Iran

Years ago, I was negotiating with Iranian officials for the release of American hostages held in Tehran. The talks were not going well. At one point, my Iranian counterpart asked why Iran should ever make a deal with a country that constantly changes its government — in other words, a …

The Iranian regime appears to be at its weakest point in its nearly half century in power. For the past two weeks, Iranians throughout the country have taken to the streets in protest over Iran’s deepening economic crises, stirring up memories of the Mahsa Amini protests of 2022-2023 and the …

Unlike any other time in modern history, a US president is encouraging protestors in a foreign country to “take over the institutions” in Iran, saying that “help is on its way”—potentially with the backing and support of Israel—while offering no clear policy toward either the fate of the country’s theocratic …

Since December 28, protests have erupted across all thirty-one of Iran’s provinces, as the Iranian people have once again demonstrated their courage and desire for change from the regime. The demonstrations were initially sparked by currency devaluation and economic hardship, but quickly morphed into a broader cause calling for systemic …

Toplines The Iranian regime views the protests as a proto-revolution that it must crush completely and immediately. Some Iranians are resisting the regime, in some cases violently, which reinforces the regime’s view that the protests retain the potential to transform into a revolution. The regime will likely succeed in quelling …

La ruse favorite des partisans d’un changement de régime est de faire croire que la population du pays ciblé forme un bloc idéologique monolithique. Tous les Iraniens détestent leur gouvernement, tous les Vénézuéliens voulaient se libérer de Maduro, etc. Ils utilisent constamment cette tactique. Le problème, c’est que cela les …

Reza Pahlavi is not a unifying figure, but remains a symbol of exclusion. A spent force, he is irrelevant to Iran’s future and unqualified to lead. As Iran edges closer to possible collapse amid renewed nationwide protests – particularly in Awdanan, Malekshahi (Ilam), Kirmashan, and Luristan in Eastern Kurdistan – …

As of January 2026, Iran is confronting one of the gravest crises since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. A sharp collapse of the national currency, soaring inflation, declining oil revenues, and renewed U.S. sanctions have combined to trigger widespread unrest across dozens of cities and provinces. Protests have escalated rapidly, with …

Key Takeaways Intensification of the Iranian Regime’s Crackdown on Protests: The Iranian regime has shifted from labeling protesters as “rioters” to describing them as “terrorists,” which signals that the regime has taken an uncompromising stance toward the ongoing protests. The regime will likely use its characterization of protesters as “terrorists” …

More than a week of protests in Iran reflects not only worsening economic conditions, but longstanding anger at government repression and regime policies that have led to Iran’s global isolation.Regime security forces have thus far failed to quell the unrest with limited use of violence, but leaders have signaled they …