https://mena-studies.org/regions/iran/Recent content in Iran on MENA Research CenterHugoen-GBThu, 08 Oct 2026 20:54:25 +0200https://mena-studies.org/why-the-us-strikes-failed-to-spark-an-iranian-uprising/Sun, 04 Oct 2026 16:12:38 +0200https://mena-studies.org/why-the-us-strikes-failed-to-spark-an-iranian-uprising/From December 2017 through December 2025, Iran experienced repeated waves of mass protest. Thousands of people were killed or later executed , yet none of these uprisings produced fundamental political change. In the aftermath of the latest protests, a…https://mena-studies.org/the-war-that-proved-him-right-mohammed-soliman-on-iran-west-asia-and-whats-left-of-american-power/Tue, 11 Aug 2026 22:06:32 +0200https://mena-studies.org/the-war-that-proved-him-right-mohammed-soliman-on-iran-west-asia-and-whats-left-of-american-power/Mohammed Soliman does not like the phrase “Middle East.” It is, he has argued for several years now, a cartographic relic, a term coined by an American naval strategist in 1902 to describe the sea lanes between Suez and Singapore, and it has outlived its…https://mena-studies.org/amelie-chelly-by-closing-the-strait-of-hormuz-iran-moved-from-rhetoric-to-action/Wed, 10 Jun 2026 12:56:47 +0200https://mena-studies.org/amelie-chelly-by-closing-the-strait-of-hormuz-iran-moved-from-rhetoric-to-action/In this interview, Amélie Chelly discusses the structure of the ‘Axis of Resistance’ and Iran’s asymmetric warfare strategy, which has been constrained by an unstable regional context – ranging from the Syrian civil war to recent confrontations with Israel…https://mena-studies.org/40-days-of-war-against-iran-the-limits-of-a-regionalized-conflict/Tue, 14 Apr 2026 12:53:00 +0200https://mena-studies.org/40-days-of-war-against-iran-the-limits-of-a-regionalized-conflict/After 40 days of war, the ceasefire announced on 7 April between the United States and Iran marks the end of a first phase, in a large-scale regional conflict with worldwide economic consequences. It is worth taking stock of each side’s objectives in this…https://mena-studies.org/on-world-health-day-war-is-the-greatest-threat-to-health/Tue, 07 Apr 2026 09:44:35 +0200https://mena-studies.org/on-world-health-day-war-is-the-greatest-threat-to-health/On World Health Day, Susan Hammond and Sera Koulabdara argue that the war in Iran, like other wars since 9/11, kills civilians, destroys health systems and leaves harm that lasts for generations.https://mena-studies.org/iran-and-the-great-deception/Wed, 24 Dec 2025 16:30:18 +0100https://mena-studies.org/iran-and-the-great-deception/Iran has never been a sincere ally of the Arabs. From the very beginnings of its regional project, it has practiced a great deception, using Arab blood as fuel for its international bargaining and turning Arab geography into mere pressure cards on negotiating…https://mena-studies.org/iran-at-the-heart-of-global-transformations/Sat, 29 Nov 2025 09:53:00 +0100https://mena-studies.org/iran-at-the-heart-of-global-transformations/At the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, Iran once again emerged as one of the central topics in global discussions.https://mena-studies.org/khamenei-besieged-by-domestic-crises-and-regional-deadlocks/Sat, 22 Nov 2025 11:04:00 +0100https://mena-studies.org/khamenei-besieged-by-domestic-crises-and-regional-deadlocks/As the doctrine of Velayat-e Faqih enters its fifth decade, the system faces unprecedented challenges that seriously threaten its survival. At the center of these challenges stands Ali Khamenei himself, the leader of the clerical republic— not only the…https://mena-studies.org/the-voice-of-the-global-iranian-revolution-confronts-the-rule-of-the-supreme-leader/Sun, 16 Nov 2025 11:06:00 +0100https://mena-studies.org/the-voice-of-the-global-iranian-revolution-confronts-the-rule-of-the-supreme-leader/As the strategic setbacks suffered by Iran’s system of velayat-e faqih in the Middle East continue to unfold year after year, the demonstrations organized by the Iranian diaspora in New York in September 2025 have introduced new dimensions to the internal and…https://mena-studies.org/the-gender-dimensions-of-irans-water-crisis/Mon, 27 Oct 2025 15:21:00 +0100https://mena-studies.org/the-gender-dimensions-of-irans-water-crisis/Field reports from various districts in the Iranian capital, Tehran, indicate a sharp decline in water pressure, to the extent that even the first floors of residential buildings lack access to potable water. The Tehran Regional Water Company has instructed…https://mena-studies.org/iran-on-the-edge-of-a-volcano/Thu, 23 Oct 2025 11:12:03 +0200https://mena-studies.org/iran-on-the-edge-of-a-volcano/Iran