Podcasts about islamic revolution

Protests have been going on for weeks across the nation of Iran. The Islamic government has cut off communication networks and attacked protestors; thousands have been killed. Dr. Mike Ansari, a board member of the World Iranian Christian Alliance and the outgoing CEO of Heart4Iran, joins VOM Radio this week with an update on the current situation in Iran and how persecuted Christians are still demonstrating Christ's light and loving their neighbors even as the entire country is in turmoil. As happened during previous protests in Iran, Christians were among the first to be targeted by authorities. The Revolutionary Guard and Iranian government leaders see followers of Christ—especially those from a Muslim background—as apostate traitors to their nation and the Islamic Revolution. Dr. Ansari says despite being targeted for Christian persecution followers of Jesus are boldly serving and spreading the light of Christ. Some Christians are even risking arrest to bring injured protestors into their own homes to care for them. Learn what life is like for Christians in Iran right now, and how the government is using this organic uprising to target and persecute Christian believers. Dr. Ansari will also introduce listeners to the World Iranian Christian Alliance, and share how this movement is uniting Iranian Christian leaders to increase unity, cooperation and serve as a voice for Iranian Christians. He'll also give us specific ways to pray for our Iranian brothers and sisters in Christ right now. You can get a copy of Dr. Mike Ansari's book entitled Heart4Iran: The Forbidden Stories here. The VOM App for your smartphone or tablet will help you pray daily in 2026 for persecuted Christians in nations like North Korea, Nigeria and Bangladesh, as well as provide free access to e-books, audiobooks, video content and feature films. Download the VOM App for your iOS or Android device today.

What does justice mean when it's stripped of context—and what happens when societies forget the cost of freedom?In this powerful episode of Restitch America, host Alma Ohene-Opare sits down with Dr. Sheila Nazarian, an Iranian-American physician, entrepreneur, and outspoken advocate for truth, to discuss her extraordinary journey fleeing Iran after the 1979 Islamic Revolution and building a life in the United States.Grounded in the article “Justice Needs Context,” this conversation explores why justice cannot exist in abstraction—only within history, culture, and lived experience. Dr. Nazarian shares firsthand insight into life under an authoritarian regime, the dangers of ideological amnesia, and why Americans must understand freedom before redefining justice.Together, Alma and Dr. Nazarian examine how narratives around oppression, privilege, and power shift when viewed through the lens of immigrants who escaped tyranny—and why gratitude, perspective, and courage are essential to preserving a free society.About the Guest:Dr. Sheila Nazarian is a board-certified plastic surgeon, successful entrepreneur, television personality, and outspoken activist. After establishing a leading private medical practice, she founded multiple ventures including NazarianSkin, The Skin Spot, Spa26, and Physique26. She rose to national prominence through appearances on major media outlets and her starring role in Netflix's Emmy-nominated series Skin Decision: Before and After.Beyond medicine and business, Dr. Nazarian is known for her fearless advocacy, using her platform to speak out on freedom, justice, and cultural truth. As an Iranian immigrant who fled religious extremism, she brings rare moral clarity to conversations about liberty, responsibility, and the cost of silence.In This Episode, You'll Hear:- Dr. Nazarian's story of escaping Iran after the fall of the Shah- Why justice without historical and moral context becomes dangerous- How lived experience reshapes conversations about oppression and freedom- The responsibility of free societies to protect truth, courage, and gratitude- Why immigrants who fled tyranny see America differently—and why that mattersThis episode is a must-listen for anyone wrestling with questions of justice, freedom, immigration, and cultural memory in America today.

