Who is Hassan Etemadi? Secretary-General of the Secular Democratic Party, former editor-in-chief of Manoto, and host of the program "Ramze Pirouzi."

Who is Hassan Etemadi?

Hassan Etemadi is a political activist, analyst, media personality, and Secretary-General of the Secular Democratic Party of Iran. He is one of the most widely discussed and challenging figures in the Persian-speaking opposition living abroad over the past two decades. Etemadi, who has followed a unique path in his multifaceted career—from serving as the news editor-in-chief of Manoto TV and playing a foundational role in this widely viewed Persian-language network, to leaving the network due to his stated desire to "distance himself from political activities against the Islamic government," and ultimately founding the Secular Democratic Party of Iran on August 5, 2016 (the anniversary of the victory of the Constitutional Revolution) and accepting the position of Secretary-General—has become one of the most cited figures in the secular democratic current within Persian-language opposition discourse. Etemadi, who through hosting the prominent program "Ramze Pirouzi" (with a wide range of prominent opposition figures from various spectrums) has turned it into one of the key dialogue platforms for Persian-speaking opposition, has in recent years become one of the most debated figures in the diaspora media space through high-profile revelations—from the financial dealings of Manoto TV and the claim of "collaboration between the IRGC and Manoto," to controversial claims about the dimensions of the "Woman, Life, Freedom" movement.

The importance of Hassan Etemadi in the Persian-speaking opposition sphere can be examined from several angles. First, his prominent media background during his time at Manoto TV—a network that was among the most watched Persian-language satellite channels during the 2010s—which later became one of the most notable points of his revelations. Second, his central role in shaping the Persian-speaking secular democratic movement—from collaborating in organizing annual secular democratic congresses, founding the Secular Democracy Movement of Iran, forming the Assembly of Secular Democratic Organizations of Iran, to founding the Secular Democratic Party of Iran—which places him among the key architects of this movement. Third, his hosting of the program "Ramze Pirouzi"—a dialogue platform featuring numerous interviews with prominent opposition figures from various intellectual-political spectrums (including Hassan Shariatmadari, Kazem Kordavani, Esmail Nouri Ala, Mehdi Fattapour, Ata Hodashtian, Shahriar Ahi, Hassan Masali, Kazem Alamdari, Mehran Barati, Koroush Za'im, and dozens of others)—which has become one of the most important dialogue platforms for Persian-speaking opposition. Fourth, his notable family connections—as the father of Raha Etemadi (a close friend of Keyvan Abbasi and a core member of Manoto TV) and the cousin-in-law of Alireza Pahlavi (the late prince of the Pahlavi dynasty)—which have formed a complex network of family-political relationships for him. Fifth, his critical yet controversial positions—from structural critiques of the opposition (with the claim that "the main problem for regime change is the opponents of the Islamic government themselves"), to highly debated revelations about Manoto and protest movements, which have made him one of the most discussed figures in intra-opposition discourse.

Important Note: This profile reports the narratives published in media sources. Etemadi's controversial claims—particularly regarding the financial dealings of Manoto TV and the dimensions of the "Woman, Life, Freedom" movement—require case-by-case verification from an independent fact-checking perspective and have faced contradictory reactions in Persian-language media.

Life and Background

Detailed information about Hassan Etemadi's date of birth, place of birth, and educational background is limited in open Persian-language media sources—a characteristic relatively common among political-media activists living abroad, who in some cases, for security-professional reasons, are less forthcoming about personal details. What is clear from his professional path is that Etemadi belongs to the middle-eldest generation of Iranian diaspora media-political activists and has played a consistent and wide-ranging role in media-political activities over the past two decades.

Notable Family Connections

Among the notable aspects of Etemadi's family profile are several connections that have received media attention:

• Father of Raha Etemadi: A prominent figure in Persian-speaking diaspora media. Raha Etemadi was a close friend of Keyvan Abbasi (a core founder of Manoto TV) and a key member of the network.

