Iran Today

While Iran confronts the outside world over its efforts to develop nuclear technology and the strident rhetoric of its president, the people of Iran confront domestic issues like joblessness, poverty, women's rights and freedom of expression. Vermont Public Radio's Steve Zind recently returned to Iran to talk with people about the challenges of daily life there. He brings these issues into focus in "Iran Today," a series of five reports.

Part One: Making Ends Meet
Poverty and unemployment are taking their toll on every from medical school graduates to those with little education.

Part Two: Beyond the Veil
Women's lives in Iran defy stereotypes. Women are caught between modernity and tradition, and their rights under Iranian law reflect these paradoxes.

Part Three: Power of Words
In Iran writers, especially poets, enjoy pop-star status. Despite the dangers poet Simin Behbehani has used her work to speak out for human rights in Iran.

Part Four: Morals Police
The para-military organization known as Basij has attracted an army of devout young men dedicated to fundamentalist Islamic principals. Their job is to prevent "moral corruption" and, if need be, defend Iran from outside forces.

Part Five: Press Freedoms
Domestic problems are widely covered in Iran's newspapers, but there are some "red lines" journalists are warned not to cross. The red lines aren't lines, aren't always clear and many journalists have been jailed or worse.

Each piece in the series runs about eight minutes; Vermont Public Radio originally aired the series over one week as a daily feature during morning/evening news magazines. Hide full description

While Iran confronts the outside world over its efforts to develop nuclear technology and the strident rhetoric of its president, the people of Iran confront domestic issues like joblessness, poverty, women's rights and freedom of expression. Vermont Public Radio's Steve Zind recently returned to Iran to talk with people about the challenges of daily life there. He brings these issues into focus in "Iran Today," a series of five reports. Part One: Making Ends Meet Poverty and unemployment are taking their toll on every from medical school graduates to those with little education. Part Two: Beyond the Veil Women's lives in Iran defy stereotypes. Women are caught between modernity and tradition, and their rights under Iranian law reflect these paradoxes. Part Three: Power of Words In... Show full description