Michael Scollon is a senior correspondent in RFE/RL's Central Newsroom in Prague.
Tensions remain high following the deadly clashes between Iranian and Taliban border troops over cross-border water supplies. But while both Tehran and the Taliban are doubling down on their water rights, they are leaving the door open for a diplomatic resolution.
Afghanistan's high maternal mortality comes with the territory in a country marked by political upheaval, economic woes, and cultural restrictions, all of which have limited women's access to adequate health care.
Iran's worsening air pollution and continued use of dirty fuels to power automobiles and industrial plants have cast a spotlight on the country's inability to enforce its own clean-air standards.
Iran and Russia continue to build on their defense cooperation, trading weaponry and military technology that satisfies their immediate needs. Experts say it is unclear whether Moscow and Tehran's weapons-swapping partnership is a long-term fit or a case of sanctioned friends with benefits.
The recent past has not been kind to Afghanistan's pre-Islamic heritage. Will history repeat itself under the new Taliban government?
Iran looked forward to a tough winter in Europe that would allow Tehran to capitalize on its enormous natural gas resources. But when freezing temperatures arrived in Iran, perennial winter gas shortages served as a reminder of decades of failed energy policies.
With both Russia and Iran coming under increased international sanctions for their actions in 2022, where can they turn to maintain trade? The answer: to each other and to smaller pariah states. But experts express skepticism about the strength of such a disparate bloc of the sanctioned.
Thousands of Afghan soldiers are living a desperate existence in Iran, where they sought refuge after the Taliban returned to power. Many say they have no choice but to put their fighting skills to work for a private Russian mercenary group that has sought to recruit them to join the war in Ukraine.
As the United States and Iran prepare to face off for a chance to reach the knockout stages of soccer's World Cup, the political gamesmanship is already in play.
The prospect of Russian forces replenishing their depleted aerial arsenal with powerful Iranian ballistic missiles has officials in Kyiv scrambling for more air cover.
Nika Shakarami, 16, left to join anti-government protests in Tehran on September 20. She was never seen alive by her family again. In an exclusive interview with RFE/RL's Radio Farda, Nika's mother says the family is now being pressured to echo the official account of her daughter's death.
The Taliban will import gasoline, diesel fuel, and wheat, making Russia one of the few countries willing to trade with Afghanistan's new rulers. While small, analysts say it fits with Russia's efforts to find new customers and could give it an inside track on access to Afghanistan's mineral wealth.
Iran and Russia have touted the use of cryptocurrencies to skirt punitive sanctions. But while Tehran recently raised eyebrows when it announced it used cryptocurrency to pay for some imports, sanctions experts say virtual currencies are not a digital safe place for illicit transactions.
The mass exodus of Afghan professionals since the Taliban takoever has depleted the skilled workforce that Afghanistan had steadily built up over two decades as it recovered from its last major "brain drain" brought on by war and insecurity.
As prominent cultural figures in Iran urge the authorities to stop using force against protesting civilians, Tehran is resorting to arrests and the activation of aged jail sentences in an attempt to silence them.
The Taliban continues to to crack down on domestic and foreign media through harassment, beatings, and the enforcement of haphazard rules imposed on journalists.
Thousands of influential Afghans have assembled in Kabul to discuss pressing national issues. But the "grand gathering of Islamic scholars” leaves out women and ethnic and religious minorities, falling far short of the inclusivity Afghans have been promised by the Taliban.
Iran has dramatically increased its execution of prisoners, reversing a five-year trend. But while the number of those being hanged is on the rise, there is no real correlation to more crime. Observers say it has more to do with the authorities sending a warning against dissent.
Iran is planning to manufacture airliners in an attempt to skirt U.S. sanctions and upgrade its decrepit fleet of passenger aircraft. But Iran has a tragic history when it comes to producing passenger planes, with the last attempt grounded by a lack of engineering expertise and a string of crashes.
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