• Cousin-in-law of Alireza Pahlavi: Etemadi has family ties to the Pahlavi family—specifically, he is the cousin-in-law of Alireza Pahlavi (the late prince of the Pahlavi dynasty, son of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi). This family connection is a notable aspect of his network of relationships across various opposition spectrums.

Important Clarification: Published reports in some sources regarding marriage to Googoosh (a prominent Iranian artist) are among claims circulated in the media that have not been officially confirmed and fall under unverified narratives.

Career at Manoto TV

The initial turning point in Hassan Etemadi's media career was his role in founding and early work at Manoto TV—a network that eventually became one of the most watched Persian-language satellite channels and played a strategic role in shaping Iranian public discourse during the 2010s.

Founding and News Editorship

According to published reports, Etemadi was one of the early founders of Manoto TV and served as its news editor-in-chief. During this period, he interviewed and hired many of the network's early staff—a sign of his strategic role in the initial formation of the network's media structure.

Departure from Manoto

After some time, Etemadi decided to leave Manoto. Regarding this departure, he stated in a notable position: "After a period of cooperation, an unsettling feeling of distance from political activities against the Islamic government overcame me, and I decided to leave this television work and join other political activists who believe in the necessity of overthrowing the Islamic government and establishing a system based on secular democracy."

This position, in which Manoto TV—which ostensibly was a media outlet critical of the Islamic Republic—is described as being "distant from political activities against the Islamic government," was one of his most prominent early critical stances toward the network.

Revelations About Manoto

In later years, Etemadi became one of the most prominent critics and whistleblowers regarding Manoto. His most notable revelations include:

• The claim of "collaboration between the IRGC and Manoto"—a claim that met with widespread reactions in Persian-language media.

• Revelations about Ali Hamid (owner of Manoto).

• Revelations about Tina Ghazimorad (a prominent manager and figure at Manoto).

• Revelations about the network's financial sources—including reference to a notable investment by Robert Moghayer Baluzi (amounting to $55 million).

These revelations, which received widespread coverage on YouTube and various Persian-language media, are one of the most discussed aspects of Etemadi's recent career.

Founding the Secular Democratic Movement

After leaving Manoto, Etemadi became one of the key architects of the secular democratic movement among Persian-speaking opposition. This path evolved in several stages:

Annual Congresses of Secular Democrats of Iran

Etemadi was among the key collaborators in organizing the annual congresses of Secular Democrats of Iran. These congresses, held over recent years as one of the most important intellectual-political events of the Persian-speaking secular democratic movement, provide a platform for gathering experts, activists, and prominent figures of this current.

Secular Democracy Movement of Iran

Etemadi also played a role in founding the Secular Democracy Movement of Iran. This movement, considered one of the efforts of the Iranian diaspora community to form a secular-democratic coalition, formed the foundation for his later party activities.

Assembly of Secular Democratic Organizations of Iran

Etemadi also played a strategic role in forming the Assembly of Secular Democratic Organizations of Iran. This assembly, as an umbrella body for the secular democratic movement, sought to bring together various organizations and groups of this spectrum in a coordinated structure.

Secular Democratic Party of Iran

Etemadi's most widely noted institutional role was the founding and Secretary-Generalship of the Secular Democratic Party of Iran.

Founded on August 5, 2016

The first official and internal meeting of the Secular Democratic Party of Iran was held on August 5, 2016 (the anniversary of the Constitutional Revolution)—a symbolic date linked to the historical roots of Iran's political modernity—to approve the party's charter and bylaws and hold internal elections.

Leadership Structure

At this meeting, the party's leadership structure was formed:

• Hassan Etemadi as Secretary-General

• Nastaran Niki Aliyi as Deputy Secretary-General

• Dr. Esmail Nouri Ala as Chairman of the Central Council

This composition, in which Etemadi held the Secretary-General position, formed the foundation of the party's official structure.

Official Announcement (September 2016)

According to the planned schedule, the party announced its existence on September 10, 2016, on the first day of the fourth "Congress of Secular Democrats of Iran" in Hamburg, Germany. This announcement, made in the dynamic space of secular-democratic discourse within the Iranian diaspora, was one of the notable events in the institutional activities of this spectrum.

