The ground is literally shifting beneath their feet and the tragedy is it could have been avoided. Unlike the kings of old who they now praise, the leaders of the Islamic Republic have not fought the good fight against Afrasiab: they have invited him in.—Ali Ansari

The collapse of Iran’s regional strategy over the past two years marks a turning point from which recovery appears exceedingly difficult. When combined with the regime’s mounting domestic crises—economic stagnation, social discontent, political repression, and cultural alienation, particularly among the country’s restless youth—it becomes clear that the post-Khamenei era will signify not merely a change in leadership, but a profound rupture with the past 40 years of Iran’s revolutionary history.—Ali Hamada, An-Nahar

When the dust settles, Iranians will undoubtedly question the wisdom behind the regime’s nuclear ambitions and “anti-imperialist” rhetoric — especially the staggering costs they’ve imposed on the country’s people and resources. But right now, the deeper outrage lies in the impunity that Trump’s words granted Israel’s war machine to violate Iran’s sovereignty, victimize civilians and dismantle the country’s infrastructure without constraint. —Asef Bayat

Despite the current military actions and heightened tensions, it is clear that the only sustainable path forward—for Iran, for Israel, the entire region, and the international community—is one grounded in dialogue and diplomacy to ensure peace, stability, and cooperation.—IAEA

There is a deal to be made with such men: not to become friends, but to serve a common interest of defusing the dangers of nuclear arms races and bringing stability to a Middle East that has been scarred by generations of war and terror. Trump is uniquely positioned to override Netanyahu’s objections, cut through the usual Washington battle lines and grab this opportunity.—Fareed Zakaria

Alexander once stood before [Diogenes] and declared, “I am Alexander, the Great King.” “And I,” Diogenes replied, “am Diogenes the Dog.”—Diogenes

The international story of this year may be the collapse of Iran’s alliances. —Robin Wright

What the science in this book ultimately teaches is that there is no meaning. There’s no answer to “Why?” beyond “This happened because of what came just before, which happened because of what came just before that.” There is nothing but an empty, indifferent universe in which, occasionally, atoms come together temporarily to form things we each call Me.—Robert M. Sapolsky

We may think the Woman, Life, Freedom movement was suppressed before achieving a certain outcome, but a great revolution and transformation occurred in Iranian women and girls, and that was learning to fight against our fears. After the movement, I removed a thick layer of fear from myself. I learned to face my fears. The movement taught me that as a woman, I have a much more important role than what society and the government have imposed on me.—Mahshid, 32, pharmacist, Isfahan

The generation that replaces us will be bewitched by electronic images that collage the works of all past ages without knowing or crediting their sources. Perhaps copyright will also pass away. Solitude surely will. And when these go, so inevitably will the Bill of Rights and the freedom of expression it promises. The meditative calm of one book/one reader will become a heresy, as Aldous Huxley predicted in Brave New World. —Erica Jong