Topic: Iran protests

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Demonstrators in Iran give the victory sign (photo: abaca/picture-alliance)

Protests in Iran

Rethinking Sharia and democracy

According to a recent survey, half of all Iranians say that they have left Islam as a religion, while two-thirds believe Islamic law should be excluded from their legal system. In the following essay, Ahmet T. Kuru explores the implicationsMore

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Still from "The Voice of Dust and Ash" showing Mohammad Reza Shajarian, voice of the Iranian people (source: Matilda Productions)

Iran's Mohammad Reza Shajarian

Force of nature and symbol of freedom

"The Voice of Dust and Ash" draws us into the life and times of Iranian maestro Mohammad Reza Shajarian with passion and joy, focusing on the man who stood, and still stands, for a nation. By Richard MarcusMore

Interview with Mohammad Reza Shajarian: ''Humanity is what art is all about''Reem Kelani's "The Singer Said: Bird of Dawn": Homage to the grand master of Persian musicMohammad-Reza Shajarian: The master rebelMusic and power in Iran: An instrument of propaganda and controlObituary: Iranian singer Mohammad Reza Shajarian: The voice of the poets
Protests in Iran continue (photo: SalamPix/Abaca/picture-alliance)

Iran protests 2022

Tehran fatally oblivious to social change

The Islamic Republic has been unable to quell the civil unrest that erupted three months ago, after Mahsa Amini died after being detained for violating hijab rules. Now the protesters have broadened their demands. Commentary by Djavad Salehi-IsfahaniMore

Protests in Iran: Rethinking Sharia and democracyAsef Bayat on the Iran protests: "A movement to reclaim life"Protests in Iran: On the eve of a new world era?
Morocco fans in Souq Waqif, Doha, Qatar wave a flag of Palestine during celebrations after the Canada v Morocco match as Morocco qualify for the knockout stages (photo: REUTERS/Amr Abdallah Dalsh)

FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022

Football fans see double standard in stadium politics ban

When is it and when is it not acceptable to display a political banner at the World Cup in Qatar? The answer seems to depend largely on the political message, with fans criticising what they see as inconsistent enforcement of FIFA rules by the host country.More

Qatar 2022 and the Arab world: "It’s our World Cup"Qatar World Cup: "Address problems, but acknowledge progress"FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022: Qatar critics and their blind spots
Turkish fighter jets have been flying attacks against Kurdish positions in northern Iraq and northern Syria for days (photo: Eren Bozkurt/AA/picture alliance)

Turkey, Iran – and Iraq's Kurds

Days of reckoning

The Kurds are under attack from two sides: from Turkey, and from Iran. The situation in their territories in northern Iraq is becoming increasingly desperate. Birgit Svensson reports from ErbilMore

Kurdistan's decline: Iraq's beacon shines no moreThe Kurdish YPG and the future of northeastern Syria: Assad smiles from the sidelinesThe future of a people: Good Kurd, bad Kurd"We came from fire": A tribute to the Kurds
Symbolic image demonstrating frustration with Iran's religious leaders (photo: Getty Images/AFP)

Protests in Iran

Islamic Republic facing a religious watershed

Iranians do not want an Islam that interferes. They are fed up with a system that manipulates people with simple promises of salvation and anti-Western propaganda. Islamic theologian Hamideh Mohagheghi sees Iran at a religious crossroadsMore

Iran protests: "Change that goes beyond the moment"Asef Bayat on the Iran protests: "A movement to reclaim life"Protests in Iran: On the eve of a new world era?Qantara dossier: Iran protests
Iranian actor Hengameh Ghaziani (source: Instagram)

Iran protests 2022

Female film stars show solidarity

In Iran, two famous actresses, Hengameh Ghaziani and Katayoun Riahi, were arrested recently. These days anyone who shows solidarity with the protesters is a target to be silenced. By Kevin TschierseMore

Protests in Iran: Arab women in solidarity with their Iranian sistersAsef Bayat on the Iran protests: "A movement to reclaim life"Golineh Atai's unsung heroines: In Iran, freedom is female
Israeli-Iranian singer Liraz Charhi (photo: Shai Franco)

Liraz Charhi’s "Roya"

An Israeli-Iranian act of rebellion

With the current leadership of Iran quick to lay the blame for the Iran protests on Israel, the chances of harmonious relations between the two countries still seems remote. Yet, as Liraz’s latest album “Roya” demonstrates, there is still hope. By Richard MarcusMore

Iran protests: "Change that goes beyond the moment"Pop video sparks political scandal: Iran’s hardliners are losing the youthMusic and power in Iran: An instrument of propaganda and control
Forty days after the death of Jina Mahsa Amini, thousands of Iranians head to her grave to pay their respects in the Kurdistan province of Iran (photo: UGC/AFP)