Members of the Charter Commission

Subsequently, a commission consisting of Esmail Nouri Ala, Hassan Etemadi, Manouchehr Yazdian, and Milad Aghaei began work in July 2017 to prepare new party documents—including a new charter and bylaws and congress regulations. This process, in which Etemadi was among the most prominent members of the commission, formed the foundation of the party's intellectual-legal structure.

Program "Ramze Pirouzi"

One of Etemadi's most widely discussed media projects is the program "Ramze Pirouzi" (The Code of Success)—a television-internet platform that has become one of the most important dialogue spaces for Persian-speaking opposition.

Program Framework

According to Etemadi's own explanation of the program: "What has been lacking in the meantime, which could help in such circumstances to remove the Islamic government and create new conditions in the country, is the existence of a political organization. This television program's goal was and is to continue to fill the void of such an organization and national institution."

This position, in which the program is introduced as an effort to "fill the void of the opposition's organization and national institution," forms the foundation of the program's discursive project.

Notable Guests

The program "Ramze Pirouzi" has hosted a wide range of prominent Persian-speaking opposition figures, including:

• Hassan Shariatmadari (Secretary-General of the Transition Management Council)

• Esmail Nouri Ala (Chairman of the Central Council of the Secular Democratic Party)

• Kazem Kordavani (researcher and political activist)

• Mehdi Fattapour (political activist)

• Ata Hodashtian

• Shahriar Ahi

• Hassan Masali

• Mehrdad Darvishpour

• Kazem Alamdari

• Mehran Barati

• Koroush Za'im

• Manouchehr Ganji

• Parviz Dastmalchi

• Heshmatollah Tabarzadi

• And dozens of other figures from various spectrums

This wide range of guests is a sign of Etemadi's ability to create a dialogue platform between different opposition currents.

Recent High-Profile Revelations

In recent years, Etemadi has become one of the most debated figures in Persian-language media space through several high-profile revelations.

Revelation about the "Woman, Life, Freedom" Movement

In one of his most debated recent positions (in March 2024), Etemadi made revelations about the dimensions of the "Woman, Life, Freedom" movement, claiming: "The leaders of Woman, Life, Freedom were part of a project" and adding that "everything was managed by world leaders."

This position, in which the spontaneity of the "Woman, Life, Freedom" movement is questioned, met with widespread and predominantly critical reactions in Persian-language media. Many activists placed this claim in the category of conspiracy theories—a claim that, from an independent fact-checking perspective, lacks publicly verifiable documentation.

Revelation about Manoto (June 2024)

In another notable recent revelation (in June 2024), Etemadi made revelations about "collaboration between the IRGC and Manoto TV" and the financial dealings of the network. This revelation, specifically targeting Ali Hamid (owner of Manoto) and Tina Ghazimorad, was among the most viewed Persian-language videos on YouTube during that period.

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Views and Notable Positions

Throughout his intellectual-political career, Hassan Etemadi has formulated a clear intellectual framework:

Advocacy for Secular Democracy

Etemadi's most central theoretical position is advocacy for secular democracy as an alternative system to the Islamic Republic. In his view, "establishing a system based on secular democracy" is the structural answer to the issue of transition from Islamic government.

Structural Critique of the Opposition

In one of his widely discussed positions, Etemadi stated: "The main problem for regime change is the opponents of the Islamic government themselves." This position, in which the opposition itself is identified as an obstacle to transition, is one of his most debated critical stances—a position that met with widespread reactions across various opposition spectrums.

The Necessity of Political Organization

In his strategic view, Etemadi emphasizes the necessity of political organization and national formation for the success of the transition project. In one of his notable positions, he stated: "What has been lacking in the meantime... is the existence of a political organization." This position forms the foundation of his party and media project.

Comprehensive National Coalition

Etemadi also advocates for the formation of a comprehensive national coalition among various opposition spectrums. In his view, Iran's constitutional monarchists, led by Prince Reza Pahlavi, are among the allies of the secular democratic movement for building Iran's future—just as leftist and nationalist forces in Iran are also necessary in this coalition.

