Topic: Islamic Revolution of Iran

Two photos showing two women wearing different types of veils in front of a holy site in Iran (photo: Mehr)

Moderates versus hardliners in Iran

New freedoms, old prohibitions

Just over a year ago, the cleric Hassan Rouhani was elected president of Iran. Since then, moderate Muslims and radical Islamists have been locked in a permanent clinch. By Bahman NirumandMore

The Iranian president and his political opponents: Rouhani under fire and on firePower struggle in Iran: Rouhani's balancing actDomestic Political Reforms in Iran: The Door to Freedom Remains Shut
An Iranian father with his three children at a playground in Tehran (photo: ISNA)

Family policy in Iran

Children for the revolution

With slogans like "An Iran of 150 million" and "More children, more happiness", the leadership in Tehran is calling for higher birth rates – a U-turn in its family planning policy. What is still unclear is how the desired increase in the size of the population would contribute to solving the country's economic and social problems. By Marcus MichaelsenMore

Living out of Wedlock in Iran: A Quiet Social RevolutionIranian cinema: Shining a light on inner conflictsTurning away from Shia in Iran: ''A Tsunami of Atheism''
Ayatollah Khomeini arriving in Iran on 1 February 1979 (photo: Getty Images/Afp/Gabriel Duval)

Interview with Iran expert Bahman Nirumand

"Everyone believed Khomeini's promises"

Thirty-five years ago, Ayatollah Khomeini returned to Iran from exile. Thomas Latschan spoke to the Iran expert Bahman Nirumand about Khomeini's role in the Islamic Revolution and his significance for modern-day IranMore

Nader Hashemi and Danny Postel's ''The People Reloaded'': The Green Movement and the Struggle for Iran's FutureIran's Regime: A Permanent Legitimation CrisisInterview with Behrooz Ghamari-Tabrizi: The Secular Elements of the Islamic Republic
An Iranian woman reading a book in front of a book display in Tehran (photo Shabestan.ir)

Writers in Iran

1

Fighting a Losing Battle

Decades of repression and the establishment of a conformist state culture are beginning to take their toll on independent writers. In an all-enveloping climate of fear, Iran's young writers are coming under increasing pressure to sacrifice their independence and exercise self-censorship. For their part, the all-powerful state censorship authorities are becoming ever more professional – and restrictive – in their methods. By Faraj SarkohiMore

Iranian Journalists under Pressure: Arrest or ExileInterview with Iranian Writer Mahmud Doulatabadi: "Our Society is in Ferment"The Media in the Islamic Republic of Iran: Between Self-censorship and ProhibitionThe Green Movement in Iran: A Divided CoalitionMedia in the Islamic Republic of Iran: Between Self-censorship and Repression

Nader Hashemi and Danny Postel's ''The People Reloaded''

1

The Green Movement and the Struggle for Iran's Future

With their anthology on Iran's Green Movement, Nader Hashemi and Danny Postel provide an intellectual and political road map to the country's largest political protest since the 1979 revolution. Ramin Jahanbegloo introduces "The People Reloaded"More

UNESCO World Philosophy Day in Iran: Absurd Meeting of ScholarsThe Iranian Regime: A Permanent Legitimation Crisis

Partner Organizations

www.dw.dewww.goethe.dewww.ifa.dewww.bpb.de

Facebook

Most Recent Photo Essay

It all began in Dresden on 20 October 2014. Organised by a hitherto unknown movement calling itself "Pegida" (Patriotic Europeans Against the Islamisation of the West), a small group of people took to the streets to demonstrate against what they saw as the Islamisation of the West. The banner reads "non violent and united against religious wars on German soil! PEGIDA". Although small, the march attracted a lot of attention in Germany and around the world.

Germans take to the streets: marching for and against Pegida

In the autumn of 1989, Dresden was one of the East German cities that became known worldwide for the peaceful "Monday demonstrations" against the government of the GDR that precipitated the fall of the Berlin Wall a few months later. One of the slogans chanted by the protesters at the time was "Wir sind das Volk" (We are the people). Twenty-five years on, a very different movement began organising weekly Monday demonstrations and chanting "Wir sind das Volk". In this photo gallery, we chart some of the reactions to Pegida and the developments relating to this anti-immigration and anti-Islam movement.