Iran

Khamenei may show more ‘heroic flexibility’ after Iranian elections

By Anonymous

The Supreme Leader expects the Biden administration to return to the JCPOA on Iranian terms. However, he is ready to wait for a few more months to achieve an equally if not more important domestic political objective: replacing Rouhani with a more hardline figure.

State of the Order: Assessing February 2021

The State of the Order breaks down the month's most important events impacting the democratic world order.

Larijani has credentials but not charisma as Iran’s presidential candidate

By Barbara Slavin

Ali Larijani is a veteran official in the Islamic Republic whose long service in a variety of key posts would make him a plausible—if not especially charismatic—candidate in Iran’s upcoming June 18 presidential elections.

This Iranian pop song is “more dangerous than polio”

By Holly Dagres

In the days following the release of the 'Tehran Tokyo' teaser, Iranian politicians and conservatives called for the video to be censored because they claimed that it presented pornography to children.

Middle class Iranians sought to remake their nation. Here’s how they were betrayed.

By Borzou Daragahi

There are broad continuities in the themes that have shaped Iran’s politics and society over the last century. The influence of Iran’s middle classes, who have at times aligned themselves with or steadfastly opposed those in power, has waxed and waned.