![Cast member Golshifteh Farahani poses during a photocall for the film "Paterson" in competition at the 69th Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, France, May 16, 2016. REUTERS/Regis Duvignau TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY - RTSEJ46](/sites/default/files/styles/article_header/public/almpics/2016/10/RTSEJ46.jpg/RTSEJ46.jpg?h=f7822858&itok=49afaedw)
Misha Zand covers Iranian media for Al-Monitor. She is also the head of Iran Market Consulting, a Copenhagen-based private company. On Twitter: @MishaZand
![Cast member Golshifteh Farahani poses during a photocall for the film "Paterson" in competition at the 69th Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, France, May 16, 2016. REUTERS/Regis Duvignau TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY - RTSEJ46](/sites/default/files/styles/article_header/public/almpics/2016/10/RTSEJ46.jpg/RTSEJ46.jpg?h=f7822858&itok=49afaedw)
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Misha Zand
![Iranian Shiite Muslims chant in western Tehran on October 12, 2016, during the annual Ashura commemorations marking the killing of Imam Hussein, the grandson of Islam's Prophet Mohammed in 680AD. / AFP / ATTA KENARE (Photo credit should read ATTA KENARE/AFP/Getty Images)](/sites/default/files/styles/article_header/public/almpics/2016/10/GettyImages-614103890.jpg/GettyImages-614103890.jpg?h=f7822858&itok=ubb66MTD)
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Misha Zand
![Iranian fans wave a religious banner to mark Ashura, which marks the death of Prophet Mohammed's grandson Imam Hussein in the seventh century, during the 2018 World Cup qualifying football match between Iran and South Korea at the Azadi Stadium in Tehran on October 11, 2016. / AFP / ATTA KENARE (Photo credit should read ATTA KENARE/AFP/Getty Images)](/sites/default/files/styles/article_header/public/almpics/2016/10/GettyImages-613953530.jpg/GettyImages-613953530.jpg?h=f7822858&itok=vKY2NUg3)
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Misha Zand
![Iran's former president Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani (C), Iranian former vice president Mohammad Reza Aref (centre, L) and a group of reformists pose for a photo in Tehran February 22, 2016. REUTERS/Mohammad Kazempour/TIMA TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS IMAGE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY. REUTERS IS UNABLE TO INDEPENDENTLY VERIFY THE AUTHENTICITY, CONTENT, LOCATION OR DATE OF THIS IMAGE. IT IS DISTRIBUTED EXACTLY AS RECEIVED BY REUTERS, AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS. FOR EDITORIAL USE ON](/sites/default/files/styles/article_header/public/almpics/2016/10/RTS8PDS.jpg/RTS8PDS.jpg?h=f7822858&itok=KRv9ukYw)
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Misha Zand
![German Economy Minister Sigmar Gabriel visits the Golestan palace in Tehran, Iran, October 4, 2016. REUTERS/Hannibal Hanschke - RTSQN2J](/sites/default/files/styles/article_header/public/almpics/2016/10/RTSQN2J.jpg/RTSQN2J.jpg?h=f7822858&itok=q8HLviq1)
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Misha Zand
![Iran's fans cheer for their team before the international soccer friendly match between Iran and Sweden at Friends Arena in Stockholm March 31, 2015. REUTERS/Henrik Montgomery/TT News Agency
ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS IMAGE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY. THIS PICTURE IS DISTRIBUTED EXACTLY AS RECEIVED BY REUTERS, AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS. FOR EDITORIAL USE ONLY. NOT FOR SALE FOR MARKETING OR ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS. SWEDEN OUT. NO COMMERCIAL OR EDITORIAL SALES IN SWEDEN. NO COMMERCIAL SALES. - RTR4VN0A](/sites/default/files/styles/article_header/public/almpics/2016/10/RTR4VN0A.jpg/RTR4VN0A.jpg?h=f7822858&itok=kg8zbMb1)
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Misha Zand
![Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif gestures as he speaks during a news conference in Riga, Latvia, June 2, 2016. REUTERS/Ints Kalnins - RTX2FB1T](/sites/default/files/styles/article_header/public/almpics/2016/10/RTX2FB1T.jpg/RTX2FB1T.jpg?h=f7822858&itok=I7gwOQNj)
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Misha Zand
![Former Israeli Prime Minister Shimon Peres talks during a presentation of his biography book in Tel Aviv in this March 21, 2006 file photo. REUTERS/Goran Tomasevic/Files - RTSPRM8](/sites/default/files/styles/article_header/public/almpics/2016/09/RTSPRM8.jpg/RTSPRM8.jpg?h=f7822858&itok=DL3xZ82O)
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Misha Zand
![Republican U.S. presidential nominee Donald Trump and Democratic U.S. presidential nominee Hillary Clinton speak at their first presidential debate at Hofstra University in Hempstead, New York, U.S., September 26, 2016. Picture taken September 26, 2016. REUTERS/Mike Segar - RTSPO3R](/sites/default/files/styles/article_header/public/almpics/2016/09/RTSPO3R.jpg/RTSPO3R.jpg?h=f7822858&itok=GQRYcEdi)
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Misha Zand
![Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad (C) meets with Iraq's Vice President Khudair al-Khuzaie (not seen) during his visit in Baghdad July 18, 2013. REUTERS/Hadi Mizban/Pool (IRAQ - Tags: POLITICS) - RTX11QSK](/sites/default/files/styles/article_header/public/almpics/2016/09/RTX11QSK.jpg/RTX11QSK.jpg?h=f7822858&itok=nWrFA061)
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Misha Zand
![Iranian president Hassan Rouhani takes part in a press conference near the United Nations General Assembly in the Manhattan borough of New York, U.S., September 22, 2016. REUTERS/Lucas Jackson - RTSP0V7](/sites/default/files/styles/article_header/public/almpics/2016/09/RTSP0V7.jpg/RTSP0V7.jpg?h=f7822858&itok=39o9I8rs)
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Misha Zand