After nearly six months of unrest in Iran, the regime started imprisoning opposition voices on a large scale and threatening international media.But according to some experts, these tactics no longer have the power to arouse fear.
The most recent protest movements in Iran, China, and Russia have caught the attention of analysts who research democratic and authoritarian countries.
His two-term presidency (2005-13) was marked by human rights violations, including a violent crackdown on demonstrators protesting his disputed reelection, the arrests and harassment of prominent opposition figures and journalists — including RFE/RL correspondents. But in an often testy interview with RFE/RL, Mahmud Ahmadinejad says he has no regrets – although he avoids answering tough questions about his rule
The Islamic Republic has emerged as one of the most persistent players in online influence operations, as Facebook, Twitter and Alphabet’s Google have had to grapple with state-backed groups using social media to further their geopolitical agendas and spread disinformation
Citing security concerns, in the wake of the accidental downing of a Ukrainian passenger jet by the Iranian military, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has banned Iranian teams in its championship tournament from hosting games in Iran.
Phillip Smyth, a Soref Fellow at The Washington Institute who studies Shia Islamist militarism, said that he does not necessarily expect the Iranians to strike immediately. He noted that they have historically been cautious and look for what he calls “plausible deniability” to avoid detection when they attack