If you flip through any glossary of specialized terminology, you won’t find the term “class-based internet” or a precise definition of it. However, by implementing this project over the past 20 years, the rulers of the Islamic Republic have compelled Iranian internet users to adopt a term to describe it. Class-based internet refers to the […]

The Iranian Parliament Research Center recently published a study indicating that nearly 55% of students ranked in the top 3,000 in the national university entrance exam come from the top two economic deciles. The study warns that access to higher education in Iran, both in terms of quantity and quality, is significantly unequal. One major […]

During the Mihssa Movement, universities in Iran were one of the main strongholds where the cry of “Women, Life, Freedom” was raised by students and professors. The demands of this section of the scientific community were completely in line with the demands of the people; demands that led thousands of people to take to the […]

Children are among the first victims of war; whether they are present in war themselves or killed as a result of an act of war; whether they are armed and fire in one direction, or are not present in war and are killed or wounded in its turmoil. Even merely witnessing the catastrophe of war […]

Lost in the chaos of Iranian news, a story with catastrophic depth was the story of an old man raping a boy in Tabriz, which led to personal revenge by the boy’s family, who sent the old man to the hospital and into surgery; revenge whose instrument was a wooden sofa leg. In this note, […]

In the official discourse of development, the educational system is consistently portrayed as the engine of social mobility and the embodiment of meritocracy. Ideally, this modern institution is tasked with fostering talent by providing equal opportunities regardless of class, ethnicity, or geographic origin, thereby enabling a fair distribution of societal positions. However, accumulated evidence in […]

Over its 44-year history, the Fajr Film Festival has gone through different periods which, based on the documented record of this state-run festival, I divide into three main eras: 1) the era of enmity and camaraderie; 2) the era of misery; 3) the era of disgrace. The first era began in February 1983 (Bahman 1361). […]

Iran’s underground cinema, as a semi-independent and often marginal sector of the country’s film production, has consistently navigated the intersection of legal restrictions, cultural pressures, and media representations. These films, produced outside the official mechanisms of Iranian cinema, not only provide a platform for expressing real social and ecological experiences, but also serve as vehicles […]

In the heart of the night, the sound of sirens passes through the sleeping cities. The sky is on fire, walls tremble, and the silence of homes is shattered. War, this merciless word, has once again awakened from the slumber of history and cast its shadow over the lives of humans. But amidst the ruins, […]

Makran is a region in southeastern Iran that extends from the Strait of Hormuz to the east and begins at Minab, continuing to the Sindh River in Balochistan, Pakistan. This region is of special importance due to its geopolitical location and is recognized as an international waterway. Makran holds strategic value for both Iran and […]

A while ago, the government spokesperson announced that the medical government intends to relocate the capital from Tehran to the Makran region and this matter is under consideration. (1) Many countries throughout history have changed their capitals for various reasons, the main reason being the increase in population in the capital and balanced development in […]

One media activist has recounted a memory from the years of the sixties on social networks: “It was night, my cousin and I wanted to go from Khaniabad to Yousefabad, to our aunt’s house. I said: Hooshang, it’s a desert there, let’s take a little of this aragh too. He double-layered a freezer bag, poured […]

In wartime conditions, the question of respect for human rights is always raised as one of the fundamental challenges. It is a challenge in which the boundary between security necessities and human rights obligations becomes extremely narrow and slippery. Historical experience has shown that in times of crisis, states are more inclined than ever to […]

Sometimes, in the midst of war, what disappears is not only sounds and images, but access to reality itself. The internet, this seemingly obvious and always-available platform, suddenly goes dark in such moments and plunges society into a state of informational rupture; a condition in which the boundary between what is happening and what is […]

Narrative literature in Iran has been tangled with the perspective of the majority and their definition of voices and narratives that are of interest to the general society. As a result, communities or individuals who are not considered part of this majority have no place in the literary scene. Marginalized communities in any country not […]

Sexual harassment in the workplace is a dangerous threat that can lead to a decrease in personal and professional quality of life, jeopardize the well-being of both men and women, weaken gender equality, and impose costs on companies and organizations. In recent years, movements around the world have formed to draw more attention to the […]

