Kian Sharifi
banner
kiansharifi.bsky.social
Kian Sharifi
@kiansharifi.bsky.social
Iran & Middle East Feature Writer at RFE/RL| @KianSharifi on Twitter
U.S. President Donald Trump’s proposal to displace Palestinians from Gaza and have the United States take control of the territory has drawn strong reaction worldwide, potentially upending Washington’s longstanding Israeli-Palestinian policy.

www.rferl.org/a/trump-gaza...
Why Trump's Gaza Takeover Proposal Has Drawn Strong Reactions Worldwide
U.S. allies and adversaries alike have strongly criticized President Donald Trump's proposal to displace Gaza residents, paving the way for a U.S. takeover of the enclave.
www.rferl.org
February 5, 2025 at 8:54 PM
Reposted by Kian Sharifi
Iran spent decades building the axis of resistance.

Syria was key to that; a top Iranian figure once described it as the "golden ring" of the resistance chain.

But the ring is broken & the axis is unraveling.

www.rferl.org/a/iran-syria...
Fall Of Assad Unravels Iran's Decades-Old 'Axis Of Resistance'
Syria was the lynchpin of the Iran-led axis of resistance. Losing the country delivers an irreparable blow to Tehran’s ability to fund and arm its partner, Hezbollah, and unravels the network.
www.rferl.org
December 10, 2024 at 9:23 AM
Hezbollah tied its attacks on northern Israel to the Gaza war. Israel succeeded in decoupling those fronts.

Hezbollah is left militarily and politically weakened -- but don't write it off yet.
Lebanon Cease-Fire Deal Seen As Major Victory For Israel
The Lebanon cease-fire deal is a major victory for Israel, experts say. Israel managed to decouple Hezbollah's attacks on northern Israel from the Gaza war. Hezbollah, while still dangerous, is now a ...
www.rferl.org
November 27, 2024 at 12:55 PM
What do the Kremlin and the Houthis have in common? Both harbor a deep dislike for the West, and Putin has a knack for befriending anyone who becomes a nuisance to Russia's rivals.

www.rferl.org/a/russia-hut...
Russia And Yemen's Huthis United In Their Animosity Toward The West
Russia has been expanding its strategic ties with the Iranian-backed Huthi rebels in Yemen to hurt Western interests in the Red Sea. The Kremlin may even consider arming the Huthis with advanced weapo...
www.rferl.org
November 26, 2024 at 8:56 AM
Autocratic states have decades used punitive psychiatry -- the misuse of psychiatric diagnoses, treatments, and institutions to punish, control, or repress individuals -- to target critics.

In Iran, it's being used against women who defy the mandatory hijab.

www.rferl.org/a/iran-women...
How Iran Is Using Mental Illness As A Tool Of Repression
A clinic is being launched in Iran to "treat" women who violate the country’s hijab law. Experts say the clinic in the capital, Tehran, is the latest attempt by Iranian authorities to use mental-healt...
www.rferl.org
November 21, 2024 at 9:38 AM
Since Trump's election win, the Saudis have sent their top general to Tehran, accused Israel of committing "collective genocide" in Gaza, and condemned it for attacking Iran.

Are they cozying up to Iran or hedging?
With Trump 2.0 Looming, Saudi Arabia Pursues 'Cautious Detente' With Longtime Rival Iran
Experts say Iran and Saudi Arabia, decadeslong rivals in the Middle East, are pursuing “cautious detente” amid growing fears of a full-blown war in the region.
www.rferl.org
November 15, 2024 at 3:02 PM
When Amir-Abdollahian became Iran's foreign minister in 2021, he put up a pic of Qasem Soleimani behind the lectern where a visiting FM would stand in a presser.

That caused trouble last month when the Saudi FM visited. They've now moved the pic behind the Iranian FM's lectern.
July 9, 2023 at 10:43 AM
Iran's President Raisi will travel to Africa on Tuesday. Iranian media say he'll visit three countries but haven't named them.
July 8, 2023 at 12:20 PM
Iran's foreign ministry has summoned Britain's charge d'affaires to "strongly condemn" the UK's "illegal" decision to sanction Iranian officials.

The UK gov't today announced plans to sanction officials behind what it called hostile activities in Britain.
July 6, 2023 at 7:42 PM
So, some Iran news.

The foreign ministry has issued a travel warning for France, urging against all non-essential travel.

Iranian hardliners are really enjoying this because Macron met Iranian opposition figures during last year's anti-establishment unrest & condemned the crackdown on protests.
July 2, 2023 at 6:25 AM
Hello, world. I'm here because Elon broke Twitter.
July 1, 2023 at 8:25 PM