Author: Siyavash Shahabi
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My Favorite Cake: Cinema, Memory, and Resistance in Iran
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 strong screenplay, memorable performances by…
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Iran-Israel Tensions: The Shadow of Military Strikes
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 narrative of calm in Tehran,…
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Breaking Down Orientalist Views of Politics
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 about why, as an Iranian,…
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The Anti-Colonial Dilemma: Israel and Palestinian Liberation
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 decades, has become entangled in…
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Iran on the Brink: War, Fascism, and the West’s Hypocrisy
The people in the West, standing up for Palestine over the past year, are doing something important. It’s true, some of them also hold racist and Orientalist views, supporting Islamic fascism without realizing it. But for us Iranians, the fight against Islamic fascism and the struggle for Palestinian liberation are two separate matters. We are…
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The Story of a Nation? A Country? A People?
I struggle to find the right title, perhaps because these words—nation, country, people—have lost their weight, their truth. For many of us, they are no longer symbols of pride or belonging. This isn’t just because I’ve wandered for over 12 years, moving from one place to another, but because the idea of a “nation” itself…
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The Geopolitical Implications of Ismail Haniyeh’s Assassination
It is undeniable that the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh involved cooperation from high-ranking security officials of the Islamic Republic. The assassination of Ismail Haniyeh, while aiding Netanyahu’s agenda, has broader implications for the Middle East. It underscores the fragile nature of political alliances and the continuous struggle for power in the region. This act serves…
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The Book of Fate: Heartbeats of Resistance and Sacrifice
A friend’s request for English translations of Persian literature led to a search highlighting Iranian women writers, focusing on themes of resistance and struggle. A notable work is “The Book of Fate” by Parinoush Saniee, a novel depicting Iran’s social history from the 1970s to present. It follows Massoumeh, a Tehran teenager forced into marriage,…
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Understanding Iran’s Election Engineering and its Global Ramifications
The post discusses the intricate political dynamics in Iran involving its relationships with Russia, the West, and China. It highlights Interior Minister’s statement on a “new era” and Vladimir Putin’s concern about Iran-Russia relations amid presidential elections. The narrative points to Iran’s need to engage with the West to ease sanctions and stabilize economically, with…
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Strikes and Struggles: The Plight of Iran’s Oil Workers
The new wave of strikes, called the “14-14” campaign, began on June 19. Contract workers in various oil and gas companies went on strike demanding higher wages and a 14-day work, 14-day rest schedule. Earlier, these workers had warned that if their demands were not met by the end of June, they would strike. One…
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The Complex Dynamics of Voting in Iran: Aspirations, Realities, and Repression
The political situation in Iran is like a patient with 80% of their body affected by leukemia or AIDS. Those who still have hope in this sick and paralyzed democracy ask what should be done with this patient. They don’t abandon the patient but use their energy to keep him alive, hoping for a miracle…
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Wallet and Gender: Understanding Women’s Economic Marginalization in Iran
The Iranian centrist newspaper, Ham Mihan, has highlighted the issue of women’s employment in a recent report. Despite Iran having one of the highest numbers of female university students and graduates in the region, their participation in the labor market and economy remains lower than in most neighboring countries. The core issue revolves around women’s…