Migration is a phenomenon that has a long history in human culture and history, especially among Iranians (the pioneers of migration literature in Iran, such as famous writers like Bozorg Alavi and Sadeq Hedayat). By examining all aspects of it, it is clear that the motivations for [forced] migration in recent years have been more […]

During the recent protests, we witnessed many bitter incidents and extra-legal actions in Iran. One of these cases was the restriction of treatment for protesters in various forms. According to reports published from the very first days of the protests, police and security forces attacked hospitals where injured protesters had been taken, creating heartbreaking scenes. […]

Following the sudden and quiet removal of the Iranian “Papilloguard” vaccine from pharmacies across the country, women who had been awaiting national vaccination to prevent infection with the human papillomavirus (HPV) have been forced to turn to foreign vaccines at prices several times higher—vaccines whose cost is incompatible with the economic circumstances of many women. […]

The feminization of aging has presented major challenges for the global community, and Iran is no exception. While other countries have adopted effective strategies to address the feminization of aging and manage this crisis, in Iran, this crisis reveals its grim face in the increasing number of elderly people “abandoned” in parks, streets, and addiction […]

In recent decades, air pollution has become one of the most persistent and complex environmental and social challenges in Iran’s major cities; a challenge that, although seemingly an environmental and public health issue, functions far beyond an ecological crisis in sociological analysis. Today, air pollution has emerged as a “full-fledged social phenomenon”; a phenomenon in […]

Perhaps no object better illustrates water governance and management in Iran than the “aftabeh” (watering can). It is unclear exactly to which monarch’s era the historical origins of the aftabeh go back, but the mere mention of it brings to mind, for many, the image of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini—a photo taken months before his return […]

In the past weeks, one of the main ports of the country suffered heavy consequences. On April 26, 2025, a terrible explosion occurred in the container area of Bandar-e-Jask port, which according to the latest reports, resulted in the death of over 50 people and injuries of more than 1000 people. The source of the […]

Wars in the modern economy are no longer merely military events; rather, they are multidimensional phenomena that simultaneously affect economic, social, and institutional structures. In the case of present-day Iran, in the year 2026 (1405), this characteristic is clearly observable, where the economy had already been facing chronic imbalances and war has acted as an […]

In recent years, the condition of pension funds—especially the Cultural Workers Reserve Fund and the performance of the Social Security Organization—has attracted the attention of many researchers, social activists, and fund members. The importance of this issue is evident not only in theory but also in practice, as its crisis-inducing consequences directly and significantly impact […]

In recent decades, the country’s pension funds—especially the Civil Servants Pension Fund, the Social Security Organization, and the Armed Forces Pension Fund—have faced a deep structural crisis. This crisis stems from chronic imbalance between resources and expenditures, unprofessional policymaking, and weak corporate governance in managing these institutions. The share of public budget contributions to cover […]

The essence of qisas (retributive justice) has long been based on a natural law: “You kill, you are killed; an eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.” This well-known principle existed long before the emergence of Abrahamic religions. Historical stone carvings—including the Code of Hammurabi, which dates back to 1800 BCE and […]

When I was reading the novel “Thursday Train” (1) by Anisa Dehghani, I came across a strange question: “It is possible to endure pain that is unique to you, but how can you endure pain that you must share with someone else?” “Thursday Train” delves into the lives of Iranians in the years after the […]

Narrative literature in Iran has been tangled with the perspective of the majority and their definition of voices and narratives that are of interest to the general society. As a result, communities or individuals who are not considered part of this majority have no place in the literary scene. Marginalized communities in any country not […]

One media activist has recounted a memory from the years of the sixties on social networks: “It was night, my cousin and I wanted to go from Khaniabad to Yousefabad, to our aunt’s house. I said: Hooshang, it’s a desert there, let’s take a little of this aragh too. He double-layered a freezer bag, poured […]

