Friday, July 31, 2026

ANALYSIS: What Exactly Does the U.S.-Iran Agreement Contain?

By Ahmad Rafat South Korea has yet to transfer the $6 billion it owes Iran to a Swiss National Bank account under the unwritten agreement reportedly reached between Tehran and Washington. The money will then...

Islamic Republic Had A Hand In Attack on Shiraz Shrine, Says Analyst Vahedi

By Ahmad Rafat A terrorist attack on the Shah Cheragh Shrine in Shiraz on Aug. 13 left one person dead and seven others injured, according to the local authorities. Shortly after the attack on the Shia...

ANALYSIS: China’s Influence in the Middle East Is Expanding

By Ahmad Rafat   China’s efforts to expand its sphere of influence significantly in the Middle East and Africa in recent years have been a concern for the West. While China previously limited its aim to...
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Banned Iranian Director Ali Ahmadzadeh Wins Top Award At Locarno Film Festival

By Ahmad Rafat Ali Ahmadzadeh — an Iranian filmmaker who was banned earlier this year from leaving his country — has won the top award at the Locarno Film Festival in Switzerland for his movie...

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...

Protester Ahmad Batebi, Face of Iran’s 1999 Revolt, Speaks to Kayhan Life

By Ahmad Rafat Tehran University students staged a mass protest on July 9, 1999, after the Iranian Ministry of Intelligence shut down the Salam newspaper for publishing a secret memo by the former deputy intelligence...

ANALYSIS: Iran and Saudi Arabia Still Have Many Unresolved Issues

By Ahmad Rafat The Islamic Republic, Saudi Arabia, China, Israel, and the U.S. have been engaged in a power play in the Middle East recently, each trying to strengthen its influence in the region. While Israel...

Two Iranian Directors Win Prizes at Karlovy Vary Festival in Czech Republic 

By Ahmad Rafat Two Iranian directors have won prizes at the prestigious Karlovy Vary International Film Festival held in the Czech Republic. The Best Director award was given to the movie "Fremont,”  directed by Babak Jalali....

Tough Realities of Life In Iran Are Highlighted in London Festival of Films By...

By Ahmad Rafat The first festival of documentaries, short films, and animation by Iran-based female directors was recently held in London. The two-day festival was co-organized by the Persia Educational Foundation (established in 2016) and...

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...