Hassan Rouhani
All topics-
Saudi Arabia and the U.S.
MbS courts Joe Biden over Iran fears and the economy
After months out of the spotlight, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has returned centre-stage with diplomatic and economic moves that diplomats say are aimed at showing the new U.S. president he is a valuable partner who can get things done
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U.S.-Russian diplomatic tug-of-war
How will Syria's unending war play out in the northeast?
Facing the various divergent interests of external players such as Russia, the United States, not to mention Turkey and Iran, the future of northeast Syria remains anything but certain. By Stasa Salacanin
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COVID-19 epidemic in Iran
Faith and the coronavirus
The "holy" city of Qom, the centre of Shia scholarship, was the starting point of the corona epidemic in Iran. The ayatollahs vehemently and successfully resisted quarantine and the virus spread rapidly throughout the country. But corona is not the plague, Iran is not in the Middle Ages and the virus is not divine retribution. By Ali Sadrzadeh
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Parliamentary elections 2020 in Iran
Era of the Khamenei vassals
Once again there was not much to vote for in the Islamic Republic. Half of the candidates were excluded anyway. But for Khamenei, the election was part of a larger plan, namely full-scale preparation for an uncertain future. By Ali Sadrzadeh
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Elections in the Islamic republic
Strong vote for a strong Iran?
In the run-up to Iran’s parliamentary elections on 21 February, state media was at full blast. Urging Iranians to take to the polls, state TV’s Channel 1 ran an election-day countdown, showing images of past elections and enthusiastic voters, regularly interrupted by music appealing to Iranians' sense of patriotism and nationalism. By Ali Fathollah-Nejad
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E3, Russia and China
Solving the nuclear deal stalemate with Iran
The 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action with Iran is in jeopardy. European governments should use the JCPOA’s dispute-resolution mechanism both to pursue immediate measures to de-escalate regional tensions and to explore a follow-up agreement – or an alternative, should the current deal collapse. By Volker Perthes
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Interview with the artist Parastou Forouhar
Iranian society in shock
Every year German-Iranian artist Parastou Forouhar travels to Iran to commemorate her parents who were killed by secret service agents. This year, the funeral service coincided with the nationwide protests in Iran. Interview by Farhad Payar
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Interview with Nader Hashemi on the protests in Iran
Violence "reflects the Iranian regime's desperation"
The recent protests in Iran were not as peaceful as the Green Movement of 2009, something that political scientist Nader Hashemi attributes to the actions of the security forces. Interview by Azadeh Fathi
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Interview with Omid Nouripour on the protests in Iran
"The Europeans lack courage"
Iran's President Rouhani has declared the violent protests in the country, which have lasted for days, to be over. Omid Nouripour, foreign policy spokesman of the German Green party, regards the USA, but also the Europeans, as being partially responsible for the current situation. Interview by Christoph Hasselbach
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Foreign academics risk arrest in Iran
Tehran's new hostage policy
Political hostage takings are nothing new in Iran. But the detention of several western academics represents a new dimension. There are grounds for suspecting that hardliners in the judiciary, intelligence service and Revolutionary Guard Corps are intent on scuppering talks to salvage the nuclear accord. By Ulrich von Schwerin
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The mirage of regime change
Why the United States is Khamenei’s bogeyman
According to the leadership in Tehran, the USA is driven by an insurmountable hostility towards Iran. But even if Trump's policy of "maximum pressure" seems to confirm this notion, the U.S. government is not pursuing a policy of regime change. By Payam Ghalehdar & Ali Fathollah-Nejad
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Maximum pressure and asymmetrical tactics
Dangerous shifts in the U.S.-Iranian stand-off
As the United States and Iran face off in the Persian Gulf, their asymmetric conflict risks spiralling out of control. Unless the rest of the world gets involved, the dangerous game both countries are playing could end in direct confrontation. Analysis by Volker Perthes