Wine and Cheese Evening: Professor Habibi Gives a Talk on Iran's Nuclear Program

The latest edition of the American Graduate School in Paris Wine and Cheese evenings, held on November 26th, had Dr. Mariam Habibi as the evening's guest speaker. A specialist of Middle Eastern history and politics, Professor Habibi led a discussion on the question: "Should Iran Have a Nuclear Program?" following the recent signature of the Geneva Interim Agreement on November 24th, where Iran and six major world leaders agreed to a halt or back scaling of Iran's nuclear activities in turn for temporary relief from economic sanctions that have been imposed on the country.

In her presentation, Professor Habibi shared her expertise for a better understanding of the cultural and domestic political context in which Iran operates. She provided a concise historical background to the nuclear program of Iran, from the early days under the Shah when Western powers actually provided Tehran with the know-how in the 1950s and 1960s, to the watershed Iranian Revolution which brought an end to Western cooperation in the nuclear field in 1979, through the Iran-Iraq War of the 1980s when Baghdad's reckless attempt to develop nuclear weapons of mass destruction demonstrated to Tehran an urgent need for its own nuclear deterrence, to technology transfer from Pakistan in the 1990s, up until the present crisis in the post 9/11 era.

Professor Douglas Yates says: "Professor Habibi presented a fascinating talk in an area of central concern to the international community. She provided invaluable insight and was able to engage the audience in an informed and constructive debate."

Professor Mariam Habibi teaches at the American Graduate School as well as at New York University in Paris and in the study abroad programs of USC, American University in Washington DC, and University of California in Paris. After having completed a joint degree in Economics and Politics at Lancaster University, UK and an M.A. in Contemporary European History at the Unversity of London, she obtained her doctorate from Sciences Po (Institut d'Etudes Politiques) in Paris. Her areas of expertise include Middle Eastern history, politics and diplomacy with an emphasis on Iran; European Union politics; and Twentieth Century French history with an emphasis on topics such as immigration, colonialism, and Islam. She is the author of L'Interface France-Iran 1907-1938. Une Diplomatie Voilée Paris, L'Harmattan 2004 (The Franco-Iranian Interface 1907-1938. A Veiled Diplomacy).

For more information on the AGS in Paris Wine and Cheese evenings and if you wish to attend a future edition, please contact info@ags.edu.

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