Published by the National The acronym FATF probably doesn’t mean much to most people around the world. It refers to the Financial Action Task Force, a Paris-based intergovernmental organisation seeking to tackle money-laundering and financing of terrorism. But this relatively obscure body is almost a household name in Iran given its central role in political debates …
Published by the National Iran is often in the news for its regional and international affairs, but in recent weeks a domestic political issue has dominated the headlines in the country – censorship of the internet. Ordinary Iranians have had limited access to the internet for very many years now. Thousands of websites are banned, …
Published by the National An old song about the city of Tehran praises it for being “always full of light”. But this isn’t how most Tehranis are experiencing their city this week. Like other parts of Iran, the city is going through government-organised electricity cuts. Its long highways have gone dark and every home has received a …
Published by the National In the days leading up to Iran’s missile attacks against Israel on Tuesday, the country’s political class was polarised along predictable lines. Centrists and reformists urged caution and pleaded with the government to not fall into Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s trap by getting drawn into a war with his government. Hardliners, on …
Published in The National For any newly elected leader, picking a country to make his or her first official visit holds great significance. It’s no exception for Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, who assumed office in July. There was much chatter around which country he would visit first and what that might say about his administration’s foreign policy …
Published in the National Every time former Iranian foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif appears on television, it’s fair to expect some drama or controversy. Such is the nature of the combative career diplomat. Mr Zarif, who has been tasked with picking cabinet ministers for President-elect Masoud Pezeshkian’s incoming administration, ruffled many feathers last week when …