IT WAS TERRIBLE AS THE AI EDITOR THAT TAKES OUT UMS AND AHS JUST BUTCHERED IT - ZENCASTR SUCKSIt's better now. As usual, ai slop shownotes. Robots think that I am Jack or whatever. Enjoy!In this episode of The Two Jacks, Jack the Insider (Joel Hill) and Hong Kong Jack (Jack) dive into a packed agenda of Australian and global politics. They start with the federal government's urgent move to push through new hate speech and gun control laws, discussing the disbanding of neo-Nazi groups and the alarming rise of minors on extremism watchlists. The conversation takes a sharp turn into a heated debate over the "economic self-harm" of Brexit, with Jack the Insider citing a £100 billion annual trade loss while Hong Kong Jack remains a defiant supporter.The Jacks also cover:Trump's Trade War: The impact of a 10% tariff hike on European allies and America's dependence on Danish pharmaceuticals like Ozempic.UK Political Maneuvers: How Kemi Badenoch outsmarted Robert Jenrick's defection to Nigel Farage's Reform party.Sporting Scandals and Struggles: From the "oversold" crowds at the Australian Open to a bizarre aerodynamic "groin inflation" scandal in Norwegian ski jumping.00:00:25 – Introduction Jack the Insider (Joel) and Hong Kong Jack open the show on January 20, 2026, discussing the unscheduled sitting of the Australian Parliament to finalize an omnibus bill.00:01:05 – Hate Speech Legislation & The National Socialist Network The Jacks break down the removal of racial vilification clauses and the remaining "hate group" provisions. They discuss the reported disbanding—and subsequent lobbying efforts—of the National Socialist Network.00:04:17 – Extremism Watchlists & Youth Grooming A discussion on the 320 individuals currently monitored by security agencies, with a focus on the alarming number of minors being "groomed" by radical ideologies.00:06:50 – The Bondi Royal Commission & Law Enforcement Lethargy The hosts preview the upcoming Royal Commission, touching on claims that New South Wales Police may have ignored security warnings prior to major anti-Semitic incidents.00:08:14 – Anti-Semitism and Australian Migration History A look at the "New Australian" migration success story post-WWII and the current shameful necessity of armed guards at Jewish schools and synagogues.00:17:09 – Australian Gun Law Changes Analyzing the impact of new limits on ammunition and firearm ownership for amateur hunters and "weekend warriors."00:19:22 – Political Polling: The Rise of One Nation Recent Demos polling shows One Nation surging to over 20%, potentially acting as a "parking spot" for disaffected voters from both major parties.00:24:35 – Iran: Echoes of 1979 Reflecting on the 1979 Islamic Revolution and the late Mark Colvin's coverage of the regime's early massacres.00:27:50 – US Midterms & The Battle for Greenland A look at the Polymarket odds for the 2026 US Midterms and the strategic (and perhaps absurd) debate over the US acquisition of Greenland.00:33:11 – Trump's Tariffs & "The Art of the Renegotiation" The impact of a 10% hike on European goods, including a deep dive into America's dependence on Denmark for Ozempic and insulin.00:35:22 – The Brexit Economic Autopsy The Jacks have a heated debate over the long-term economic damage of Brexit, including trade losses estimated at £100 billion a year and alleged Russian influence on the "Leave" campaign.00:42:15 – UK Politics: The Jenrick Defection How Kemi Badenoch outmaneuvered Robert Jenrick's defection to Nigel Farage's Reform party.00:46:09 – Germany's Energy Crisis Friedrich Merz calls the exit from nuclear energy a "strategic mistake" as Germany reverts to brown coal to keep the lights on.00:49:29 – The Gaza "Board of Peace" Discussing the controversial international board involving Tony Blair and Jared Kushner, and Australia's invitation to join.00:54:29 – Sports: Australian Open & BBL Privatization Crowd chaos at the Australian Open and the warnings from Jason Gillespie regarding the potential sale of BBL franchises to overseas interests.01:06:53 – West Ham & The High Cost of Relegation The "sweetheart deal" for the Olympic Stadium is turning into a nightmare for UK taxpayers as West Ham faces the threat of the Championship.01:12:47 – Strange World: Norwegian Ski Jumping Scandal A bizarre report on Norwegian ski jumpers allegedly "artificially inflating" their suits for aerodynamic advantages.01:15:30 – Wrap Up The hosts invite listener feedback on Brexit and current events before signing off for the week. 

