Tehran
A Musician’s Life in the Rubble
Parvaneh spent years earning her place in the Tehran Symphony Orchestra, along with the professional double bass she had struggled to afford. After losing her job amid the turmoil that preceded the war, a U.S.-Israeli strike destroyed her home and shattered her instrument.
Preparing for Life After Khamenei
Ali Khamenei’s six-day funeral drew vast crowds into Tehran, turning mourning into a display of grief, vengeance and state continuity. But beneath the red flags and public rituals, the ceremonies exposed Iran’s internal divisions, anxieties over security and uncertainty about the country’s unseen new leader, Mojtaba Khamenei.
Iran’s Internet Blackout Was Decades in the Making
After an 88-day internet blackout, Iranians are just beginning to reconnect with the outside world. This is the story of how the Islamic Republic spent two decades building a sophisticated infrastructure for digital isolation.
Music and Survival in Wartime Tehran
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 Noxious Smoke Enveloping Tehran
Tehran residents who spoke to New Lines reported heavy pollution immediately following Israeli strikes on oil depots. An exclusive investigation and analysis show how the fires and smoke plumes spread across the Iranian capital.
Why Iran Is Witnessing a Gold Rush
Threats of war and the collapsing rial have devastated hopes for normalcy among ordinary Iranians and triggered a flight to gold in all forms, as people seek refuge for their savings and a sense of security amid economic turbulence.
How Cafe Culture Is Reshaping Tehran
Cafes in Iran have been transformed, as young people look for new places to socialize, learn skills that might be useful abroad and embrace a new marker of taste. They are also attracting attention from the authorities for mimicking bars and nightclubs, which are prohibited by law.