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Princeton Community Holds Teach-in, Vigil, and Rally Amid US-Iran War
Princeton Hosts Events Responding to US-Iran War
Several dozen members of the Princeton University community gathered for a series of events in response to the ongoing war in Iran, which began with U.S. and Israeli strikes on February 28. The events included a teach-in, a vigil, and a rally, featuring scholars, activists, veterans, and community members who examined the war's political, historical, and human dimensions.
These three events were organized by the Sharmin and Bijan Mossavar-Rahmani Center for Iran and Persian Gulf Studies (MRC) and Princeton Israeli Apartheid Divest. Speakers argued that the wars in Iran, Lebanon, and Palestine constitute a single crisis in which the United States is an active participant, pushing back against dehumanizing narratives and scrutinizing Princeton's relationship with U.S. and Israeli military powers.
Exploring Diverse Aspects of the Conflict
On Tuesday, the MRC hosted a teach-in at Robertson Hall, attended by over 60 people. Six Princeton scholars and field experts gave presentations covering the nuances of the war, while organizers distributed a list of alternative news sources. Postdoctoral Research Associate Maral Sahebjame emphasized that Iran is not a monolith, comprising diverse ethnic, religious, and linguistic groups. Anthropology professor Arzoo Osanloo discussed Iran's 150-year history of oppression, and history professor Max Weiss explored Israel's role in Lebanon. Negar Razavi, an associate research scholar at MRC, noted that U.S. war games over two decades consistently showed the U.S. would lose a conventional war against Iran. Following the teach-in, a candlelight vigil was held on Firestone Plaza.
*Source: The Daily Princetonian (2026-03-19)*
