Tara Kangarlou

Tara Kangarlou is an Iranian-American global affairs journalist who has produced, written and reported for NBC, CNN, and Al Jazeera America. She is an adjunct professor at Georgetown University and is the author of The Heartbeat of Iran.

Q&A: Defecting From Iran With Close Regime Ties

Meisam Jebelli defected from Iran in 2020, but his brother, Peyman Jebelli, runs the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB), a powerful state-controlled media group.

By Tara Kangarlou January 9, 2023

The Islamic Regime's Deadly Militia in Iran

The IRGC's militia, the Basij, consists of millions of "ideologically brainwashed and easily mobilized" volunteers.

By Tara Kangarlou December 5, 2022

Why Iranian Protesters Chant 'Woman, Life, Liberty'

Iranian women are collectively denouncing the many backward policies that have been holding them back for decades

By Tara Kangarlou October 5, 2022

Why Iranians Are Protesting A Young Woman's Death

Mahsa Amini died in the custody of Iran's "morality police" but public rage is about more than a dress code

By Tara Kangarlou September 19, 2022

Iranians Desperate for Vaccines as COVID-19 Deaths Hit Peak

“This crisis is a direct result of the regime’s failure"

By Tara Kangarlou August 16, 2021

The Iranian Olympian Friends Turned Rivals at Tokyo 2020

2016 Olympic medalist Kimia Alizadeh will compete as a refugee athlete against her long-time friend Nahid Kiyani of Iran

By Tara Kangarlou July 23, 2021

Iran Is Too Often Viewed Through the Lens of Our Rulers. Try Looking Through the Eyes of Our People

As the world watches Iran vote, let’s not forget the millions of Iranians whose dreams and hopes mirror that of the rest of the world

By Tara Kangarlou June 18, 2021

Why Iran Is Struggling to Contain Its Coronavirus Outbreak

Iran's overwhelmed health system is already finding echoes around the world

By Tara Kangarlou and Joseph Hincks March 17, 2020

Iran Doctors Believe Coronavirus More Serious Than Reported

Medical professionals inside the Islamic Republic tell TIME they believe the country is now grappling with an “epidemic”

By Tara Kangarlou February 27, 2020