In this episode of The Hundred Year Pivot, Demetri and I are joined by geopolitical strategist Kamran Bokhari for a sweeping, historically grounded exploration of how Iran arrived at its present moment of instability—and where it may be heading next. Kamran traces Iran's modern political evolution from Qajar Persia through the Pahlavi monarchy, the 1953 Mosaddegh coup, and the 1979 Islamic Revolution, explaining how the regime's dual-military structure—split between the regular army and the IRGC—was forged in war and later transformed into a vehicle for political and economic dominance. From Iran's revolutionary ideology and fear of encirclement to the rise and possible unraveling of its proxy network, the conversation builds toward a sober assessment of today's protests, currency collapse, and internal decay—arguing that while the Islamic Republic may be weakening in unprecedented ways, the path forward is likely to be turbulent, uncertain, and region-shaping rather than clean or sudden. Every episode of the Grant Williams podcast, including This Week In Doom, The End Game, The Super Terrific Happy Hour, The Narrative Game, Kaos Theory, Shifts Happen and The Hundred Year Pivot, is available to Copper and Silver Tier subscribers at my website www.Grant-Williams.com.  Copper Tier subscribers get access to all podcasts, while members of the Silver Tier get both the podcasts and my monthly newsletter, Things That Make You Go Hmmm… 

The people of Iran are in the midst of one of the country's biggest uprisings — and harshest government crackdowns — since the Iranian Revolution. It started with shopkeepers in bazaars closing their doors at the end of December in protest of the plummeting Iranian rial and economic distress. But demonstrations soon spread to universities and across the country to every single province. Working-class Iranians wanted relief — both from the inflation crisis and U.S sanctions.This week on The Intercept Briefing, host Akela Lacy speaks with Hooman Majd, an Iranian American writer and journalist, who explains what sparked the protests and the government's brutal response. “I don't think in the history of Iran, even during the Islamic Revolution, have we seen this number of fatalities.” says Majd. “The death toll is staggering. Really, because that death toll is staggering, what's happened is there are no more protests. And that's where we are right now. No more protest, heavy security on the streets. Massive security on the streets, on every corner. It isn't martial law. But it feels like martial law to people living there.”The path forward is unclear, Majd says. But a few things are certain. “The idea is no to shah, no to an ayatollah, no to theocracy. Let's just, finally, after 120 years of demonstrating — which is what the Iranians have been doing since 1906 — after 120 years of looking for democracy, can we just do that? Can we just get a democracy? That is probably the biggest sentiment in Iran: wanting a democratic rule, wanting the repression to end, wanting better relations with the rest of the world so these sanctions can be lifted.”Some people inside and outside Iran have called on President Donald Trump to intervene. The idea that the U.S. should — or could — impose regime change militarily is folly, Majd says. “Sure, we were able to impose a regime change in Iraq militarily. They can do that again in Iran, possibly with the help of Israel or even without the help of Israel. But then what do you have? Do you have another basically authoritarian, autocratic government?'” Meanwhile, Trump has threatened to intervene in another international arena. He has set his sights on taking over Greenland. Despite walking back his statements pledging to do so by force, Trump has now said he's forming a plan with the secretary general of NATO for Greenland's future. We're joined by independent investigative journalist Lois Parshley, who explains the financial interests behind Trump's obsession with the Arctic island, the billionaires and tech moguls plotting to exploit Greenland's natural resources, and how the people of Greenland have responded to the president's pledge to violate their sovereignty.Shortly before Trump first expressed an interest in Greenland during his first term, his ambassador to Denmark and Greenland visited a major rare earth mining project on the island, Parshley reported last year. “More recently, The Guardian reported that it was Ronald Lauder, heir to the global cosmetics brand [Estée Lauder] who was also a longtime friend of Trump's, who first suggested buying Greenland. He has acquired commercial holdings there and is also part of a consortium who want to access Ukrainian minerals.”Fresh off the invasion of Venezuela, the idea that Trump wants to take over Greenland is even more alarming, Parshley says. “I'm not the first person to report on these kinds of major tech interests in things like crypto states or special economic zones. People have been pointing this stuff out for a long time, but it's not until President Trump started saying the quiet part out loud that people have really been registering some of these absurd concepts that seem to now be creeping toward reality.”Listen to the full conversation of The Intercept Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen. If you want to support our work, you can go to theintercept.com/join. