In recent months Iran has hit the international news after the brutal death, on September 16, 2022, of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old girl who had been arrested for not properly wearing her veil. After a ‘session of re-education’ she ended up in a coma and died three days later. The event has triggered demonstrations and the brutal repression of the state police. The accusation from Iran’s parliament that the protests are instigated and financed by the US, provide the starting point for a talk that explains the current state of affairs and the criticism against ayatollah Khamenei. Reasons behind the rift Iran/USA, will also be analyzed through the lens of the most recent analyses and current trends in Iranian studies.

Shahin Modarres

Born in Tehran, Iranian, Dr. Modarres has lived in Germany, the United Kingdom and Italy, where he still resides. He completed his studies in philosophy, political science and economics specializing in ‘Government and Politics’ at LUISS University in Rome. Polyglot and interested in cultures and languages, he has carried out research at King's College London, NATO College and Lomonosov University investigating complex topics such as the security paradigms in the Middle East and regional affairs. He is currently director of the ‘Iran Desk’ at ITSS (International Team for the Study of Security) Verona, where he continues his research in relative fields.