Siyavash Shahabi
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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…
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The Face of Hate: How Islamic Regime Feeds on Anti-Semitic Lies
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Shariatmadari, a former interrogator from the 1980s and now the mouthpiece of Ali Khamenei, reflects a dark legacy in his editorial work. He distorts the global outrage over Palestinian suffering to propagate hateful narratives reminiscent of fascism. His recent statements accuse the German government of Zionist control and dismiss the…
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My Favorite Cake: Cinema, Memory, and Resistance in Iran
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For some time now, My Favorite Cake, directed by Maryam Moghadam and Behtash Sanaeeha, has been available to the public through some Telegram channels. After receiving attention in the 74th Berlin Film Festival’s cinema circles, audiences now have easy access to this film. My Favorite Cake draws power from its…
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Iran-Israel Tensions: The Shadow of Military Strikes
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The escalating tensions between Iran and Israel have resulted in a complex situation with recent military actions unclarified by either side. Israel claims to have struck 20 targets deep within Iran, including a factory known for industrial machinery, while Iranian authorities dismiss these claims as false. The IRGC promotes a…
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Breaking Down Orientalist Views of Politics
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Last October, I was talking with friends about the situation. Week after week, it became clear to me: they didn’t care about defending Palestine, or standing with oppressed people, or fighting against colonialism. It was only about fighting Israel, at any cost. I had a conversation with a Palestinian friend…
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The Anti-Colonial Dilemma: Israel and Palestinian Liberation
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What we face today on the global left is a fundamental issue, not just with ideology, but with clarity of purpose. There’s a fixation on the destruction of Israel, a vision rooted in an anti-Semitic worldview. It’s crucial to confront this head-on. The struggle for Palestinian liberation, over the past…
