Author: Siyavash Shahabi
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Antigone in Exile: On Bombs, Borders, and the Silence We Refuse
While Israel rained missiles on Iranian cities and the Islamic Republic intensified its internal repression, I found myself sitting on ancient stone, watching Antigone under the open sky in Epidaurus. I am a political refugee from Iran—exiled, but not erased. This reflection is not just about one night of theater or one act of war.…
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Between Theocracy and Monarchy: The Silencing of Iran’s Democratic Voices
In recent years, especially after the “Woman, Life, Freedom” uprising we have witnessed a phenomenon that has not only reshaped the political landscape of the Iranian diaspora, but also deeply challenged our understanding of concepts like freedom, secularism, and solidarity. The growing prominence of monarchist discourse in Persian-language media abroad, alongside the increasing number and…
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We Are Not Your Martyrs: On Resistance, Racism, and Revolution
This morning, as I was going through the news, the images of a protest in front of the University of Tehran caught my attention—slogans full of nationalist passion, and that during the days of Muharram and Ashura! Hadn’t they been telling us for forty years that the entire Islamic worldview, the whole “truth of Shiism,”…
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Iranian Labour Unions Condemn Mass Deportation of Afghan Migrants
Two Iranian labour organizations have condemned the mass deportation of Afghan migrants as “organized inhumanity” and “a political cover-up” for the Islamic Republic’s domestic and regional failures. According to official figures, more than 380,000 Afghan nationals have been expelled from Iran in a short period, mostly through the Dogharoun border crossing in eastern Iran. The…
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How Iran’s Working Class Fights to Survive: A Political Explanation
Kazem Farajollahi’s article, is a powerful and detailed explanation of the struggles that Iranian workers face today. It was published on International Workers’ Day, a date that has special meaning for labor movements around the world. The article begins with a dedication to two women workers, Reyhaneh and Sharifeh, who, according to the author, have…
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After the Ceasefire: A New War Inside Iran
In the early hours of Tuesday, June 24, 2025, after twelve days of intense fighting between Iran and Israel, a ceasefire was announced—first by Iran, and then officially accepted by Israel a few hours later, putting an end to this round of military conflict. But while the missiles and bombs may have stopped, for people…
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“What’s Happening in Iran?” A Question with No Easy Answer
One of my friends asked me, “What’s happening in Iran?” It was a simple question, but answering it has become not only difficult, but terrifying. In a country struck by both repression and missiles, it’s not just the roofs that collapse—language has collapsed too. People are trapped under rubble, but stories are buried. The truth,…
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From Below: Iranian Civil Society Against War and Tyranny
In the shadow of sirens and smoke, where Tehran’s skyline is once again marked by fire and fear, a different kind of voice is emerging from within Iran—one that rejects both the bombs falling from foreign skies and the violence of the regime that claims to defend the homeland. While Israel’s attack on Iranian cities…
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Iranian Activists Support the Global ‘March to Gaza’
Dozens of independent Iranian activists—including workers, teachers, political prisoners, environmentalists, and children’s rights defenders—have released an open letter supporting the global “March to Gaza.” Many of these signatories are currently imprisoned in Iran for their peaceful activism. Their statement is both a condemnation of Israel’s war on Gaza and a call to action for global…
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Palestine Between Propaganda and Betrayal
As expected, the IAEA has finally issued its resolution against Iran. Now, the case will likely be reviewed by the UN Security Council. In response, the Islamic regime quickly claimed it would build a new enrichment facility in a “more secure” location! But that means it would take at least a year or more to…
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The People First: Rohini Hensman on Democracy, Resistance, and the Global Left
There are moments when political confusion doesn’t just disorient you—it makes you feel betrayed. As an Iranian writer and activist in exile, I have spent years trying to understand not only the regime I escaped, but also the silences and excuses that surround it. I have watched with disbelief as many people—especially those who identify…
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2024: The Year of Gradual Collapse of Labor Rights
In a year when nearly half of the world’s population is expected to vote, the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) has released a report that goes beyond just another annual overview of labor conditions. The 2024 Global Rights Index doesn’t just map how labor rights are respected or violated in different countries—it also shows how…
