Shay Khatiri

Articles by this Author
Azeri women in traditional Azerbaijani dress warm their hands above a springtime bonfire.
Middle East Forum Observer
Are Iran’s Azeris Really Separatists?
Most Azeris Living in Tehran and Other Cities Intermarry and Assimilate Into Mainstream Iranian Culture
March 31, 2025
 · 
Shay Khatiri
Portrait of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini on an Iranian bank note.
Middle East Forum Observer
Will Europe Reopen Murder Investigations After Iranian Terrorist’s Confession?
A Former IRGC Minister Bragged About His Involvement in the Assassination of Several Shah-Era Iranian Officials in Europe
March 10, 2025
 · 
Shay Khatiri
Iranian missiles are displayed outside a military museum in Tehran.
Middle East Forum Observer
Impeachments and Resignations Suggest Iran May Be Readying a Mad Dash to a Nuclear Bomb
The Return of Trump to the White House Means That the Islamic Republic Now Prepares for the Return of ‘Maximum Pressure’
March 4, 2025
 · 
Shay Khatiri
Missile warheads are shown against the flag of Turkey.
Middle East Forum Observer
Can NATO Deter Turkish Nuclear Weapons Acquisition?
Turkey’s Nuclear Ambitions Fit with Its Resurgent Imperialism, and NATO Should Resolve This Problem While It Can
December 23, 2024
 · 
Shay Khatiri
The national flags of Syria and Iran.
Middle East Forum Observer
Assad’s Ouster Strikes a Blow to Iran, Though Maybe Not a Fatal One
Since Hay’at Tahrir Al-Sham Took over in Damascus, Iran Is Testing Whether It Can Retain Influence in Syria
December 11, 2024
 · 
Shay Khatiri
An Iranian Jewish woman prays at the tomb of the heroine of the Biblical Book of Esther in Hamedan, Iran.
Middle East Forum Observer
How a Single Execution in Iran Signals Growing Danger for Iran’s Jewish Community
Countries That Value Human Rights and Liberalism Must Communicate the Cost of Persecuting Jews to Iran
December 9, 2024
 · 
Shay Khatiri
Winfield Myers
Middle East Forum Observer
Don’t Assume Iran’s Retaliation Will Target Only Israel
Khamenei May Be Preparing His Audience for an Attack Against U.S. Forces
November 15, 2024
 · 
Shay Khatiri
Ahnaf Kalam
Middle East Forum Observer
Israel Might Have Hit a Home Run Against Iran, but Chose to Bunt
Israel’s Strikes Have Entirely Dismantled Iran’s Air Defense but the Operation Prioritized Precision over Visibility
October 29, 2024
 · 
Shay Khatiri
Jamshid Sharmahd photo courtesy of Gazelle Sharmahd, CC BY-SA 4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Middle East Forum Observer
Iran Kills Jamshid Sharmahd, the Man Biden Left Behind
U.S. Policymakers Must Recognize That Iran’s Hostage Taking Is Not the Work of Rogue Individuals but a Rogue Regime
October 28, 2024
 · 
Shay Khatiri
A supporter holds up a photo of Ayatollah Khamenei in Tehran.
Middle East Forum Observer
Khamenei’s Base May Abandon Him
Israel Has Damaged the Image of Iran’s Leader, and Its Response to Iran’s Aggression Will Accelerate Change
October 1, 2024
 · 
Shay Khatiri
Ahnaf Kalam
Middle East Forum Observer
Is Iran a Shi’ite Power or an Islamic Power?
To Rally and Lead All Muslims, Iran Upholds Rejectionist Ideals That Arab States Have Abandoned
September 18, 2024
 · 
Shay Khatiri
Missiles are aimed at the sky at sunset with Iran's flag.
Middle East Forum Observer
Despite Diplomatic Denials, Iranians Acknowledge Sending Missiles to Russia
An Iranian official acknowledged the exchange, making fears about the consequence of lifting sanctions a reality.
September 8, 2024
 · 
Shay Khatiri