Iran
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Environmental Activism and Resistance in Kurdistan
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In early August 2025, four environmental activists lost their lives while trying to control a wildfire in the Abidar mountains near Sanandaj, in Iran’s Kurdistan province. They were not the first to die this way. In recent years, at least 20 Kurdish environmental defenders have been killed in similar circumstances…
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Authoritarianism in Exile: the Future Iran Doesn’t Need
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In late July, a political gathering took place in Munich that brought together a wide range of Iranian right-wing opposition figures in exile under title of “National Cooperation to Save Iran.” On the surface, it looked like another conference of activists and politicians trying to present themselves as an alternative…
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Kurdistan in Iran’s Crisis: Shared Struggles, Distinct Conditions
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In the shadow of the Islamic Republic’s rise in the early 1980s, a different kind of resistance was taking shape in the mountains of Iranian Kurdistan. It wasn’t just about ethnic identity or geography—it was about building a new kind of politics. At the heart of this struggle stood Komala,…
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Sadegh Hedayat on Religion, Power, and Manufactured Ignorance
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The struggle against religious superstition and the effort to sever the bond between religion and power have deep roots in Iran. Contrary to the widespread belief that secularism is purely a Western or modern phenomenon, Iranian history is rich with Enlightenment-driven efforts that have criticized religion not as a matter…
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Antigone in Exile: On Bombs, Borders, and the Silence We Refuse
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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…
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Between Theocracy and Monarchy: The Silencing of Iran’s Democratic Voices
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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,…
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We Are Not Your Martyrs: On Resistance, Racism, and Revolution
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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,…
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Iranian Labour Unions Condemn Mass Deportation of Afghan Migrants
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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…
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After the Ceasefire: A New War Inside Iran
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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…
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“What’s Happening in Iran?” A Question with No Easy Answer
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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…
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From Below: Iranian Civil Society Against War and Tyranny
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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…
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Palestine Between Propaganda and Betrayal
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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…
