ANALYSIS: Islamic Republic Looks to China, Russia to Avoid Isolation
By Ahmad Rafat
Under intense U.S. sanctions and facing the looming reimposition of international penalties through the “snapback” mechanism triggered by France, Germany, and the UK (E3), the Islamic Republic of Iran has once again...
ANALYSIS: Will Global Sanctions Be Reimposed on Islamic Republic of Iran?
By Ahmad Rafat
France, Germany, and the United Kingdom—the three European signatories (E3) to the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), the Iran nuclear deal – have officially triggered the “snapback” mechanism restoring all...
At Venice Film Festival, Filmmaker Rasoulof Is On Main Competition Jury
By Ahmad Rafat
The 82nd International Venice Film Festival is currently under way on Lido island in Venice. The event concludes on Sept. 6 with the announcement of the Golden Lion, the Silver Lion, and...
ANALYSIS: Islamic Republic Faces Paralysis If West Toughens Sanctions
By Ahmad Rafat
The Islamic Republic of Iran currently finds itself engulfed in a multitude of crises: a deepening water shortage as reservoirs run dry; an electricity crisis marked by relentless blackouts; the fallout from...
Twelve-Day War With Israel Deepens Crisis in Islamic Republic
By Ahmad Rafat
The twelve-day war with Israel, which took place between June 13 and 24, has intensified the political crisis engulfing the Islamic Republic -- a regime established following the 1979 anti-monarchy revolution led...
ANALYSIS: How The Islamic Republic (IRI) Is Striving to Rebuild the ‘Axis of Resistance’
By Ahmad Rafat
In late June, Brigadier General Esmail Ghaani, commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Qods Force (IRGC-QF), made an unannounced visit to Baghdad.
At the same time, representatives from several groups, including Lebanon’s...
ANALYSIS: Reaching A Deal in Iran-U.S. Nuclear Talks Will Be Tough
By Ahmad Rafat
On the anniversary of the death of Ruhollah Khomeini -- the founder of the Islamic Republic -- Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei firmly rejected the idea of halting uranium enrichment, a demand...
ANALYSIS: Iran-U.S. Nuclear Talks Stall Amid Threats of War
By Ahmad Rafat
The fifth round of negotiations between the Islamic Republic of Iran and the United States over Tehran’s nuclear program took place on May 23 at the Omani ambassador’s residence in Rome.
The discussions,...
ANALYSIS: The Mystery of the Bandar Abbas Explosion
By Ahmad Rafat
On April 26, an explosion rocked Bandar Abbas, one of Iran’s key commercial ports, in the southern province of Hormozgan. The blast claimed more than 100 lives and left more than 1,400...
ANALYSIS: Iran and U.S. Enter Third Round of Nuclear Talks
By Ahmad Rafat
Negotiations between the Islamic Republic of Iran and the United States, mediated by the Sultanate of Oman, are currently under way.
The third round of talks is scheduled for April 26 in Muscat,...