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Originally published in 2021, I'm replaying this remarkable interview in solidarity with the courageous women of Iran and to offer you historical context for the protests unfolding today. Retired preschool teacher Mitra Jordan reflects on the life and legacy of her mother, Sattareh Farman Farmaian - widely regarded as the mother of social work in Iran and author of Daughter of Persia (highly recommended). Sattareh was raised in a royal harem as one of 36 children born to the ruling prince of the Qajar dynasty. She earned a degree in sociology from the University of Southern California, worked for the United Nations in Iraq, and then returned to Iran to found the country's first school of social work. Under her leadership, the school flourished, training hundreds of social workers and launching programs in family planning, women's education, and orphan care, with strong support from Farah Diba, wife of Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi. In 1979, the Islamic Revolution led by Ayatollah Khomeini forced Sattareh, at age 58, to abandon her life's work and flee Iran. She rebuilt her career in the United States, passing her exams and becoming a practicing social worker in Los Angeles. Mitra shares the lessons her mother lived by: the importance of education and self-reliance, the courage to follow one's own path, the refusal to be defined by your circumstances, and the often-overlooked mental benefits of physical exercise. You will find "Daughter of Persia" by Sattareh Farman Farmaian here.  Subscribe to Ana's new "Mama Loves…" newsletter here.  To contact Ana, to be a guest, or suggest a guest, please send your mail to: info@thankyoumama.net For more about "Thank You, Mama", please visit: http://www.thankyoumama.net Connect with Ana on social media: https://www.instagram.com/anatajder/ https://www.facebook.com/ana.tajder

Kamyar Enshayan remembers the Iran he grew up in as vibrant, musical and secular. He left in 1978, not long before the Islamic Revolution, and never returned. In this episode, Enshayan shares his views on today's mass protests and the government's violent response. But first, Iowa State English professors Jenny Aune and Jo Mackiewicz share their research, which raises questions about how we may be attributing human qualities to artificial intelligence through language.

This week we talk about war, inflation, and currency devaluation.We also discuss tyrants, police violence, and social media threats.Recommended Book: Post-Growth Living by Kate SoperTranscriptBack in mid-June of 2025, a shooting war erupted between Iran and Israel, with Israeli military forces launching attacks against multiple Iranian military sites, alongside sites associated with its nuclear program and against individual Iranian military leaders.Iran responded to these strikes, which left a lot of infrastructural damage and several military leaders assassinated, with large waves of missiles and drones against both Israeli and allied military targets, and soon after, later the same month, both sides agreed on a ceasefire and that was that.Following that blip of a war, though, Iran's economy suffered greatly. It already wasn't doing well, in part due to the crippling sanctions enforced by the US government for years, but also because of persistent mismanagement by Iran's ruling regime, and the resultant deterioration of local infrastructure, both physical and bureaucratic.Millions of people fled Iranian urban centers during the war with Israel, and while most of them returned when the ceasefire was brokered, the pace of life and other fundaments of these cities never got back up to where they were, before, as there have been fairly consistent blackouts that have kept people from being able to function as normal, and these outages have also kept businesses from getting back on their feet. That, in turn, has resulted in closures and firings and an overall reduction in economic activity.The general hamhandedness of the government has amplified these issues, and the countless other issues of trying to exist within a country that is being so persistently targeted—both in the sense of those crushing sanctions from the US, but also in the sense of being periodically struck by Israel—has dramatically increased uncertainty throughout Iran these past several years.Even before that brief war, Iran was already on the backfoot, having suffered the loss of their local proxies, including the Assad regime in Syria, Hezbollah in Lebanon, the Houthis in Yemen, and Hamas in the Gaza Strip—all of