Siavush Randjbar-Daemi
@siavush.bsky.social
Historian of Modern Iran, Senior Lecturer [Associate Professor] in Modern Middle Eastern History @standrewshist.bsky.social Currently based in Edinburgh. http://www.siavush.com .
Full-time Western Classical Music devotee.
Full-time Western Classical Music devotee.
Exactly the right point. They pandered and grovelled while Zelensky stood his ground.
Zelensky just made Macron, Starmer etc look pretty pathetic.
February 28, 2025 at 8:29 PM
Exactly the right point. They pandered and grovelled while Zelensky stood his ground.
A great result for Linke in the German elections. A bright, radical party led by a young, combative woman leader who wears her political DNA on her left arm. Hopefully Linke’s new generation will build on this result and remain the home on all opposed to fascism and xenophobia.
February 23, 2025 at 11:17 PM
A great result for Linke in the German elections. A bright, radical party led by a young, combative woman leader who wears her political DNA on her left arm. Hopefully Linke’s new generation will build on this result and remain the home on all opposed to fascism and xenophobia.
Reposted by Siavush Randjbar-Daemi
The American half of me sincerely apologizes for the completely unhinged conduct of our president. Gaining insufficient attention for his attempts to dismantle the state and bully all of our allies, he wants to know if mass ethnic cleansing might get you to take him seriously.
February 5, 2025 at 10:33 AM
The American half of me sincerely apologizes for the completely unhinged conduct of our president. Gaining insufficient attention for his attempts to dismantle the state and bully all of our allies, he wants to know if mass ethnic cleansing might get you to take him seriously.
Gyorgy Cziffra was possibly the best interpreter of Franz Liszt's fiendish piano solo compositions. His rendition of the Rakoczy March (Hungarian Rhapsody No.15) truly stands out. www.youtube.com/watch?v=vo6e...
Liszt - Hungarian Rhapsody No. 15 "Rákóczi March" (Audio+Sheet) [Cziffra]
YouTube video by PianoJFAudioSheet
www.youtube.com
January 24, 2025 at 11:46 PM
Gyorgy Cziffra was possibly the best interpreter of Franz Liszt's fiendish piano solo compositions. His rendition of the Rakoczy March (Hungarian Rhapsody No.15) truly stands out. www.youtube.com/watch?v=vo6e...
Reposted by Siavush Randjbar-Daemi
“For the past 15 months, #Israel media has focused on a narrative of inevitable victory against #Hamas -- but footage from #Gaza today is plastered across media, showing well-equipped #Hamas fighters in charge.
“It's like a bad dream," per one contact in #Israel.”
@charleslister1.bsky.social
“It's like a bad dream," per one contact in #Israel.”
@charleslister1.bsky.social
January 19, 2025 at 5:49 PM
Through kind courtesy of all those around the world who aided and abetted this mattanza - perfect Italian term to describe it - vocally, logistically and politically in past 18 months.
January 19, 2025 at 6:04 PM
Through kind courtesy of all those around the world who aided and abetted this mattanza - perfect Italian term to describe it - vocally, logistically and politically in past 18 months.
The short and not very sweet gist of most Western media and political figures, including Starmer, to Gaza today: the three living Israeli hostages are only worth mentioning. The hundreds of Palestinian civilians killed by IDF after the ceasefire was supposed to take effect can be safely ignored.
January 19, 2025 at 6:03 PM
The short and not very sweet gist of most Western media and political figures, including Starmer, to Gaza today: the three living Israeli hostages are only worth mentioning. The hundreds of Palestinian civilians killed by IDF after the ceasefire was supposed to take effect can be safely ignored.
Reposted by Siavush Randjbar-Daemi
So there *are* crimes against humanity that Baerbock isn’t comfortable with. Interesting
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot and #German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock make a joint visit to Saydnaya Prison.
January 3, 2025 at 12:25 PM
So there *are* crimes against humanity that Baerbock isn’t comfortable with. Interesting
...but solidarity in the face of the sheer brutality in Gaza and revulsion for the Western govt indifference, together with convinced support for civil societies across the region, particularly Lebanese, Syrian and Iranian, should remain high on our agendas.
December 31, 2024 at 4:28 PM
...but solidarity in the face of the sheer brutality in Gaza and revulsion for the Western govt indifference, together with convinced support for civil societies across the region, particularly Lebanese, Syrian and Iranian, should remain high on our agendas.
