Anti-Terrorism Expert Lisa Daftari Launches Website ‘The Foreign Desk’

Investigative journalist and foreign affairs commentator Lisa Daftari has announced the launch of a new website, “The Foreign Desk,” a multi-media news platform dedicated to reporting stories from around the world with an emphasis on their impact on human rights, global security and U.S. foreign policy.

In over a decade of covering topics such as U.S. national security, counterterrorism and the Middle East, Daftari has reported on some of the most important topics shaping our world, from the earliest rumblings of discontent that sparked Iran’s 2009 Green Revolution to rolling coverage of the emergence of ISIS.

“There is just so much news coming from the ground that the mainstream media cannot absorb,” Daftari, who has a master’s degree in journalism and has worked in traditional newsrooms said, referring to how many established ‘foreign desks’ in large publications and TV networks have been shut down.

“We are living at a time when these important issues need a platform in the media and affect everything from global human rights to our own foreign policy here at home.”

Through her reporting, Daftari has developed an expansive network of on-the-ground sources, giving her access to break stories and continue in-depth coverage directly from the ground. In addition, she has conducted interviews with political and military figures, political dissidents and victims of all types of persecution.

Last year, Daftari brought the case of Raif Badawi—a Saudi blogger flogged for his beliefs—to mainstream media attention, and in 2012, she broke the story of Saeed Abedini, an Iranian pastor from Idaho arrested in Iran for his Christian faith.

“The Foreign Desk will have the stories you don’t see anywhere else,” Daftari said.

“These are exclusive stories that go beyond the traditional headlines with comprehensive analysis and contextualization. Basically, this will be a site that breaks down the issues in a way that’s easy to understand and relevant for all,” she said.

For those who want a quick daily dose of foreign affairs, The Foreign Desk readers can subscribe to a daily email roundup of the most important stories focusing on U.S. national security, foreign policy and human rights.

Daftari is also in the process of sitting down with many of the U.S. 2016 election frontrunners to hear their take on issues such as foreign policy and national security.

“These are non-partisan issues,” according to Daftari. “We are living in a time when foreign policy has become a critical focus, which is why this is the perfect time for a website like The Foreign Desk to enter the news circuit, shedding light on important developments around the world while concentrating on the issues that concern all Americans—national security and U.S. diplomacy.”

About Lisa Daftari

Lisa Daftari is an award-winning investigative journalist focusing on foreign affairs with expertise in the Middle East and counterterrorism. She regularly appears on television and radio with commentary and analysis, providing exclusive reporting on vital developments in the region. She frequently appears on Fox News as an on-air political analyst and has previously been featured on CBS, NBC, PBS, NPR, ABC, Voice of America, SiriusXM, The Washington Post, AOL News, Yahoo News, Jerusalem Post and others. Lisa has been interviewed in Spanish, English and Persian (Farsi).

In over a decade of coverage in the region, Lisa’s areas of expertise include the Middle East and North Africa, terrorism, national security, the Arab Spring, global Christian persecution, human rights, cyber security and more.

She is frequently called upon to give briefings and expert testimony to government and private entities and has worked for a number of think tanks in Washington, where she has written exclusive reports for the Pentagon and other government groups.

Lisa gained vital newsroom experience working as a producer in the investigative unit at NBC in Los Angeles, where she helped break the story of the 2005 Jamiyaat Ul-Islam Is-Saheed (JIS) terror group’s plot to bomb prominent sites in Los Angeles, including several military bases, a number of synagogues and the Federal Building.

In 2006, Lisa was invited to show her documentary film about an Iranian underground political movement in Congress, calling for global attention on human rights abuses and regime change in Iran.

Lisa holds a master’s degree in broadcast journalism from the University of Southern California Annenberg School of Journalism and completed her undergraduate degree in Middle East studies, Spanish and vocal performance at Rutgers University, graduating with a 4.0 grade point average.

After graduate school, Lisa received a Carnegie-Knight fellowship, focusing her research on ‘A post-9/11 America.’

In 2013, the Washington Times named Lisa one of the 30 Hottest Women in Politics.

She is fluent in Farsi and Spanish and is an avid opera singer and pianist. Lisa grew up in a suburb of New York City and currently travels back and forth between NYC and LA.