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Iran's Domestic Affairs

Policy Analysis on Iran's Domestic Affairs

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Iran's president-elect Pezeshkian speaks in Tehran - source: Reuters
Articles & Testimony
A Fateful Debate in Tehran
After blows to Iranian proxies across the region, reformists led by President Pezeshkian are prioritizing diplomacy and economic recovery, whereas hardliners are lamenting lost battlefield opportunities and seeking to preserve the regime.
Dec 30, 2024
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  • Ehud Yaari
Street in Tehran
Fikra Forum
Fikra Forum
Iran's Debate about Weekends Highlights Tehran's Ideological Constraints
The debate over making Saturday the official second day of the weekend nationwide instead of Thursday has become a hot topic in Iran in recent months, highlighting the clash between the the regime’s ideology and the country’s economic reality.
Sep 17, 2024
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  • Saeid Golkar
Police Parade in Tehran
Fikra Forum
Fikra Forum
Navigating Cybersecurity and Surveillance: Iran's Dual Strategy for National Security
While Iranian officials acknowledge the significance of cyber tools and AI for foreign policy, they are acutely aware of the country’s financial and scientific limitations.
Mar 29, 2024
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  • Nima Khorrami
Iranian woman in Mehran, Iran
Fikra Forum
Fikra Forum
Women’s Dress in Iran: From the Islamic Sitr to the Political Hijab
The Islamic Republic’s position that it is merely carrying out a religious mandate is disingenuous, as is clear from Khomeini’s own religious writings and from the history of the hijab in Iran. Whereas the concept of sitr remains separated from politics in Iran, the hijab is now unequivocally a political concept.
Dec 7, 2023
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  • Mushtaq Abd Munaf
Khamenei present day, underneath: as a youth, with clerics, with military
Maps & Graphics
In-Depth Reports
The Regent of Allah:
Ali Khamenei's Political Evolution in Iran
The authoritarian infrastructure honed over decades by the Supreme Leader is designed to outlast his time in office.
Jul 14, 2023
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  • Mehdi Khalaji
Iran and Azerbaijan Flags
Fikra Forum
Fikra Forum
Iran’s Pressure on Azerbaijan: Two Birds with One Stone
Aware of Azerbaijan's growing economic influence and strength, Iran is taking measures to ensure the tensions remain in its favor.
Apr 21, 2023
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  • Arash Aalaei
Mousavi
Fikra Forum
Fikra Forum
Opposition in the Iranian Diaspora and among Iranian Reformers: The Case of Mousavi
As an Iranian opposition coalesces in the diaspora, challenges loom on the horizon. How the diaspora approaches reformists inside Iran calling for a new constitution will help demonstrate just how cohesive Iran’s disparate opposition groups can become.
Mar 3, 2023
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  • Majid Nikouei
Iran Missile
Fikra Forum
Fikra Forum
Iran’s Mounting Missile Threats to Neighboring Countries
Iran's ballistic missile program poses regional threats that require international solutions.
Feb 16, 2023
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  • Mohammad Abu Ghazleh
Tehran protests
Fikra Forum
Fikra Forum
The Fractured Opposition to the Islamic Regime
The Iranian opposition has aligned itself well with the recent protest movement, but evidence of its ability to play an organizational or leadership role in future protests remains limited.
Feb 7, 2023
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  • Ata Hoodashtian
Ghaani
Fikra Forum
Fikra Forum
What Do Iran’s Protests Mean for Iraq and the Kurdistan Region?
Internal instability in Iran may cause significant religious, economic, and political repercussions across the border in Iraq.
Jan 17, 2023
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  • Zubir R. Ahmed
  • Nawzad Shukri
Iran Womens Protests
Fikra Forum
Fikra Forum
Iranian Daughters: Struggling for the Rights Their Mothers Lost in the Revolution
Activists fighting for women's rights in Iran today have learned from their predecessors' mistakes and are more determined than ever to achieve gender equality.
Jan 13, 2023
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  • Sepideh Zamani
Iran Gen Z
Fikra Forum
Fikra Forum
Iranian Counterculture and Gen Z
Decades of underground counterculture have led to an informed and interconnected youth in Iran, now eager for freedom and change.
Jan 4, 2023
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  • Arash Aalaei
Saudi Arabia Flag
Fikra Forum
Fikra Forum
New Saudi Poll: Some Surprises on the U.S., Iran, Israel, Oil, and More
Saudis voiced their thoughts on global partners, internal dynamics, and regional issues, including opinions on the Iranian protests and nuclear dilemma.
Dec 16, 2022
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  • David Pollock
Iran Drones
Fikra Forum
Fikra Forum
The Regional Impact of Iran’s Drones in Ukraine
Russia's use of Iranian drones in Ukraine foreshadows potentially dangerous developments for U.S. forces and their allies in the Middle East.
Dec 7, 2022
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  • Omar Alradad
Iran Soccer
Fikra Forum
Fikra Forum
Iran Team’s Ambivalent Approach to Protests During the World Cup
Iran's loss at the World Cup coincides with controversy and tensions both back home and around the globe.
Dec 2, 2022
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  • S. Houseini
Iranian Protests
Fikra Forum
Fikra Forum
The Tenacity of Young Iranians in the Protest Movement
Despite the regime's crackdown, Iranian protestors are showing unprecedented resilience and unity in their demands, making the international community's next steps even more crucial.
Nov 29, 2022
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  • Haleh Esfandiari
Abdolhamid
Fikra Forum
Fikra Forum
Sunnis in Iran: Protesting Against Decades of Discrimination and Repression
After years of underrepresentation and repression at the hands of the regime, Iran's Sunni population is playing an important role in the current protests.
Nov 21, 2022
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  • Mehrzad Boroujerdi
Fikra Forum
Fikra Forum
Iranian Protests and Attacks on KRI: An Attempt to Deflect from Domestic Turmoil
Iran's repeated attacks on the Kurdistan Region of Iraq represent the regime's efforts to both distract from internal opposition and disrupt external opposition support.
Nov 21, 2022
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  • Nawras Jaff
Kurdish People
Fikra Forum
Fikra Forum
As Anti-Regime Protests Swell Across Iran, Ethnic Minorities Demand Freedom and Equality
In order to create more lasting changes, the current wave of protests in Iran must be inclusive of the demands and expectations of ethnic minorities.
Oct 14, 2022
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  • Rahim Hamid
  • Ruth Riegler
Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamanei, gestures while speaking
Fikra Forum
Fikra Forum
The Demonstrations for Mahsa Amini: A Turning Point in Iran
Despite the Iranian regime’s efforts to suppress recent protests, they have quickly spread to every corner of the country, making this one of the most important events in Iran in more than four decades and suggesting this could be a turning point for the country's future.
Oct 7, 2022
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  • Ziryan Rojhelati

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