Critique of Persian-Language Diaspora Media

Etemadi is a serious critic of some Persian-language diaspora media—particularly Manoto TV. In his view, these media, despite their appearance as critics of the Islamic Republic, in practice operate in dual roles that do not facilitate transition.

Connections with Figures and Currents

Hassan Etemadi is positioned within a complex network of political-media-family connections.

Party Connections

At the party level, his relationship with Esmail Nouri Ala (Chairman of the Central Council of the Secular Democratic Party of Iran), Nastaran Niki Aliyi (Deputy Secretary-General), Manouchehr Yazdian, and Milad Aghaei—as the party's key colleagues—forms his close party network.

Media Connections

At the media level, his relationship with figures such as Saeed Behbahani (host of Mihan TV programs), Mohammad Reza Rouhani (host of Iran Farda programs), and other prominent hosts of Persian-language diaspora media forms his media communications network.

Family Connections

At the family level, his relationship with Raha Etemadi (his son, a prominent figure at Manoto TV) and the Pahlavi dynasty (as the cousin-in-law of Alireza Pahlavi) forms his notable family relations network.

Intellectual Connections

At the intellectual level, his relationship with prominent opposition figures from various spectrums—from Hassan Shariatmadari and Amir Hossein Etemadi (a member of Farshgord) to Kazem Kordavani and Mehdi Fattapour—forms his discursive network.

Conclusion

Hassan Etemadi is one of the most widely discussed and, at the same time, challenging figures in the Persian-speaking opposition living abroad over the past two decades. With a unique combination of a prominent media background (as a former news editor-in-chief and one of the early founders of Manoto TV), a central role in shaping the Persian-speaking secular democratic movement (through annual congresses, the Secular Democracy Movement, the Assembly of Organizations, and ultimately the Secular Democratic Party of Iran since August 2016), the Secretary-Generalship of the Secular Democratic Party of Iran, hosting the prominent program "Ramze Pirouzi" with a wide range of prominent opposition figures, notable family connections (with the Pahlavi dynasty and the Manoto network), and finally, high-profile and widely discussed revelations in recent years (about Manoto's financial dealings and the dimensions of the "Woman, Life, Freedom" movement), he occupies a unique position in the structure of Persian-speaking opposition.

Etemadi's distinguishing feature, on the first level, is his exceptional ability to move across different arenas—a characteristic in which a figure with a prominent media background at one of the most widely viewed Persian-language satellite networks ultimately becomes a serious critic of that same network and, at the same time, the leader of a prominent political party. This evolution is relatively unique among Persian-speaking media-political activists. On the second level, his ability to create a dialogue platform among different opposition spectrums—reflected in the program "Ramze Pirouzi" with dozens of figures from various currents (from monarchists to national-leftists)—is one of the notable aspects of his activity. On the third level, the widely discussed dimensions of his recent revelations—which are sometimes evaluated as important clarifications and sometimes as debatable conspiracy theories—are one of the notable aspects of his profile.

From an analytical perspective, Etemadi's position exemplifies the phenomenon of the "media-personality-political activist-party leader-whistleblower" in the Persian-speaking opposition space—a phenomenon in which a figure with multiple simultaneous roles—from leading a political party to hosting a television program to whistleblowing in various media—becomes one of the discursive centers of the opposition space. This pattern, which has other examples among Persian-speaking diaspora figures, has found a special reflection in Etemadi through his prominent background at Manoto TV and his subsequent revelations against that same network.

What is clear from today's perspective is that the topics Etemadi has addressed in his activities—from secular democracy, political organization of the opposition, structural critique of opponents of the Islamic government, comprehensive national coalition, financial-political relations of Persian-language media, and the dimensions of Iran's protest movements—remain among the most debated topics in contemporary Persian-speaking opposition discourse. In a situation where Iran is in one of the most tense periods of its political-opposition discourse—particularly after the "Woman, Life, Freedom" movement in 2022 and the 12-day Iran-Israel war in June 2025—Etemadi's voice, with a combination of a prominent media background and the leadership of one of the prominent parties of the secular democratic movement, is one of the widely referenced sources of this discourse in the diaspora space.

