Global Iran Group (GiG) is a woman-owned San Francisco consulting firm dedicated to a peaceful, globally engaged future for Iran. Through recurring advisory work and long-term partnerships with public and private sectors, international organizations, NGOs, foundations, universities, think tanks, and educational institutions, it informs governments, tech and energy companies, global media, humanitarian groups, and other public service organizations.

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• Invite GiG to join your conversations — to listen, engage, speak, moderate, mediate, and craft strategies to seize opportunities and manage risks

• Book a 15-minute strategy call to explore possibilities and align your core needs

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Please visit the Contact page to schedule a meeting.

Thank you!

Banafsheh Keynoush — Founder & Director

Testimonials

"In the world of international relations, Banafsheh Keynoush stands out as a truly unique voice. Her background, combined with years of observing high-level diplomacy and engaging with world leaders, gives her unparalleled insight into the geopolitical dynamics of the Middle East, the Gulf, and beyond. What sets Banafsheh apart is her ability to combine personal experience with analytical precision, cutting through strategic games and rhetoric to offer grounded analysis. This makes her a rare and vital resource for navigating the complexities of our world today and hence an invaluable source of knowledge and insight in my own work."

— Dr. Ingrid Vik UTSYN - Center for Security and Resilience in Norway

Dr. Banafsheh Keynoush is a balanced and measured voice whose scholarship provides essential clarity on the complexities of Middle Eastern affairs. As an authentic Iranian and a rigorous scholar, she possesses a unique ability to bridge worlds, earning the respect of both policy analysts in Washington and religious scholars (ulama) in Iran. At the Ansari Institute, she organized and led the Catholic-Shi'a Dialogue Series, facilitating high-level engagement between Catholic and Shi'a scholars and clerics. Beyond her academic work, she is a vital contributor to timely public conversations on the geopolitics of Iran and West Asia, offering the nuanced, clear-eyed analysis necessary to navigate regional tensions and build lasting stability.

— Dr. Mahan Mirza, Executive Director, Ansari Institute for Global Engagement with Religion, Teaching Professor, Keough School of Global Affairs, University of Notre Dame

Roadmap

A roadmap rests on leadership, institutional knowledge, and perseverance. Wherever your organization is based, I look forward to hearing about your work toward a sustainable legacy for Iran’s future. Here is my journey:

Late 1800s and early 1900s

Senior officials joined Sufi orders to foster national commitment. My great-great-grandfather Mohammad Hassan Tehrani was a Sufi and public servant; great-grandfather Ali Safyei was a Sufi of the Safi Ali Shah Order and a Qajar-era tax collector.

Early 1900s

State centralization occurred under the Pahlavis. Great-grandfather Gen. Yusef Mahin helped lead Reza Shah’s Cossack Brigade into Tehran in 1921 for the coup. His son helped form the Imperial Army. Great-uncle Zabiollah Amir Shahidi headed the Administrative Appeals Court. Maternal grandfather Akbar Ardoush joined the modern Foreign Ministry and helped Reza Shah establish temporary offices at Sa’ad Abad Palace.

Mid-1900s

Iran’s foreign policy evolved then. My grandfather Ebrahim Keynoush joined the Foreign Ministry to manage its budget and earned medals for his service. My father and uncles also worked there; my father, about to be appointed ambassador to Italy, was briefly taken hostage by revolutionary students in Germany. The Royal Court chose me to read English stories to Pahlavi palace children in an igloo-shaped tent at Niavaran Palace. The Shemiranat Gendarmerie also appointed me interpreter to assist with Americans detained for local-law violations.

A Revolution

Senior officials were persecuted; a distant uncle, Bahman Mirhadi, an Imperial Guard under the Pahlavis, served long prison terms. Young Iranians were drawn into polarized politics, including a distant cousin in the opposition Mujahedin Khalq who also spent time in prison.

Late 20th century

During and after the eight-year Iran–Iraq War I served as an interpreter, worked with the UN, interpreted for four presidents and Nobel laureate Shirin Ebadi, moved to the US for a PhD, and published books and articles on Iran.