Asef Bayat on the Iran protests

"A movement to reclaim life"

For seven weeks, Iran has been rocked by protests not seen since the Islamic Republic’s inception. This interview with sociologist Asef Bayat, originally conducted in Persian, examines how this latest wave of unrest differs and asks what has changed in Iranian societyMore

Protests in Iran: On the eve of a new world era?Golineh Atai's unsung heroines: In Iran, freedom is femaleIran protests: "Change that goes beyond the moment"Shirin Ebadi: "Iran will be democratic one day"
Mural on a wall in Frankfurt, Germany, commemorating Iranian Kurd Jina Mahsa Amini, whose death sparked the most severe protests in the Islamic Republic since its founding in 1979 (source: kollektiv ohne namen website)

Iran

GIGA: Iran’s uprisings: A feminist foreign policy approach

The current uprisings in Iran following the death in police custody of Mahsa Jhina Amini, a young Kurdish woman, carry strong implications for states that have adopted a “feminist foreign policy” (FFP).More

How feminist are the protests in Iran? The struggle for self-determination Iranian lawyer appeals for solidarity: "Iranian women need the world's help"Protests in Iran: Murderous repression by a desperate regime
Iranian lawyer, activist and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Shirin Ebadi (photo: picture-alliance/dpa)

Iran protests 2022

Shirin Ebadi: "Iran will be democratic one day"

Despite the protests, Iranian Nobel Peace Prize laureate Shirin Ebadi is optimistic about the future of her country. For young Iranians, such a future necessitates the downfall of the Islamic Republic. By Elizabeth GrenierMore

Protests in Iran: On the eve of a new world era?Iran protests: "Change that goes beyond the moment"Golineh Atai's unsung heroines: In Iran, freedom is female
Frankfurt Book Fair (photo: Sebastian Gollnow/dpa/picture-alliance)

Frankfurt Book Fair

Iran drops out, citing interference

Iran has withdrawn its participation in the Frankfurt Book Fair, accusing the event of meddling in the country's domestic affairs. Organisers have denied the accusation. By Kristina Reymann-SchneiderMore

Protests in Iran: Arab women in solidarity with their Iranian sistersProtests in Iran: On the eve of a new world era?How feminist are the protests in Iran? The struggle for self-determination
Lebanese activists take part in a demonstration in support of women protesters in Iran, following the death of Mahsa Amini, outside the Lebanese National Museum in Beirut, Lebanon, 2 October 2022 (photo: picture-alliance/AA/Hussam Shbaro)

Protests in Iran

Arab women in solidarity with their Iranian sisters

"You are not my guide... I am the compass. Iranian women have spoken, freed themselves, and unleashed a revolution despite smelling death. They have cut their braids in anger; they have raised the banner of hair set free during an age of servile beards. They are our guides... and more"More

Protests in Iran: Murderous repression by a desperate regimeIran protests: "Change that goes beyond the moment"Qantara photo essay: Iran protests – Graffiti from Tehran to Mexico City How feminist are the protests in Iran? The struggle for self-determination
Women in Greece protest in solidarity with their Iranian sisters (photo: AFP)

Iranian lawyer appeals for solidarity

"Iranian women need the world's help"

Mahsa Amini’s crime, which led to her death at the hands of Iran’s morality police, was wearing the hijab incorrectly. A legal expert from inside Iran, who prefers to remain anonymous, explains the political dimensions of this special piece of cloth to Ehsan HosseinzadehMore

How feminist are the protests in Iran? The struggle for self-determination 2022 Iran protests: Can the Iranian system survive?Protests in Iran: Murderous repression by a desperate regime
Schoolgirls in the classroom protesting against the Iranian regime (photo: SalamPix/Avaca/picture-alliance)

How feminist are the protests in Iran?

The struggle for self-determination

In their struggle for self-determination, Iranians are displaying a level of courage and cohesion we have not seen before. And this is why the protests sparked by Mahsa Amini’s violent death are feminist, writes Katajun AmirpurMore

Katajun Amirpur's "Khomeini" biography: Khomeini, the enigmatic AyatollahProtests in Iran: On the eve of a new world era?Protests in Iran: Murderous repression by a desperate regime
Iranians continued their demonstrations against the regime in the capital Tehran on Wednesday (Sept. 28) (photo: social media/ZUMA/picture-allliance)

Protests in Iran

On the eve of a new world era?

Just as the Islamic Revolution fundamentally changed Iran 43 years ago and had an impact far beyond the country's borders, the current wave of protests sweeping the country is set to change more than just Iran. The era of political Islam is coming to an end. By Ali SadrzadehMore

Protests in Iran: Murderous repression by a desperate regime Mahsa Amini's death: Iranians unite in rage and mourningMahsa Amini’s death: Iranian artist Parastou Forouhar: "I am really livid "

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