Iran
A Country in Mourning
Over five decades, the sanctity of mourning, the imperative of introversion and the centrality of pondering upon death have been instilled in Iran’s people. The masses have been trained to dismiss smiles and eulogize tears, with profound effects.
Messages From Tehran
Attention is on a likely military response to the assassination of Hamas’ political leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran. Yet Iran’s strategic communications have already gone into overdrive under a new head of propaganda and public relations.
The Death of an Iranian President Affirms a Lesson From History: The Establishment Comes First
Between Khamenei's election and the moment of the helicopter crash in East Azerbaijan, a clear path was established in Iran. The state and system proved stronger than any individual, even Khomeini, the man who initiated the 1979 revolution.
The Fiasco of Iranian Diaspora Politics
Amid new crackdowns and the threat of war, Iranians, both in Iran and across the diaspora, are asking why the Woman, Life, Freedom movement failed and the Islamic Republic endures. Their hopes for change depend on an organized and effectively led political alternative that has yet to emerge.
Iran’s Dissenting Voices Are Being Targeted Online
Over the past few decades, the Iranian regime has developed both well-known cyberwarfare units — such as “Charming Kitten” — and more shadowy entities for psychological operations. While the former have received plenty of international attention, the latter have largely operated under the radar.
Women, Life, Freedom: Iran’s Protest Movement Today — With Arash Azizi
The 2022 “Woman, Life, Freedom” movement in Iran wasn’t able to change the government, Arash Azizi tells New Lines’ Danny Postel on The Lede, “but I think the movement really opened up questions of political change and the political future of the Islamic Republic in an unprecedented way. … It certainly made a mark on Iranian political history, and it will definitely color all future attempts for change.”
The Curious Case of the Kerman Attacks
The Iranian authorities appeared confused about whom to blame for the Kerman attacks. There is little evidence or precedent for their claim that Israel is likely to have been behind them, but the regime remains hopeful that Iranians will draw together in a response of national unity.