This individual is a guest contributor. MEI is not able to assist with contact requests.
Thomas Halvorsen was the associate director for corporate relations at the Middle East Institute. Prior to joining MEI, he completed an M.Litt. in Iranian Studies and an M.A. in International Relations and Middle East Studies from the University of St Andrews. Thomas has also assisted numerous scholars in several research projects, consulted documentary filmmakers, and has worked as an intern and contributor to LatinNews Intelligence Research Ltd. in London.
Thomas is competent in Persian and fluent in Spanish; and has travelled extensively across the world, especially throughout Europe and Latin America.
Education
M. Litt. Iranian Studies with Distinction; University of St Andrews,
M.A. (hons) International Relations and Middle East Studies; First Class; University of St Andrews
Why the Russian ambassador is such a controversial figure in Tehran
Despite Russia and Iran’s apparently tightening relationship, Russian Ambassador Levan Dzhagaryan has come under withering criticism in Tehran, becoming a reminder of the interventionist and imperialist policies that Russia had practiced toward its southern neighbor over the past two and a half centuries.
Revolutionary narratives: The Islamic Republic’s greatest strength
On Feb. 11, Iran celebrated the 43rd anniversary of its 1979 revolution. The current government in Tehran takes good care to refer to this as the “Islamic Revolution,” implying that what happened then was an organized and intentional effort, on the part of the entire country, to pivot toward an Islamic society. But any student of modern Iranian history will tell you that this is a vast oversimplification that puts the cart before the horse.
