U.S. Keeps Military Option on Table As It Seeks to Reboot Iran Nuclear Talks
By Ahmad Rafat
U.S. President Joe Biden and his administration have reiterated their commitment to rejoin the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), better known as the Iran nuclear deal. Yet it is unclear...
Iran-Backed Militias Stage Failed Coup in Iraq
By Ahmad Rafat
On May 26, Iraqi security forces arrested Qassim Mahmoud Musleh, the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) military commander for the western province of Al Anbar, in Baghdad, on terrorism charges.
Sabah al-Wafi, a senior...
Iranian Films Are Among Award Contenders at Venice Film Festival
By Ahmad Rafat
The Venice Film Festival -- which gave Shirin Neshat its best director award in 2009 -- opened on August 29 on the island of Lido. While this year's main competition has no...
ANALYSIS: What Is Iran’s Role in the Future of Lebanon?
By Ahmad Rafat
The head of Lebanon’s Maronite Church, Patriarch Bechara Boutros al-Rahi, has warned against the perils facing the country and has called for early parliamentary elections.
“Lebanon is facing its biggest danger,” Patriarch al-Rahi...
ANALYSIS: Iran’s Foreign Policy Under Pezeshkian Is More of the Same
By Ahmad Rafat
Weeks after the election of Masoud Pezeshkian as the new Iranian President, the Islamic Republic is facing significant challenges on the global stage.
One critical factor that could push Iran into further international...
ANALYSIS: Low Voter Turnout Expected in Iran Elections, Poll Shows
By Ahmad Rafat
The Islamic Republic has, once again, urged Iranians to vote in an election, the outcome of which is a foregone conclusion. Most people believe that Ebrahim Raisi, the current head of the...
UK to Designate Wagner A Terrorist Group; No Designation For IRGC
By Ahmad Rafat
The UK government plans to designate the Wagner Group, a Russian state-funded private military company, a terrorist organization on Sept. 13.
Under the Terrorism Act 2000, being a member of the Wagner Group...
Iranian Rapper Toomaj Salehi Summoned by Revolutionary Court
By Ahmad Rafat
Toomaj Salah, who in recent months has become the most popular rap artist in Iran, has been ordered to appear in a revolutionary court on Jan. 12 in Shahin Shahr, in the...
Iran at the Venice Biennale: A Visit to the Iranian Pavilion
By Ahmad Rafat
Iran is among the 85 countries taking part this year in the Venice Biennale, the world's largest and oldest art fair. The 57th Biennale opened on May 13 and runs through November...
Awardwinning Filmmaker Rasoulof Speaks to Kayhan Life; Movie Is Out in Europe
By Ahmad Rafat
The award-winning Iranian director Mohammad Rasoulof’s film “There Is No Evil” (2020) has just been released in cinemas across Europe. The film has won the top prize at several film festivals, including...
