Spain Turns Down Iran’s Request for Extradition of Ex-Diplomat’s Son
By Ahmad Rafat
A court in Madrid has ordered the immediate release of Mohammad (Sasha) Sobhani, the son of a former Iranian diplomat and a social media celebrity who was detained by Spanish police at...
ANALYSIS: Who Will Succeed Ali Khamenei as Iran’s Supreme Leader?
By Ahmad Rafat
Elections for the 16th Majlis (Iranian Parliament) and for the sixth Assembly of Experts (which has the power to appoint Iran’s Supreme Leader) were held on March 1 in Iran.
These elections marked...
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...
Reza Pahlavi Urges Iranians to Join Forces and Liberate Homeland
By Ahmad Rafat
Prince Reza Pahlavi presented his “new covenant” in a live broadcast. He said his speech was a “response to the innumerable messages of those of you who are rightly worried about Iran...
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...
Italian National Is Arrested in Iran
By Ahmad Rafat
Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence said in a statement on Sept. 30 that it had arrested nine European nationals from Germany, France, Poland, the Netherlands, Sweden, Italy, and other countries, for their alleged...
BOOK REVIEW: The Lasting Legacy of Shapour Bakhtiar, Iran’s Late Prime Minister
By Ahmad Rafat
“The Lasting Legacy of Shapour Bakhtiar,” by Dr. Ebrahim Biparva, is a collection of articles written by various people about Shapour Bakhtiar (1914-1991), Iran’s last Prime Minister under Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi.
Dr....
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...
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...
PROFILE: Narges Mohammadi, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, Speaks Of Her Struggle
By Ahmad Rafat
Narges Mohammadi, winner of the 2023 Nobel Peace Prize, is an Iranian journalist and human rights activist serving a 16-year sentence in prison. She has been detained a total of 13 times...
