The Iran Podcast

Follow The Iran Podcast
Share on
Copy link to clipboard

Conversations with Negar Mortazavi Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/theiranpodcast/support

Negar Mortazavi


    • Feb 26, 2026 LATEST EPISODE
    • weekdays NEW EPISODES
    • 38m AVG DURATION
    • 162 EPISODES

    4.3 from 157 ratings Listeners of The Iran Podcast that love the show mention: iranian american, foreign policy, well produced, great interviews, much needed, conversations, keep up the good, quality, questions, learn, insightful, topics, interesting, informative, work, listen, thank, great podcast for iran, podcast about iran, mortazavi.


    Ivy Insights

    The Iran Podcast is a truly exceptional podcast that offers a unique and insightful perspective on Iran, a country that is often misunderstood. Hosted by Iranian American journalists Negar Mortazavi and Arash Karami, this podcast brings together an impressive range of guests and topics that delve deep into the complexities of Iran's politics, culture, and society. As an American woman from the Deep South, I have found this podcast to be incredibly enlightening and educational. It has challenged my preconceived notions and provided me with a more nuanced understanding of Iran.

    One of the standout aspects of this podcast is the diverse range of guests that Mortazavi and Karami bring to the microphone. From journalists and academics to ministers of the Iranian government, they ensure that multiple perspectives are represented in their discussions. This not only creates engaging conversations but also provides insights that are often missing from mainstream media coverage. The questions asked by the hosts are thought-provoking and generate insightful discussions that go beyond surface-level analysis.

    Another strength of The Iran Podcast is its ability to tackle complex topics in a digestible manner. While the subject matter can be intricate, Mortazavi and Karami manage to present it in a conversational style that is accessible to both seasoned Iran watchers and those who may be new to learning about Iran. This makes it an excellent resource for anyone seeking to understand Iran, whether they have prior knowledge or not.

    However, one potential downside of this podcast is its limited focus on US foreign policy towards Iran. While this is undoubtedly an important aspect to cover, it would be beneficial if there was more exploration of other topics related to Iran as well. That being said, given the depth of analysis provided within the scope of US-Iran relations, it remains a valuable resource for those specifically interested in this area.

    In conclusion, The Iran Podcast stands out as an extraordinary podcast that provides much-needed insight into one of the world's most misunderstood countries. Mortazavi and Karami's ability to bring together a diverse range of guests and ask thought-provoking questions make this podcast both informative and engaging. It is an invaluable resource for anyone seeking a more nuanced understanding of Iran, and I highly recommend adding it to your podcast lineup.



    Search for episodes from The Iran Podcast with a specific topic:

    Latest episodes from The Iran Podcast

    War in the Middle East

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 26, 2026 6:05


    Negar Mortazavi speaks to CNN about US-Iran nuclear talks and the path towards war or diplomacy.

    Trump and Tehran at Final Stretch

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 24, 2026 8:30


    Negar Mortazavi speaks to France 24 about U.S.-Iran talks coming up in Geneva and the final stretch for diplomacy before a potential war.

    United States, Iran and Israel

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 22, 2026 66:46


    United States, Iran and Israel Panel

    Will Trump Go to War With Iran?

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 21, 2026 8:03


    Negar Mortazavi speaks to Ali Velshi on MSNOW

    Second Round of U.S.-Iran Talks

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 19, 2026 11:23


    Negar Mortazavi speaks to NPR-WAMU about U.S.-Iran nuclear talks in Geneva.It was just a few week ago that the U.S. and Iran appeared close to military confrontation.That was after protests in Iran led President Donald Trump to say the country's religious leaders should stop killing demonstrators and pursuing nuclear weapons. U.S. military buildup in the region has continued.Representatives for both countries met in Geneva, Switzerland, on Tuesday for a second round of negotiations. And the message out of that three-hour meeting from both sides was generally positive. But where do talks go from here and what would a U.S.-Iran agreement cover?https://the1a.org/segments/the-second-round-of-us-iran-talks/

    Iran Protests: Is This the End?

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 16, 2026 71:49


    Iranians are once again protesting. In cities and towns across Iran, people have poured into the streets driven by economic despair and a desire for structural political change. As the 47th anniversary of 1979 Iranian Revolution approaches, serious questions exist about the future of the Islamic Republic. Is this the beginning of the end for Iran's clerical authoritarian regime? Can the Iranian regime survive this existential moment? How should the international community respond? Panel discussion hosted in January 2026 at Georgetown University, chaired by Professor Nader Hashemi, with speakers Negar Mortazavi and Daniel Brumberg.Watch the video of this panel HERE.

