As Georgetown University students, we all have a thread. Some of us hold it loosely, unaware it is there at all. Others grip it tightly because they know what it means to live without it.
This thread is education, safety and the belief that our ideas can have an effect on the world. At Georgetown, we are trained to see ourselves as future policymakers, diplomats and leaders. But for the people of Iran, their thread has been pulled out of their hands. Iranians today are facing an uncertain future with constrained classrooms, bombed cities, tyrannical restrictions and a complete dismissal of their voices by the international community.
It therefore becomes the duty of educational institutions such as Georgetown to ensure students are prepared to speak for the voiceless. This is not a criticism of any professor or course, but rather a broader reflection on the gap I see as an Iranian student at Georgetown between the scale of events shaping the Middle East and the scale of conversation on our campus. I believe we can address this by fostering more discussion within and beyond our classrooms.
Firstly, especially within the School of Foreign Service (SFS), courses on international politics and security should include regular discussions of escalations in the Middle East. For example, professors could dedicate a small part of classes to analyzing one major development in the global world. While the SFS does a great job of addressing major global developments through guest lectures and public events, there is rarely sustained classroom space to engage with these conversations. In my experience, these discussions are often constrained by limited class time and structured syllabi.
Secondly, SFS students should pay closer attention to basic geographic knowledge. In one of my classes this semester, my professor asked us to list the countries bordering Iran and even I initially struggled to name all seven. A simple five-minute map exercise like this can strengthen understanding and help students feel more confident engaging in conversations about the Middle East. While all SFS students are required to take “Maps of the Modern World,” a class built to understand geography by studying countries and their borders, the course often becomes an exercise in memorization rather than in long-term retention, which is why geographic knowledge should be reinforced throughout the four years of our curriculum at Georgetown.
Finally, I believe Georgetown students should take better advantage of our campus being in Washington, D.C. Professors can do this by encouraging students to attend public events at institutions such as the Middle East Institute, the Atlantic Council and the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace or by inviting these analysts into classrooms. Another way to engage with the city around us is to volunteer with refugee support organizations or visit exhibitions of Iranian art at the Smithsonian National Museum of Asian Art. Experiencing Iranian culture through both policy and art helps students see Iran not only as an international actor but as a beautiful country with a rich history and promising future.
Understanding Iran today requires recognizing that the country stands at a political turning point that could reshape its future trajectory. Questions remain surrounding the role of its leader, Mojtaba Khamenei and if he is alive; the difference between him and his father; whether he will be the last ayatollah; and why he has not yet shown his face in public. Alongside these political debates are significant economic stakes. Nearly twenty percent of the world’s oil passes through the Strait of Hormuz, making stability in this corridor essential to the global economy. As tensions rise, several shipping companies have already reduced or paused traffic through the region, making the movement of basic goods more difficult worldwide.
If developments in Iran can reshape global markets and regional stability, they must also reshape the conversations in our classrooms. Please continue to speak for the people of Iran and use your voices well. Speaking for Iranians who cannot speak right now does not mean speaking over them; instead, it means recognizing our responsibility and luck. The thread we hold at Georgetown is rare in today’s world and we must use it with care for the civilians whose futures are not as accessible as ours.
Noor Afshar is a junior in the School of Foreign Service.
