The announced defeat of the Syrian rebellion and the Islamic State is favoring the extension of Iranian influence in the Levant. The Iranian corridor between Beirut and Tehran via Baghdad and Damascus is now a reality. Territorial continuity was achieved symbolically at the end of May 2017, when Iranian-funded Shia militias joined on both sides of the Syrian-Iraqi border north of al-Tanf. In Iraq, Iranian allies Syria and Lebanon dominate; people support them out of fear, default, or sympathy. If the West wants to fight against the Islamic Republic's influence in the Levant, it must understand the root causes pushing more and more Lebanese Christians, Iraqi Shiites, and Syrian Sunni Arabs into the Iranian camp.
Maryam Namazie: "In my opinion, a ‘moderate’ or ‘reformed’ religion is one that has been pushed back and reigned in by an enlightenment. And not before." Description of blogger: "Maryam is spokesperson for Iran Solidarity, Equal Rights Now, the One Law fo
IPS: There are rumours of a meeting between the French president's representative and Ayatollah Khomeini in Paris, prior to the revolution. What was the significance of this meeting? RM [Roozbeh Mirebrahimi]: While Khomeini was in exile in Neauphle-le-Ch
The demonstrators in the Arab streets did not chant revolutionary slogans; they did not ask for arms or call for “resistance”. They chanted instead: “peaceful, peaceful”. The mood of young Arab people differed entirely from those of previous decades. This
Ashk Dahlen: "Jag är fil.dr. i iranistik vid Uppsala universitet och verksam som docent vid universitetet i Oslo där jag undervisar i persiska språket och Irans historia och litteratur . " "Vem var Hafiz och vad kan vi läsa oss av hans verser idag? Lär känna honom och den persiska litteraturens andra versmästare. Låt dig berikas, kanske stundom berusas av deras odödliga hyllningar till livet, kärleken och skönheten."