... or finally put its own people's welfare and aspirations first, and whether Syria can overcome the current myriad challenges, reduce foreign interference and charter a part to statehood bereft of coups and strongmen. 2024 was bad, 2025 is not necessarily better...
December 31, 2024 at 4:26 PM
... or finally put its own people's welfare and aspirations first, and whether Syria can overcome the current myriad challenges, reduce foreign interference and charter a part to statehood bereft of coups and strongmen. 2024 was bad, 2025 is not necessarily better...
Will we have better things to write in 12 months? Depends on the extent to which Israeli aggression and expansionism continues, whether Lebanon can finally turn a new page and stand on its own feet,whether the Islamic Republic will decline further...
December 31, 2024 at 4:25 PM
Will we have better things to write in 12 months? Depends on the extent to which Israeli aggression and expansionism continues, whether Lebanon can finally turn a new page and stand on its own feet,whether the Islamic Republic will decline further...
The hope is that political parties can step into the open and be active in 2025. Syria needs a transition towards a vibrant, pluralist polity, not one which is dominated by battleground victors. It also needs to revisit opposition to federalism, which might be a good antidote to further strife.
December 31, 2024 at 4:21 PM
The hope is that political parties can step into the open and be active in 2025. Syria needs a transition towards a vibrant, pluralist polity, not one which is dominated by battleground victors. It also needs to revisit opposition to federalism, which might be a good antidote to further strife.
- Syria took a big step into the unknown after the rapid collapse of the decrepit, corrupt and venal Assad regime. What kind of step is too early to tell. Jolani's claim that it will take four years to have a const. referendum quite ominous and in practice means autocratic rule till then.
December 31, 2024 at 4:20 PM
- Syria took a big step into the unknown after the rapid collapse of the decrepit, corrupt and venal Assad regime. What kind of step is too early to tell. Jolani's claim that it will take four years to have a const. referendum quite ominous and in practice means autocratic rule till then.
- More misery, destruction and pain for Gaza. International law, human rights openly mocked by Israel and its Western backers. Despite the brush of anti-semitism ready to tar anyone who says "genocide", Amnesty International and others now deploy it. Will the West keep being complacent in 2025?
December 31, 2024 at 4:19 PM
- More misery, destruction and pain for Gaza. International law, human rights openly mocked by Israel and its Western backers. Despite the brush of anti-semitism ready to tar anyone who says "genocide", Amnesty International and others now deploy it. Will the West keep being complacent in 2025?
ME Highlights of 2024, in no particular order:
- Annus Horribilis for Iran, with loss of Syria, much of Hezbollah top brass, Raisi. Putative new beginnings with Pezeshkian, but so far achievements have been cosmetic and minimal. Major reckoning over what to do in Trump era beckons.
- Annus Horribilis for Iran, with loss of Syria, much of Hezbollah top brass, Raisi. Putative new beginnings with Pezeshkian, but so far achievements have been cosmetic and minimal. Major reckoning over what to do in Trump era beckons.
December 31, 2024 at 4:16 PM
ME Highlights of 2024, in no particular order:
- Annus Horribilis for Iran, with loss of Syria, much of Hezbollah top brass, Raisi. Putative new beginnings with Pezeshkian, but so far achievements have been cosmetic and minimal. Major reckoning over what to do in Trump era beckons.
- Annus Horribilis for Iran, with loss of Syria, much of Hezbollah top brass, Raisi. Putative new beginnings with Pezeshkian, but so far achievements have been cosmetic and minimal. Major reckoning over what to do in Trump era beckons.
Reposted by Siavush Randjbar-Daemi
Why did it take so long to confirm what 972mag reported a year ago? When Ronen Bergman (one of the NYT authors) was asked in May about Israel’s use of AI in mass killing,he mocked the claims as something from a Netflix show.
We've long known about the AI-enabled genocide👇 jacobin.com/2024/12/term...
We've long known about the AI-enabled genocide👇 jacobin.com/2024/12/term...
December 30, 2024 at 8:37 PM
Why did it take so long to confirm what 972mag reported a year ago? When Ronen Bergman (one of the NYT authors) was asked in May about Israel’s use of AI in mass killing,he mocked the claims as something from a Netflix show.
We've long known about the AI-enabled genocide👇 jacobin.com/2024/12/term...
We've long known about the AI-enabled genocide👇 jacobin.com/2024/12/term...
