German Institute for Global and Area Studies | Leibniz-Institut für Globale und Regionale Studien

GIGA Forum ONLINE

Iran at a Crossroads: Power, Change, and Uncertainty Following the Twelve-Day War

Date

04/02/2026

Start

06:30 p.m. (CET)

End

07:45 p.m. (CET)

Video + Poster Iran at a Crossroads Power, Change, and Uncertainty Following the Twelve-Day War

In the wake of the June 2025 “Twelve-Day War” between Iran and Israel, the Islamic Republic is facing a new set of challenges and opportunities. It seeks to project strength abroad while maintaining control at home. At the same time, Iranian society is undergoing profound change: younger generations are demanding greater freedoms, women continue to play a pivotal role in protest movements, and economic hardship is fuelling both frustration and resilience across different social strata.

This GIGA Forum ONLINE examines how the war has affected the Islamic Republic’s regional and foreign policy calculus, and what this means for the balance of power among regime factions, state institutions, and political elites. It will also highlight the lived realities of ordinary Iranians, exploring how repression, economic pressures, and new forms of solidarity are reshaping the country’s social fabric.

The discussion will consider different scenarios for the future of the Islamic Republic: can the ruling elites adapt to shifting domestic, regional, and international dynamics, or are we witnessing the first signs of more fundamental change?

Speakers: Sara Kermanian is a PhD candidate and a Doctoral Tutor in the Department of International Relations at the University of Sussex.

Dr. Zakiyeh Yazdanshenas is an Assistant Professor of International Relations at the University of Tehran and an Associate Fellow at the Center for Applied Research in Partnership with the Orient (CARPO).

Diba Mirzaei is a Doctoral Researcher at the GIGA Institute for Middle East Studies and currently a Zahedi Fellow with the Iranian Studies Program at Stanford University.

Dr. Azadeh Zamirirad is the Head of the Africa and Middle East Division at the German Institute for International and Security Affairs (SWP) in Berlin.

Moderator: Hamid Talebian is a Doctoral Researcher at the GIGA Institute for Middle East Studies and University of Hamburg.

Organisers

Hamid Talebian

Doctoral Researcher

Diba Mirzaei

Doctoral Researcher

Address

Online Event

Language

English

Registration required

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