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Kian Sharifi

Kian Sharifi is a feature writer specializing in Iranian affairs in RFE/RL's Central Newsroom in Prague. He got his start in journalism at the Financial Tribune, an English-language newspaper published in Tehran, where he worked as an editor. He then moved to BBC Monitoring, where he led a team of journalists who closely watched media trends and analyzed key developments in Iran and the wider region.

SharifiK@rferl.org

Also by Kian Sharifi

April 29, 2024
Toomaj Salehi, The Iranian Rapper Sentenced To Death Amid Global Outcry

There has been global outrage after Iran handed a death sentence to Toomaj Salehi, a rapper who was detained for supporting protests following the death in custody of Mahsa Amini in 2022. One supporter has told RFE/RL she hopes Tehran will back down to avoid sparking a new wave of mass protests.
April 24, 2024
Iran's 'Ambassadors Of Kindness' Enforce Hijab In New Head Scarf Crackdown

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) has established a new unit in Tehran to enforce a crackdown on women not wearing a head scarf. Called "Ambassadors of Kindness," the unit has issued videos of girls happily receiving hijabs. But footage on social media shows women without a hijab being detained.
April 23, 2024
The Iranian Cartoonist Arrested For Her Art

Prominent Iranian cartoonist Atena Farghadani has been detained by the Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) after attempting to post her work on a wall near the presidential palace in Tehran, multiple sources in Iran have told Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL).
April 19, 2024
Iran Versus Israel: Who Has The Military Edge?

The prospect of a direct war between Iran and Israel has increased in recent weeks. In the event of a full-scale conflict, experts say Israel has military superiority. But they insist that the threat posed by Iran’s arsenal of drones and missiles should not be dismissed.
April 19, 2024
Israel's Limited Attack On Iran Appears Aimed At De-Escalating Conflict

Israel launched a suspected attack on Iran on April 19 in response to Tehran's unprecedented air assault on its archfoe. The Israeli retaliation appeared limited in size and scope, with experts saying it was aimed at de-escalating soaring tensions while still sending a clear message to Iran.
April 16, 2024
'Nightmare Scenario': The Risks Of Escalation As Israel Mulls Iran Response

Israel is weighing its options as it prepares to respond to Iran's unprecedented attack. While a response appears likely, its scale could determine whether a full-scale war breaks out. With the risk of escalation higher than ever, that nightmare scenario is a distinct possibility, analysts say.
April 14, 2024
Israel Promises Victory After Iranian Attack Risks Broader Middle East Conflict

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed that his country would emerge victorious following an unprecedented attack from Iran. According to the Israeli military, over 300 drones and missiles were intercepted during the aerial assault by Iran, its first-ever direct attack on Israel.
April 14, 2024
Iran's Unprecedented But Choreographed Attack On Israel Underlines Tehran's Limits

Iran's unprecedented attack on Israel on April 13 was intended to project strength. But the highly choreographed nature of the assault also underlined the limits of Tehran's response.
April 12, 2024
Key Iranian Commanders Are Being Assassinated Abroad. How Will That Affect Tehran's Proxy Network?

Suspected Israeli air strikes have killed at least 18 members of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps in Syria since December. Experts say Israel's campaign of assassinations is likely to weaken Tehran's network of regional proxies in the short-term but warned that the strategy is risky.
April 11, 2024
What Is Jaish Al-Adl, The Separatist Group Targeting Iranian Forces?

Iranian forces have suffered a series of deadly attacks in the restive Sistan-Baluchistan Province in recent months. Claiming the attacks is Jaish al-Adl, a Baluch separatist militant group that seeks to challenge the Islamic republic. What is Jaish al-Adl, how did it form, and what does it want?
April 09, 2024
EU Drops Sanctions On Iranian Tech Firm Accused Of Internet Censorship

A European Union official says the bloc has removed sanctions on the Iranian tech startup ArvanCloud because it "no longer" saw the need to keep them on a company it once accused of being involved in Tehran's crackdown on Internet access.
April 07, 2024
Overworked And Underpaid, Many Iranian Doctors Migrate -- And Some Even Take Their Lives

Iran is facing what is being described as a suicide "crisis" among young doctors. By some estimates, one-third of younger doctors harbor suicidal thoughts. Meanwhile, thousands of doctors every year opt to leave Iran in search of better working conditions abroad.
April 06, 2024
Washington Says It Has Warned Iran Not To Target U.S. Troops

The United States has warned Iran against attacking its troops and bases in the Middle East as Tehran plans its response to a suspected Israeli strike that killed seven military men on April 1.
April 02, 2024
With Its Deterrence Strategy Weakened, Iran Faces Pressure To Hit Israel

The suspected Israeli strike on Iran’s consulate in Syria may be a game changer, analysts say. Tehran has refrained from directly engaging Israel despite losing more than a dozen officers since the Gaza War began, instead exercising what is being dubbed “strategic patience.”
March 18, 2024
Iran Fears Loss Of Clout In The Caucasus

From Armenia looking to foster security ties with the West and Turkey eyeing an expanded presence in the South Caucasus, developments in the region have raised concerns in Iran that its influence could take a hit.
March 07, 2024
Oil Tanker Caught Up In Iran-U.S. Dispute Over Sanctions

Iran will confiscate the cargo of the Advantage Sweet, which was transporting oil from Kuwait to the U.S. state of Texas, in retaliation against Washington’s crippling economic sanctions against the Islamic republic.
March 06, 2024
Growing 'Despondency' And Hard-Liners' Dominance: Key Takeaways From Iran's Elections

Less than half of the electorate in Iran voted on March 1, the third consecutive elections since 2020 that have witnessed record-low turnouts. Experts say the declining voter turnout highlights society's growing disenchantment with the state.
February 29, 2024
Killing Of Street Sweeper Puts Spotlight On Iranian Leader's 'Fire At Will' Approach

The killing of a young Afghan street sweeper in the Iranian capital has led to suggestions that he fell victim to "one of the regime's fire-at-will nightcrawlers."
February 28, 2024
'Engineered Elections': Iran To Vote On Assembly That May Name Next Supreme Leader

Iran is holding two sets of elections on March 1, for a new parliament and also for the Assembly of Experts -- the body that selects the country's supreme leader. The current holder of that office, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, is 84 years old, so it's likely that the new assembly will name his successor
February 22, 2024
U.S. Says Growing Iran-Russia Military Ties 'Should Concern' World

The United States says increasing military cooperation between Tehran and Moscow is a "concern," amid reports that Iran has delivered multiple shipments of ballistic missiles to Russia.

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