ANALYSIS: Is the Islamic Republic On the Verge of Military Conflict and War?
By Ahmad Rafat
A letter from U.S. President Donald Trump was delivered to Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei -- finally.
Contrary to expectations, it was not sent via Arab countries with friendly ties to the Islamic...
Meet the 14 Iranian Athletes Competing in the Paris Olympics Refugee Team
By Ahmad Rafat
Fourteen Iranian athletes are competing in the Paris Olympic Games as refugees. They are part of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Refugee Olympic Team (ROT), which has a total of 36 athletes from 11 countries competing...
ANALYSIS: Iran’s Exclusion from Munich Conference Is A Victory For Pro-Democracy Movement
By Ahmad Rafat
The Islamic Republic has been excluded from this year’s Munich Security Conference (MSC), held from 17 to 19 Feb.
The MSC’s decision marks the first time Iran and Russia will not have representatives...
ANALYSIS: Death of Iranian Arab in Prison Raises Human Rights Concerns
By Ahmad Rafat
Benyamin Alboghbiesh, a 28-year-old ethnic Arab who along with his brother Mohammad Ali were arrested by security agents on May 26, has died under suspicious circumstances at the Intelligence Detention Center in...
ANALYSIS: The Hostage Trade Is Central to Iran’s Foreign Policy
By Ahmad Rafat
Hamid Nouri, a former Iranian official, was convicted of war crimes and murder in May 2022 by a Swedish court. The court held 93 hearings before delivering the verdict. Nouri was sentenced...
EXCLUSIVE: Ex-Fighter for Iran-Backed Hezbollah Speaks to Kayhan Life
By Ahmad Rafat
In recent months, several mid-ranking fighters of the Iran-backed Hezbollah organization in Lebanon have left, citing the Islamic Republic’s control over the movement, its involvement in the Syrian conflict and its support...
Iraqi Special Forces Raid Shia Militia Group, Capture Iranian Commander
By Ahmad Rafat
In the early morning hours of June 26, the Iraqi Special Operations Forces (ISOF) raided the headquarters of Kata’ib Hezbollah (Hezbollah Brigades) in Dora, a neighborhood in the Al Rashid administrative district...
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...
Iran Accused of “Crimes Against Humanity” at Aban Tribunal in London
By Ahmad Rafat
On Nov. 15, the Aban Tribunal concluded a five-day hearing in London on the alleged direct involvement of several senior officials of the Islamic Republic of Iran in crimes committed during the...
Venice Film Festival To Feature Iranian Directors Including Nader Saeivar
By Ahmad Rafat
The 81st Venice Film Festival, the world’s oldest film festival, will open on Aug. 28 on Lido Island. This year’s event will showcase 188 films -- including feature-length and short formats, fiction,...
