Islamic Republic Executed 834 People In 2023, Up 43% From 2022, Report Says
By Ahmad Rafat
The Iranian authorities intensified their use of the death penalty in the aftermath of nationwide protests, executing a staggering 834 people in 2023, a 43 percent increase from the year before, according...
ANALYSIS: Islamic Republic Elections Draw Worst-Ever Turnout
By Ahmad Rafat
Elections for the Majlis (Iranian Parliament) and the sixth Assembly of Experts (which has the power to appoint Iran’s Supreme Leader) were held on March 1.
According to official data, the recent election...
ANALYSIS: Many Iranians Plan to Boycott March 1 Parliamentary Elections
By Ahmad Rafat
Elections for the Iranian Parliament and for the sixth Assembly of Experts (which has the power to appoint Iran’s Supreme Leader) are due to be held on March 1. The candidates in...
ANALYSIS: Why Sweden Was Silent About Iran’s Alleged Assassination Plots
By Ahmad Rafat
On Feb. 15, Swedish Foreign Minister Tobias Lennart Billstrom publicly denounced the Iranian government’s involvement in a plot to assassinate three Swedish Jewish citizens.
In a conversation with his Iranian counterpart, Hossein Amir-Abdollahian,...
ANALYSIS: Why the U.S. Is Avoiding Direct Military Confrontation With Iran
By Ahmad Rafat
The U.S. has launched a series of retaliatory strikes on the military bases of Iran-backed groups in the Middle East. The U.S. military has used its supersonic strategic heavy B1 bombers to...
Banned Iranian Directors Are In Competition For Top Berlin Film Festival Prize
By Ahmad Rafat
A movie by two Iranian directors currently facing a travel ban is in competition for the top prize at the Berlin Film Festival, or Berlinale, which is due to be held from Feb....
ANALYSIS: Islamic Republic’s Strikes Against Pakistan Are Strategic Blunder
By Ahmad Rafat
The Islamic Republic’s recent missile and drone attacks on neighboring countries are part of its broader plan to establish itself as a regional power. These missile strikes and other operations conducted by...
ANALYSIS: Was ISIS the True Perpetrator of the Deadly Kerman Attacks?
By Ahmad Rafat
Iranian intelligence agencies have blamed Daesh (ISIS) and even Israel for the two bomb attacks on Jan. 3, which killed 90 people and injured 200 in the southeastern province of Kerman. Yet...
ANALYSIS: Red Sea Ship Attacks Could Trigger All-Out Middle East War
By Ahmad Rafat
A dangerous power struggle is unfolding in the Red Sea caused by recent developments. The “Axis of Resistance,” led by the Islamic Republic, is posing a major economic challenge to the Western...
Islamic Republic’s Human Rights Violations Come Under International Scrutiny
By Ahmad Rafat
The violation of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran has become the focus of intense international attention in the past few weeks.
On Dec.10, coinciding with World Human Rights Day in...
