Reza H. Akbari

Authorities in #Iran are now referring to the 12-day war w/ #Israel as the “12-day holy defense" & "imposed war." They're trying to make it clear that Iran was not the aggressor & also a clear reference to the Iran-Iraq War (1980-1988), which was labeled as the “holy defense."

I came across this NYT piece today, which aims to highlight the rise of "new" nationalistic imagery in #Iran following the 12-day war. While the article provides valuable input from individuals inside the country, it misses a historical perspective. nytimes.com/2025/07/22/wor… 1/10

Masoud Pezeshkian, President of Iran, in an exclusive interview with @AJEnglish: We don't want war, but we don't consider this ceasefire the end. #Iran is fully prepared for any military action by Israel, and Iranian forces are ready to target the depth of #Israel once again. /1

After Israeli attack a new language of politics in Iran fusing Shiism with Iranian nationalism...it is not just state-driven, plenty of evidence that it is also coming from the society nytimes.com/2025/07/22/wor…

In my latest, I expand on my recent @AmwajMedia article to explore how #Iran’s response to Israeli attacks goes beyond a “rally-around-the-flag” effect—driven by a new blend of nationalism & religious symbolism. Grateful to Amwaj for the original platform. guardeddomains.substack.com/p/lines-in-the…

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CBS cites US intelligence sources as confirming Israeli strike on meeting of Iran's Supreme National Council last month. President Pezeshkian was injured during escape. @amwajmedia has some details in quoted thread below: cbsnews.com/news/irans-pre…

Amid the Iran-Israel war, I launched The Guarded Domains, a Substack newsletter focused on #Iran and the broader Middle East. guardeddomains.substack.com 1/3