Iran war
Songs Beneath the Bombs
As U.S. and Israeli missiles rained down on Iran, music emerged as a means of fostering resilience and a tool of resistance, but the war’s destruction has left many artists struggling to support themselves.
The Afterlife of Iraq’s Militias
Iraqi Shiite militias, now the last intact pillar of Iran’s regional network, are navigating an existential conflict. Embedded within the Iraqi state yet aligned with Tehran, their future, and Iraq’s, hinges on the outcome of a wider confrontation with the United States.
Slopaganda Comes of Age
As we enter the realm of “slopaganda,” the use of AI-generated content for political propaganda, Trump’s base is now taking his memes both literally and seriously.
US-Israeli Attacks on Iran Show a Pattern of ‘Double-Tap’ Strikes
A New Lines investigation has found a pattern of U.S. and Israeli airstrikes in Iran being carried out after civilians and first responders had gathered at sites that were already hit.
The Last Temptation of Trump at the End of a Failed War
Trump has backed himself into a corner with Iran. Any deal risks appearing, in his eyes, like a humiliating failure, one his opponents will mock. He knows this. His opponents know this. The weight of that constraint presents a dangerous equation as the president threatens escalation.
An Anguished Debate Among Iranians
The war has occasioned an anguished debate among Iranians. The division that has emerged — between those who will not support a war on their own country and those who have, through suffering and desperation, arrived at support for the war — is real and painful and will not be resolved easily.
The Limits of the UAE’s Push for Food Security
The UAE has spent billions of dollars on African farmland, supposedly to address its food insecurity. Now, with Iran blocking food shipments through the Strait of Hormuz, the strategy’s limits are being revealed.