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Category: Latest Articles
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After Tishreen Movement: How Tehran’s Grip is Waning in Iraq
Amid shifting regional power and U.S. pressure, Iraq’s post-Tishreen politics reveal Tehran’s shrinking leverage as militias face disarmament, elections loom, and Baghdad seeks space…
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A Coordinated Crackdown on Critical Intellectuals in Iran
Iranian security forces raided and detained several critical scholars, targeting a broad progressive intellectual current to shrink cultural space and silence voices linking everyday…
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Ayandeh Bank: How One Family Built a Bank to Feed Its Own Empire
The Ansari family created its own bank, lent billions to its companies, and turned political and religious connections into protection—until the shield around Bank…
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Waiting for War, Fearing Revolt: The Islamic Republic’s Paralysis in Crisis
Tehran wavers between war readiness and revolt control, pushing “Cold War” narratives as scarce resources and fracturing proxies deepen paralysis—shifting budgets from social needs…
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Iran’s Mines: A Menace to Local Communities, a Haven for Rent-Seeking
Parliament research shows Iran’s mining sector fosters rent-seeking and monopolies, sidelines local communities, and—rather than driving sustainable development—remains primarily extractive, degrades the environment, depletes…
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No Birth Certificates and Deadly Roads: The Fate of Baloch Children
Systemic denial of identity papers forces Baloch children into hazardous seasonal labour, deadly transport, and school dropout—entrenching intergenerational poverty amid weak protections and discriminatory…
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Bend or Hold the Line? Tehran’s Strategic Lock
Tehran’s core dilemma is internal: nuclear, missile, and proxy capabilities have become identity rather than instruments. Survival hinges on de-sanctifying these tools and restoring…
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Between Surrender and Collapse: The Islamic Republic’s Search for a “Third Way”
Amid renewed sanctions and regional isolation, Tehran seeks a “third way” of survival through China and Russia—but without real integration, it risks only delaying…
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“Life Out of Control”: Iranians Confront Sanctions’ Daily Toll
As snapback sanctions bite, Iranians describe rising prices, shrinking wages, and a loss of control over their lives—“working hard when nothing happens,” one says,…
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Teaching Through Repression: How Iran’s Educators Kept the Movement Alive Over the Past Year
Amid intensified crackdowns, Iran’s teachers sustained nationwide organizing, faced mass dismissals and arrests, built cross-movement solidarity, and demanded an end to securitized schooling, recognition…
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Students Push Back: Harassment, ‘Resistance’ Scholarships, and Campus Militarization
At Bu-Ali Sina University, students protest alleged harassment by Iraqi classmates, scholarships tied to Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Forces, and campus militarization—demanding transparency, safety, and…
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The “Leader’s Narrative,” the Snapback, and Sacred Unity
The 12-day war with Israel shattered Khamenei’s long-standing “Leader’s Narrative,” which shielded him from blame and cast crises as the fault of others. With…