Islamic Revolution of Iran
All topics-
The Islamic Republicʹs Jewish minority
Celebrating Sabbath in Iran
Iran is home to the largest Jewish community in the Muslim world. Jan Schneider visited the Jewish Musazadeh family in Tehran to share in their Sabbath celebrations
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The Islamic Republicʹs existential crisis
Will Iran crack under the strain?
Iranʹs 2017–18 popular uprising heralded a new chapter in the history of the Islamic Republic that, in its fortieth year, is mired in acute and seemingly insurmountable domestic and foreign policy challenges, writes Ali Fathollah-Nejad. Seemingly, there is no end in sight
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Trumpʹs challenge
Taking on Tehran
Forty years after the revolution that ousted the Shah, Iran’s unique political-religious system and government appears strong enough to withstand U.S. pressure and to ride out the country's current economic difficulties. So how should the U.S. minimise the risks to the region posed by the regime? By Richard N. Haass
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Pop video sparks political scandal
Iran’s hardliners are losing the youth
Videos of children dancing to a sexy pop song trigger a serious political scandal in Iran and reveal the opposing world views of rulers and population. Details by Iman Aslani
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Book review: Amir Hassan Cheheltanʹs "Der standhafte Papagei"
History of a revolution
Amir Hassan Cheheltan has spent years publishing articles and novels in German. His latest book "The Steadfast Parrot" has also been published first in German. Though the author himself lives in Tehran, the question remains as to whether it can be released in Iran. By Volker Kaminski
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Countering U.S. sanctions with INSTEX
Europe throws Iran a line
In an attempt to salvage the Iran nuclear deal, Germany, France and Britain recently set up a new vehicle of non-dollar trade with the Islamic Republic. The policy is diplomatically valid, but in economic terms it may well prove too little, too late. By Maysam Behravesh
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The summer of 1988
A dark chapter in Iranian history
In the summer of 1988, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini issued a decree sentencing thousands of political prisoners to death. Monireh Baradaran was a left-wing activist in prison at the time and witnessed her cellmates being picked up for execution. Interview by Farhad Payar
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The West versus the Islamic Republic?
Iran's 40 years of strife
The 40th anniversary of the Iranian Revolution might have offered the West an opportunity to reflect on the failure of four decades of disengagement to bring the Islamic Republic any closer to collapse – or the region any closer to peace. Instead, the Trump administration has doubled down on hostility, with nothing to show for it. By Javier Solana
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Berlinale 2019: "Born in Evin"
Confronting a very personal trauma
When Ayatollah Khomeini came to power in Iran in 1979, he persecuted his opponents with severity. Maryam Zaree was born in a prison for political prisoners. With her film "Born in Evin" she breaks her silence. By Laura Doing
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The Republic of Iran turns forty
A theocracy at the crossroads
In its 40th year, the Islamic Republic of Iran is in a state of disintegration, says one of the country's strategists. The theocracy has arrived at a crossroads and the world cannot be indifferent to its future direction. Essay by Ali Sadrzadeh
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German–Iranian relations
How the Germans came to Iran
During the First World War, the German Empire allegedly attempted to incite Muslims to engage in a holy war against Russia and Great Britain. This common cliche is also often used to explain the long-standing relationship between Germany and Iran. Ali Sadrzadeh takes a closer look at German–Iranian relations 100 years ago
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U.S. sanctions against Iran
The lonely "axis of evil"
In the new Cold War between the USA and the Islamic Republic the theocracy is taking on the status of the defunct Soviet Union, writes Ali Sadrzadeh. Tehranʹs powerbrokers have, however, come up with several strategies to counter Trump's tightened sanctions policy