Close allies: Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and the man who was expected to succeed him, President Ebrahim Raisi, who was killed in a helicopted crash on May 19 2024.
ZUMA Press, Inc./Alamy Live News
Ebrahim Raisi held substantial sway over Iran’s domestic and foreign policies. So, how will the regime fill his void at a challenging time for the country?
Israel’s air defense system intercepted nearly all missiles fired from Iran on April 13, 2024.
AP Photo/Tomer Neuberg
A long-running conflict between adversaries Israel and Iran fell short of open confrontation – until both countries took more direct aim at each other.
The people’s choice (although candidates for Iran’s parliamentary elections have all been pre-approved by the religious authorities).
EPA-EFE/Abedin Taherkenareh
Since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, women in Iran have been forced to accept second-class citizenship, as Shiite religious leaders control most aspects of women’s lives.
Iran is a dangerous mischief-maker in the Middle East – but scrapping the nuclear deal will probably make things worse.
Iranian voters, fed up with politics as usual, have demanded the ouster of both Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and President Hassan Rouhani.
Amr Alfiky/Reuters
11 activists have died in prison since Iran’s mass protests were crushed in January. Now, some detainees’ families are keeping a daily vigil outside jails. It’s a sign that unrest in Iran is not over.
University students attend a protest inside Tehran University as anti-riot Iranian police prevent them from joining other protesters.
AP Photo
Although the unrest that shocked Iran’s ruling elite appears to be over, there are several reasons to think this won’t be the last time disaffected citizens take to the streets.
Time’s nearly up: Iranian presidents Mohammad Khatami, Hasan Rouhani, and Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani.
EPA/Abedin Takerkenareh