A pact signed by Iranian Premier Mohammad Mosaddegh and Syrian President Fawzi Selu quickly soured after the two leaders were toppled. Relations remained icy until Khomeini came to power in 1979.
The former journalist and thriller writer tells Al Majalla what inspires him to depict the reality of the Middle East and the wars that have gripped the region
Nada al-Azhari's 'An Arabian in Iran' shows how the country's people have been cut off from the region by the regime. Full of insight into daily life, it captures a sense of post-imperial turmoil
An important institutional body with an 8-year term, this collection of ageing and sclerotic clerics is meant to wield real power by overseeing the Supreme Leader. In practice, they simply nod along.
A fiery speech hails the pre-war Arab-Israeli rapprochement as dead, showing how Tehran sees the Middle East eight months after Hamas attacked Israel, while Hezbollah is also hoping to gain.
Although most drones and missiles were shot down, Israel might not have been so successful without the help of its allies. Al Majalla explains how 13 April reset the regional power balance.
Chabahar on the Gulf of Oman is India's first overseas port. It has the handy benefit of bypassing Pakistan, which is currently a key Chinese trade hub. But will New Delhi now be hit by US sanctions?
Both Tehran and Washington have powerful incentives to resolve the conflict through negotiations, but actors on all sides have reasons to derail these efforts
From machines that develop human emotions to societies governed by artificial intelligence, Arab novelists explore the promises and perils of a radically transformed future