Middle East & North Africa

Research

Conflict and Fragility

Articles

The Sepah: Guardian of its self-interests since 1979

29 Jan 2024 - 11:19
Ali Alfoneh - Senior fellow at the Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington
Source: ©Reuters - Iranian revolutionary guard corps pray during Friday prayers in Tehran, 2005
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“Where some states have an army, the Prussian Army has a state,” Voltaire famously said of Prussia by the end of Frederick William I’s reign. The French philosopher’s dictum is also largely true for the Army of the Guardians of the Islamic Revolution, colloquially referred to in Iran as the “Sepah”.
External authors
Ali Alfoneh - Senior fellow at the Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington
Ali Alfoneh - Senior fellow at the Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington

Research

Conflict and Fragility

Multimedia

Podcast Accents of Shi'ism

20 Dec 2023 - 14:13
Nancy Ezzeddine
Source: Accents of Shi'ism. Clingendael
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This Clingendael podcast series explores how the evolution of the Shi’i political identity has grappled between a history of marginalization and a more recent revived empowerment. How Shi’ism uses Ashura ceremonies as a physical and spiritual space to govern community ideals and perpetuate political values. It investigates religious leadership's real power and influence in Shi’ism.
External authors
Maryam Nemazee

Research

Europe in the World

Multimedia

Christmas Reads 2023

20 Dec 2023 - 12:30
Monika Sie Dhian Ho
Bob Deen
Anette Hoffmann
+8
Source: Christmas Reads 2023 Clingendael
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Looking back on the eventful year of 2023 with Clingendael’s publications
With 2023 coming to a close, look back with us on the year, and make sure to (re)read some of Clingendael's most read publications.

Research

Sustainability

Multimedia

Expert insights: Climate and COP28

07 Dec 2023 - 15:16
Louise van Schaik
Giulia Cretti
Sarah Lokenberg
+2
Source: Expert insights: Climate and COP28. Source: Reuters
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Our Clingendael experts share their insights on climate in relation to the COP28.

Research

Conflict and Fragility

Articles

Iranian reactions to 7/10 and the invasion of Gaza

30 Nov 2023 - 14:56
Hamidreza Azizi
Erwin van Veen
Source: ©Reuters - Protesters burn the Israeli flag during an anti-Israel protest in Tehran, Iran, November 18, 2023
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By Hamidreza Azizi and Erwin van Veen 

Research

Conflict and Fragility

Alerts

Scenarios for the Palestinian issue after the Gaza war

16 Nov 2023 - 16:13
Erwin van Veen
Source: Smoke rises over Beit Hanoun city of Gaza, which is seen from Sderot, Israel. ©Reuters
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This Alert presents four scenarios for the Palestinian issue once ongoing ground operations by Israel in Gaza have ended. They describe possible futures, however uncertain, and encourage us to consider how we feel about these.

Research

Conflict and Fragility

Articles

Opposition politics of the Iranian diaspora: Out of many, one - but not just yet

27 Oct 2023 - 16:42
Source: Members of the Alliance for Democracy and Freedom in Iran, from left to right: Reza Pahlavi, Nazanin Boniadi, Hamed Esmaeilion and Masih Alinejad.
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By Arash Azizi - professor at Clemson University and the author of What Iranians want

External authors
Arash Azizi - professor at Clemson University

Research

Conflict and Fragility

Articles

Prospects for reform and revolution across the Middle East and North Africa

09 Oct 2023 - 09:53
Erwin van Veen
Source: SEPAD
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This article assesses what factors influence political prospects for reform and renewal across the Middle East and North Africa under conditions of authoritarianism.

Research

Conflict and Fragility

Articles

Iran’s transition six months on: Repression meets resilience

28 Sep 2023 - 16:14
Hamidreza Azizi
Erwin van Veen
Source: ©Reuters - A police motorcycle burns during a protest over the death of Mahsa Amini
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Blog series - Iran in transition: The Islamic Republic is no more while it lives on

By Hamidreza Azizi and Erwin van Veen

Research

Conflict and Fragility

Policy briefs

Music as weapon: Heroic lyrical epics as tools in the PKK’s struggle

19 Sep 2023 - 16:28
Source: Kaveh the blacksmith is a famous lyrical epic
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This brief analyses the PKK’s use of Kurdish heroic lyrical epics, which have traditionally promoted values of courage and honour, for purposes of recruitment and outreach.
External authors
Moustafa Mohammad - Kurdish writer and analyst
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