Siyavash Shahabi
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The Dangers of Nationalism: Lessons from Mansoor Hekmat
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My acquaintance with Mansoor Hekmat began in 2004, during a time of turbulence, both in the world and in my own search for meaning. It was in Sanandaj, center city of Kurdistan province in Iran, in the quiet defiance of an underground gathering, that I met a group of members…
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Concrete Sovereignty: The Geopolitics of Iran’s Border Walls
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Iran’s border walls, stretching along its eastern and western frontiers, are more than physical barriers—they are tools of political control and exclusion. Framed as security measures against smuggling, migration, and terrorism, these projects reflect a deeper agenda of consolidating state power and addressing regional pressures. The eastern wall, designed to…
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Impact of the Hijab Law on Iranian Society
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The newly approved Hijab Law in Iran, composed of 74 articles across five chapters, has ignited a storm of criticism among legal experts, citizens, journalists, and political figures. Many see it as a direct assault on individual and social freedoms, imposing restrictions that clash with the realities of daily life…
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One Name, Many Lives: The Myth of the ‘Muslim Woman’
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The story of the “Muslim woman” is not a story at all—it’s a shadow cast by politics, a construct made to fit agendas, not lives. Behind the veil of this title are millions of women with struggles as diverse as their names. But too often, these struggles are erased, replaced…
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The Impact of Trump’s Return on EU Policies
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The U.S. and the EU are diverging, with the U.S. investing heavily in technology and infrastructure and experiencing economic growth, while Europe struggles with stagnation and rising energy costs. The U.S. has notably increased its manufacturing and innovation output since the 2008 crash, whereas many European nations lag behind. Europe…
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The Dangers of Labeling: Islamophobia vs. Racism
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“Islamophobia” is a word I cannot trust. It hides the truth. What we face is racism. A deep, old racism that puts people in boxes before they even speak. A racism that judges them not for who they are but for where they come from. This racism has a name—Orientalism.…
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Navigating Oppression: Women’s Stories from Tehran’s Settlements
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In the southeast shadow of Tehran, where the city’s heartbeat fades into the hum of agriculture and unpaved roads, lies Hesaramir. Its duality—a historic Upper Hesaramir and a migrant-built Turkabad—creates a kaleidoscope of lives, traditions, and struggles. Yet, the soul of this settlement is found in its women, whose voices,…
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Femicide Crisis in Iran: Understanding the Urgent Need for Change
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In just two days, two cases of femicide have shaken Iran. First, a lawyer murdered his journalist wife, Mansoureh Ghadiri Javi with brutal blows from a knife and dumbbell. In another case, another male lawyer killed his wife and son before ending his own life. According to the Iranian newspaper…
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Debunking Reza Pahlavi’s Leadership Claims in Iran
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Iran stands at a crossroads, grappling with internal crises and external threats, yet Reza Pahlavi’s self-proclaimed leadership offers little more than a mirage. Declaring himself the “leader of the transition,” he has sidelined notions of democracy and pluralism in favor of an authoritarian vision, all under the guise of fulfilling…
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Decolonization vs. Social Justice: Key Differences
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Lately, you might have noticed the word “decolonization” popping up in conversations about social justice, education, and even mental health. It’s become a buzzword, a way to signal progressive thinking or a commitment to fairness. But at its core, decolonization isn’t about improvement or reform. It isn’t a metaphor to…
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The Art of Survival in Iran’s Repressive Regime
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Life in Iran under a totalitarian regime is a relentless performance, a dance of endurance. It’s like Tehching Hsieh and Linda Montano’s “Art/Life: One Year Performance 1983–1984,” where they tied themselves together by an 8-foot rope, day after day. The rope held them close but kept them apart, bound by…
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Iran’s Nuclear Tensions: A Deepening Crisis with the West
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The nuclear standoff between Iran and the West is more than a diplomatic struggle—it is a tense, layered conflict that increasingly pushes toward a dangerous precipice. Iran’s relationship with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) exemplifies this tangled web of mistrust and maneuvering. The agency’s concerns over undeclared enriched uranium…
