Hooman Abedi
Iran International
Iran International
With tens of thousands killed and society still reeling, the Islamic Republic has turned to sport to project normalcy as matches return, but players’ muted celebrations and empty stadiums show how little of the script still holds.
Iran’s state broadcaster has reached a point where control no longer translates into attention, exposing how years of manipulation, omission and distrust have hollowed out its authority and left a system that still fills airtime but is no longer watched.
Tehran has broadened its attack on dissent after the deadliest crackdown on protests in the Islamic Republic's history by seizing assets of those accused of supporting the unrest, in a tactic first deployed amid the state's chaotic birth.
Public pressure for a US military strike on Iran has sharpened as President Donald Trump threatens action but holds back, leaving many Iranians torn between demanding intervention and fearing that continued delay will only extend repression and bloodshed.
Iranian Prince Reza Pahlavi on Thursday outlined his vision for how Iran could reposition itself at home and abroad after five decades of isolation and confrontation with the world if the Islamic Republic were toppled.
Iran's historic Lion and Sun flag has had a resurgence with latest round of widespread protests after nearly half a century of absence from the country's official identity.
Tehran on Monday conducted large pro-government rallies in several cities intended to counter the nationwide protests challenging its rule, in a strategy it has deployed against previous bouts of mass unrest ultimately crushed by deadly force.
Some Iranian youths disillusioned by poor amenities in the Islamic theocracy are increasingly taking to a homemade codeine drink known as lean, education and health professionals told Iran International.
Storefronts around Tehran’s Grand Bazaar still sell herbal extracts and cheap vitamins, but behind them a quieter trade thrives: fast-acting sedatives that can leave people conscious yet defenseless and often unable to remember what happened.
Iranian traders, economists and digital market participants are alarmed by new state curbs on stablecoin holdings, telling Iran International the Central Bank’s decision will choke savings and drive capital offshore amid the historic devaluation of rial.
Departures from Iran are on the rise since a 12-day war with Israel in June as heightened surveillance and moribund prospects at home push some households to liquidate assets and leave.
Iran uses its overseas missions to covertly surveil dissidents and fund influence operations via state-backed cultural initiatives, multiple former Iranian diplomats and embassy staff members told Iran International.
Online platforms for temporary marriage, or sigheh, in Iran give men access to an underground sex economy that - far from totally contradicting the ruling theocracy - flourishes with a certain religious blessing.
Despite a new law targeting the illegal arms trade, Iran’s underground gun market continues to thrive on encrypted Telegram channels where vendors openly offer firearms ranging from pistols to Kalashnikov rifles.
Despite Iran's strict Islamic laws governing sexual behavior, an expansive underground industry of massage services is seemingly becoming a front for prostitution, while a simple hijab violation can lead to violent arrest.