    Is Iran on the Verge of Collapse?

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 14, 2026 60:23


    Ilan Goldenberg of J Street hosted a live briefing featuring two leading Iran experts who examined the current state of the protests, how President Trump's threats of intervention are being perceived inside Iran, and the policy options currently available to the United States.Nate Swanson is director of Iran Strategy Project at the Atlantic Council. He has served as a senior advisor on Iran policy across multiple administrations, most recently as Director for Iran at the National Security Council.Negar Mortazavi is a senior fellow at the Center for International Policy and the editor and host of The Iran Podcast. An award-winning journalist and political commentator, she has covered Iranian affairs and U.S. policy towards Iran for 15 years.

    Are Iran Protests at a Tipping Point?

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 8, 2026 22:51


    Negar Mortazavi joins a France 24 panel on Iran protests, the violent and the deadly crackdown, and the path ahead.

    What Witkoff Wants from Tehran

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 7, 2026 11:07


    Negar Mortazavi speaks with NPR about U.S.-Iran talks scheduled in Istanbul (then moved to Oman).Broadcast on 3 February 2026: https://the1a.org/segments/what-steve-witkoff-wants-from-iran/

    U.S. and Iran Meet in Oman

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 6, 2026 6:24


    Negar Mortazavi speaks to Aljazeera about U.S.-Iran negotiations in Oman, what each side wants from the talks, the chance of diplomatic success and the threat of a regional war.

    Tehran's Finger is on the Trigger

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 6, 2026 5:11


    Negar Mortazavi speaks to BBC about prospects for diplomacy between Tehran and Washington under the shadow of war.

    U.S. and Iran: Warships and Negotiations

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 3, 2026 8:02


    Negar Mortazavi speaks to France24 about US-Iran standoff in the Middle East and how war can unleash chaos across the region.

    U.S. and Iran Standoff in Middle East

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 1, 2026 9:02


    Negar Mortazavi speaks with AlArabiya

    Do Trump and Iran Want a Deal?

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 28, 2026 2:53


    Negar Mortazavi speaks to BBC World about mass protests in Iran, President Trump's signals on diplomacy and war, and the view in Tehran. Negar Mortazavi is a Senior Fellow at the Center for International Policy in Washington DC.

    U.S. and Iran Ready for War

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 28, 2026 6:24


    Negar Mortazavi speaks to Times Radio about U.S. military asset buildup in the Middle East, President Trump's comments on war and diplomacy, and Iran's threats of hitting back if attacked.www.thetimes.com/radio

    The Year of Blood

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 19, 2026 8:06


    Negar Mortazavi speaks to Ali Velshi on MSNOW about Iran protests, U.S. threats of intervention, and the path ahead.

    “Help is on the way” Trump tells Iranians

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 17, 2026 13:34


    Negar Mortazavi speaks to Times Radio about President Trump telling protesters in Iran that: “Help is on the way”

    Internet Shutdown and Crackdown

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 11, 2026 5:33


    Negar Mortazavi speaks to Times Radio about anti-government protests in Iran, internet shutdown across the country, and the violent crackdown amid foreign military threats.

    Protests Grow Across Iran

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 10, 2026 5:10


    Negar Mortazavi speaks to Canadian TV about anti-government protests across Iran, the grievances and demands of the protesters, and the threat of war.

    Protests Continue in Iran

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 3, 2026 8:10


    Negar Mortazavi speaks to AlArabiya about ongoing protests across Iran, President Trump's post about the protests, and the danger of more conflict and war in the region.

    Can Trump Help Iranian Protesters?

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 2, 2026 4:07


    Negar Mortazavi speaks to Times Radio about anti-government protests across Iran as President Trump threatens that the U.S. is locked and loaded to interfere.

    Trump and Iran Protests

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 2, 2026 4:55


    Negar Mortazavi speaks to LBC Radio about Iran protests and President Trump's post about helping the protesters.Hosted by Simon Marks

    Iran Protests and the Looming War

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 30, 2025 5:42


    Negar Mortazavi speaks to Times Radio in the UK about days of anti-government protests across Iran in response to inflation, under the threat of military strikes by Israel and the United States.

