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The West's Iran policy: For real change through trade

Despite four years of moderate rule under President Rouhani and the historic nuclear deal with the West in 2015, little has changed in Iran. There has been no improvement in the human rights situation and the lifting of economic sanctions has mainly benefitted companies close to the state, writes political analyst Ali Fathollah-Nejad

At home with the mullahs

In the Islamic Republic of Iran, which once vowed to eliminate hereditary rule, large family dynasties are increasingly dominating the political landscape. Critical voices assert that the Shah has been replaced by a clerical "king" as ruler of the country, complete with his own court and state nobility. However, some of the hereditary princes are demonstrating remarkable independence. By Ulrich von Schwerin

The power of words

Apartheid! Anti-Semitism! Why the row about definitions is shifting the focus away from the issue at hand. Commentary by Daniel Marwecki on the debate about Amnesty International's Israel report

Hitler′s paperchase

How the Third Reich′s plans to translate ″Mein Kampf″ into Arabic led to the creation of one of the most famous Arabic dictionaries. By Mey Dudin

Ideological Vacuum

If it were not for the fact that the author of a code of conduct for Wehrmacht officers in Muslim countries – the army doctor Ernst Rodenwaldt – was a proven Nazi sympathiser, those in today's anti-Islamic milieu would most certainly hold him for a Muslim sympathizer. Stefan Weidner on an unusual historical manuscript

A Brief History of a Controversial Term

In recent years, use of the term "Islamofascism" has spread. Yet as new as this term may seem to some, it has in fact been in use for well over a century. The journal Die Welt des Islams recently dedicated an entire issue to the subject. Joseph Croitoru has the details

Raising the stakes

Palestinian prisoners in Israel have launched a collective hunger strike. The imprisoned Fatah leader Marwan Barghouti is thus returning to the political stage. Inge Gunther in Jerusalem has the details

Palestine′s office-weary regent

Dissatisfaction with Mahmoud Abbas – including within his own party – is growing. His political programme has remained for the most part unsuccessful. Many politicians have therefore begun to consider the possible aftermath of the president′s political departure. An analysis by Ingrid Ross

With Jerusalem on edge, Palestinian families face eviction

Renewed protests and violent clashes with Israeli security forces at the weekend have prompted the court hearing scheduled for 10 May to be postponed. Yet it remains unclear what the final outcome for four Palestinian families facing eviction by Jewish settler organisations in the east Jerusalem neighbourhood of Sheikh Jarrah will be. By Tania Kraemer

Trump's UN debut: The axis of evil is back

The USA no longer accepts the nuclear agreement with Iran in its current form and instead wants to renegotiate elements of the international treaty. President Hassan Rouhani now has to manoeuvre between Trump and the radicals at home – hoping all the while that Europe will act as mediator. A commentary by Ali Sadrzadeh