CGAS program hosts panel on “The War Against Iran” and advances scholarly research on Iranian history

Under the leadership of history professor Rudi Matthee, the University of Delaware Islamic Studies Program has strengthened its reputation as a hub for in scholarly excellence. Part of the Center for Global and Area Studies (CGAS), the program provides students and the broader community with insights into both historical and contemporary issues shaping the Islamic world.

Panel discussion examines conflict involving Iran

One of the program's most timely events was the April 2 panel discussion “The War Against Iran.” Students, faculty and community members attended the event, which brought together distinguished scholars and public intellectuals to analyze the geopolitical, historical and social implications of the regional tensions.

Featured panelists included:

• Arash Azizi, Yale Program for the Study of Antisemitism postdoctoral fellow and contributing writer for The Atlantic.
• Mehrzad Boroujerdi, vice provost and dean of the College of Arts, Sciences, and Education at Missouri University of Science and Technology.
• Lior Sternfeld, associate professor of history and Jewish studies at Pennsylvania State University.

Program director recognized as scholar of Iranian history

The program celebrates a major scholarly achievement by its director. Rudi Matthee was awarded a prestigious Guggenheim Fellowship for 2026–2027 to support his project, Keeping the Turks at Bay: Safavid Iran and the Eurasian Attempts at Anti-Ottoman Coalition Building, 1500–1700. This honor recognizes Matthee's internationally renowned scholarship on Safavid Iran and its place within broader global historical processes.

Matthee continued a productive year of research and publication, including:

• “Jean-Baptiste de la Maze, missionnaire jésuite français (1624–1709), et sa description du Chirvan” in Studia Iranica
• “Bloody Hands: Shāh Ṣafī Ṣafavī’s Ascent to Power, 1038–44/1629–34” in the Journal of the American Society for Premodern Asia.

Matthee’s expertise was sought by institutions across the country this past year. He presented research on the Safavid Empire and global history at Georgetown University and participated in a publication celebration at the University at Buffalo.

Beyond academia, Matthee brought scholarly perspectives to a broader public audience. His insights on Iran and the Middle East were featured in the interview "Hormuz, War and the Survival of Iran," published by Informed Comment and later translated into Persian for Le Monde Diplomatique. He was also interviewed by NPR's On Point with Meghna Chakrabarti to discuss the strategic significance of the Strait of Hormuz and its role in contemporary international affairs.