Green Parrots: A Memoir of Survival in Iran's Evin Prison

Morad Tahbaz, in conversation with Abbas Milani.

Morad Tahbaz’s new memoir, Green Parrots: A Memoir of Survival in Iran’s Evin Prison (Simon and Schuster, 2026), offers a rare window into contemporary Iran. While wrongfully imprisoned for nearly six years after being falsely accused of espionage while conducting wildlife conservation work, he experienced firsthand the realities of Evin Prison, the fragility of civil society, and the human cost of hostage diplomacy. Since his release in September 2023, he has become a thoughtful voice on Iran, wrongful detention, conservation, and the role of creativity in sustaining hope under extraordinary circumstances.

While Green Parrots recounts Tahbaz’s years in prison, it is ultimately a story about resilience. Throughout his imprisonment, Tahbaz turned to art as a means of survival, creating drawings, sculptures, and he designed Persian carpets inspired by Iran's wildlife and artistic traditions. Today, one of his sculptures is part of the permanent collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, underscoring the enduring connection between his creative work and the country that shaped it.

Morad Tahbaz is a conservationist, artist, and former political prisoner. In 2008, he co-founded the Persian Wildlife Heritage Foundation, which documented endangered species including Asiatic cheetahs and Persian leopards across Iran. In January 2018, he was arrested on fabricated espionage charges and spent sixty-eight months in Iran’s notorious Evin Prison, including four months in solitary confinement. 

A graduate of Colgate University (BA) and Columbia University (MBA), he spent his career supporting wildlife conservation across three continents before his imprisonment made him the subject of international hostage negotiations. He was released in September 2023 as part of a high-profile diplomatic agreement.

Since his release, he has advocated for other wrongfully detained citizens and for continued attention to Iranian conservation. He lives in Connecticut with his wife Vida.

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