Iran
20/05/2013 / IRAN
Headscarves and long tunics don’t stop Iranian women from practising parkour
Despite having to practise in unwieldy clothing – not to mention having to stay on the lookout for police - Iranian women are getting into the sport of parkour. Some even create videos in which they show off their skills, and post them online. One of these brave women tells us about the challenges of practising parkour in an Islamic republic. Read more...
Contributors
19/04/2013 / IRAN
Outcry in Iran after police punish man by dressing him like a woman
An unusual punishment has shocked many in Iran. On April 15, police paraded a convicted criminal through the northwestern city of Marivan dressed in traditional Kurdish women’s clothing. This has prompted protests in the streets, online, and even in Iran’s parliament. Read more...
05/04/2013 / IRAN
Dancing to defy the Iranian regime
Like every year, on April 2, Iranians celebrated Sizdeh Bedar, a popular holiday that has survived despite the Islamic republic’s attempts to get rid of it. Men and women danced and sang songs to keep this centuries-old tradition alive, but also to defy the regime and its draconian laws. Read more...
Contributors
01/03/2013 / IRAN
A tale of two Iranian cities, battling for water
Outraged that precious water from their local river is being diverted, last week a group of farmers in Isfahan, Iran destroyed a pump channelling water to the city of Yazd. They’ve been guarding the pump day and night ever since, refusing to let the authorities fix it. Meanwhile, residents of Yazd are suffering from a severe water shortage, leading to fears of unrest there. Read more…
13/02/2013 / IRAN
“Taxi Driver” rap song vents about poverty in Iran
Emad Ghavidel is an up-and-coming rapper whose songs focus on the ills afflicting Iranian society. In his latest hit, “Taxi Driver,” which is making the rounds online, he raps about the daily difficulties faced by the Iranian working class. Read more...
Contributors
11/02/2013 / IRAN
04/02/2013 / IRAN
Dramatic video appears to show Iranian gas platform sinking
A video that has recently surfaced online shows a gas exploration platform collapsing into the ocean, with at least a dozen panicked workers jumping or falling into the rough waters. This dramatic video has been shared all over Iranian social networks, and tallies with reports form Iranian media explaining that a gas platform sunk into the Persian Gulf last Tuesday. Read more...
Contributors
01/02/2013 / IRAN
Did Iran's monkey astronaut really return from space?
On January 28, Iran captured the world’s attention by sending a monkey into space. The international community largely interpreted this move as a way for Iran to show it is making scientific progress, despite economic sanctions imposed by the West in an effort to impede the development of an Iranian nuclear program. Read more...
Contributors
25/01/2013 / IRAN
Iran unveils machine for amputating thieves’ fingers
One of Iran’s official press agencies published photos showing the public amputation of a thief's fingers on Wednesday. These show a man getting his finger chopped off with a machine resembling a rotary saw. Read more...
Contributors
17/01/2013 / IRAN
Soaring prices, censorship, and dating woes: three Observers talk about daily life in Iran
To mark the broadcast of FRANCE 24’s exclusive report from Iran, “Life Under Sanctions”, three of our Observers agreed to tell us about some of the daily challenges they face. Their faces are blurred to ensure their security. Listen to what they have to say…
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