A day after the Iranian government announced the lifting of restrictions on WhatsApp and Google Play, media and users erupted in outrage, accusing it of hypocrisy following the release of a 32-point plan to tighten and compartmentalize Internet access.
While the US dollar reached a new high against Iran’s currency on Wednesday, an economist warned that without an agreement with Washington soon, inflation could climb above 40% before the Iranian New Year in March.
Despite a 20% surge in oil exports, Iran's GDP growth in the first half of the current Iranian calendar year starting March 21 significantly declined due to a recession in other sectors, such as agriculture, industries, and the service sector.
Power cuts in Iran, now at unprecedented levels, are severely damaging some of the country's critical industries which are now struggling to pay workers and keep businesses afloat.
Iran's energy-rich government is bracing for potential unrest amid rolling blackouts and rising gasoline prices, with judicial, security and intelligence services briefed to be ready for a response.
Iran has witnessed the rapid growth of a group known as ‘eulogists’ during the Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei’s three decades of leadership, playing a very prominent role not only in religious ceremonies, but also in the country's political sphere.
Iran's Supreme Leader on Sunday openly opposed Syria's new government, spoke of the need to overthrow it, and announced plans to form a group to combat the Damascus administration.
Iranian pundits and media say recent rumors allegedly started by ultra-hardliners on social media about President Masoud Pezeshkian’s resignation are part of a psychological operation to weaken his government.
A newspaper linked with Iran’s Parliament Speaker has slammed what it called “super-revolutionaries" or ultra-hardliners for publicly opposing “official and revolutionary institutions.”
Rolling power outages that have brought the country to a standstill in many areas has once again sparked controversies over the role of ‘illegal’ Bitcoin mining in overburdening the electricity grid.
Presidents Joe Biden and Donald Trump both failed to halt Iran’s march toward nuclear weapons, Representative Brad Sherman, one of the strongest Democratic voices in the US Congress opposing the Islamic Republic told Iran International.
Millions of Iranian families will celebrate the ancient Winter Solstice festival on Friday evening, though many have scaled back their budgets for the occasion, with businesses reporting a notable drop in sales.
Iranian hardliners who ironically spent time in the United States are responsible for pushing policies which deepen Iran's isolation and weakness, a leading centrist news outlet fulminated this week.
Iran's Supreme National Security (SNSC) may have shelved the controversial new hijab law, some lawmakers and the media outlets in Tehran say, most likely with the consent of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
Three prominent centrist and conservative figures in Iran have suggested that the country’s political doctrine must change to address its ongoing problems, especially the economic impasse.
A senior Iranian military officer has expressed concern over the ideological influence of Iran's enemies and the risk of losing out in a technological race for armaments, in a potential sign of greater official unease following regional setbacks.
Syria's new ruling Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) has appointed a deputy for Iranian affairs known for his jihadist sermons as the group builds ties with Iran's Sunnis in a bid to reduce Tehran's influence in the country.
Recent regional setbacks have further weakened Iran’s hardliners at home, with increasing criticism from within the establishment holding them responsible for mismanagement and misdirection in the country’s foreign and domestic affairs.
Iran's vice-president announced that the administration is drafting a bill to amend the highly controversial hijab law, which the Parliament Speaker had promised would take effect on December 13.
If you had asked Donald Trump’s former Iran envoy Elliot Abrams last year how he assessed Iran's strength, he would have told you its fearsome array of armed affiliates was a powerful guarantee of its staying power.
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) is seeking to sell oil stored in China before US president-elect Donald Trump can block sales with tougher sanctions, an informed source told Iran International.
Donald Trump’s maximum pressure policy was never aimed at regime change, his last special envoy for Iran told Iran International. It was about making a deal.
Iranian politicians and media are grappling with the implications of Assad's fall on Tehran's future relations with Damascus. Simultaneously, the Iranian government is attempting to justify its substantial expenditures in Syria since 2011.
Some Iranian ultra-hardliners online are blaming the ouster of Tehran's Syrian allies on the Revolutionary Guards and the commander of its foreign arm the Quds Force in cautious but rare social media broadsides at a key ruling institution.
A prominent centrist figure in Iran says that the ongoing deadlock over enforcing the new hijab law and lifting censorship on the Internet has effectively paralyzed the Pezeshkian administration.
Iranian authorities have tightened control on media and public figures in the aftermath of Bashar al-Assad’s fall and warned them not to draw any parallels between Syria under his rule and the situation in Iran.
The recent round of talks between Iran and Europe has left many Iranian diplomats and politicians disappointed. However, some observers argue that the failure of the November 29 talks in Geneva does not entirely close the door on diplomacy.
As images of brutality and prison abuses flood the internet following Bashar al-Assad’s fall, Iran’s tightly controlled media has cautiously criticized the deposed leader, hinting that a similar fate could befall the Islamic Republic.
In the aftermath of Bashar al-Assad's ouster in Syria, some Iranian politicians and commentators have pointed to his unpopularity and criticized the Islamic Republic for what they describe as the extensive resources wasted on keeping him in power.
The clerical government in Iran is currently grappling with at least seven significant domestic and international crises, creating what can be described as a "mega-crisis" for the whole political system and its leadership.
The stunning advances by Syrian rebel forces, which could ultimately unseat Bashar al-Assad, threaten to dismantle two decades of costly Iranian efforts to create dominance in the region.
Several dissident figures linked to Iran's Green Movement from fifteen years ago have called on the Iranian elite to support women's civil disobedience against the hijab mandate rather than merely criticizing the new hijab law.
Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, with ultimate authority over Tehran’s nuclear policy, combined strict oversight with cautious deniability in the lead-up to the 2015 nuclear deal—using a dual strategy to safeguard domestic credibility while retaining international leverage.
Critics of Iran's new hijab law say President Masoud Pezeshkian should not only refuse to take responsibility for its implementation but also try to find a way to shelve or abolish it.
An Iranian state TV interview with President Masoud Pezeshkian has sparked debate for its sharp line of questioning and well-worn remarks by a new leader facing deep economic and foreign policy challenges.
The Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB), Iran's sole radio and television provider, faces international sanctions for human rights violations. Who controls IRIB, and how relevant is it in Iran today?
Iran is witnessing a record surge in divorces, with couples citing economic hardship as the primary cause, interviews with Iran International reveal.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has stated that his government cannot implement a new hijab law passed by the hardline parliament, warning that its enforcement would lead to widespread discontent in Iranian society.
Imprisoned critic of Iran's Islamic government, Mostafa Tajzadeh, has accused Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei of fueling poverty and corruption in a letter written from Tehran's Evin Prison.