which have been either severely weakened by Israel in recent years, or functionally wiped out—and that in turn has more directly exposed them to meddling and attacks from their key opposition, which includes the US, Israel, and Saudi Arabia.That new vulnerability has put the Iranian government on high-alert, and the compounding effects of all that infrastructural damage, mismanagement, and the need to reallocate more resources to defense has left the country suffering very high levels of inflation, a severely devalued currency, regular blackouts, mass unemployment, a water shortage, and long-time repression from a government that is in many ways more paranoid and flailing than in any time in recent memory.What I'd like to talk about today is a recent wave of protests across Iran and why the US government is apparently considering taking action to support protestors against the Iranian government.—Iran has long suffered all sorts of issues, including regular efforts by ethnic secessionists to pull it apart into pieces they periodically occupy and want to govern, themselves, and concerns from citizens that the government spends a whole lot of their time and the nation's resources enriching themselves, oppressing the citizenry, funding what seems to be a pointless nuclear program, and prioritizing their offensive efforts against Israel and their other regional enemies, often by arming and funding those aforementioned, now somewhat defunct proxy militias and militaries.On top of all that, as of October 2025, inflation in Iran had surged to 48.6% and the Iranian currency, the rial, dropped in value to 1.45 million per dollar. The government tried to artificially boost the value of the rial to 1.38 million per dollar in early January of 2026, but it dropped further, to 1.5 million per dollar a few days later, hitting a record low. This combined with that wild inflation rate, made the basic fundamentals of life, food, electricity, and so on, unaffordable, even for those who still had jobs, which was an ever-shrinking portion of the population.For context, the drop of the rial to a value of 1.38 million per dollar, the boosted value, represented a loss of about 40% of the rial's value since June of 2025, just before that war with Israel, which is a staggering loss, as that means folk's life savings lost that much in about half a year.When currency values and inflation hit that level of volatility, doing business becomes difficult. It often makes more sense to close up shop than to try to keep the doors open, because you don't know if the price you charge for your product or service will make you a profit or not: there's a chance you'll sell things at a loss, because the value of the money you receive and the cost of goods you require, both to survive and to keep your business functioning, will change before the day ends, or before the sale can be completed.Iran's economic crisis has further exploded in the past few weeks, then, because all those issues have compounded and spiraled to the point that simply selling things and buying things have become too risky for many people and entities, and that means folks are having even more trouble getting food and keeping the lights on than before; which becomes a real survival issue, on top of the regular crackdowns and abuses by the government that they've suffered in various ways for decades.In 2022, those abuses and limits on personal rights led to large protests that were catalyzed by the death of a 22-year-old woman named Mahsa Amini, who was in police custody for allegedly wearing her hijab improperly. Those 2022 protests were historically large—the biggest in the country, by some estimates at least, since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.On December 28 2025, a group of shopkeepers in Iran's capital city, Tehran, went on strike, closing their shops in protest against what's been happening with Iran's economy; again, it's basically impossible to safely do business in a country with that much inflation and currency devaluation happening.Other shopkeepers followed suit, and large protests formed around these closed shops. Those protests flooded social media platforms in short order, protestors shouting slogans that indicated they were pissed off about all the economic mismanagement in the country, and then eventually that led to anti-government slogans being shouted, as well.Things remained peaceful at these protests, at first, and they expanded across the country within the next few days, shops closing and people filling the streets.By the fourth day, police had started to use live ammunition and tear gas against protestors, some of the protestors were killed, and things spiraled from there.By December 31, the government ordered a total, nationwide business shutdown, to try to get ahead of these protests, which again tended to revolve around the shutdown of businesses in protest—the government said they were making this call because of cold weather, but