Siyavash Shahabi

  • From Kolbar to ‘Terrorist’: How the Islamic Regime Manufactures Enemies

    From Kolbar to ‘Terrorist’: How the Islamic Regime Manufactures Enemies

    Hamid Hosseinnezhad Heydaranlou was a 39-year-old Kurdish man from a small village called Segrik, near Chaldoran in West Azerbaijan Province, Iran. He was a husband, a father of three children, and someone who worked hard just to survive. Like many other Kurdish men in his region, he was a kolbar…

  • Mobile Surveillance and the War on Women’s Bodies in Iran

    Mobile Surveillance and the War on Women’s Bodies in Iran

    In recent years, Iran has intensified its enforcement of compulsory hijab laws through the deployment of advanced surveillance technologies. While the national implementation of these laws has faced challenges and public resistance, certain regions, notably Isfahan, have become focal points for stringent enforcement measures.​ Isfahan, a major city in central…

  • Structural Violence in the Islamic Regime’s Labor System

    Structural Violence in the Islamic Regime’s Labor System

    Between 2021-22, 3,826 workers in Iran were killed in so-called “workplace accidents.” These deaths are not isolated tragedies or unfortunate errors of management—they are the logical outcome of a social order in which the working class is systematically denied the right to organize, to supervise, and to intervene in the…

  • Banners in the Wind, Walls at the Border

    Banners in the Wind, Walls at the Border

    In late 2006, I took part in a small gathering in Sanandaj for World Children’s Day. We held signs that said children deserve education, not war—hardly a radical demand. Most of us were under 25. Some were students, some workers, some artists. We were thinking about Afghan children without access…

  • How Germany Justifies Refugee Exploitation in Greece

    How Germany Justifies Refugee Exploitation in Greece

    I followed the recent decision of the German Federal Constitutional Court closely—because it’s not just about one case. It’s about a system that people like me live under every day. The case was about an Afghan refugee who had already received protection status in Greece. He went to Germany, applied…

  • Geopolitics and Social Movements in Post-2023 Iran

    Geopolitics and Social Movements in Post-2023 Iran

    The Islamic Republic built a tool and named it the “Axis of Resistance.” For three decades, it used this label to present itself as a force against Israel and in support of Palestinian liberation. This construction was not accidental. It served a strategic purpose: to expand the regime’s regional influence…

  • Greece: Refugees Still Face Major Barriers to a Normal Life

    Greece: Refugees Still Face Major Barriers to a Normal Life

    Even after receiving refugee status in Greece, daily life remains full of obstacles. The latest report by Refugee Support Aegean (RSA) and PRO ASYL confirms what many of us have already experienced: recognition on paper does not mean real protection or stability. As someone who has lived in Greece for…

  • Iran–US: Against the War Camps

    Iran–US: Against the War Camps

    Over the past 24 hours, diplomatic and military developments between the United States, Israel, and the Islamic Republic of Iran have intensified. While the headlines are shaped by threats of war, military buildups, and indirect diplomatic signaling, the underlying dynamics point to deeper strategic tensions that require clear and grounded…

  • Baloch Women Face Repression for Speaking Out

    Baloch Women Face Repression for Speaking Out

    In March 2025, two prominent Baloch human rights defenders, Mahrang Baloch and Sammi Deen Baloch, were arrested by Pakistani authorities during peaceful protests in Quetta and Karachi. Their arrests have increased concerns about the criminalization of dissent and the ongoing policy of enforced disappearances in Balochistan. Both women are internationally…

  • The U.S.–Iran Standoff in a Shifting Global Order

    The U.S.–Iran Standoff in a Shifting Global Order

    The latest escalation between the United States and the Islamic Republic of Iran signals more than a bilateral conflict over nuclear capabilities. While Iranian officials hint at resuming a nuclear program if attacked, Donald Trump has issued multiple threats of unprecedented military strikes, using the Houthis’ actions in the Red…

  • Structural Corruption in Türkiye: The Case of Espressolab

    Structural Corruption in Türkiye: The Case of Espressolab

    In March 2025, Türkiye experienced a wave of political unrest following the detention of İstanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu and several municipal officials. These events triggered nationwide protests and renewed calls for boycotts targeting businesses perceived to be aligned with the ruling government. Among the companies that came under public scrutiny…

  • Militarism in Iran: War Machines and Social Crisis

    Militarism in Iran: War Machines and Social Crisis

    Iran’s so-called “missile cities” are large-scale underground military installations designed to store, maintain, and potentially launch ballistic and cruise missiles, drones, and air defense systems. Developed and operated primarily by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), these facilities are part of a broader military strategy aimed at strengthening deterrence capabilities,…

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