    Book Talk: Iran's Grand Strategy

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 12, 2025 116:08


    Negar Mortazavi and Vali Nasr had a book talk at the Busboys and Poets bookstore in Washington, to discuss Nasr's latest book “Iran's Grand Strategy”

    Iran to raise fuel prices - BBC

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 27, 2025 5:52


    Negar Mortazavi speaks to BBC World Radio about Iran's plan to gradually raise fuel prices in a tiered system.

    Tomorrow is Yesterday: Rob Malley on Israel-Palestine and US-Iran

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 10, 2025 41:34


    Negar Mortazavis speaks to Robert Malley about his new book, with Hussein Agha, “Tomorrow Is Yesterday: Life, Death, and the Pursuit of Peace in Israel/Palestine”. They also discuss US-Iran tensions and negotiate under Presidents Obama, Biden and Trump.

    Prison Break: Israeli Disinfo Operations

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 27, 2025 34:42


    Negar Mortazavi speaks to Alberto Fittarelli about Israel-liked influence operations that were pushing for regime-change in Iran during the 12 day war. Alberto Fittarelli is a Senior Researcher at Citizen Lab at the University of Toronto.

    Iran and the Axis of Resistance

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 16, 2025 37:44


    Negar Mortazavi speaks to Hamidreza Azizi about Iran's shifting regional strategy after the 12-day war with Israel, and the limits of the Axis of Resistance against Israel and the U.S.

    Iran's Grand Strategy

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 13, 2025 35:35


    Negar Mortazavi speaks with Vali Nasr, Professor and former dean at Johns Hopkins University, about Iran's grand strategy, the 12-day war with Israel, and Iran's long term foreign policy calculations.

    War or Peace?

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 20, 2025 32:26


    Negar Mortazavi speaks to Matt Duss about Donald Trump's foreign policy towards the Middle East, Israel and U.S. attacks on Iran, and prospects for nuclear diplomacy between Tehran and Washington.

    Will the US and Iran make a deal in Oman?

    Play Episode Listen Later May 15, 2025 55:09


    Negar Mortazavi joins a panel discussion on US-Iran nuclear talks, the dynamics in Tehran and Washington, and the role of Israel and Arab states. The panel was hosted at Cato Institute in Washington with Jon Hoffman, Greg Brew and Danny Citrinowicz. (Episode 132)

    Iran's Rivalry with the US

    Play Episode Listen Later May 3, 2025 37:01


    Negar Mortazavi speaks with Professor Mohsen Milani about his latest book “Iran's Rise and Rivalry with the U.S. in the Middle East” (Episode 131)

    Can Trump and Tehran make a Deal?

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 17, 2025 61:03


    A conversation with Negar Mortazavi, Emma Ashford, Jon Hoffman, Trita Parsi, Sina Azodi, and moderated by Ryan Costello.

    Trump vs Tehran

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 4, 2025 30:19


    Negar Mortazavi speaks with Jon Hoffman at Cato Institute in Washington.

    Trump's Maximum Pressure

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 16, 2025 40:13


    Negar Mortazavi speaks to Hadi Kahalzadeh, an Iranian economist and sanctions expert at Brandeis University, about Trump's policy of Maximum Pressure on Iran and why he thinks it is going to fail again.

    Trump's New Middle East Policy

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 20, 2025 35:50


    Negar Mortazavi speaks to Murtaza Hussain, foreign policy correspondent at Dropsite News, and Hooman Majd, Iranian-American journalist and author, about President Trump's new Middle East policy.

    Trump 2.0 and Iran

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 26, 2025 37:40


    Negar Mortazavi, Senior Fellow at the Center for International Policy, speaks with Benjamin Friedman, policy director at Defense Priorities, and Trita Parsi, executive vice president at the Quincy Institute in Washington, about Donald Trump's second term and his policy towards Iran.

