Society & Culture

Iran Parliament building
Society

Slain Supreme Leader Was Secret Fan of American Looksmaxxing Influencer, Sources Say

Associates managing the late Grand Ayatollah's estate have discovered a tablet with fourteen months of viewing history on Kick, concentrated almost entirely on content by the influencer known as Clavicular.

Women in Tehran streets, 2018
Society

Year After Unrest, Iran's Women Continue to Push Back Against Dress Codes

Despite periodic crackdowns, women in Tehran and other major cities are openly defying compulsory hijab enforcement, signaling a generational shift in public norms.

University of Tehran graduation ceremony
Society

Iran's Universities: World-Class Campuses, Censored Classrooms

Iranian universities produce tens of thousands of highly educated graduates annually, yet faculty face restrictions on teaching, research topics, and international collaboration that are driving talent abroad.

Tehran street scene
Society

Underground Culture Thrives as Iran's Artists Navigate the Red Lines

From clandestine cinema screenings to underground music venues, Iranian artists have developed sophisticated methods for producing and distributing work that would not survive official scrutiny.

Tehran Grand Bazaar
Society

VPN Nation: How Millions of Iranians Navigate Internet Censorship Every Day

Iran operates one of the world's most extensive internet filtering systems, yet VPN usage is nearly universal among urban Iranians — an open secret that the authorities have largely given up trying to close.

University of Tehran
Society

Iran's Brain Drain Accelerates: Record Numbers of Graduates Seeking to Emigrate

Official statistics and surveys of university students show emigration intent at its highest recorded level, with medicine, engineering, and computer science graduates most likely to leave within five years of graduating.

Tehran street scene
Society

Social Media Crackdown Intensifies as Authorities Target Instagram Influencers

Iranian authorities have summoned and in some cases arrested social media personalities with large followings, charging them with spreading "immoral content" and "acting against national security."

Tehran Grand Bazaar
Society

Drug Use in Iran: A Hidden Public Health Crisis the Government Struggles to Confront

Iran has one of the world's highest rates of opiate addiction, a legacy of geography, poverty, and decades of inadequate treatment infrastructure. A new public health initiative is testing a different approach.