Important Clarification: As noted at the beginning of the profile, Etemadi's controversial claims—particularly regarding the financial dealings of Manoto TV and the dimensions of the "Woman, Life, Freedom" movement—require case-by-case verification from an independent fact-checking perspective. The narratives presented in this profile are merely a report of published media sources.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is Hassan Etemadi?

Hassan Etemadi is a political activist, analyst, media personality, and Secretary-General of the Secular Democratic Party of Iran. He is the former news editor-in-chief of Manoto TV and one of its early founders. After leaving, he became one of the key architects of the Persian-speaking secular democratic movement.

When was the Secular Democratic Party of Iran founded?

The first official internal meeting of the Secular Democratic Party of Iran was held on August 5, 2016 (the anniversary of the Constitutional Revolution). At this meeting, Hassan Etemadi was elected Secretary-General, Nastaran Niki Aliyi as Deputy Secretary-General, and Dr. Esmail Nouri Ala as Chairman of the Central Council. The party officially announced its existence on September 10, 2016, at the fourth Congress of Secular Democrats of Iran in Hamburg, Germany.

Why did Hassan Etemadi leave Manoto TV?

In explaining his departure from Manoto, Etemadi stated: "After a period of cooperation, an unsettling feeling of distance from political activities against the Islamic government overcame me, and I decided to leave this television work and join other political activists who believe in the necessity of overthrowing the Islamic government and establishing a system based on secular democracy."

What have been Etemadi's revelations about Manoto TV?

In recent years, Etemadi has made several high-profile revelations about Manoto TV, including claims of "collaboration between the IRGC and Manoto TV," revelations about Ali Hamid (owner of Manoto), Tina Ghazimorad, and the network's financial sources (including reference to a $55 million investment by Robert Moghayer Baluzi). These claims have met with widespread reactions in Persian-language media.

What is Etemadi's view on the "Woman, Life, Freedom" movement?

In one of his recent widely discussed positions, Etemadi claimed: "The leaders of Woman, Life, Freedom were part of a project" and added that "everything was managed by world leaders." This position, which questions the spontaneity of this movement, has met with widespread and predominantly critical reactions in Persian-language media, with many categorizing it as a conspiracy theory.

What is the program "Ramze Pirouzi"?

"Ramze Pirouzi" is Hassan Etemadi's prominent television-internet platform, which, by hosting a wide range of prominent Persian-speaking opposition figures (including Hassan Shariatmadari, Kazem Kordavani, Esmail Nouri Ala, Mehdi Fattapour, Shahriar Ahi, and dozens of others), has become one of the most important dialogue spaces for Persian-speaking opposition.

What is Etemadi's family connection to the Pahlavi dynasty?

Hassan Etemadi is the cousin-in-law of Alireza Pahlavi (the late prince of the Pahlavi dynasty, son of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi). This family connection is a notable aspect of his network of relationships across various opposition spectrums.

What is Etemadi's connection to Manoto TV at the family level?

Etemadi is the father of Raha Etemadi, who was a close friend of Keyvan Abbasi (one of the core founders of Manoto TV) and a key member of the network. This family connection is a notable aspect of his profile.

What is Etemadi's view on the problem of the opposition?

In one of his widely discussed positions, Etemadi stated: "The main problem for regime change is the opponents of the Islamic government themselves." This position, in which the opposition itself is identified as an obstacle to transition, is one of his most debated critical stances.

Is Hassan Etemadi still active?

Yes, Hassan Etemadi, as the Secretary-General of the Secular Democratic Party of Iran and host of the prominent program "Ramze Pirouzi," is one of the most prominent figures in the Persian-speaking opposition abroad. His sustained presence on prominent media platforms such as YouTube, Mihan TV, Iran Farda TV, the Meliyoun-e Iran website, and other Persian-language platforms is a sign of his enduring role in contemporary Persian-speaking opposition discourse. His recent notable programs—including a May 2025 conversation with Kazem Kordavani and Mehdi Fattapour about Jafar Panahi and the Palme d'Or—are a sign of his continuous activity in recent years.