14th February 2026
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Iran at a Crossroads: Protests and Political Futures

The Islamic Republic bears direct responsibility for the bloodshed, and its Supreme Leader is the principal accused. Opponents of the Islamic Republic can be divided into two groups. The national opposition adheres to three core principles: non-intervention by foreign powers, rejection of domestic tyranny, and a peaceful, democratic transition away from the Islamic Republic. According to the second type of opposition, the Islamic Republic must be overthrown at any cost—even through foreign intervention, and internal armed conflict. A referendum on the constitution of the future system must be held.

Amid federal crackdown on free speech, Duke professor and Iranian dissident Mohsen Kadivar remains vocal

Criticizing the repressive Islamic Republic, he is against U.S. military action in Iran. The Islamic Republic of Iran failed, but liberal democracy in the U.S. and Europe failed in the same way. There is no international law, no ethics. As the Iranian Constitution was violated, the U.S. Constitution was violated too. I'm supporting justice, freedom, and peace for the world, for the U.S., for Iran, for Palestine, and everywhere. I’m a global citizen. I belong to humanity. The only thing I want is to have a better, more peaceful world.

Iran at a Crossroads: Protests, Sanctions, and Political Futures

This roundtable brings together leading scholars of Iran to examine how recent protests, U.S. sanctions, and state power intersect to shape the country's current conditions and future trajectories. Panelists will analyze the interplay between social movements, economic pressures, and geopolitical constraints, situating these dynamics within broader historical and regional contexts. The discussion will explore the implications of these forces for Iran's future governance, its role in the region, and its relations with global powers. The roundtable offers a nuanced analysis that moves beyond headline-driven narratives.

“We don’t need a Supreme Leader”

Kadivar evaluates the future of Iran, characterizing the current authoritarian theocratic regime as a failing state that has lost its popular legitimacy. While he acknowledges the government's continued resilience against immediate collapse, he argues that ‘systemic reform’ or a transition to a secular democratic republic is essential for the nation's survival. Condemning any foreign aggressions, Kadivar emphasizes that the recent illegal Israel-US attacks have temporarily bolstered Iranian nationalism, while true stability requires the abolition of the Supreme Leader's office. A national referendum allows citizens to choose between various political models.

The Principles of Islamic Jurisprudence

This course offers a comprehensive study of the principles of jurisprudence, a foundational discipline for all Islamic narrative sciences. Students examine four main areas: Language and Meaning, addressing textual interpretation; Rational Correlations, exploring the role of reason in deriving rulings; Authority, assessing valid sources of law and their evidentiary weight; and Procedural Principles, guiding legal reasoning lacking clear proof. The course combines close reading of a major original text—Arabic proficiency required—and analysis of modern English-language scholarship. Emphasis is placed on historical development, theoretical foundations, and comparative perspectives.

 Religion and Science

The course discusses the relationship between religion and science from four perspectives: religion and ‘the history’ of science, religion and ‘the method’ of science, religion and the ‘theories’ of science, and ‘philosophical and theological’ reflections. Although it explores the relationship between religion and natural sciences in general, the focus sciences are four in addition to their metaphysical/theological implications: biology (Darwinism and evolutionary theory, natural theology, and randomness), physics (quantum theory and relativity), astronomy (the Big Bang, creation, design, and chance), and cognitive psychology & neuroscience (perception, and brain mechanisms).

Memorial of Fraidoon Hovaizi

Death reminds us of the path that awaits every one of us; it is the inseparable counterpart of life. Each human being passes through four stages of existence: the fetal realm, earthly life, the world of the grave, and the Resurrection. Dr. Fraidoon Hovaizi—an economist and an Iranian Arab from Khuzestan—played a singular and enduring role in the Muslim community of Charlottesville. He offered valuable counsel and support to Arab, Iranian, and Afghan immigrants alike. He lived with joy, and he departed this world with the same serenity.

Professor Nasr: A Tribute and a Reflection

Professor Seyyed Hossein Nasr is among the most influential interpreters of Islam in the Western academy. Through dozens of books and hundreds of scholarly articles and lectures, he has conveyed a compelling, compassionate, and intellectually vibrant vision of Islam. I regard Professor Nasr as one of the foremost exponents of “Rahmani Islam”—the Islam of Compassion. Professor Nasr is a source of pride for Iran, Islam, and Shiʿism in the contemporary world. His many virtues far outweigh his few shortcomings—and who among us is free from error?

The Expectations from Islam

This lecture, The Expectations from Islam, examines how reformist Muslims define the scope and limits of religion today. Moving beyond traditional accounts of prophecy’s benefits, it asks what Muslims can legitimately expect from Islam. Reformist thought distinguishes enduring, transhistorical teachings from historically contingent rulings, identifying eight permanent domains: meaning to life, knowledge of God, the Hereafter, the unseen realm, morality, ritual, quasi-ritual, and limited social guidance. While Islam offers lasting principles of meaning, faith, ethics, and salvation, reformists emphasize that secular sciences and human reason address most worldly affairs.

Only a Referendum Could Decide Iran’s Future

The Islamic Republic, once born of popular revolution, has evolved into an authoritarian state under Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei’s long rule, marked by repression, economic decline, and public disillusionment. Over 85% of Iranians oppose current policies, calling for a referendum on the system’s future, with growing support for a secular democratic republic. Despite hostility toward foreign aggression, especially from Israel and the U.S., Iranians reject regime change via external force. Israel’s recent attack on Iran, alongside atrocities in Gaza, underscores global failures of international law, human rights, and ethical governance.

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