Okinawans vs U.S. military

In this issue, I'm thinking about a tweet that said "Being angry all the time is exhausting and corrosive. Not being angry feels morally irresponsible." As a journalist, I often feel torn between "telling it like it is" and sheer panic. Why panic? How about the ongoing war in Gaza that has no end in sight, the disastrous U.S. presidential debate between Joe Biden and Donald Trump the other night, and the far-right's clear win in the French elections yesterday?

This issue focuses on two big topics: the presidential elections in Iran (do they actually matter?) and the U.S. military base in Japan's Okinawa (yikes...). Plus, you'll get insights on the Tajik opposition's surprising "love" for Poland, why some of the world's smartest negotiators couldn't broker peace in Afghanistan, de-shaming the Arabic/Kurdish term for "dancer," and that a Thai rapper is married to the son of the world's richest man, and so much more.

Iran is electing their next president. Does it matter?

What happened:
After President Ebrahim Raesi's sudden death in a helicopter crash last month, Iran is looking for a new president. The top contenders? Saeed Jalili and Masoud Pezeshkian. They're heading into a run-off election on July 5, Bloomberg reports.

Why this matters:
Iran is in a tough spot right now: political unrest, economic troubles, and tension with the West over its nuclear program. The stakes are really high. Plus, there's potential conflict between Israel and Lebanon adding to the mix. Amwaj reports crazy high inflation, making life for the average citizen difficult to manage. With sanctions from the US and EU, people aren't holding their breath for big changes.

Tell me more:
The Guardian Council initially picked six male candidates from a pool of 80, including one Reformist and five Conservatives, but some dropped out. No candidate got more than 50% of the vote in the first round last week, so there will be a run-off election this Friday on July 5. The two main contenders are: Massoud Pezeshkian and Saeed Jalili.

• Details:The Guardian Council is a group of 12 people that oversees the elections and approves who can run for president in Iran. Half of them are picked by the Supreme Leader, and the other half by the parliament. This group decides who is allowed to be a candidate, but their process is not very open and usually aligns with the Supreme Leader's views. Women can apply, but none have ever been approved to run by the Guardian Council.
• Did you know? In the first round of the election, only about 40% of some 60 million eligible voters showed up, which is a record low for an Iranian presidential race. Analysts talking to Al Jazeera think this low turnout is people's way of protesting against the government, which they blame for economic problems and lack of freedoms.

Who is Massoud Pezeshkian?
Massoud Pezeshkian is an Azeri 69-year-old heart surgeon from Mahabad and a member of the Iranian parliament. He used to be the Minister of Health between 2001 and 2005 under President Khatami.

• What's his experience? He's currently a representative for Tabriz, Osku and Azarshahr (the biggest electoral district in the East Azerbaijan Province) in the Iranian parliament and has been quite active in advocating for reforms.
• What does he stand for? He supports reviving the 2015 nuclear deal, which aimed to limit Iran's nuclear program in exchange for lifting economic sanctions. This deal fell apart when the US pulled out in 2018 under President Trump.
• Interesting fact: He's known for his outspoken criticism of hardline policies, including actions by the "morality police" against women, as per IranWire.

Who is Saeed Jalili?
Saeed Jalili is a former nuclear negotiator and a well-known conservative figure in Iranian politics.

• What's his experience? He has been involved in many high-profile negotiations, especially related to Iran's nuclear program.
• What does he stand for? Jalili is an ultraconservative. He argues that Iran's economy can survive and even thrive without engaging with Western countries, focusing instead on alliances with Russia and China.

What is the role of Iran's president?
The president of Iran is like the second-in-command, writes the New York Times. He follows the orders of the Supreme Leader and gives him advice. Officially, he is in charge of running the government, which includes managing ministers and various departments. He has to report to the parliament and can choose his team of ministers, but parliament needs to approve his choices. If you're asking whether being president in Iran can get you court-side tickets to actual political leadership, yes and no. The president can influence government policies, but his power is limited. The Supreme Leader makes the most important decisions, especially about things like nuclear talks and foreign relations. So... to be continued.

East Asia

People in Japan are really angry with the U.S. military after two more sexual assault cases

What happened:
Recently, Japan protested to the U.S. Embassy over two sexual assault cases involving U.S. service members on Okinawa, writes Asia Times.

Why this matters:
Even after almost 80 years since World War II, Okinawa hosts most of the U.S. military facilities in Japan. There are about 54,000 U.S. troops stationed in Japan, with around 30,000 of them on Okinawa, making it one of the region's largest U.S. military bases. People in Okinawa are often upset about crimes committed by U.S. service members. These incidents have caused a lot of frustration and anger among the locals.

Tell me more:
These cases were only made public recently.

Here's what's known so far:

• Case 1: An Air Force member is accused of assaulting a girl under the age of 16 in December. The man has since been indicted, reports Kyodo News.
• Case 2: A Marine is accused of assaulting a 21-year-old woman in May. Japanese prosecutors on June 17 indicted the man on charge of trying to sexually assault and injuring the young woman, writes South China Morning Post.

Local authorities have been handling the cases quietly, respecting the privacy of the victims.

What's the reactions been like?
The Japanese government expressed serious concern and...