is witnessing decisive historic moments today, as internal tensions escalate and waves of popular protests continue to unfold — protests that reflect overwhelming anger against a tyrannical regime. These uprisings are not mere spontaneous reactions; they…https://mena-studies.org/a-formal-indictment-of-the-iranian-regime/Sun, 12 Oct 2025 16:15:27 +0200https://mena-studies.org/a-formal-indictment-of-the-iranian-regime/When the world’s highest human rights authority abandons diplomatic language and describes a state’s actions as “a systematic pattern of using the death penalty as a tool of intimidation,” we have moved beyond political condemnation and entered the realm of…https://mena-studies.org/the-israeli-attack-exposes-the-fragility-of-the-iranian-russian-alliance/Wed, 24 Sep 2025 09:18:00 +0200https://mena-studies.org/the-israeli-attack-exposes-the-fragility-of-the-iranian-russian-alliance/Russian-Iranian relations are complex. While the two countries share broad opposition to Western influence, the balance of common, overlapping, and diverging interests is far more intricate than it appears. Despite the deepening of ties in recent years…https://mena-studies.org/how-europe-could-put-economic-pressure-on-tehran/Thu, 18 Sep 2025 10:00:00 +0200https://mena-studies.org/how-europe-could-put-economic-pressure-on-tehran/Germany, France, and Britain have long anticipated last-minute interference from Moscow in their talks with Iran. Now, that scenario appears to be unfolding: according to reports, Russia has submitted a draft resolution to the UN Security Council seeking an…https://mena-studies.org/the-mullah-regime-and-europes-dilemma/Fri, 05 Sep 2025 09:15:00 +0200https://mena-studies.org/the-mullah-regime-and-europes-dilemma/Three months after the war with Israel, Tehran projects an air of calm. The scars are visible—collapsed floors in the north, missile strikes downtown, a damaged state broadcaster. Yet in the streets, silence reigns. People have learned to keep quiet: out of…https://mena-studies.org/russia-and-iran-aligned-in-foreign-policy/Thu, 04 Sep 2025 13:00:06 +0200https://mena-studies.org/russia-and-iran-aligned-in-foreign-policy/The White House hailed it as a “historic peace agreement” — a joint declaration signed by U.S. President Donald Trump, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. Moscow, however, described the event merely as a “meeting…https://mena-studies.org/israel-iran-and-russia-shifting-power-in-the-middle-east-a-talk-with-konstantin-eggert/Wed, 03 Sep 2025 09:51:00 +0200https://mena-studies.org/israel-iran-and-russia-shifting-power-in-the-middle-east-a-talk-with-konstantin-eggert/Konstantin Eggert discusses how the relationship between Israel, Iran and Russia is shifting the balance of power in the Middle East.https://mena-studies.org/irans-terror-groups-in-the-west/Tue, 19 Aug 2025 09:57:00 +0200https://mena-studies.org/irans-terror-groups-in-the-west/Iranian intelligence services are systematically intensifying their activities against regime critics, journalists, politicians, and activists in Europe and the United States. A current case illustrates this escalation: Belgian parliamentarian Darya Safai…https://mena-studies.org/irans-lost-influence-in-the-middle-east-and-its-alternative/Wed, 06 Aug 2025 09:13:00 +0200https://mena-studies.org/irans-lost-influence-in-the-middle-east-and-its-alternative/It appears that Iran has come to realize that its influence has significantly diminished in the Middle East. In the best-case scenarios, Tehran needs many years to repair its troubled relationships with the active states in the region. This comes after the…https://mena-studies.org/iranian-opposition-conference-in-italy-a-report/Sun, 03 Aug 2025 09:57:32 +0200https://mena-studies.org/iranian-opposition-conference-in-italy-a-report/On July 30 and 31, two conferences were held in Italy with the participation of Mrs. Maryam Rajavi and a number of prominent European figures. Several key speakers gave speeches at the event, which focused on the following themes:https://mena-studies.org/qatar-and-iran-a-risky-relationship/Sat, 02 Aug 2025 17:12:54 +0200https://mena-studies.org/qatar-and-iran-a-risky-relationship/It was one of the most unusual military attacks in recent history: Iran launched a dozen missiles at the Gulf state of Qatar—specifically targeting the U.S. air base at Al Udeid. Yet at the same time, Tehran appeared intent on preventing any real damage.