Iran
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Trump and the Gulf States
Skeptical 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 2024
What 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 cabinet
Moving 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 Israel
The 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 In addition, everything the new president had promised is obsolete for the time being.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 East
Europe 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 Mojtahedi
Myths 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
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The universal language of music
Music dossier: Tuning in to the unfamiliar
An independent, modern music scene has long since developed in the Islamic world and Europe. Breaking with convention, it is a far cry from belly dance and folklore cliches. In this dossier, we present some of its leading protagonists, genres and events
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Israeli peace activist Yoav Peck on the Gaza war
"I am appalled by the hard-heartedness"
Peace activist and former Sulha Peace Project director Yoav Peck talks about the Gaza war, the hardening of the fronts in Israel – and his vision for the future
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Cinema in Iran
Unveiled women conquer the silver screen
More and more Iranian films are breaking taboos – the results are being met with amazement both in and outside Iran. "My Favourite Cake", which premiered at the Berlinale in February, is just the latest example
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Israel, the USA and the Islamic Republic
Understanding Iran's "offensive-defensive" strategy
April 2024 not only saw Iran's unprecedented direct assault on Israel but also a violent crackdown on women in Iran refusing to wear the hijab. So what is behind Tehran's conflicting sense of hubris and insecurity?