    Iran-Gulf Relations

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 4, 2024 37:21


    Negar Mortazavi speaks to Yousuf Al Bulushi, Sara Bazoobandi, and Abdulaziz Sager, about the future of Iran-GCC relations, Oman's crucial role in mediation, the challenges and opportunities of the Iran-Saudi deal, and the path forward for the countries of the Persian Gulf.This conversation was part of the Mediterranean Dialogue 2024 hosted by ISPI in Rome, Italy. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/theiranpodcast/support

    Diplomacy is Not a Dirty Word

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 22, 2024 79:44


    Negar Mortazavi in conversation with Steven Simon, Lara Friedman, Nader Hashemi, and Jon Hoffman, discussing US policy in the Middle East under Biden and Trump. This panel was hosted in person by the National Iranian American Council. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/theiranpodcast/support

    Israel, Iran, and the Next US President

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 30, 2024 39:29


    Negar Mortazavi speaks to Harrison Mann, a former U.S. Army Officer and Middle East intelligence analyst who resigned over U.S. policy in Gaza. He is now a Senior Fellow at Win Without War in Washington. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/theiranpodcast/support

    Israel-Iran Tensions

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 10, 2024 27:59


    Negar Mortazavi discusses Israel-Iran tensions in an interview on CNN with Becky Anderson, on the Australian Radio, and on TRT World television. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/theiranpodcast/support

    Israel, Lebanon and Iran

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 25, 2024 42:24


    Negar Mortazavi speaks to journalist Ali Hashem in Doha about rising tensions between Israel, Iran and Lebanon as ceasefire talks continue in Qatar. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/theiranpodcast/support

    Can Europe and Iran Relations Improve?

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 9, 2024 30:11


    Negar Mortazavi speaks to Eldar Memedov, a European foreign policy expert based in Brussels, about Europe's deteriorating relationship with Iran and whether Iran's new reformist president can improve with the West. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/theiranpodcast/support

    Tension Rises Between Iran and Israel

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 6, 2024 7:12


    Negar Mortazavi speaks to Aljazeera English television about Israeli attacks on Hezbollah and Hamas leaders in Beirut and Tehran, and how Iran and its allies are planning to retaliate. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/theiranpodcast/support

    Iran's New President

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 2, 2024 51:07


    Negar Mortazavi joins a University of South Florida podcast to discuss Iran's snap presidential election, the surprise win of a moderate, and how the new President Masoud Pezeshkian can cha ge the country. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/theiranpodcast/support

    President Pezeshkian

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 26, 2024 38:42


    Who is Iran's new reformist president, Dr Masoud Pezeshkian, and can he bring change? Negar Mortazavi speaks to Sina Toosi, Senior Nonresident Fellow at the Center for International Policy in Washington. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/theiranpodcast/support

    Iran after Raisi: Presidential Election 2

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 19, 2024 36:36


    Negar Mortazavi speaks to Mehran Kamrava, a professor of government at Georgetown University Qatar and Director of Iranian Studies at the Arab Center. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/theiranpodcast/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/theiranpodcast/support

    Iran After Raisi: Presidential Election

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 16, 2024 13:30


    Negar Mortazavi speaks to NPR radio about the six candidates cleared to run in Iran's upcoming presidential election. The snap election comes less than a month after former President Ebrahim Raisi died in a helicopter crash. The winner of the June 28 election will have to contend with a struggling economy, social discontent, and the ongoing challenge of U.S. sanctions. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/theiranpodcast/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/theiranpodcast/support

    Iran After Raisi: Nuclear Program

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 6, 2024 27:56


    Will Iran change its nuclear strategy after the death of its president Ebrahim Raisi? Negar Mortazavi speaks to Kelsey Davenport of the Arms Control Association and Sina Azodi of George Washington University. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/theiranpodcast/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/theiranpodcast/support

    Israel-Hamas War and the GCC

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 30, 2024 31:05


    Negar Mortazavi speaks to Giorgio Cafiero, CEO of Gulf States Analytics and an adjunct professor at Georgetown University, about the Israel-Hamas war and the GCC countries. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/theiranpodcast/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/theiranpodcast/support

    War in the Middle East

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 19, 2024 28:38


    Negar Mortazavi speaks to Barbara Slavin, a distinguished fellow at the Stimson Center in Washington, about the Israel-Hamas war, US-Iran tensions, the Axis of Resistance, the role of Arab countries, and the future of US elections.  --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/theiranpodcast/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/theiranpodcast/support

    Claim The Iran Podcast

    In order to claim this podcast we'll send an email to with a verification link. Simply click the link and you will be able to edit tags, request a refresh, and other features to take control of your podcast page!

    Claim Cancel