Difference between revisions of "Mehdi Khalaji"
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|wikipedia=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mehdi_Khalaji | |wikipedia=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mehdi_Khalaji | ||
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| − | |birth_date=1973 | + | |birth_date=21 September 1973 |
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| + | |nationality=US | ||
|constitutes=academic | |constitutes=academic | ||
|interests=Middle East | |interests=Middle East | ||
|sourcewatch=http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Mehdi_Khalaji | |sourcewatch=http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Mehdi_Khalaji | ||
| − | |alma_mater=Qom Seminary | + | |alma_mater=Qom Seminary, Tarbiat Modarres Universit |
|birth_name=Mehdī Khalajī | |birth_name=Mehdī Khalajī | ||
|birth_place=Qom, Iran | |birth_place=Qom, Iran | ||
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|citizenship=United States | |citizenship=United States | ||
|political_parties=Democratic Party | |political_parties=Democratic Party | ||
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| − | '''Mehdi Khalaji''' is an | + | '''Mehdi Khalaji''' is an [[Iranian-American]] writer, scholar of Islamic studies, political analyst and a former [[Shia cleric]].<ref>https://foreignpolicy.com/2009/07/27/interview-mehdi-khalaji/</ref> He has been researching at the [[Washington Institute for Near East Policy]] since 2005, and is now a senior research fellow focusing on the politics of Iran and Shiite groups in the [[Middle East]]. He has frequently contributed to media outlets such as ''[[The Guardian]]'', [[BBC]], ''[[The Washington Post]]'', and ''[[The New York Times]]''. Khalaji is an American citizen. |
| − | == | + | |
| + | In March 2019 Khalaji and his wife, [[Marjan Sheikholeslami Aleagha]], were listed among the main suspects in the largest financial corruption case in Iranian history with a total amount of 6.7 billion euros. Khalaji and his wife are suspected that they made contracts with [[Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps]] oil and gas company, Sepanir, and in order to bypass sanctions they used personal accounts which were used to embezzle money to [[United States]] and [[Canada]].<ref>https://www.asriran.com/fa/news/657496/مرجان-شیخالاسلامی-آلآقا-متهم-اقتصادی-فراری-است</ref><ref>http://www.entekhab.ir/fa/news/463704/مرجان-شیخ-الاسلامی-شریک-متهم-پرونده-فساد-در-پتروشیمی-با-مبلغی-کلان-به-خارج-از-کشور-متواری-شده-جزئیاتی-تکاندهنده-از-پرونده-۶۶-میلیارد-یورویی-پتروشیمی-بزرگترین-کلاهبرداری-تاریخ-ایران</ref> | ||
| + | |||
| + | ==Education and career== | ||
| + | A native from [[Qom]], the center for Shi'a scholarship in Iran, Khalaji studied [[Islamic theology]] in [[Qom Seminary]], and [[Philosophy]] in [[Tarbiat Modarres University]].<ref>[http://www.qomct.com/persian/index.htm The Islamic Propagation Office of the Islamic Seminary of Qom] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070314200457/http://www.qomct.com/persian/index.htm |date=2007-03-14 }}</ref> | ||
| + | |||
| + | From 1986 to 2000, Khalaji trained in the seminaries of Qom, the traditional center of Iran's clerical establishment. There he studied theology and jurisprudence, earning a doctorate and thoroughly researched on modern intellectual and philosophical-political developments in Iran and the wider Islamic and Western worlds. In Qom, and later in Tehran, Khalaji launched a career in journalism, first serving on the editorial board of a theological journal, ''Naqd va Nazar'', and then the daily ''[[Entekhab]]''. In addition to his own writing, he has translated the works of the Islamic humanist scholar [[Muhammad Arkoun]] and other modernist Muslim intellectuals.<ref>https://www.washingtoninstitute.org/experts/view/khalaji-mehdi</ref> | ||
