Journal
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Hamas’s “Al-Aqsa Storm” attack on Israel and the subsequent geopolitical reactions unfolded against a backdrop of prophetic beliefs and theological superstitions, particularly focused on the Red Heifer and apocalyptic outcomes. These religious narratives infuse both policy and conflict, influencing actions across Israel, Iran, and the U.S. In Israel, it aligns with the anticipated Messianic times, while in Iran, it coincides with the Mahdi’s appearance and Israel’s destruction. In the U.S., Christian Zionists, interpreting these signs as heralding the end times, resist diplomatic restraint, advocating instead for conflict perpetuating Israel’s genocidal actions in Gaza.
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Marx’s analysis links primitive accumulation of capital and colonialism as two pillars of capitalist expansion, involving violent expropriation and exploitation tied to colonial ventures. This historical critique aligns with contemporary leftist debates in places like Greece, where the left grapples with anti-imperialist narratives and the ethical implications of alliances and trade with oppressive regimes. These discussions challenge the left to address both international solidarity and the intersection of capitalism, imperialism, and nationalism, prompting a reevaluation of strategies supportive of global class struggles.
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The Islamic Republic is facing a crisis of hegemony; its political, economic, and cultural dominance is diminishing amidst internal discontent and defiance, particularly from the “Woman, Life, Freedom” movement. In contrast, Turkey exemplifies the decline of political Islam in a less autocratic context. Historical communism’s struggles inform current leftist nationalism in the West, which often ignores the complex political economy of war. The 1979 Iranian Revolution underscores this with Iran’s working class rapidly advancing debates on social and political change, challenging communism’s ineffective strategies and leading to the establishment of the Communist Party of Iran.
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After several decades, we think that Western intellectuals in 1979 were mistaken about the Iranian Revolution, or, at best, were deceived by the words and behavior of Islamist who oppressed the revolutionaries and the “tricks” of the their leaders. But this is true? Can we add that these were intellectuals who described and explained events with an Orientalist perspective? The most significant example to prove this hypothesis is the views of Michel Foucault, one of the main symbols of intellectuality at that time, about the revolution in Iran and their roll in manufacturing the term of Islamic Revolution. However, reducing…
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Western reluctance to support Ukraine swiftly, international firms’ vested interests in Russia, and the right-wing’s indifference toward Russia’s expansionism are central themes. Global left-wing politics, accused of siding with Russian imperialism and neglecting issues like migration and the struggles in the Global South, demonstrate intellectual poverty. They overlook major geopolitical shifts like Russia and China’s global investments, signaling a neglect of the political economy of war, resulting in alignment with Eastern autocratic regimes.
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Mansoor Hekmat interpreted Marx’s thoughts to argue that social production and consciousness are products of human action, not precursors to existence. He asserted that revolutions, like the French, increase consciousness and transform society. Social arrangements like capitalism or socialism, while consciously constructed, do not define humanity. Hekmat emphasized that true socialism centers on returning agency to people, transcending class and identity, making it clear that the essence of socialism is human-focused, aiming for a society where humanity, not systemic structures, takes precedence.
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Mainstream media misrepresents Geert Wilders’ far-right victory in the Netherlands as anti-Islam instead of racist. Rather than promoting a united society, media establishments encourage a fictitious “us versus them” narrative. This narrative benefits liberal-lefts, who ignore authoritarian and ultra right-wing Islamic groups. Meanwhile, right-wing trends in the Middle East exploit this situation to spread anti-western ideas, being mistaken for anti-colonialist forces. This misrepresentation traps society in an ideological divide, often painting opposition against political movements as a form of racism.
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The current protests call the nations to a new social contract in the relations between them, which can potentially cause fundamental changes in the policies of the governments. This new contractualism requires governments to force Israel to accept international resolutions through the application of pressure (including the implementation of international laws, economic sanctions, cutting off political relations, etc.) in order to comply with the rights and justice of the Palestinians.
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In the pursuit of justice and empathy for the Palestinian people, a significant discrepancy distinguishes Iranian leftists from progressive and peace-loving groups in the Western world. This contrast emerges from our profound understanding of Islam and Islamism, which is manifested as a “populist movement” and a governing authority. This comprehension has developed in response to the predominance of the Shiite theocracy.
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In this 365 km2 region (In the foreground, the city of Athens stands, providing a clearer perspective on the scale of Gaza), Israel has unleashed a barrage of thousands of bombs within the span of two weeks. This number is more than the international anti-ISIS coalition used (2,500 bombs per month) across 46,000 km2 in […]
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Photo: Demonstrations against the bombing of Gaza and the occupation. October 12, 2023. Athens Zionism followed a similar path in the 1980s to foster the growth of Islamist groups, as the United States did to counter the Soviet Union and prevent the emergence of leftist governments in the region and specially in Afghanistan. Zionism, which […]
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From simple friendships to love relationships, common gender stereotypes about people from the Middle East or Africa and, strong colonial and supremacy bias towards them led to some experiences that treating human as sexual and emotional satisfaction resources, then discarded similar to batteries, and seeking out new resource once the current ones are depleted. The dynamics of power and dominance held by citizens, coupled with an excessive emphasis on individualism that leads them to overlook the refugees’ backgrounds and living conditions, contribute significantly to psychological distress.