Speakers:

SARA BAZOOBANDI, Marie Curie Fellow at the Institute for Middle East Studies, German Institute for Global and Area Studies in Hamburg

ALI FATHOLLAH-NEJAD, German–Iranian political scientist focusing on Iran, the Middle East, and the post-unipolar world order
HEINZ GÄRTNER, Lecturer at the University of Vienna, Chair of the IIP Advisory Board
MAHDI GHODSI, Economist at the Vienna Institute for International Economic Studies (WIIW)

Moderation:

STEPHANIE FENKART, Director of the International Institute for Peace (IIP)

Context:

Following the killing of Mahsa (Zhina) Amini in Iranian police custody, Iran is experiencing the largest protest movement for basic human rights since the founding of the Islamic Republic in 1979. Many experts see this movement as a revolutionary moment that could eventually lead to a change in the authoritarian political system. The ruling regime has oppressed society and deprived women of their basic rights, among them the right to choose their clothes. Politics has prioritised ideology over social needs and national interests. This has also translated into an isolated economy facing sanctions pressure, and a population suffering severe economic hardship.

Our panel discussion, jointly organised by the Vienna Institute for International Economic Studies (wiiw) and the International Institute for Peace (IIP), will address two main issues. First, we will discuss the background to the current momentous events, and consider how likely they are to lead to a change in political regime in Iran. Second, we will address the potential consequences of such a revolution at the centerpiece of the discussion.