Iran
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Saudi-Iran deal
New hope for football in the Middle East
The re-establishment of diplomatic relations between Saudi Arabia and Iran in March surprised many around the world. If relations improve, the hope is that football in both countries and the wider region will benefit. John Duerden reports
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20 years after U.S. invasion
Young Iraqis see signs of hope
On the banks of the Tigris River one recent evening, young Iraqi men and women in jeans and sneakers danced with joyous abandon to a local rap star as a vermillion sun set behind them. It’s a world away from the terror that followed the U.S. invasion 20 years ago
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Iran protests
Iranian women filmmakers fight oppression
Well-educated and politically aware, they are the epitome of the empowered woman. Instead, Iranian women filmmakers have been fighting violence and oppression for decades. By Julia Hitz
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Nowruz: New Year, Spring Festival and National Holiday
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Nowruz: New Year, Spring Festival and National Holiday
In Persian and Central Asian cultures, Nowruz has the same significance as Christmas in Europe, Thanksgiving in the USA or the New Year in China. The celebration is preceded by days of preparation.
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20 years Iraq War
Farewell to the old world order
It is 20 years since the USA began its invasion of Iraq. Alongside the countless dead Iraqis and U.S. soldiers, it was the West’s credibility in the Arab world that would fall victim to this war. As Karim El-Gawhary argues, this loss is still having consequences two decades later
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20 years after the U.S. invasion
Iraq's wounds are slow to heal
20 years after the U.S. invasion, the country between the Euphrates and Tigris rivers is only just beginning to recover from the aftermath. But the road is paved with obstacles. Birgit Svensson reports from Iraq
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"Between Revolutions" by Vlad Petri
The power of freedom
Using never-before-seen archive footage from Iran and Romania, director Vlad Petri tells the story of two women in the revolutions in Romania and after the fall of the Shah in Iran. Rene Wildangel watched the film for Qantara.de
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Iran protests
Why Iran's revolutionary process will persist
Despite demonstrations waning during winter, the revolutionary process is poised to gain renewed momentum. After all, the regime is unable to address the combination of socio-economic and political crises driving the current unrest. Essay by Ali Fathollah-Nejad
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Iran – schoolgirl poisonings
Threats in place of investigation
The Iranian regime has pledged to mete out harsh punishments to those responsible for suspected poison attacks on girls’ schools. Such promises ring hollow. If nothing else, the state appears to tolerate the mysterious poisonings. Analysis by Ali Sadrzadeh
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Iran-Saudi rapprochement
Cooperation rather than confrontation?
Arch-rivals Iran and Saudi Arabia are to re-establish diplomatic relations thanks to China's mediation. If this rapprochement is serious, the cards in the Middle East will be reshuffled, writes Karim El-Gawhary from Cairo
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Germany's Baerbock in Iraq
German foreign minister pushes for stability
Annalena Baerbock used her recent trip to Iraq to call for greater international support for Baghdad and the region. Without it, she said, the country risks becoming a pawn in geopolitical tensions. Giulia Saudelli reports from Iraq