Essays on Iran is an independent long-form publication exploring Iran’s history, society, politics, culture, and future.
We believe the country and its people deserve sustained attention beyond headlines, received narratives, and the demands of the news cycle.
We seek writing that is rigorous without being remote, accessible without being reductive, and open to disagreement grounded in evidence and good faith.
Essays on Iran is a nonpartisan and independent forum. It is not an organ of Islamism, anti-Islamism, communism, anti-communism, monarchism, anti-monarchism, or any other faction. Our independence is from political camps, not from the people who hold different convictions.
Iran is a mother to us all. She belongs equally to Iranians of every faith and of no faith, to people of different political and philosophical views, and to those still searching for one. We share a deep history, a rich culture, memory, hospitality, kindness, and an enduring attachment to Iran.
We welcome essays whose conclusions differ substantially from one another. Publication depends on the seriousness, coherence, and honesty of an argument, not on adherence to a single political program. Disagreement is part of the work of thinking together.
We publish in English, Parsi, and other languages in which writers can express their ideas clearly and fully. We will not publish hate speech or material that advocates unnecessary violence.
Publication does not imply endorsement. Essays may reach different conclusions; what matters is the quality and honesty of the argument.