The following article was published in the Washington Post 25 September, 2013:

For Iran’s Rouhani, the human rights of Baha’is are the ultimate test of reform

By Reza Aslan, Michael Brooks, The Washington Post  Published: September 25 at 7:27 am

Iranian President-elect Hasan Rouhani at a June 17 news conference in Tehran. (Ebrahim Noroozi/AP )

Hassan Rouhani’s speech at the United Nations on Tuesday signaled the possibility of a thaw in relations between Iran and the United States. Indeed, President Rouhani has been diligently trying to improve Iran’s image abroad by, for instance, reaching out to the   Jewish community over social media and to Americans through an NBC interview and a  Washington Post op-ed. At the same time, he has fostered hope for reform at home by freeing political prisoners and promising greater freedoms for Iran’s young and restive population. 

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