Iran
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The "New Middle East"Pax Israelia or bellum aeternum?
With the support of the USA, Israel is reshaping the Middle East. Though framed as a path to stability, their strategy risks locking the region into a permanent conflict.
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Iran at warThe scapegoating of Afghan refugees
Amid conflict with Israel, Tehran's regime is fuelling mistrust of Afghan refugees. Yet they are among those most vulnerable to Israeli air strikes.
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Iran and Israel"A war of extremisms"
Both Israel and Iran are driven by dangerous forms of fundamentalism, says former IAEA analyst Behrooz Bayat. He explains how close Tehran is to developing a nuclear bomb and the logic behind Israel's attacks.
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TV series "Muawiya"Historical Ramadan drama fuels controversy
The Saudi-produced television series “Muawiya” emerged as a talking point during Ramadan, sparking debate throughout the Middle East. Both Iran and Iraq have banned the show which charts the life of one of the most controversial figures in Islamic history.
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New album "Ajdad" by Amir Amiri EnsembleEchoes of a shared past
On the album "Ajdad", Montreal-based Iranian composer and santur master Amir Amiri seeks to reunite Arabic and Persian musical traditions, historically divided by repression and conflict.
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"The Seed of the Sacred Fig"The story of an Oscar nomination
Shot and set in Iran, "The Seed of the Sacred Fig" is this year's Oscar nomination from Germany. The film deftly portrays political and intergenerational conflicts in Iranian society but ignores the Kurdish origins of the "Women, Life, Freedom" movement.
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Global publishing biasWho defines "world literature"?
German publishers of "world literature" still prioritise Western works. With limited translations, lack of media attention and stereotypes in publishing, authors outside Europe and the US rarely get the attention they deserve.
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Trump and the Gulf StatesSkeptical optimism in the Gulf
Saudi Arabia and the Emirates hope to reap economic benefits from the Trump presidency. But the Gulf has learned that Washington cannot be relied upon. Meanwhile, the Saudis could push Trump to take a tougher stance towards Israel.
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US election 2024What Trump's victory means for Iran
Donald Trump has won the US presidential election. Many Iranian opposition members hope that this will lead to the overthrow of the Islamic regime. But Trump's actions, especially in foreign policy, are not always predictable.
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Tareq Sydiq’s book “The New Protest Culture”Can protests transform society?
From Iran to the Last Generation, citizens in democracies and dictatorships alike are taking to the streets. Tareq Sydiq analyses these uprisings and asks why some fail while others dramatically change the system.
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Nurses on strike in Iran"Strikers feel they have nothing left to lose"
In Iran, nurses are on strike to protest miserable living standards and stressful working conditions. Desperation is driving many abroad, and some to suicide.
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Iranian parliament approves cabinetMoving forward into the past
The cabinet of new Iranian president Masoud Pezeshkian has disappointed those who voted for change. Pezeshkian’s voters had only modest expectations – less oppression of women and easier access to the internet – but in the Islamic Republic, everything remains the same.