Ali Khamenei

Members of the Iranian Jewish community in Israel burn a picture of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei during a demonstration in support of the Iranian people in the city of Holon, central Israel, January 14, 2026. (Chaim Goldberg/Flash90)

Pahlavi? IRGC? What’s next for Iran after Khamenei

The U.S.-Israeli assassination of the supreme leader opens the door to a range of possibilities. A democratic transition seems the least likely of all.

By Lior Sternfeld March 3, 2026

Israeli flag next to the flag of Pahlavi Iran, at a protest against the killing of Mahsa Jina Amini, in Tel Aviv, Israel, October 29, 2022. (Tomer Neuberg/Flash90)

Why everything Israelis think they know about Iran is wrong

For historian Lior Sternfeld, Israel's regime change fantasies ignore realities inside Iran and risk repeating historic mistakes.

By Orly Noy June 20, 2025

Revolutionary Guard Major-General and commander of the Quds Forces Qassem Soleimani, 2015.

You don’t need to mourn Qassem Soleimani to be deeply worried

Reflections of an Iranian dissident in exile.

By Arash Azizi January 5, 2020

Latest

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during UN General Assembly speech, October 1, 2013. (Photo: Kobi Gideon / GPO)

With tens of thousands of Jews living in Iran, why is Bibi calling their rulers Nazis?

A. He’s lying; B. He’s reckless; C. He’s both. If Netanyahu really believes the Iranian regime is another Nazi Germany, if he really believes its creed is “death to the Jews” as he said in his speech this week to the UN General Assembly, why does he heap contempt on the regime and its…

By Larry Derfner October 4, 2013

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani speaks at the UN General Assembly. (screenshot: YouTube)

It’s stupid, dangerous and wrong to demand Iran’s humiliation

Whatever he tells the UN, Rouhani will not agree to give up nuclear weapons to please his country’s nuclear-armed enemies. And when it’s clear that he won’t, it’s his enemies who will face humiliation. I don’t believe Rouhani means it when he says Iran doesn’t want nuclear weapons. And even if he does, I don’t believe…

By Larry Derfner September 27, 2013

A woman carries a sign in support of the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) campaign, October 11, 2011 (Anne Paq/Activestills.org)

Why boycotts against Israel are fair game

Israel is unique in one very important way: for other malefactors like Syria and Sudan, there is no need to convince the international public of their wrongs. If it wasn’t a persuasive argument, Israel’s defenders wouldn’t keep using it, like they are now against Alice Walker: Why are these left-wingers singling Israel out for boycott,…

By Larry Derfner June 21, 2013