Conference Prep and Perspectives on Iran

April 9, 2026

This week we split the class in two.

Everyone going to McKenna MUN (Claremont McKenna's conference) met with me to work on their position papers and speeches.

Everyone else did an activity on Iran and the recent events between Iran and the U.S.

Researching on their own

First, students researched on their own to figure out what they thought was happening, based on the sources they found. Each group made one slide of background, with their sources cited.

Four perspectives

Then each of the four groups got a role and made the rest of their presentation from that point of view:

An Iranian citizen
Donald Trump
An American who opposes Trump
The Iranian government

After the background slide, each group connected one specific event from the news to their role, and explained why it mattered to that group: their survival, their political power, or their economic situation.

For example, take the killing of Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in U.S. and Israeli strikes at the end of February. As an Iranian citizen, you might be glad, because you saw him as an oppressive leader. Other Iranian citizens would be upset. A presentation from that role would talk about both.

Truce or no truce?

Last, each group reflected on whether their role would support a truce, or be afraid of one.