Iran’s Women-Led Revolution Inspires Italian Cartoonist Gianluca Costantini
By Ahmad Rafat
Gianluca Costantini is a renowned Italian cartoonist, artist, and comic journalist whose recent works have focused on the ongoing protests in Iran, sparked by the death of Mahsa (Zhina) Amini, a 22-year-old...
INTERVIEW: Hunger-Striking Iranian Rights Activist Vahid Beheshti Urges UK Action
By Ahmad Rafat
Vahid Beheshti, a journalist and human rights activist, has been on a hunger strike outside the British Foreign Office in London since Feb. 23 in an effort to urge the British government...
ANALYSIS: Iran and Saudi Arabia Still Have Many Unresolved Issues
By Ahmad Rafat
The Islamic Republic, Saudi Arabia, China, Israel, and the U.S. have been engaged in a power play in the Middle East recently, each trying to strengthen its influence in the region.
While Israel...
ANALYSIS: Iran’s Militia Networks in the Middle East and Africa
By Ahmad Rafat
Iraqi Prime Minister Adil Abdul-Mahdi has given the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) one month to either integrate the Iraqi military or lay down its arms and become a political organization.
The PMF, also...
Jailed Iranian Filmmaker Panahi Wins Jury Prize at Venice Film Festival
By Ahmad Rafat
Jafar Panahi’s “No Bears” (Khers Nist) won the Special Jury Prize last weekend at the Venice Film Festival, in a demonstration of solidarity with detained Iranian filmmakers such as himself.
In the festival’s...
ANALYSIS: How Hostage Taking Is An Integral Part of Iran’s Foreign Policy
By Ahmad Rafat
Holding foreign nationals and Iranians with dual citizenship hostage, and demanding money or a prisoner swap for their freedom, has been an integral part of the Islamic Republic’s transactional foreign policy since...
ANALYSIS: Disbanding Morality Police Won’t Stop Iranians Urging Regime Change
By Ahmad Rafat
International media have reported extensively on recent ambiguous comments by Iran’s Attorney General Mohammad Jafar Montazeri, suggesting that the country had disbanded its morality police (the Guidance patrol).
Mr. Montazeri made those comments...
ANALYSIS: Iran Prepares for New Round of Talks with The West
By Ahmad Rafat
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has instructed the Expediency Council to revisit the principal components of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) Recommendations, in an apparent effort to pave the way...
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...
Two Iranian Directors Win Prizes at Karlovy Vary Festival in Czech Republic
By Ahmad Rafat
Two Iranian directors have won prizes at the prestigious Karlovy Vary International Film Festival held in the Czech Republic.
The Best Director award was given to the movie "Fremont,” directed by Babak Jalali....
