Essay

In the ancient Greek myth, Orpheus descends into the underworld to retrieve his beloved Eurydice. His music softens even Hades. The rulers of the dead grant her return on one condition: he must walk ahead and never look back until they reach the light. Overcome by doubt, longing, or the unbearable silence behind him, Orpheus…

President Donald Trump’s arrival in Ankara for the July 7–8, 2026, NATO Summit unfolded amid acute regional instability. The Strait of Hormuz remained a volatile flashpoint, with Iranian forces having attacked multiple cargo vessels in recent weeks—one sustaining extensive damage, another reportedly at risk of explosion. The Islamic Republic persisted in its daily executions of…

Manifesto and Roadmap for a Free, Secular, Democratic Iran Celebration of the long Persian tradition of resistance and agency (from early opposition to conquest through the Constitutional Revolution to today’s uprisings). “We the People Rise: Breaking LUI Chains for Secular Democracy and National Dignity.” By Ali R. Rahimi, MD, FACP, AGSF Preamble: The Epic We…

In the past 72 hours, three developments have crystallized a dramatic shift in the US approach to the Islamic Republic of Iran. Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif confirmed that Iran’s ballistic missile program was never part of the US-Iran Memorandum of Understanding. The US Senate joined the House in passing a War Powers Resolution directing…

Beyond the United States and President Trump’s still-undisclosed strategy, the recently announced Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Iran has raised significant concerns that Washington may once again be caught off guard, much as it was during the Obama and Biden administrations. For half a century, the Islamic Republic of Iran has consistently employed tactics of…

اگر با نگاهی تیزبین و هوشمندانه به روزهای آغازین ریاست‌جمهوری دونالد ترامپ در سال ۲۰۱۶ و سپس به دوره جدید ریاست او نظر بیندازیم، همان‌طور که بارها در گفتگوهایمان به آن اشاره کردیم، الگوی رویدادهای این روزهای اخیر در تعاملات ترامپ با جمهوری اسلامی به وضوح قابل مشاهده است. از همان روزهای اول، با وجود…

In the aftermath of the past six months—marked by the devastating 12-day war between Israel and Iran, the extensive American air campaign against Iran, and the horrific massacre of 42,000 innocent Iranian protestors by the Islamic Republic in December 2025 and January 2026—recent developments have only deepened the sense of injustice. The recent Memorandum of…

Introduction Maritime piracy has profoundly influenced the course of global trade and security for thousands of years, flourishing in regions where state authority is weak or absent and retreating only when confronted by sustained naval power and effective governance. In his influential 2009 essay for Foreign Affairs, “Pirates, Then and Now,” Max Boot offers a sweeping…

I have been diligently monitoring recent developments, particularly the bold actions and controversies associated with President Trump’s administration. This includes a range of issues from illegal immigration, the imposition of tariffs, to the complexities of an ongoing trade war. Additionally, the situation in Ukraine, the tensions with Russia, the rising conflicts with China, and the…

Overview of Protest Fatalities Reports regarding the 2025–2026 Iranian protests highlight significant casualties among demonstrators, with at least 31 protesters confirmed dead at the hands of security forces as of January 5, 2026. Some sources claim the death toll may be 40 or higher, including at least four individuals under the age of 18. These…