Iran, the second-largest country in the Middle East, is a multi-ethnic Islamic theocracy with the ultimate decision maker being the country's prime religious authority, its Supreme Leader. It infuses elements of democracy, such as an elected president. With one of the longest and storied histories of civilization, the current Islamic Republic of Iran was established by Ruhollah Khomeini in 1979 following the Islamic Revolution. Kohmeini became Iran's first Supreme Leader.
Iran is considered authoritarian in its suppression of rights for women and children and the violent squandering of opposing political protests.
Strategically located between the water bodies of the Persian Gulf, the Gulf of Oman and the Caspian sea, it is bordered by key middle-eastern players, such as Turkey, Afghanistan and Iraq.
Iran holds the world's second-largest natural gas supply as well as a massive oil reserve, a key element often discussed in its role in international relations and political leverage.
Before 1979, Iran maintained friendly relations with Israel via pro-Western leader Mohammad Reza Pahlavi. However, after the Islamic Revolution, Iran severed all ties with Israel and by the 1990s relations turned hostile.
Iran has escalated its nuclear technology development over the years while also funding and supporting Islamic-extremist proxy groups much closer to Israel, such as Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) and Hezbollah.
Normalization with Saudi Arabia is crucial but shouldn't come at the cost of significant concessions.
Iran wants US-China relations to get worse and it is also seeking to exploit the war in Gaza to create a new regional and world order.
For the pro-Iranian groups the protests will give them a sense that they should continue to pressure Israel via violence because they believe the US is now divided internally.
In order to move forward, in order to fix, we have to stop destroying. We need to restore the public’s trust in the leadership. We need elections.
In an interview with The Jerusalem Post on Wednesday, Murray spoke about his views on Hamas and Israel’s prosecution of the war against the terrorist group and his warnings about the Iranian regime.
On Thursday, the EU parliament voted to condemn Iran, showing its support for Israel and acknowledging the role Iran plays in destabilizing the region.
Hamas suggests it's open to disarmament • US to begin pier construction • IDF aircraft strikes targets in Lebanon
Iranian MMA fighter Ali Heibati kicked a Ring Girl's bottom during a match in Russia, leading to a lifetime suspension. He later posted an apology but received criticism for his actions.
This unfortunate reality made me leave Europe with a bad taste in my mouth. I was honored to have helped their son become a full member of the Jewish community, but I worried for his future.
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