Masoumeh Abdi Funeral: Memorial Service Held for Abbas Abdi’s Sister in Tehran
Abbas Abdi and Mohammad Khatami’s Reform Movement
The election of Mohammad Khatami as president in 1997 marked an important turning point in Iranian politics.
Khatami campaigned on themes associated with political reform, civil society and greater openness.
Abbas Abdi became one of the influential figures associated with the reformist political camp during this period.
He was connected to the Islamic Iran Participation Front, a reformist political organization that became important during the Khatami era.
Abdi’s activities extended beyond political commentary. His work in journalism and public-opinion research gave him a platform from which he could analyze Iranian society and political attitudes.
His career increasingly focused on the relationship between public opinion and political decision-making.
Abbas Abdi and Salam Newspaper
The newspaper Salam occupies an important place in Abbas Abdi’s professional history.
Salam was one of Iran’s best-known reformist newspapers during the 1990s.
Abdi served on the editorial board and became associated with the newspaper’s critical political writing.
His journalism eventually brought him into conflict with authorities.
According to the historical accounts cited by the Iran Primer, Abdi was imprisoned for eight months in 1993 over critical writings published in Salam.
His experience with imprisonment would later be followed by a much more serious legal case connected to his work in public-opinion research.
Abbas Abdi’s Arrest and Imprisonment
One of the most important events in Abbas Abdi’s political career occurred in 2002.
Abdi was arrested on November 4, 2002, following controversy surrounding an opinion poll about Iranian attitudes toward the United States.
Reporters Without Borders reported that Abdi, described as a director of the Ayandeh polling organization and former editor of Salam, was arrested at his home. Authorities accused Ayandeh of receiving money from the US polling company Gallup or from a foreign embassy.
The case became internationally significant because of the poll’s findings.
September 26, 2026 | 5:16 pm
