Nowruz Surprise…

While teaching at Harvard, I traveled to Iran to give an academic talk and meet with Iranian colleagues–in the spirit of intellectual collaboration and mutual understanding. Back then, my friends in America were convinced that I’d be sent straight to Gitmo upon my return–but now it seems times have (somewhat) changed. Today, on the occasion of Persian New Year, the U.S. treasury officially authorized select academic exchanges with Iran. When I met with Iranian students in Tehran, many of them told me that I was the first American they had ever met–and they were longing to meet many more. Hopefully, today’s authorization of “certain academic exchanges” will open up many opportunities between Iran and the United States for academic partnerships and intercultural dialogue in the years to come…