The Islamic Republic is walking a fragile line. In recent months, it has eased some social restrictions—loosening enforcement of mandatory hijab and permitting high-profile concerts—in an apparent effort to project stability and reduce the risk of renewed protests. The strategy seems intended to send two simultaneous messages: to domestic audiences, that society remains calm and aligned with the state and that limited freedoms are possible without the need for another uprising; and to international observers, that the regime is not on the verge of collapse.

The ODNI’s 2025 threat assessment report, published before the U.S.-Israeli strikes against Iranian nuclear sites, noted that over the past year there has been an erosion of the decades-long taboo on publicly discussing nuclear weapons—a shift that has emboldened advocates of weaponization within Iran’s decision-making apparatus. Following the strikes and under the mounting pressure of the impending snapback of U.N.

Days after U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities and Israeli attacks on Iranian military and missile sites, intelligence services in Washington, Tel Aviv, and other interested capitals are almost certainly employing a mix of technical disciplines to assess damage, monitor reconstruction, and evaluate Iran's capacity to rebuild or advance its nuclear ambitions. 

During the U.S. and Israeli strikes against Iranian military, security, and nuclear sites, a debate emerged among Iranian nationals and Iran watchers—both inside and outside the country—about the possibility of regime change and, more pointedly, whether such military action could trigger mass protests akin to those that helped topple the Shah in 1979.

Despite the abundance of guides and textbooks on writing research papers, many students still find the process daunting, intimidating, and frustrating. The challenge often lies not in the lack of resources, but in understanding and applying the structured steps that underpin effective academic research. This paper aims to explore the commonly accepted stages of the research process, offering a practical guide for novice researchers and graduate students, including students like myself who are learning how to navigate academic research effectively.