Featured stories about Iran
Stories about Iran
Information warfare: COVID-19’s other battleground in the Middle East
As leaders vie to frame narratives and control public opinion on COVID-19, social media is a battlefield where influencers, trolls, bots, and commenter armies fight for influence and power.
The magic of paper and ink: A conversation with Iranian-American artist Hadieh Shafie
Born in Iran and raised in the US, Hadieh Shafie is fascinated with reimagining the book form, drawing textual forms and exploring color and its emotive power.
Iran fails to contain COVID-19 as internal political clashes prevent a timely and unified response
Iran is one of the countries worst affected by COVID-19, thanks in part to political disagreements and a lack of coordination among government authorities.
Coronavirus and surveillance technology: How far will governments go?
''While surveillance technologies and measures may give the public a sense of security in controlling the spread of the virus, we must remain mindful and vigilant of their continued use...
Two Iranian rights activists revisit the November 2019 internet shutdown
“Hundreds of protestors were killed in a matter of three days and most of the world was not aware of what happened.’’
To apply for a national ID card in Iran, members of ‘unrecognized’ religious minorities now need to deny their faith
The removal of the "other religions" option from the national ID card application form essentially bars members of certain religious minorities from full citizenship.
‘An interplay between Western and Eastern Cultures': Two art exhibitions on cultural collisions
In October 2019 in Brooklyn, New York, two women artists from Iran and Pakistan exhibited new bodies of work in which they portrayed the interplay between Western and Eastern cultures
Scenes from Ma'shour: On the brutal suppression of protests in an Iranian city
"In the days after the horrific incident, the stench of charred corpses in the marshes remained so strong that it reached across the city."
‘Creating Suspension Between Contradictory States': An interview with artist Parastou Forouhar
"I try to create the potential for suspension between contradictory states that will emotionally and psychologically engage viewers and make them ask questions."
Iran protests: Flying bullets and internet shutdown
The current protests are more widespread, more diverse in terms of class, and characterized by a brutal government response that includes a near-total shutdown of the internet.
Why is Pakistan trying to broker Iran-Saudi peace talks?
Despite many unresolved domestic issues, Pakistan's role towards brokering an Iran-Saudi peace talk is being widely criticized at home and abroad.
Iran’s drive to block international services continues with Google Play ban
The decision to block Google Play is consistent with the authorities' strategy to foist home-grown Iranian apps and services on Iranian internet users and limit the availability of international services.
Winning a literary award won't set you free: An interview with author and asylum-seeker Behrooz Boochani
Australia's detention camps whistleblower describes conditions as hellish
Iran's invisible children
"Given the Islamic Republic’s history of discrimination against ethnic and religious minorities, this lack of infrastructure, economic negligence and the depth of poverty appears intentional..."
Iran’s Draft Data Protection Act: Too little but not too late
While lawmakers wait to ratify the Draft Act, they must pay heed to international digital rights standards in the new Draft Law for the Personal Data Protection and Safeguarding
Material Culture art exhibition communicates deep personal experiences to transcend cultural borders
The exhibition features the work of five Iran-born artists who use “nonrepresentational forms” and a range of materials to create a visual language that communicates deep personal experiences and transcends...
Netizen Report: As water levels rise, Iran’s ban on messaging apps is slowing emergency relief for flood victims
Iranians ask for censorship pause in face of fatal floods, Indians suspect Facebook of election meddling and Australia tries to ban violent videos.
Government official says the ban on messaging apps is slowing flood relief in Iran
"In situations where sharing information is vital, censorship can turn into a deadly phenomenon."
Why is the Islamic Republic of Iran afraid of Nasrin Sotoudeh?
"The Islamic Republic is struggling for its survival. Anyone with the potential of leading change is regarded as a significant threat by the authorities. Nasrin Sotoudeh is such a person."
