February 3rd, 2006 / October 30th, 2018
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Page with a chronological overview of the country file articles published on the Chronicle website.
Iranian Rights Lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh Sentenced to 38 Years in Jail for Doing Her Job
Her clients were women who protested the obligatory dress code by taking off their hijab in public in 2018, an act that the authorities equate with treason. Sotoudeh was already well-known for having represented jailed opposition activists and politicians...
Who Is Esmail Ghaani, Iran’s New Quds Force Commander?
s he had done in the IRGC, Ghaani soon made a name for himself in the Quds Force. Although always overshadowed by the much more charismatic Soleimani, Ghaani was quickly noticed by both friends and foes.
Soleimani’s Assassination and Its Unexpected Effects on Iran-US Relations
Clearly, Soleimani’s death elicited a reaction Washington did not expect. Not only did it mend political divides over the way Iran deals with the US, it also turned Iranians from all walks of life against the US, further benefiting the establishment....
Unannounced Fuel Price Hike Sees Iranians Return to the Streets
Smuggling became a lucrative business, with 20 to 40 million litres being smuggled across the border per day. In addition, because Iran borders 15 countries, it is almost impossible for the government to control all its borders on a permanent basis. To...
How Iran Has Broken the Strategic Deadlock Created by the US
Iran’s strategy following the US’ withdrawal from the JCPOA has focused on two objectives. The first is to push back against the maximum pressure policy with the aim of proving its irrelevance in bringing Iran to the negotiating table on US terms. The...
Iran Raises the Pressure on Human Rights Defenders
Most of the human rights defenders whose cases are detailed in the Observatory’s report are detained in Tehran’s Evin prison. They are kept there in solitary confinement for long periods of time, are deprived of essential medical care, and are frequently den...
In Iran, Floods Pose Huge Financial Challenge for Government Crippled by Sanctions
The floods were the worst to hit the country in 50 years. Yet while the costs as well as the criticism of the government’s response to the disaster mounted, the benefits were also discussed. Iran has suffered from declining rainfall since the 1990s a...
Changing of the Guards: Iran Picks Controversial New Head of IRGC
Salami will also oversee the activities of the Quds Force, an IRGC unit responsible for extraterritorial operations, giving him a significant say in the way Iran’s network of regional alliances work. However, as organizations under new management usually t...