Political legitimacy

Dark institutional boardroom facing a frosted glass gate with a map of Iran and blurred Iranian silhouettes behind it. Iranian diaspora gatekeepers

The Exile Gatekeepers: Who Decides Which Iranian Voices Reach the World?

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The Exile Gatekeepers Who Decides Which Iranian Voices Reach the World? Iranian diaspora gatekeepers do not usually describe themselves as political gatekeepers. When Western governments, universities, think tanks, media organisations and advocacy institutions seek an Iranian voice, the choice is usually presented as a professional decision: an editor needs an analyst, a parliamentary office needs […]

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Abstract map of Iran surrounded by a network of policy, media and donor connections, illustrating the permanent crisis industry around Iran’s unresolved transition

The Permanent Crisis Industry

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How Iran’s Unresolved Transition Became a Political Economy   Introduction The Transition That Never Arrives Iran’s unresolved transition has become one of the defining political conditions in the debate over the country’s future. For years, Iran has been described as standing on the edge of decisive change. Every major protest movement, mass killing, economic collapse,

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Conceptual illustration of Reza Pahlavi in silhouette against a faded map of Iran, surrounded by a network labelled legitimacy, authority, recognition, representation and transition.

The Prince Problem

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Why Legitimacy Becomes Controversial When Alternatives Are Named   Introduction The Moment Transition Becomes Personal Reza Pahlavi legitimacy has become one of the most disputed subjects in discussions about Iran’s future. This is not because Iranians agree on him. It is because they do not. Few political figures generate comparable levels of support, opposition, scrutiny

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