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Former Iranian minister to speak on U.S.-Iran relations
COLUMBUS — Ebrahim Yazdi, former Iranian minister of foreign affairs, will speak on "Iranian Politics and U.S.-Iranian Relations" at noon on Monday, April 21, 2008, at the Mershon Center for International Security Studies, 1501 Neil Avenue.
After the Islamic Revolution of 1979, Yazdi served as foreign minister in the interim government of Mehdi Bazargan. He resigned in protest after the Ayatollah Khomeini endorsed the takeover of the U.S. Embassy by radicals.
He also opposed continuation of the Iranian war against Iraq after a key Iranian victory in 1983; the war continued for six more years. Yazdi is currently secretary-general of the Freedom Movement of Iran, a group declared illegal by some Iranian officials.
Yazdi and other members of the Freedom Movement of Iran have filed for candidacy in subsequent elections, but have been barred from running. They continue to actively promote movement toward political freedom in Iran.
In recent trips to Washington, Yazdi advocated for democratic values, pluralism, and cooperation to guide the future of Iranian politics. He has said that the United States "needs to negotiate with Iran without preconditions" to resolve tensions and allow for Iran’s political development.
About the Mershon Center for International Security Studies
The Mershon Center for International Security Studies at The Ohio State University advances the understanding of national security in a global context by fostering interdisciplinary faculty and student research in three areas of focus: the use of force and diplomacy; the ideas, identities, and decisional processes that affect security; and the institutions that manage violent conflict. For more information, please see the center's website at http://mershoncenter.osu.edu.
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Ebrahim Yazdi
Secretary-General
of the Freedom Movement of Iran
Former foreign minister of Iran
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