Marjane Satrapi Releases ‘Woman, Life, Freedom’ Book With Fellow Illustrators
By Ahmad Rafat
Seventeen Iranian and non-Iranian illustrators including Marjane Satrapi have released a book titled “Woman, Life, Freedom.” The book, originally published in French, has been translated into English and other languages, with Satrapi...
EXCLUSIVE: Oscars Academy’s Invitation to Filmmaker Abyar Sparks Furious Petition in Iran
By Ahmad Rafat
Screenwriter Narges Abyar is one of five Iranian-born film-industry professionals to have been invited on June 30 to join the American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Her selection has met...
ANALYSIS: Taliban Comeback Will Shift Balance of Power in the Region
By Ahmad Rafat
The Taliban regained control of Afghanistan at lightning speed last week — 20 years after U.S. military forces removed them from power. Their return and territorial gains in such a short time...
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...
Iranian Cinema’s New Hope: Panah Panahi, London Film Festival Award Winner
By Ahmad Rafat
Iranian director Panah Panahi’s first feature film “Hit the Road” won the Best Film Award at the 65th BFI London Film Festival last month. Panahi was up against stiff competition for the...
ANALYSIS: Much of Iran Is Threatened By Drought and Water Scarcity
By Ahmad Rafat
Climate change poses a clear and present danger to our planet. The situation is even more critical in the Middle East and Iran, where water shortage, drought, and forest fires have turned...
Actress Mary Apick Discusses Her Animation Film On Iran’s Underage Street Peddlers
By Ahmad Rafat
Iranian-American stage and television actress Mary Apick has produced a 13-minute animation film titled “The Cat” drawing attention to the plight of Iran’s child peddlers. The focus of the story: a flower...
Iraq Cannot Name New Premier Without Iran’s Approval, Analyst Says
By Ahmad Rafat
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo says Washington is “closely watching the Iraqi prime minister-designate Mustafa Al-Kadhimi” as he tries to form a new government.
“Iraqi leaders need to cast aside the country’s sectarian...
ANALYSIS: Iran Faces Imminent Environmental Catastrophe
By Ahmad Rafat
The UK and Italy jointly chair the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26), which started in Glasgow, Scotland, on Oct. 31 and ends Nov. 12. Some 25 representatives from 200 countries,...
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...
