Mardo Soghom

Articles by this Author
Ahnaf Kalam
Middle East Forum Observer
Theatrics of Survival: How Khamenei’s Regime Masks Defeat with Borrowed Symbols
The Islamic Republic’s Leaders Have Turned Nationalist Following Their Crushing Defeat by Israel Last Month
July 7, 2025
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Mardo Soghom
A supporter holds up a photo of Ayatollah Khamenei in Tehran.
Middle East Forum Observer
Khamenei Remains in Hiding as Post-strike Uncertainty Grips Iran
Khamenei May Wish to Emerge and Deliver His Usual Rhetoric in Public, but Other Senior Figures May Prefer to Keep Him Away
July 4, 2025
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Mardo Soghom
Ahnaf Kalam
Middle East Forum Observer
Are Reformists Trying to Trick the West and Save the Islamic Republic?
Iranian Analysts and Journalists Are Uncertain Whether Khamenei Remains in Control of the Situation
June 30, 2025
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Mardo Soghom
People protest in 2023 against the regime with the former national flag of Iran and supporters of Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi.
Middle East Forum Observer
Trump’s ‘Make Iran Great Again’ Strikes a Chord with Iranians amid Airstrikes
Whether the Islamic Regime Might Collapse Is a Topic of Debate, Particularly Among Iranian Opposition Activists
June 23, 2025
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Mardo Soghom
Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei reportedly has been in hiding since Israel's airstrikes began.
Middle East Forum Observer
Iran Regime’s Survival Will Cost More Lives than War
Islamic Republic Opponents Point Out That Israel’s Airstrikes Have Killed Fewer Iranians than the Regime Has in Its Crackdowns
June 20, 2025
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Mardo Soghom
A cyberattack has cut access to the main bank serving Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
Middle East Forum Observer
Israel’s Military Pressure Joined by Cyberattack on Iranian Regime Bank
The Attack on Bank Sepah Could Deepen the Sense of Disarray Within the Revolutionary Guard’s Rank and File
June 17, 2025
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Mardo Soghom
A billboard in Tehran, Iran, in May 2024 shows ballistic missiles fired at Israel.
Middle East Forum Observer
After Days of Strikes, Iran’s Regime Reels as Opposition Urges Action
While Many Iranians Are Pleased to See the Regime Shaken, Most Are Watching Events Unfold from the Sidelines
June 15, 2025
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Mardo Soghom
Ahnaf Kalam
Middle East Forum Observer
Iranians Cheer Israeli Strike on Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Leadership
Israel’s Sweeping Strike Reportedly Decapitated the Leadership of the Powerful Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps
June 13, 2025
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Mardo Soghom
A truckers' strike in Iran has spread to more than 150 cities and lasted more than ten days.
Middle East Forum Observer
Truckers Resist Government Pressure in Growing Iran Strike
Urging Solidarity, Activists Hope the Truckers’ Strike Could Become a Catalyst to Threaten the Islamic Republic
June 2, 2025
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Mardo Soghom
Grand Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, left, and Iran's current Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
Middle East Forum Observer
Iranians Debate Whether Economy or Democracy Should Be Priority After Regime Change
The Islamic Republic Has Squandered $1.5 Trillion in Oil Revenues Through Ideological Adventures, Mismanagement, and Insider Corruption
May 27, 2025
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Mardo Soghom
Winfield Myers
Middle East Forum Observer
Iran Rejects U.S. Red Line on Enrichment, Raising Stakes for Trump
Having Vowed to End Tehran’s Path to Nuclear Weapons, Trump Faces a Difficult Choice of Compromise or Confrontation
May 20, 2025
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Mardo Soghom
The head office for Qatar Energy, one of the world's largest exporters of liquified natural gas.
Middle East Forum Observer
Why Qatar Cozies up to Iran’s Clerical Regime
Iran’s Regime Has Been Unable to Properly Develop Its Share of a Critical Natural Gas Field—and That’s Good for Qatar
May 20, 2025
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Dalga Khatinoglu
Middle East Forum Observer
With Red Lines Firm, Iran Plays for Time in Nuclear Negotiations
Precedent Suggests That Even If Negotiations Progress, Iran Could Freeze the Process at a Critical Juncture
May 16, 2025
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Mardo Soghom
President Donald Trump's visit to the Middle East from May 13-16, 2025, is the first major international trip of his second term.
Middle East Forum Observer
Iranians Vent Fury at Regime After Trump Highlights Saudi Success
In 46 Years Under Shi’ite Clerics, Iran Has Slid Into International Isolation and Economic Decay
May 14, 2025
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Mardo Soghom
Tensions remain high amid ongoing U.S.-Iran nuclear talks.
Middle East Forum Observer
Trump Seeks a Deal, but Iran May Be Pushing Too Far
It Is Risky for Iran’s Supreme Leader to Assume That Trump Will Continue to Veto Military Options as Nuclear Talks Drag
May 6, 2025
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Mardo Soghom
The explosion at the Bandar Abbas port happened during U.S.-Iran nuclear talks.
Middle East Forum Observer
Iranian Newspapers Respond to Deadly Bandar Abbas Explosion
The Cause of the Blast Is Undetermined but Two Conservative Papers Suggest a Possible Link to Nuclear Talks
April 28, 2025
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Mardo Soghom
Winfield Myers
Middle East Forum Observer
Iran’s Hardliners Mostly Quiet on Talks with the United States
Supreme Leader’s Nod to Talks Quiets Hardliners, but Their Influence Persists
April 26, 2025
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Mardo Soghom
The Islamic Republic is believed to have substantially reduced its timeline to produce nuclear weapons.
Middle East Forum Observer
What Is Behind the Quick Progress in U.S.-Iran Talks?
An Iranian Lawmaker Has Revealed for the First Time That Tehran Had Been in Contact with the Trump Team over the past Two Years
April 21, 2025
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Mardo Soghom
Steve Witkoff, U.S. envoy to the Middle East, speaks with the news media in February 2025.
Middle East Forum Observer
In Sharp Reversal, Trump’s Envoy Rejects Tehran’s Right to Uranium Enrichment
In Talks, the Trump Administration Is Pushing for Broader Inspections and the Inclusion of Iran’s Missile Program
April 16, 2025
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Mardo Soghom