…https://mena-studies.org/strikes-on-irans-nuclear-program-a-violation-of-international-law/Sun, 27 Jul 2025 09:20:00 +0200https://mena-studies.org/strikes-on-irans-nuclear-program-a-violation-of-international-law/Following the massive airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities—carried out with U.S. support for Israel—a longstanding legal debate has gained new urgency: Were core principles of international law violated, or can the attack be justified under existing legal…https://mena-studies.org/ali-khamenei-from-follower-to-absolute-ruler/Sun, 20 Jul 2025 08:50:00 +0200https://mena-studies.org/ali-khamenei-from-follower-to-absolute-ruler/For 36 years, Ali Khamenei has clung to power with an iron grip, keeping the Islamic Republic of Iran alive through repression and control. Not once in that time has he left the country. In moments of existential threat, he sheds the usual religious rhetoric…https://mena-studies.org/iran-and-israel-after-the-storm-a-fragile-victory-for-all-a-strategic-loss-for-some/Mon, 07 Jul 2025 11:55:00 +0200https://mena-studies.org/iran-and-israel-after-the-storm-a-fragile-victory-for-all-a-strategic-loss-for-some/Nearly two weeks of open warfare between Israel and Iran with a brief but significant intervention by the United States seem to have come to an end. All three players involved, namely the US, Iran, and Israel, have declared total victory. This odd convergence…https://mena-studies.org/the-dangers-of-ideological-rigidity-in-islam/Mon, 30 Jun 2025 12:20:00 +0200https://mena-studies.org/the-dangers-of-ideological-rigidity-in-islam/This article explores the dangers of ideological rigidity and the critical importance of accepting opposing viewpoints. It draws a parallel between psychological entrapment and political intransigence by using the historical example of Abu Lahab—the Prophet…https://mena-studies.org/has-hitler-returned-with-a-beard/Sat, 28 Jun 2025 09:01:00 +0200https://mena-studies.org/has-hitler-returned-with-a-beard/Totalitarianism is not merely a form of government; it is an intellectual and psychological system that engineers humans and societies in favor of an absolute authority. This authority tolerates neither criticism nor plurality. As many political theorists…https://mena-studies.org/irans-military-budget-a-tool-for-internal-suppression-or-external-aggression/Mon, 23 Jun 2025 07:54:00 +0200https://mena-studies.org/irans-military-budget-a-tool-for-internal-suppression-or-external-aggression/Iran’s military budget has long been shrouded in opacity. While the country’s national budget is publicly presented each year before the Iranian Parliament, the military’s financial footprint hides deeper layers that even seasoned military and economic…https://mena-studies.org/the-iranian-nuclear-program-a-strategic-threat-cloaked-in-civilian-disguise/Sat, 21 Jun 2025 11:14:00 +0200https://mena-studies.org/the-iranian-nuclear-program-a-strategic-threat-cloaked-in-civilian-disguise/The newly uncovered “Qevir Plan”—a revamped version of Iran’s nuclear project—signals a strategic evolution in the regime’s methods, which now rely heavily on blending military and civilian activities to evade international scrutiny. According to the latest…https://mena-studies.org/between-partnership-and-enmity-the-complex-history-of-israeli-iranian-relations/Sat, 14 Jun 2025 09:44:00 +0200https://mena-studies.org/between-partnership-and-enmity-the-complex-history-of-israeli-iranian-relations/Today, Israel and Iran rank among the fiercest rivals in the Middle East. Their mutual hostility is marked by sharp rhetoric, proxy conflicts, and a tense security situation with global implications. However, this deep-rooted confrontation has not always…https://mena-studies.org/the-cost-of-weakness-irans-air-defense-failures-in-the-face-of-israel/Wed, 11 Jun 2025 10:59:00 +0200https://mena-studies.org/the-cost-of-weakness-irans-air-defense-failures-in-the-face-of-israel/The large-scale Israeli airstrike carried out in multiple waves during the night of June 12-13, 2025, targeting numerous sites across Iran, marks a new and dangerous chapter in the long-standing conflict between these sworn enemies — one that appears to be…https://mena-studies.org/islamist-axis-the-ideological-convergence-of-the-muslim-brotherhood-and-irans-clerical-regime/Wed, 11 Jun 2025 08:40:00 +0200https://mena-studies.org/islamist-axis-the-ideological-convergence-of-the-muslim-brotherhood-and-irans-clerical-regime/Although they appear at first glance as opposites—on one side the Sunni Muslim Brotherhood, on the other the Shiite regime in Tehran—the two movements share far more than what divides them. Amid escalating geopolitical tensions, the ideological proximity…https://mena-studies.org/michel-makinsky-trump-needs-a-success-story-like-the-jcpoa/Sun, 18 May 2025 12:26:00 +0200https://mena-studies.org/michel-makinsky-trump-needs-a-success-story-like-the-jcpoa/With Donald Trump aiming to relaunch nuclear negotiations with Iran, we spoke to Michel Makinsky, Iran specialist and associate expert at the MENA Research Center, to explore the reasons behind this policy shift and the regional dynamics. The interview was…https://mena-studies.org/middle-east-after-assad-whats-next-for-turkey-israel-iran/Mon, 05 May 2025 09:47:00 +0200https://mena-studies.org/middle-east-after-assad-whats-next-for-turkey-israel-iran/In this conversation recorded on April 28, 2025, Mahammad Mammadov (Topchubashov Center, Azerbaijan) and Ilkan Dalkuc (Daktilo 1984, Türkiye) join host Denys Kolesnyk, President of the MENA Research Center, to discuss the fast-changing landscape of the Middle…https://mena-studies.org/unprecedented-execution-campaign-by-irans-regime/Fri, 02 May 2025 12:32:00 +0200https://mena-studies.org/unprecedented-execution-campaign-by-irans-regime/The Iranian regime has carried out an unprecedented wave of executions over the past year, reaching a record 1,153 executions in the Iranian calendar year 1403 (March 2024 – March 2025). This marks a 42% increase compared to the previous year, according to…https://mena-studies.org/tehran-threatens-escalation-with-washington/Tue, 22 Apr 2025 10:57:00 +0200https://mena-studies.org/tehran-threatens-escalation-with-washington/Iran has ruled out direct talks with the United States over its controversial nuclear program for the time being. According to Iranian Prime Minister Massud Peseschkian, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei informed U.S. President Donald Trump in an official…https://mena-studies.org/qatars-strategic-balancing-understanding-dohas-foreign-policy/Sat, 19 Apr 2025 11:28:00 +0200https://mena-studies.org/qatars-strategic-balancing-understanding-dohas-foreign-policy/In light of recent US-Iran talks hosted by Oman and broader developments in the Middle East, we spoke with Dr. Ariel Admoni, an expert on Qatar’s foreign and domestic affairs, to gain a better understanding of the foreign policy, internal dynamics, and…https://mena-studies.org/irans-risks-and-western-pressure/Sun, 30 Mar 2025 13:42:00 +0200https://mena-studies.org/irans-risks-and-western-pressure/“We cannot allow them to have a nuclear weapon,” said the American president at the White House, addressing Tehran. “We are in the final stages with Iran. Something will happen very soon.”https://mena-studies.org/interview-with-khaldoun-alnabwani-and-michel-makinsky/Mon, 30 Dec 2024 12:00:00 +0100https://mena-studies.org/interview-with-khaldoun-alnabwani-and-michel-makinsky/In this final discussion of 2024, hosted by Denys Kolesnyk for the MENA Research Center, two distinguished guests—Michel Makinsky and Khaldoun Alnabwani—reflected on the major events that shaped the year. They discussed Donald Trump’s re-election, the fall of…https://mena-studies.org/the-fall-of-assads-regime-in-syria-between-hopes-and-threats/Tue, 10 Dec 2024 10:00:00 +0100https://mena-studies.org/the-fall-of-assads-regime-in-syria-between-hopes-and-threats/The collapse of the long-standing regime of Bashar al-Assad, and with it the Syrian Arab Republic, has been viewed by many commentators as a positive development. In…https://mena-studies.org/mena-discussion-recent-conflict-between-israel-and-hamas/Fri, 01 Nov 2024 12:00:00 +0100https://mena-studies.org/mena-discussion-recent-conflict-between-israel-and-hamas/Experts Michel Wyss, lecturer at the Military Academy of the Swiss Armed Forces and Prof. Richard Machnikowski from the University of Lodz unpack the rising tensions in the Middle East, focusing on the recent conflict between Israel and Hamas and the broader…https://mena-studies.org/shifting-power-armenias-move-away-from-russia-and-irans-regional-ambitions/Thu, 26 Sep 2024 12:00:00 +0200https://mena-studies.org/shifting-power-armenias-move-away-from-russia-and-irans-regional-ambitions/Join Zineb Riboua (Hudson Institute) and Richard Giragosian (Regional Studies Center) as they examine the intricate geopolitical landscape of the Middle East and Armenia’s critical decisions post-Nagorno-Karabakh war. With Iran’s foreign policy under scrutiny…https://mena-studies.org/michael-doran-hamas-israel-we-applaud-while-they-die/Thu, 26 Oct 2023 10:00:00 +0200https://mena-studies.org/michael-doran-hamas-israel-we-applaud-while-they-die/As the Hamas-Israeli conflict renewed, Denys Kolesnyk, a French consultant and analyst, had the privilege to discuss it, as well as the Middle East and the US approach to this region, with Dr. Michael Doran, an American analyst of the international politics…