| + | |||
| + | In 1993, Khalaji became a contributor to Kiyan monthly magazine, which at the time was the main voice of religious intellectuals in Iran. | ||
| + | |||
| + | In 2000, Khalaji moved to Paris where he studied Shiite theology and exegesis in the but didn't earn any degree or certificate [[Ecole Pratique des Hautes Etudes]]. He also worked for BBC Persian as a political analyst on Iranian affairs, eventually becoming a broadcaster for the Prague-based [[Radio Farda]], the Persian-language service of the U.S. government's [[Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty]]. At [[Radio Farda]], he produced news, features, and analysis on a range of Middle Eastern, Iranian, and Islamic issues. | ||
| + | |||
| + | In 2005, Mehdi Khalaji became a senior fellow at The Washington Institute, focusing on the politics of Iran and Shiite groups in the Middle East. A Shiite theologian by training, Khalaji has also served on the editorial boards of two prominent Iranian periodicals and produced for the BBC as well as the U.S. government's Persian news service. He is a frequent contributor in PolicyWatch and PeaceWatch segments submitted by the [[Washington Institute for Near East Policy]]. He has participated in many panels including one in November 2006 when he appeared on a panel run by [[American Foreign Policy Council]], titled "[https://web.archive.org/web/20070127131849/http://www.afpc.org/IFI/IranConf.shtml Understanding the Iranian Threat]", along with [[James Woolsey]], [[Ilan Berman]], and [[Patrick Clawson]]. He is a writer and contributor for numerous English-language and Persian-language media entities. He also teaches Persian-language webinars on Quran'ic interpretation for [[Tavaana: E-Learning Institute for Iranian Civil Society]].<ref>https://tavaana.org/en/content/mehdi-khalaji</ref> | ||
| + | |||
| + | ===Father's arrest=== | ||
| + | On January 12, 2010, Mehdi Khalaji’s father, Mohammad Taghi Khalaji, was arrested in Iran.<ref>http://www.politico.com/blogs/laurarozen/0110/Iran_arrests_father_of_US_think_tank_scholar.html?showall</ref> A report from [[The Washington Institute for Near East Policy]] stated that agents of [[Ministry of Intelligence (Iran)|Iran's Ministry of Intelligence]], conducted a violent house search, confiscating personal files, books, letters, a computer, satellite receiver and the family's passports. Mehdi Khalaji's daughter's passport was among those confiscated. Khalaji's family was banned from leaving Iran.<ref>http://www.washingtoninstitute.org/html/pdf/KhalajiArrest-pressrelease.pdf</ref> | ||
| + | |||
| + | == Views == | ||
| + | Khalaji has written an opinion piece in ''[[New York Times]]'' on why he is against [[Iran deal]].<ref>https://nytimes.com/2015/04/27/opinion/iran-wont-give-up-on-its-revolution.html</ref> | ||
| + | |||
{{SMWDocs}} | {{SMWDocs}} | ||
==References== | ==References== | ||
{{reflist}} | {{reflist}} | ||
| − | |||
Revision as of 01:55, 8 April 2021
 Mehdi Khalaji     (academic) | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | Mehdī Khalajī 21 September 1973 Qom, Iran |
| Nationality | US |
| Citizenship | United States |
| Alma mater | Qom Seminary, Tarbiat Modarres Universit |
| Member of | Washington Institute for Near East Policy |
| Interests | Middle East |
| Party | Democratic Party |
Mehdi Khalaji is an Iranian-American writer, scholar of Islamic studies, political analyst and a former Shia cleric.[1] He has been researching at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy since 2005, and is now a senior research fellow focusing on the politics of Iran and Shiite groups in the Middle East. He has frequently contributed to media outlets such as The Guardian, BBC, The Washington Post, and The New York Times. Khalaji is an American citizen.