the writing was kind of on the wall at this point that they were scrambling to make it look like businesses were shutting down because they said so, not in protest of the government.The government also announced that they would start cracking down on protestors, hard, and on the first day of 2026, things escalated further, police using even more force against those who gathered, which of course led to more protests in more places, more angry slogans being shouted, and more protestor deaths at the hands of government forces.Protests had spread to all 31 Iranian provinces by early January of 2026, and at this point there were only 17 confirmed deaths.US President Donald Trump got involved around this time, maybe feeling confident following the successful nighttime grab of Venezuelan President Maduro; whatever the case, he warned the Iranian government not to shoot protestors, or the US government might have to get involved, coming to the protestors' rescue.Iran's government responded by saying the rioters must be put in their place, suppressing the funerals of protestors, and muffling local internet service, slowing down access speeds and increasing the number of outages by about a third. They threatened to execute hundreds of protestors by hanging, then said they wouldn't. Trump declared this to be a personal victory, though the Iranian government has used his insinuation of himself into the matter to position the fight as Iran against the US, the protestors backed by their great enemy, which has shown itself to be responsible for these protests.The government then started forcing captured protestors to make confessions on video, which only seemed to further anger the non-arrested protestors, and some protestors began to fight back, in one case setting a police officer on fire, and in other cases local militia groups defended protestors against police, leading to several deaths.Iran's government shut down more communication services in an attempt to regain control, in some cities taking down the internet completely, though some information, photos and videos of police abuses of protestors still made it out into the wider world using satellite services like Starlink, and by the 9th of January, protests reached a scale that rivaled and maybe surpassed those seen during the 1979 Islamic Revolution, and protestors began to set fire to buildings associated with the Islamic Republic, the government, and directly clashing with security forces in some cases.Hundreds of people were reportedly killed per day from that point forward, and thousands were rushed to hospitals, overwhelming local doctors.Thousands of people were also violently killed by police, under cover of the now complete internet blackout, and on January 10th, it was estimated that around 2,000 protestors had been killed in the past two days, alone, while other estimates from inside and outside Iran range from 12,000 to 20,000 protestors killed by the government. The most reliable source I could find, as of last weekend, indicated that the true number of dead is something like 3,300 people, at minimum.In the past week or so, the Iranian government has apparently figured out how to jam Starlink internet signals, making it even more difficult for protestors to share what's happening in the country, and President Trump posted on his social network, Truth Social, telling Iranian citizens that they should overthrow the government and that help is on the way.The Iranian government has arrested tens of thousands of people, has tanks patrolling their towns and cities, and seems to have successfully quashed protests for the time being; no protests at all were reported across the country as of mid-January, and so many people were killed and injured that hospitals and other institutions are still overwhelmed, trying to work through their backlog; much of the country is in mourning.Government forces are reportedly going door to door to arrest people who were spotted in CCTV and social media footage participating in protests, and they've set up checkpoints to stop people, look through their phones, and arrest them if any photos or videos are found that indicate they were at protests, deleting that digital evidence in the process.This remains a fast-moving story and there's a chance something significant, like the US striking Iranian government targets, or renewed, more focused protests will arise in the coming days and weeks.Some analysts have argued that it's kind of a no-brainer for the Trump administration to hit the Iranian government while it's strained in this way, because it's a long-time enemy of the US and its allies that's currently weak, and doing so would reinforce the narrative, sparked with the capture of Maduro, that Trump's administration is anti-tyrant; which is questionable by most measures, but again, this is a narrative, not necessarily reality. And narratives are powerful, especially going into an election year.It's also possible that, because economic