Iran’s rulers don’t mind the ship sinking, their brood jumped long ago
The privileged children of Iran’s ruling elite are building futures overseas that their parents have withheld from millions of Iranians for almost half a century.
Opinion
Anatomy of a massacre, and the mothers who refuse to let November end
Six years after Iran’s blackout and mass killings, two women keep alive the month the Islamic Republic tried to bury.
When water becomes a security threat
It begins with a sound. A hiss, then silence. A man in Tehran holds his phone to a dry faucet at midnight; you can hear the air whistling through the pipes. “It’s 11:40 p.m. and there’s a smell of fire,” he says.
Zarif is right, Moscow wants Tehran locked in confrontation
While relations between Moscow and Tehran have generally been good, ties between former Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and the seemingly perpetual Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov are decidedly not.
Iran business closures mark renewed crackdown on gender mixing, veil
Authorities in Iran are increasingly targeting businesses rather than individuals who refuse to observe the theocracy’s strict social laws around veiling and gender mixing, several café owners and citizens told Iran International.
Hard shell, living core: how everyday life keeps Iran's future alive
Iran today stands at a crossroads between decay and renewal: the old order has not yet collapsed, and any new society has yet to fully emerge.
Iranian Love Island mirrors social shifts but carries new risks
An Iranian remake of Love Island has exploded online, sparking fierce debate about taboos, personal freedom and the responsibilities of new media.
Women break taboos in Iran viral concerts: propaganda or progress?
Viral videos of women dancing unveiled in Iranian concerts have reignited debate over whether the apparent social opening is genuine or contrived by a ruling system facing external military pressure and domestic discontent.
Five years on, a wrestler's execution still haunts Iran—and demands action
Five years after Iran executed champion wrestler Navid Afkari, the Islamic Republic continues to silence athletes and protesters alike—making action against its repressive sports authorities imperative.
We need national dialogue, or Iran’s problems will bury us all
We Iranians need a national conversation — an ongoing, daily dialogue to see the dark and bright sides of the challenges our country faces and, hopefully, find practical solutions.
Sanctions snapback on Iran is about compliance, not politics
A resilient anti-sanctions consensus dominated major Western policy circles and media narratives for a decade, but this stance risks undermining international law by normalizing Iran’s sustained nuclear defiance.
Watching war from afar: Iranian diaspora grief is real
Watching Iran burn from afar creates a unique kind of anguish—a sense of guilt that you’re free and safe while your homeland is in pain.
In rubble, not in court: Hajizadeh’s death and the voices of PS752
So much has happened since Israel began striking Iran that the killing of IRGC aerospace chief Amir Ali Hajizadeh already feels half-buried—but not to those who lost loved ones on Flight PS752, shot down by the forces under his command.
What has Iran gained from enrichment beyond symbolism—and at what cost?
After five rounds of talks, Tehran and Washington project cautious optimism while persisting on their shared red line: Uranium enrichment inside Iran. But is the program worth the price it has exacted from ordinary Iranians?
Canada's Poilievre talked tough on IRGC, will he walk the walk?
Pierre Poilievre, a contender to become Canada’s next prime minister, has vowed to purge the country of “IRGC thugs” who, he says, feast on “stolen money from the Iranian people.” If elected on Monday, will he—or can he—deliver?
Voices aligned with Tehran should not get a free ride in West
The campaigns against advocates of Tehran interests outside Iran is not about stifling debate but ensuring a balanced one, with dissenting voices challenging those more aligned with the Islamic Republic.
Khamenei hints at desire to overthrow Syria's new government
Iran's Supreme Leader on Sunday openly opposed Syria's new government, spoke of the need to overthrow it, and announced plans to form a group to combat the Damascus administration.
Many Iranians see vindication in attacks on Hezbollah
Recent explosions of Hezbollah communication devices in Lebanon and Syria have triggered a complex web of reactions among Iranians, whose government is the primary backer of the armed group.
The closure of Khavaran: Silencing grief, igniting resistance
As we mark the 36th anniversary of the 1988 mass execution of political prisoners in Iran, we are confronted with a stark reminder of the ongoing repression that persists in silencing the voices of those who demand justice.
Documenting injustice: The importance of Javaid Rehman's report on Iran
Iranian rights activists see Javaid Rehman's 2024 report on the human rights situation in Iran as a monumental victory for justice and a beacon of hope for the Iranian people and advocates worldwide.
PODCAST- Trump's second presidency may be soft on Iran, says John Bolton
A former Donald Trump top advisor revealed to Iran International that a second Trump presidency may have a 'zeal for a deal,' leading to negotiations with the Iranian government and a lessening of confrontations.
Why should the US not allow Iranian polling stations?
In the midst of the second round of presidential elections in Iran, which saw a historic low turnout by the majority of voters, the issue of ballot boxes in Western countries sparked widespread protests among the Iranian diaspora.