In March 2019 Khalaji and his wife, Marjan Sheikholeslami Aleagha, were listed among the main suspects in the largest financial corruption case in Iranian history with a total amount of 6.7 billion euros. Khalaji and his wife are suspected that they made contracts with Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps oil and gas company, Sepanir, and in order to bypass sanctions they used personal accounts which were used to embezzle money to United States and Canada.[2][3]
Education and career
A native from Qom, the center for Shi'a scholarship in Iran, Khalaji studied Islamic theology in Qom Seminary, and Philosophy in Tarbiat Modarres University.[4]
From 1986 to 2000, Khalaji trained in the seminaries of Qom, the traditional center of Iran's clerical establishment. There he studied theology and jurisprudence, earning a doctorate and thoroughly researched on modern intellectual and philosophical-political developments in Iran and the wider Islamic and Western worlds. In Qom, and later in Tehran, Khalaji launched a career in journalism, first serving on the editorial board of a theological journal, Naqd va Nazar, and then the daily Entekhab. In addition to his own writing, he has translated the works of the Islamic humanist scholar Muhammad Arkoun and other modernist Muslim intellectuals.[5]
In 1993, Khalaji became a contributor to Kiyan monthly magazine, which at the time was the main voice of religious intellectuals in Iran.
In 2000, Khalaji moved to Paris where he studied Shiite theology and exegesis in the but didn't earn any degree or certificate Ecole Pratique des Hautes Etudes. He also worked for BBC Persian as a political analyst on Iranian affairs, eventually becoming a broadcaster for the Prague-based Radio Farda, the Persian-language service of the U.S. government's Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. At Radio Farda, he produced news, features, and analysis on a range of Middle Eastern, Iranian, and Islamic issues.
In 2005, Mehdi Khalaji became a senior fellow at The Washington Institute, focusing on the politics of Iran and Shiite groups in the Middle East. A Shiite theologian by training, Khalaji has also served on the editorial boards of two prominent Iranian periodicals and produced for the BBC as well as the U.S. government's Persian news service. He is a frequent contributor in PolicyWatch and PeaceWatch segments submitted by the Washington Institute for Near East Policy. He has participated in many panels including one in November 2006 when he appeared on a panel run by American Foreign Policy Council, titled "Understanding the Iranian Threat", along with James Woolsey, Ilan Berman, and Patrick Clawson. He is a writer and contributor for numerous English-language and Persian-language media entities. He also teaches Persian-language webinars on Quran'ic interpretation for Tavaana: E-Learning Institute for Iranian Civil Society.[6]
Father's arrest
On January 12, 2010, Mehdi Khalaji’s father, Mohammad Taghi Khalaji, was arrested in Iran.[7] A report from The Washington Institute for Near East Policy stated that agents of Iran's Ministry of Intelligence, conducted a violent house search, confiscating personal files, books, letters, a computer, satellite receiver and the family's passports. Mehdi Khalaji's daughter's passport was among those confiscated. Khalaji's family was banned from leaving Iran.[8]
Views
Khalaji has written an opinion piece in New York Times on why he is against Iran deal.[9]
References
- ↑ https://foreignpolicy.com/2009/07/27/interview-mehdi-khalaji/
- ↑ https://www.asriran.com/fa/news/657496/مرجان-شیخالاسلامی-آلآقا-متهم-اقتصادی-فراری-است
- ↑ http://www.entekhab.ir/fa/news/463704/مرجان-شیخ-الاسلامی-شریک-متهم-پرونده-فساد-در-پتروشیمی-با-مبلغی-کلان-به-خارج-از-کشور-متواری-شده-جزئیاتی-تکاندهنده-از-پرونده-۶۶-میلیارد-یورویی-پتروشیمی-بزرگترین-کلاهبرداری-تاریخ-ایران
- ↑ The Islamic Propagation Office of the Islamic Seminary of Qom Archived 2007-03-14 at the Wayback Machine.
- ↑ https://www.washingtoninstitute.org/experts/view/khalaji-mehdi
- ↑ https://tavaana.org/en/content/mehdi-khalaji
- ↑ http://www.politico.com/blogs/laurarozen/0110/Iran_arrests_father_of_US_think_tank_scholar.html?showall
- ↑ http://www.washingtoninstitute.org/html/pdf/KhalajiArrest-pressrelease.pdf
- ↑ https://nytimes.com/2015/04/27/opinion/iran-wont-give-up-on-its-revolution.html
