Venice Film Festival To Present ‘Tatami,’ First Iranian-Israeli Cinematic Collaboration
By Ahmad Rafat
The Venice Film Festival, the world’s oldest cinematic event, opens on August 30 on the island of Lido. While there are no Iranian films or filmmakers in the main competition, two titles...
ANALYSIS: Iran’s Economic Crisis Is Sparking New Wave of Civil Unrest
By Ahmad Rafat
The volatile foreign exchange market is the leading indicator of the economic crisis in Iran -- even for those who live abroad and are not part of the everyday struggle in the...
Films By Iranian Women Get Top Billing In Europe’s Movie Theaters
By Ahmad Rafat
Women directors of Iranian descent are seeing their movies widely showcased across European movie theaters. The directors are Zar Amir Ebrahimi, with “Tatami;” Maryam Keshavarz, the Iranian-American director of “The Persian Version;”...
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...
Iran Is Alarmed by Mutiny In Russia Led by Wagner Group’s Yevgeny Prigozhin
By Ahmad Rafat
The mercenary Wagner group’s occupation of the port city of Rostov-on-Don in Russia, on June 23 lasted just one day: Wagner leader Yevgeny Prigozhin halted its march on Moscow after a deal...
Beirut Explosion Delays Hariri Court Verdict for Iranian-backed Hezbollah
By Ahmad Rafat
On Aug. 8, the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL) postponed its verdict for two weeks in the trial of four men accused of assassinating the former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafic Hariri, who...
ANALYSIS: Iran and China’s Controversial 25-Year Deal
By Ahmad Rafat
Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi signed a 25-year accord between the two countries on March 27 in Tehran. Many Iranians inside and outside the country...
Iranian Women Athletes Win Medals For Taekwondo In Paris 2024 Olympics
By Ahmad Rafat
Mobina Nematzadeh, an Iranian taekwondo competitor, won a bronze medal in the 49-kilogram category at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, becoming the second Iranian woman to secure an Olympic medal.
Another notable performance...
ANALYSIS: Iran Is Using COVID-19 to Further Its Political Goals
By Ahmad Rafat
After more than a year, the European Union has activated the Instrument to Support Trade Exchanges (INSTEX), enabling Iran to buy medicine and medical supplies and equipment to help the country in...
Frankfurt Deputy Mayor Eskandari-Grünberg Says Islamic Republic Is ‘Hostile to Humanity’
By Ahmad Rafat and Kayhan Life Staff
The Iranian-born, German politician Nargess Eskandari-Grünberg is the Deputy Mayor of Frankfurt -- and a vocal, lifelong campaigner for democracy and women’s rights in Iran.
She served for six...