Reposted by Siavush Randjbar-Daemi
Colossal, historic crimes are underway in Gaza. And the true, full toll — all the mortality not just from bullets and bombs but from disease and exposure and hunger and debilitation — is utterly unknown yet dreadfully enormous.
December 31, 2024 at 4:45 AM
Colossal, historic crimes are underway in Gaza. And the true, full toll — all the mortality not just from bullets and bombs but from disease and exposure and hunger and debilitation — is utterly unknown yet dreadfully enormous.
The Embassy crisis undid Carter and severely damaged Iran. While Carter certainly redeemed himself with his peacebuilding efforts and allowing his conscience to guide his views on themes such as Palestine, the hostage takers who derailed his presidency have produced no gain and much pain for Iran.
December 29, 2024 at 11:38 PM
The Embassy crisis undid Carter and severely damaged Iran. While Carter certainly redeemed himself with his peacebuilding efforts and allowing his conscience to guide his views on themes such as Palestine, the hostage takers who derailed his presidency have produced no gain and much pain for Iran.
The harsh, uncompromising anti-American attitude of much of the post-revolutionary emerging elite scuttled efforts to endear and build diplomatic bridges, leading to the major clamity of the US Embassy takeover, certainly undeserved given Carter’s balance in dealing with the post-Shah authorities.
December 29, 2024 at 11:34 PM
The harsh, uncompromising anti-American attitude of much of the post-revolutionary emerging elite scuttled efforts to endear and build diplomatic bridges, leading to the major clamity of the US Embassy takeover, certainly undeserved given Carter’s balance in dealing with the post-Shah authorities.
He could and should have done more to convince the Shah to give full opportunity to the dissident but reformist community to assert itself and be given political space. Instead the Shah repressed it thoroughly after the famous Goethe nights in November 1977, and Jimmycracy gave way to the revolution
December 29, 2024 at 11:32 PM
He could and should have done more to convince the Shah to give full opportunity to the dissident but reformist community to assert itself and be given political space. Instead the Shah repressed it thoroughly after the famous Goethe nights in November 1977, and Jimmycracy gave way to the revolution
Carter’s presidency was irredeemably shaped by the Iranian Revolution. His early human rights agenda contributed to the dire prison conditions of political detainees improving in mid-1977, so much that they started owing it to “Jimmicracy”.
Breaking News: Jimmy Carter, the 39th president of the U.S. who built a legacy as a champion for peace, has died at age 100.
t.co/dwaN5MrjWN
t.co/dwaN5MrjWN
December 29, 2024 at 11:29 PM
Carter’s presidency was irredeemably shaped by the Iranian Revolution. His early human rights agenda contributed to the dire prison conditions of political detainees improving in mid-1977, so much that they started owing it to “Jimmicracy”.
Reposted by Siavush Randjbar-Daemi
Skilful blending of the human story with the politics of a Shia Lebanese family, the South, and Hezbullah:
‘Death is not a stranger in our house’ www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v4...
‘Death is not a stranger in our house’ www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v4...
Zain Samir · ‘Death is not a stranger in our house’: In Lebanon
Israel’s goal of ending the threat to its northern population is as elusive as ever. What set this war apart was its...
www.lrb.co.uk
December 26, 2024 at 8:18 AM
Skilful blending of the human story with the politics of a Shia Lebanese family, the South, and Hezbullah:
‘Death is not a stranger in our house’ www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v4...
‘Death is not a stranger in our house’ www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v4...
The hoarding of foreign currency creates scarcity, driving up exchange bureau prices for those who need to convert before travelling abroad and more importantly comes as a stark confirmation of the collective lack of any trust in productive investment of savings.
December 26, 2024 at 12:44 PM
The hoarding of foreign currency creates scarcity, driving up exchange bureau prices for those who need to convert before travelling abroad and more importantly comes as a stark confirmation of the collective lack of any trust in productive investment of savings.
Beyond spacing issues, the current government is grappling with the same predicament as its predecessors : the constant crash in the value of the Riyal, due to Iran’s protracted crises, which has led to citizens stuffing as much as 30 billion USD’s worth of for currency under their mattresses.
December 26, 2024 at 12:41 PM
Beyond spacing issues, the current government is grappling with the same predicament as its predecessors : the constant crash in the value of the Riyal, due to Iran’s protracted crises, which has led to citizens stuffing as much as 30 billion USD’s worth of for currency under their mattresses.