In Iran’s semi representative theocratic system, the elected President is a subordinate of the Supreme Leader, who is appointed by a group of senior clerics. In 2021, when Ebrahim Raisi became Iran’s eighth President, the establishment saw a hardline cleric, who had the confidence of the Supreme Leader, in the country’s highest elected office. Raisi was the man Iran’s conservatives …
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — The Nobel Peace Prize awarded to an Iranian women’s rights activist signaled international support for democracy efforts in the Islamic Republic, and hope that the country might change from the inside. It’s a sharp contrast from 20 years ago, when there still seemed a chance of something resembling a détente with the U.S. A MOMENT …
Khatami, a reformist who served as Iran’s president from 1997 to 2005. He was barred from appearing in the media after mass protests were triggered by the disputed 2009 re-election of former president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad Former Iranian president Mohammad Khatami has voiced support for the protest movement sparked by Mahsa Amini’s death, describing as “beautiful” its main slogan – “Woman, …
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