Debate
Iran Between War and Tyranny: What Comes Next?
- Date
- Thursday 2 April 2026
- Time
- Address
-
Spui Campus
Spui 5
2511 BL The Hague - Room
- 1B.10
Event description
Iran is currently facing a profound crisis shaped by both escalating international conflict and intensified repression at home. The ongoing confrontation between Iran and the United States-Israel has raised the specter of a wider regional war, while inside the country the Iranian regime has responded to public dissent with unprecedented violence. In recent months, thousands of protesters have reportedly been killed or arrested during demonstrations across the country.
Public discussions about Iran often fall into polarized narratives. Some voices focus exclusively on opposing war while remaining silent about authoritarian repression inside Iran. Others believe that the suffering of Iranian citizens confronting such a brutal regime cannot be ended without some form of external intervention.
This panel brings together scholars and experts working on Iranian's and the region's history, politics, and economy to examine the current crisis from a different perspective—one that seeks to move beyond the choice between war and dictatorship. The discussion will explore the geopolitical dynamics of the conflict, the mechanisms of state repression, the role of protest movements and civil society, and the dilemmas facing those who advocate peace, democracy, and social justice in Iran.
By placing Iranian society at the center of the conversation, the event aims to move beyond simplified narratives and contribute to a more nuanced understanding of Iran’s present and possible futures.
Panelists
Moderator: Touraj Atabaki, Emeritus Professor, Leiden University
Speakers:
- Damon Golriz, Strategic, Iran analyst at The Hague Institute for Geopolitics, lecturer in geopolitics and technology at The Hague University of applied sciences: “Iran at the Crossroads: Between American Fading Hegemony and Regional Powers in Search of a New Security Architecture”
- Misagh Javadpour, Lecturer and researcher, University of Amsterdam: "Global Solidarity in Times of War: Dilemmas and Contradictions in the Case of Iran"
- Armitha Karimi, Geopolitics and Global Security expert: “The impacts of closure of Strait of Hormoz on global Economic and energy security”
- Babak RezaeeDaryakenari, Associate Professor, Leiden University: “Beyond ‘No War’: What Iranians Actually Think About Resistance and Intervention”
Registration (Required for Building Access)
Due to university access regulations, registration is mandatory for all attendees.
Please register via this online form.