It gives me great pleasure to congratulate my dear friend Dr. Aliyar Arashadi on publishing the first issue of his law journal, named Edalat Ara. This law journal adequately fills a gap evident in Iran’s legal literature and its insightful and informative material provides vision and guidance for legal practitioners, scholars and judges alike. The journal will be widely circulated in legal circles to enhance the understanding of practical legal matters among those concerned.

Dr. Arshadi has gained the experience and expertise to provide this insight through over 15 years of rigorous legal practice and scholarship. He has served as a Faculty Member of Imam Hossien University since 1990 and received his PhD in Comparative Law from the Faculty of Law of Delhi University in 2000. Since 1990 he has taught LL.B. and LL.M. courses for a total of 11 years at various universities such as Az-Zahra, Payam-e Noor and the Police (NAJA) Academy. He has taught subjects in civil law (including family law, property, contracts, will and inheritance), constitutional law, trade law, and legal theory, amongst others.

This law journal adequately fills a gap evident in Iran’s legal literature and its insightful and informative material provides vision and guidance for legal practitioners, scholars and judges alike.

Dr. Arshadi’s publication experience is not limited to his new law journal, and a proud publication history precedes him. In 2000, he published the first comparative study of alimony between various legal regimes, entitled Alimony in the Legal Regimes of Iran, England and India. In 2003, he published a book entitled Constitutional Law and a Study of the Constitution of Iran. Add to this a long list of study materials written for various universities including material on civil procedure, property, and constitutional law, as well as numerous research projects, it becomes clearly evident that Dr. Arshadi is well-versed in legal publication. His research undertakings include a "Study of Iran Over Four Decades (1950 to 1990) from a Legal Perspective" conducted for the Department of Research of the Sound and Vision Organization in 2001, a research project on "Methods of Payment in International Contracts" presented to the Central Bar Association, and a research summary in English for the University of Cambridge to attend the L.L.D. (the highest standard of education achievable in the field of law) comprised of three sections, namely "The Philosophy of Human Rights", "Human Rights in the International Legal Order" and "Human Rights and Civil Liberties in Iran’s Legal Regime."

Furthermore, Dr. Arshadi has also attended and presented at several international and domestic conferences. He attended the 16th International Conference on the Laws of War held in Rome, Italia in 2003 to present a paper entitled "A Comparative Study of Iran’s Legal Regime and the Charter of the International Criminal Court." For his presence at the conference on Women, Socio-Cultural Issues and Globalization and presenting a paper on "Articles 946 and 947 of the Civil Code: The Inheritance of Wives from Land" he was recognized and awarded for producing one of the conferences best papers by the University of Tehran in 2004.

Dr. Arshadi started his work in the press in 1999, when he was appointed as the legal counselor of a magazine writing on family issues, named "Ashna-ye Khanevade" and provided answers and advice to the magazine’s readership, as well as contributing legal columns. He had also published many articles on social, political and legal issues in widely circulated newspapers from 1988 to 1994. In addition to all this, he has had various significant social and legal activities since 1990, including Legal Management of various organizations such as the Construction and Housing Organization of Bonyad-e Mostaz’afan, Imam Hossien University, Chabahar Free Zone Organization, and Iran Khodro Diesel Company.

In 2000, Dr. Arshadi established the Edalat Ara Institute for Legal Studies and Services, which has been active in legal research and services, as well as pro bono representation of families supported by welfare. This journal—published under the same name, Edalat Ara—aims at diversifying and deepening the impact and influence of the institute, in hopes of better achieving greater justice within the country’s legal structures. We too hope that Dr. Arshadi is successful in this bold and noble cause, and our best wishes are with him.