Iran

By Scott Lucas, University of Birmingham | – (The Conversation) – Facing economic and military difficulties in his invasion of Ukraine, the Russian president Vladimir Putin popped up this week in Iran’s capital Tehran. His plan was to show the world that, despite sanctions on Moscow and international aid for Ukraine’s resistance, he was not […]

Agriculture

Environment: Iraqis and Iranians continue to oppose Turkey’s hydroelectric projects on the Tigris River

Global Voices

By Roman Shemakov | – The following story is part of series on Turkey’s Ilisu Dam project and the flooding of Hasankeyf. The Ilisu Dam, completed as part of Turkey’s Güneydoğu Anadolu Projesi (Southeastern Anatolian Development Project or GAP for short in Turkish) in 2019, has faced heavy criticism from both local as well as […]

Featured

Russia announces $40 Bn. Investment in Iran Oil & Gas, as Khamenei Supports Putin’s invasion of Ukraine

Juan Cole

Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – The leaders of Russia, Iran and Turkey arrived on Tuesday in Tehran for a summit on guaranteeing the Syrian peace process in the framework of the Astana negotiations. But since this summit took place in the wake of President Joe Biden’s trip to the Middle East to create a united […]

Feminism

Women Protest Iran’s Hijab And Chastity Day By Removing Their Veils In Public

Radio Free Europe Radio Liberty

By RFE/RL’s Radio Farda | – Iranian women’s rights activists posted videos of themselves publicly removing their veils on July 12 to coincide with National Day of Hijab and Chastity. The videos appeared on social media networks as women — and in some cases men — expressed their opposition to Iran’s law mandating that women […]

Featured

B’Tselem Billboard Campaign as Biden arrives in Israel: “Mr. President, this is Apartheid”

Juan Cole

Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – The Israeli human rights organization B’tselem greeted President Biden on his arrival in Jerusalem with a billboard campaign proclaiming, “Mr. President, this is Apartheid.” B’Tselem concluded in a report last year that there is a single governing authority between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean, which rules over 7 million […]

Feminism

Iran Moves To Tighten Abortion Restrictions

Golnaz Esfandiari

By Golnaz Esfandiari | – ( RFE/RL ) – Maryam ended her pregnancy two years ago using abortion pills. Her husband supported her. The couple already have a boy and a girl, and they decided they did not want a third child. Abortion pills are not easily accessible in Iran due to government restrictions. Maryam […]

Drones

Why Iran’s Provision of Drones to Russia for Ukraine War is a Diplomatic Failure of the Biden Administration

Juan Cole

Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – President Biden’s National Security Advisor on Monday spoke of the goals of the president’s trip, which begins today, Tuesday, to the Middle East. I’ll have more to say about that tomorrow. But at the end of his remarks, Sullivan dropped a bombshell. He revealed that Iran is sending Unmanned Aerial […]

Featured

On Cusp of Biden visit to Saudi Arabia, GAO questions US Accounting for Civilian Harm caused in Yemen by its Weapons

Juan Cole

Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – President Biden is on the cusp of going off to Saudi Arabia as one part of his upcoming Middle East trip. One of the failures of Mr. Biden has been completely disengaging the US from the Saudi-led war on Yemen, which he had pledged to do. Although there has been […]

censorship

Iran’s latest surge in executions heavily targets Baloch minority

Global Voices

By Hamid Yazdan Panah | – Iran is in a midst of yet another surge in executions, reaching a rate of killings in 2021 that is the highest in five years. According to a June 8 report from Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO), at least 168 people have been executed by Iranian authorities in the first […]