Essay

This year Americans mark a quarter-millennium milestone: the 250th anniversary of independence. The republic remains fundamentally strong, yet it confronts a pivotal political paradigm shift. The state of the Union is still sound, but it is deeply divided. That division is not beyond repair. Americans must demand political transparency and truth-telling as the indispensable conditions…

Qeshm Island (also spelled Gheshm or Qeshm, Persian: قشم) stands as the largest island in the Persian Gulf and is celebrated as one of Iran’s most remarkable natural and cultural gems. Shaped like an arrow or a dolphin, Qeshm stretches along the strategic Strait of Hormuz—a vital maritime corridor linking the Persian Gulf to the…

هر از گاهی، سیاستمداران به یک کلیدواژه یا عبارت جذاب متوسل می‌شوند که هدف آن جلب توجه طیف وسیعی از مردم است و اغلب هم‌زمان طبقات بالاتر و پایین‌تر جامعه را هدف قرار می‌دهد. آن‌ها با دقت زبانی را انتخاب می‌کنند که برای بسیاری جذاب باشد، اما بسته به مخاطب، به شیوه‌های متفاوتی اثر می‌گذارد….

From time to time, politicians seize upon a talking point or buzzword designed to resonate with a broad swath of the public, often targeting both the higher and lower echelons of society. They carefully select language that appeals to many, but in distinct ways depending on the audience. Recently, President Biden, Senator Chuck Schumer, Congresswoman…

Why empowering the diaspora and reclaiming Iran is a global imperative Ziya Gökalp (1876–1924), a prominent Turkish nationalist intellectual and sociologist during the late Ottoman Empire, was the first to coin the Turkish terms İslamcılık (Islamism) and İslamcı (Islamist) around 1913. He introduced these terms in the midst of intense debates over secularism, nationalism, and religion that followed the…

The Persian Gulf, the Strait of Hormuz, and the surrounding islands have long been at the center of global attention, serving as a focal point for international scrutiny and regional disputes for centuries. This critical maritime corridor is among the world’s most vital commercial waterways, with over 100 large oil and supply tankers passing through…

For half a century, the IRGC and the Islamic Republic of Iran have loudly proclaimed “Death to America.” Recently, Akhond Hossein Taeb—long notorious for his role in suppressing dissent—was appointed commander of the Basij, the regime’s paramilitary force infamous for killing Iranians and violently crushing protests. In a televised statement, Taeb declared that America would…

The early 20th century, particularly in the aftermath of World War I, was a time of profound transformation marked by a mix of nostalgia, optimism, and upheaval. Europe, still basking in the intellectual legacies of the Renaissance and Enlightenment, was grappling with reconstruction amid economic volatility. Meanwhile, the United States emerged as a burgeoning superpower,…

Throughout history, authoritarian regimes facing crisis or decline have consistently turned to art, music, celebrities, and curated symbols of “normal life” to mask brutality and project an image of vitality. From Hitler’s grandiose rallies and Franco’s folkloric tourism campaigns to Ceaușescu’s orchestrated festivals—and in contemporary times, the spectacle-driven propaganda of North Korea, Russia, and China—dictators…

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…