals and the West. The tormented triumph of nationalism'' (University of Syracuse 1996) at 95, 188-189.</ref> His own father, whose origins were in the village of Ardakan, Iran, became representative of a "middle class" that was "pro-democratic and pro-modernization".<ref>Majd, ''The Ayatollahs' Democracy'' (2010): the Ayatollah at 89, his own father at 90-91. The Ayatollah's son Nassir Assar (born 1926), Majd's uncle, incurred controversy and later personal danger due to his appointment under the Shah as "deputy prime minister in charge of ''Oghaf''" (an Iranian ] ). ''Ibid.'' at 89-90. The expatriate singer and author ] (1935-2008), a daughter of the same Ayatollah, was his aunt.</ref> | ||
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| *''The Ayatollahs' Democracy. An Iranian challenge'' (New York: ] 2010). | *''The Ayatollahs' Democracy. An Iranian challenge'' (New York: ] 2010). | ||
| Majd has also served as an advisor and translator for the Iranian president Mohammad Khatami and translator for President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, on their trips to the United States and the United Nations, and has written about those experiences |
Majd has also served as an advisor and translator for the Iranian president Mohammad Khatami and translator for President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, on their trips to the United States and the United Nations, and has written about those experiences<ref name="huffpost">{{Cite web | ||
| |title=Hooman Majd | |||
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| |url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/hooman-majd/ | |||
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| |quote=He often writes on Iranian affairs, and travels regularly to Iran. He has also served as an advisor and translator for two Iranian presidents, Mohammad Khatami and Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, on their trips to the United States and the United Nations, and has written about those experiences. | |||
| }}</ref> the reforming, internationally oriented ] (1997-2001, 2001-2005); and, the establishment nationalist and populist ] (2005-2009, 2009–present). The British '']'' newspaper has described him as a “high profile explainer of the Iranian regime” who “honed his polemical skills by defending the nascent Islamic Republic to Iranian emigres at Speakers’ Corner in London.”<ref name="tweet"/> | |||
| Evidently, following the ], Majd continues to enjoy access to its politicians and officials, especially to former President Khatami. Admittedlly "emotionally invested in the politics of the country", a stated goal of the author is to shed light on the elusive "truth about Iran" that is fair for all of its people.<ref>Majd, ''The Ayatollahs' Democracy'' (2010): author's goals, at 44-46; Khatami, at 6, 14, 24-25, 34, etc.</ref> | Evidently, following the ], Majd continues to enjoy access to its politicians and officials, especially to former President Khatami. Admittedlly "emotionally invested in the politics of the country", a stated goal of the author is to shed light on the elusive "truth about Iran" that is fair for all of its people.<ref>Majd, ''The Ayatollahs' Democracy'' (2010): author's goals, at 44-46; Khatami, at 6, 14, 24-25, 34, etc.</ref> | ||
| In July 2012 a tweet from his Twitter account was made concerning Iranian-born ], "one of Canada’s leading human rights activists" challenging the Islamic Republican government, and the wife of ] Defence Minister ]. | |||
| The tweet read: “F—ing a Canadian minister doesn’t make you Canadian, azizam. Come back to papa …” | |||
| Majd has denied making the tweet, and in a later public tweet directed at Afshin-Jam Majd claimed his account had been hacked: “@NazaninAJ A recent series of tweets were made in my name as a result of a hack. Not my words, and tweets have been removed.”<ref name="tweet"/> | |||
| ==References== | ==References== | ||
Revision as of 16:02, 23 July 2012
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| Hooman Majd | |
|---|---|
| Occupation | Writer/Journalist |
Hooman Majd, born 1957 in Tehran, is currently an Iranian-American journalist and author based in New York City, from where he makes frequent trips to Iran. He has been described as a “sometimes sympathetic communicator” of the Iranian government's positions.
His maternal grandfather was the Ayatollah Seyyed Mohammad Kazem Assar (1885-1975), who had been born in a village in Iraq "to an Iraqi mother and an Iranian father". The Ayatollah, along with other contemporary ulema, overcame traditional opposition to serve as a professor of philosophy at the University of Tehran. His own father, whose origins were in the village of Ardakan, Iran, became representative of a "middle class" that was "pro-democratic and pro-modernization".
Raised in a family involved in the diplomatic service, Majd was raised from infancy abroad. He attended boarding school in England. He stayed in the US after the 1979 revolution and finished his college education in the US.
Majd worked in the entertainment industry, including Island Records and Polygram Records. He then worked as a journalist, contributing to GQ, The New York Times, The New Republic, The New Yorker, Salon, the New York Observer, and Interview, where he is also a contributing editor. He often writes on Iranian affairs, and travels regularly to Iran. Two of his books have been published:
- The Ayatollah Begs to Differ. The paradox of modern Iran (New York: Doubleday 2008).
- The Ayatollahs' Democracy. An Iranian challenge (New York: Norton 2010).
Majd has also served as an advisor and translator for the Iranian president Mohammad Khatami and translator for President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, on their trips to the United States and the United Nations, and has written about those experiences the reforming, internationally oriented Seyed Mohammad Khatami (1997-2001, 2001-2005); and, the establishment nationalist and populist Mahmoud Ahmadinejad (2005-2009, 2009–present). The British Observer newspaper has described him as a “high profile explainer of the Iranian regime” who “honed his polemical skills by defending the nascent Islamic Republic to Iranian emigres at Speakers’ Corner in London.”
Evidently, following the controversial 2009 election in Iran, Majd continues to enjoy access to its politicians and officials, especially to former President Khatami. Admittedlly "emotionally invested in the politics of the country", a stated goal of the author is to shed light on the elusive "truth about Iran" that is fair for all of its people.
In July 2012 a tweet from his Twitter account was made concerning Iranian-born Nazanin Afshin-Jam, "one of Canada’s leading human rights activists" challenging the Islamic Republican government, and the wife of Canadian Defence Minister Peter MacKay. The tweet read: “F—ing a Canadian minister doesn’t make you Canadian, azizam. Come back to papa …” Majd has denied making the tweet, and in a later public tweet directed at Afshin-Jam Majd claimed his account had been hacked: “@NazaninAJ A recent series of tweets were made in my name as a result of a hack. Not my words, and tweets have been removed.”
References
- ^ Edwards, Steven (20 July 2012). "Iranian-American author claims hackers behind offensive tweet about Nazanin Afshin-Jam". National Post. Toronto. Postmedia News. Retrieved 2012-07-23.
"F—ing a Canadian minister doesn't make you Canadian, azizam. Come back to papa …"
- Mehrzad Boroujerdi, Iranian Intellectuals and the West. The tormented triumph of nationalism (University of Syracuse 1996) at 95, 188-189.
- Majd, The Ayatollahs' Democracy (2010): the Ayatollah at 89, his own father at 90-91. The Ayatollah's son Nassir Assar (born 1926), Majd's uncle, incurred controversy and later personal danger due to his appointment under the Shah as "deputy prime minister in charge of Oghaf" (an Iranian waqf ). Ibid. at 89-90. The expatriate singer and author Shusha Guppy (1935-2008), a daughter of the same Ayatollah, was his aunt.
- "Hooman Majd". huffingtonpost.com. Retrieved 2012-07-23.
He often writes on Iranian affairs, and travels regularly to Iran. He has also served as an advisor and translator for two Iranian presidents, Mohammad Khatami and Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, on their trips to the United States and the United Nations, and has written about those experiences.
{{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameters:|trans_title=and|month=(help) - Majd, The Ayatollahs' Democracy (2010): author's goals, at 44-46; Khatami, at 6, 14, 24-25, 34, etc.