What at first glance appears in the form of a “temporary marriage” can easily be interpreted within religious and legal frameworks; an agreement between two individuals that is also recognized within Iran’s legal system. But the issue becomes more complex when this relationship leaves the private sphere and enters public view. This shift is not […]

The murder of a doctor in Yasuj and the widespread support for the perpetrator is an issue that, amid the significant crises and incidents of recent months, has gone largely overlooked. Although the act itself was deeply painful, the broad support for the murderer—even from official figures—revealed that we are facing a fundamental crisis. The […]

With the escalation of military tensions and the possibility of expanding conflict, concerns about the safety of prisons and the lives of prisoners have significantly increased. Prisoners are among the most vulnerable groups in any crisis situation, as they have no independent ability to decide where they live, access medical care, or even secure their […]

In contemporary international law, the situation of prisoners in situations of armed conflict is one of the areas that is particularly sensitive in international legal systems. This sensitivity stems from the fact that prisoners, as individuals who are completely at the disposal and control of governmental institutions, practically lack the ability to effectively protect their […]

There is an uproar outside. Voices echo and the roar of shouting can be heard. Among the guards and in the corridors, there is constant whispering. But no one tells the prisoner anything. The prisoner is treated as an outsider. From time to time, from near and far, the sound of explosions reaches the ear. […]

This is a picture of a flower. Shiraz Tabrizi Sparkle Sufism, mysticism, asceticism, and some other names refer to a school of Islam that, based on the teachings of each chain of this school – which I will refer to as Sufism – believes in the different sects of Islam that the commandments of religion […]

Following the arrests of Christians in Iran clearly shows that in recent years, Iranian government authorities have targeted the Christian community for suppression. Reports indicate that from May to August 2016, 79 Christian citizens were arrested and a large number of them were interrogated and sent to prison. It is believed that many arrests have […]

To understand the mechanisms of power in the Islamic Republic, no point is as significant as execution, because in this system execution is not merely a judicial punishment, but a political instrument for producing fear, silencing dissent, and pushing society toward silence and marginalization. Each time the Islamic Republic has faced crisis, war, or instability, […]

We witness countless court cases every day that result in the issuance of a verdict and ultimately the punishment of the offender. However, experience has shown that in today’s world, the issuance and execution of sentences does not necessarily mean the realization of justice. In many cases, the victim is still dissatisfied after the end […]

Repentance (tawba) has long been regarded in Islamic jurisprudence as a moral and devotional concept, and over time, it has also gained a significant role in criminal proceedings. Islamic jurisprudence, by linking the realm of religious ethics with the domain of punishment, has created an institution in which inner transformation can lead to the annulment […]

The ugliest—and perhaps most familiar—face of human society is “war.” This can be read between the lines of the book An Introduction to Polemology by Gaston Bouthoul. In this work, he explains how no law, treaty, or prohibition can stand against war. In a case study, the book describes the international restrictions and global pressures […]

Introduction: Terminological explanation In this article, the concept of the general power of the state is consciously used, not political sovereignty. This choice of language is not accidental. The state here is not simply the construction of political power, but an institution that, in the logic of public law, is responsible for implementing the law, […]

During the recent protests, we witnessed many bitter incidents and extra-legal actions in Iran. One of these cases was the restriction of treatment for protesters in various forms. According to reports published from the very first days of the protests, police and security forces attacked hospitals where injured protesters had been taken, creating heartbreaking scenes. […]

This article is not about the catastrophic depth of war as an absolute evil; it is not about the innocent children who lost their lives and never returned home; it is not about the civilians in Iran and other countries of the region who were killed; it is not about the historical heritage destroyed and […]

The news begins with the act of silence by members of the Iranian women’s national football team in a match against South Korea at the Asian Cup in Australia. At the beginning of the match, the national anthem of the Islamic Republic is played. The camera moves over the faces of the female footballers; over […]

The seventieth session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW70) was held from March 9 to March 19, 2026, at the United Nations Headquarters in New York. The theme of this session was “Ensuring and strengthening access to justice for all women and girls,” and it encompassed axes such as “promoting […]