Ali Arezoo
Dubai,UAE
Summary
Experienced bilingual analyst, translator with and team lead with nearly three decades of work in international media monitoring, political and economic analysis, and linguistic services focused on the Middle East region, especially Iran. Proven expertise in open-source intelligence, Iranian media ecosystems, public diplomacy, and the integration of AI into policy workflows. Recognized for pioneering Iran-focused social media monitoring and contributing to strategic U.S. and UK government efforts.
Overview
31
31
years of professional experience
6
6
years of post-secondary education
Work history
Senior Iran Political/Economic Specialist
Iran Regional Presence Office (IRPO), U.S. Consulate General
Dubai
07.2018 - 09.2025
- Produce analytical reports on Iran’s political and economic developments domestically and internationally for U.S. State Department and other U.S. government agencies.
- Advise and assist U.S. political officers with research, editing, and briefing materials.
- Deliver presentations and training sessions on Iran’s media landscape to U.S. and European diplomats.
- Contribute to AI integration initiatives in policy and analysis workflows.
- Develop comprehensive analyses of Iran's political landscape to inform U.S. policy decisions.
- Conduct briefings for diplomatic staff on critical developments in Iran's economic and political climate.
Freelance Senior Farsi Linguist
Leidos
Reston, USA
07.2018 - 12.2022
- Translated and summarized Iranian press and media content for U.S. government audiences.
- Contributed to automation of Iranian media collection, including working on machine translations.
Senior Iran Current Affairs Analyst
Open Source Enterprise (OSE), U.S. Embassy
London
06.2011 - 06.2018
- Founded Iran social media monitoring unit which led to significant boost in OSE’s Iran coverage in an area it had not explored before.
- Authored reports and analysis on Iranian and Middle East issues for U.S. foreign policy and intelligence stakeholders.
- Delivered briefings to U.S. analysts and officials on Iranian media trends and public discourse.
- Contributed to automation of Iranian media collection, including working on machine translations and web scraping tools.
- Led collection from Saudi Arabia, Syria, UAE, and other Middle Eastern news sources.
- Analysed current political developments in Iran to provide comprehensive assessments for decision-makers.
- Monitored media sources and public sentiment to identify emerging narratives and potential impacts.
Freelance Farsi Social Media Validator
Brandwatch
London, UK
11.2017 - 04.2018
- Conducted Farsi and English social media searches using boolean operators to identify and publish reports on the popularity of brand names on social media.
Chief Iran Media Monitoring Journalist
BBC Monitoring
Reading, UK
09.2001 - 06.2011
- Monitored and translated Iranian media reports for BBC World Service, UK and US government clients.
- Authored daily and weekly round-ups of key developments in Iran.
- Pioneered BBCM’s Iran social media monitoring which significantly boosted Iran team’s coverage.
- Trained and mentored new staff; delivered visitor briefings.
- Led and supervised Iran team’s daily coverage in coordination with BBCM’s senior management and other BBC teams.
- Collaborated with cross-functional teams to produce insightful reports on geopolitical developments affecting Iran.
Lead Editor & Correspondent
Tehran Times Daily
Tehran, Iran
07.1998 - 08.2000
- Produced news content and political analysis for an English-speaking audience.
- Led editorial team in developing compelling content that resonated with diverse audiences.
- Conducted interviews with key figures to gather insights and enhance narrative depth in articles.
- Edited articles for clarity, accuracy, and adherence to publication standards before final approval.
English Desk Editor
Keyhan Havai Weekly
Tehran
09.1994 - 08.2000
- Interviewed Iranian and international figures for publication.
- Collaborated with writers to refine content, enhancing overall quality and engagement of narratives.
- Edited and proofread articles to ensure clarity, coherence, and adherence to publication standards.
Education
Masters degree - International Relations
University of Reading
01.2008 - 01.2010
Bachelor’s degree - Farsi-English Translation
Islamic Azad University
Tehran, Iran 09.1995 - 07.1999
Skills
- Microsoft Office Suite
- AI & OSINT tools
- UK full clean driving license
- Innovative thinking
Languages
Native fluency in English
Native fluency in Farsi
Working knowledge of Dari
Working knowledge of Tajik
Basic working knowledge of Arabic
Personal Information
- Date of birth: 08/01/76
- Place of birth: UK
Custom
Founder and curator of the @ipdigest1 Twitter and Telegram channels, offering curated reviews and summaries of Iran’s press landscape.
Timeline
Senior Iran Political/Economic Specialist
Iran Regional Presence Office (IRPO), U.S. Consulate General
07.2018 - 09.2025
Freelance Senior Farsi Linguist
Leidos
07.2018 - 12.2022
Freelance Farsi Social Media Validator
Brandwatch
11.2017 - 04.2018
Senior Iran Current Affairs Analyst
Open Source Enterprise (OSE), U.S. Embassy
06.2011 - 06.2018
Masters degree - International Relations
University of Reading
01.2008 - 01.2010
Chief Iran Media Monitoring Journalist
BBC Monitoring
09.2001 - 06.2011
Lead Editor & Correspondent
Tehran Times Daily
07.1998 - 08.2000
Bachelor’s degree - Farsi-English Translation
Islamic Azad University
09.1995 - 07.1999
English Desk Editor
Keyhan Havai Weekly
09.1994 - 08.2000
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