Iran
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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.
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Iran and IsraelThe spiral of violence escalates
The assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyah is a drastic event. The Islamic Republic seems determined to take revenge, and a new armed conflict against Israel cannot be ruled out. In addition, everything the new president had promised is obsolete for the time being.
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Relations with the Middle EastEurope can still make a difference
The European Union is faced with the challenge of finding a common line towards the Middle East that both takes into account the different national positions and promotes a coherent foreign policy. How can this be realized?
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Kurdish singer Hani MojtahediMyths re-imagined
Kurdish singer Hani Mojtahedi and German electro legend Andi Toma of Mouse On Mars have collaborated on an album that also pays homage to Mojtahedi’s grandfather, a Sufi master