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Sanctions, Fatigue, and Politics of Exhaustion in Iran

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Reposted by Reza H. Akbari

Reza H. Akbari @rezahakbari.bsky.social · 2d

Sanctions have returned and for many in #Iran, so has the familiar dread, fatigue, and despair. In my latest piece, I reflect on a decade of broken diplomacy, and the quiet violence of the politics of exhaustion. guardeddomains.substack.com/p/the-snapba...

The Snapback Spiral

Sanctions, Fatigue, and Politics of Exhaustion in Iran

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Reza H. Akbari @rezahakbari.bsky.social · 2d

Sanctions have returned and for many in #Iran, so has the familiar dread, fatigue, and despair. In my latest piece, I reflect on a decade of broken diplomacy, and the quiet violence of the politics of exhaustion. guardeddomains.substack.com/p/the-snapba...

The Snapback Spiral

About - The Guarded Domains

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Reza H. Akbari @rezahakbari.bsky.social · 3d

My latest on sanctions, fatigue, and politics of exhaustion in #Iran. open.substack.com/pub/guardedd...

Reza H. Akbari @rezahakbari.bsky.social · 4d

I launched The Guarded Domains earlier this year—a Substack on #Iran, war, identity, & the stories that shape a people. The aim is to be thoughtful yet accessible. Please read and subscribe if you care to join me for the ride. guardeddomains.substack.com/about

Iran's sociopolitical history, blended with personal experience. Click to read The Guarded Domains, by Reza H. Akbari, a Substack publication. Launched 3 months ago.

Iranians Brace for Economic Impact of New U.N. Sanctions

Reza H. Akbari @rezahakbari.bsky.social · 11d

Horrendous news for #Iran and Iranians, particularly those living inside the country. I'm personally exhausted, disappointed, and infuriated at countless domestic and foreign actors who could have taken better steps to prevent this outcome, but failed. www.nytimes.com/2025/09/27/w...

www.nytimes.com

Reza H. Akbari @rezahakbari.bsky.social · 11d

World leaders posture at #UNGA80. Talk of snapback sanctions swirls. Ordinary Iranians wait in uncertainty. And yet life goes on in the streets of Tehran. #Iran

HaftHoz Square, Narmak Square, Tehran. September 2025.

Reza H. Akbari @rezahakbari.bsky.social · 11d

Still an evolving process. For now, it seems to be anywhere his humans go and I mean ANYWHERE. :)

Scoop: Iran offers 'immediate' IAEA access to bombed Natanz nuclear site if Europe backs Russian 'snapback' extension

Reza H. Akbari @rezahakbari.bsky.social · 12d

Iran has reportedly offered "immediate" IAEA access to its Natanz nuclear facility, provided that E3 backs Russian resolution to delay UN sanctions. amwaj.media/en/article/i... #Iran #Israel

In a major climbdown geared to avert the reimposition of UN sanctions, Iran has offered to immediately open the Natanz uranium enrichment to foreign inspectors, Amwaj.media has learned. The undergroun...

amwaj.media

Welcome to The Guarded Domains!

Reposted by Reza H. Akbari

Reza H. Akbari @rezahakbari.bsky.social · 14d

Thread: This summer, during the 12-Day War between #Iran and #Israel, I launched a Substack page called The Guarded Domains to process the events that were unfolding at a maddening pace. guardeddomains.substack.com/p/welcome-to... 1/7

I am launching this space at the tail end of a nerve-racking period for Iran, Israel, and the broader Middle East region.

Iranian Diplomats in the U.S. Are Barred From Shopping at Costco

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Reza H. Akbari @rezahakbari.bsky.social · 13d

Forget about #Iran's nuclear program, I guess the real threat was always 5-gallon Nutella and 70-pound contraband cheese wheels! www.nytimes.com/2025/09/23/w...

www.nytimes.com

Lines in the Sand, Flags in the Air

Reza H. Akbari @rezahakbari.bsky.social · 14d

he final part of Scattered Thoughts from a War explored the rise of nationalism in #Iran—where Ashura rituals, patriotic anthems, and state messaging fused. guardeddomains.substack.com/p/lines-in-t... 7/7

‘Neo-Nationalism’ on the Rise in Iran Amid Israeli Strikes

Wandering Minds and Wandering Missiles

Reza H. Akbari @rezahakbari.bsky.social · 14d

18 days after the ceasefire, confusion and trauma lingered. In Part III, I reflected on shared grief, fragmented memories, and the strange comfort of gallows humor. guardeddomains.substack.com/p/wandering-... 6/7 #Iran

Scattered Thoughts from a War - Part III

Scattered Thoughts from a War - Part II

Reza H. Akbari @rezahakbari.bsky.social · 14d

What does war look like for civilians caught in the crossfire? From chaotic evacuations to quiet acts of resistance, Part II of Scattered Thoughts from a War explored how ordinary Iranians endured the trauma of bombardment and propaganda. guardeddomains.substack.com/p/scattered-... 5/7 #Iran

The Civilian Frontlines

Scattered Thoughts from a War - Part I

Reza H. Akbari @rezahakbari.bsky.social · 14d

On June 16, #Israel struck #Iran’s iconic IRIB Glass Building—not just a regime facility, but a symbol of modern Iranian architecture & ambition. In Part I of Scattered Thoughts from a War, I reflected on what was truly lost. guardeddomains.substack.com/publish/post... 4/7

The Things We Destroy

Reza H. Akbari @rezahakbari.bsky.social · 14d

For a limited time, I’m removing the paywall on these pieces. If you're interested, I invite you to read them and share your thoughts. As always, I welcome and appreciate your feedback. guardeddomains.substack.com/archive 3/7 #Iran

Archive - The Guarded Domains

Reza H. Akbari @rezahakbari.bsky.social · 14d

In the aftermath of the war, I wrote a four-part series—a quartet—blending personal memories, insights from family and friends in #Iran, and my own academic and analytical understanding of the events that took place. guardeddomains.substack.com/archive 2/7

Full archive of all the posts from The Guarded Domains.

Welcome to The Guarded Domains!

Reza H. Akbari @rezahakbari.bsky.social · 14d

Thread: This summer, during the 12-Day War between #Iran and #Israel, I launched a Substack page called The Guarded Domains to process the events that were unfolding at a maddening pace. guardeddomains.substack.com/p/welcome-to... 1/7

I am launching this space at the tail end of a nerve-racking period for Iran, Israel, and the broader Middle East region.

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Reza H. Akbari @rezahakbari.bsky.social · 18d

For the first time in history, #Iran is crowned team champions of both Freestyle and Greco-Roman World Wrestling Championships. This is an awe-inspiring achievement. Huge congratulations to the team, the coaches, and the Iranian people across the globe!

(Mis) Understanding Iran's Foreign Policy from Washington

Reza H. Akbari @rezahakbari.bsky.social · 20d

I learned a great deal from fellow participants Niki Akhavan, Peyman Jafari, Negar Razavi, and Daniel Tavana. What's included in this post are my answers to the moderator's questions, but I encourage you to read the full insightful exchange. www.securityincontext.com/posts/misund... 2/2 #Iran

www.securityincontext.com

(Mis) Understanding Iran's Foreign Policy from Washington

Reza H. Akbari @rezahakbari.bsky.social · 20d

My latest is a summary of a timely roundtable discussion hosted by Security in Context to contextualize #Iran’s foreign policy before and after the 12-Day War launched by #Israel in June 2025. The goal was to examine Iran’s strategic thinking through a historical and geopolitical context. 1/2

An interdisciplinary roundtable on Iran’s foreign policy before and after the 12-Day War