This decision, which she has described as both ideological and deeply personal, played a central role in shaping her later work in the Middle East. After their divorce in 2014, Perez‑Shakdam re-embraced her Jewish identity and today identifies as a Zionist. Between 2014 and 2018, Perez‑Shakdam gained rare access to elite media and political circles, writing for state-affiliated outlets such as Press TV, Mehr News, Tasnim News the official website of Supreme Leader. She became one of the few Western journalists allowed into high-level political events and religious gatherings.
