Author: Siyavash Shahabi
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The Art of Survival in Iran’s Repressive Regime
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 rules but divided by the…
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Iran’s Nuclear Tensions: A Deepening Crisis with the West
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 sites and Iran’s restricted access…
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The Face of Hate: How Islamic Regime Feeds on Anti-Semitic Lies
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 Holocaust as a fabrication, echoing…
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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…