conditions in Iran haven't changed, that this is just the beginning of something bigger; protestors and militias taking a moment to regain their footing and consider what they might do to have more of an impact when they start back up again.Show Noteshttps://www.iranintl.com/en/202601130145https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/dec/31/we-want-the-mullahs-gone-economic-crisis-sparks-biggest-protests-in-iran-since-2022https://www.nytimes.com/article/iran-protests-inflation-currency.htmlhttps://www.fdd.org/analysis/2025/06/25/mapping-the-protests-in-iran-2/https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/10/us/politics/trump-iran-strikes.htmlhttps://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/10/world/middleeast/iran-protests-death-toll.htmlhttps://www.reuters.com/world/china/iranian-mp-warns-greater-unrest-urging-government-address-grievances-2026-01-13/https://www.wsj.com/world/middle-east/iran-is-hunting-down-starlink-users-to-stop-protest-videos-from-going-global-d8b49602https://archive.is/20260114175227/https://www.wsj.com/world/middle-east/bank-collapse-iran-protests-83f6b681https://www.cbsnews.com/news/iran-protest-death-toll-over-12000-feared-higher-video-bodies-at-morgue/https://sundayguardianlive.com/world/did-irans-currency-collapse-rial-plummets-to-000-against-euro-while-inflation-protests-escalate-across-the-country-164403/https://archive.is/20260116034429/https://www.ft.com/content/5d848323-84a9-4512-abd2-dd09e0a786a3https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cm2jek15m8nohttps://theconversation.com/the-use-of-military-force-in-iran-could-backfire-for-washington-273264https://archive.is/20260114182636/https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2026/01/14/iran-regime-protest-trump-strike/https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/16/world/middleeast/iran-protests-deadly-crackdown.htmlhttps://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/17/world/middleeast/iran-ayatollah-khamenei.htmlhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2025%E2%80%932026_Iranian_protestshttps://www.en-hrana.org/day-thirteen-of-the-protests-nighttime-demonstrations-continue-amid-internet-shutdown/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2025_Iran_internal_crisishttps://apnews.com/article/iran-protests-trump-khamenei-fc11b1082fb75fca02205f668c822751 This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit letsknowthings.substack.com/subscribe

Myles sits down with, Dr. Hormoz, whose family fled the 1979 Islamic Revolution which has since enslaved the Persian people. He earned his Ph.D in Artificial Intelligence from USC, but when gospel reached him, it lit a fire in Hormoz to see the Iranian people know Jesus, the Jewish Messiah.  For decades he has been preaching the message of salvation into Iran with great results.When Myles and Katharine hosted Zola Levitt Presents on TV, Hormoz was one of their most valued interviews. Myles and Katharine have subsequently been on his TV  program several times, seeking directly to the Iranian people. At shalomhousefamily.com, we have been supporting the underground church movement since 2009.  We wrote a song, “The Bride Behind the Veil” , which was banned by YouTube for incorporating actual footage of Neda, the young girl murdered by the IRGC  in the streets of Tehran, directly in front of her  Dad. Hormoz brings a message of current grief AND  great hope for his countrymen.Support their work at:https://iranalive.org/who-we-are/Support the show

Why did the Iranian Revolution erupt in 1979? What was the nature of the relationship between President Carter and the ostentatious Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi? And, who was the Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, a man whose militant vision for Iran would see it drastically remade? Join Dominic and Tom, as they launch into one of the most dramatic stories of all time, with such far reaching consequences, that they still reverberate across the Middle East today: the Islamic Revolution. As they delve into the events that set this cataclysmic event in motion, they will bring to life the three men at the heart of it all.  _______ Join The Rest Is History Club: Unlock the full experience of the show – with exclusive bonus episodes, ad-free listening, early access to every series and live show tickets, a members-only newsletter, discounted books from the show, and access to our private Discord chatroom. Sign up directly at therestishistory.com For more Goalhanger Podcasts, head to www.goalhanger.com _______ Twitter: @TheRestHistory @holland_tom @dcsandbrook Video Editors: Jack Meek + Harry Swan  Social Producer: Harry Balden Producers: Tabby Syrett & Aaliyah Akude  Executive Producer: Dom Johnson  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Episode 459 of Hidden Forces is the twelfth episode in the Hundred Year Pivot podcast series. In it, Demetri Kofinas and Grant Williams speak with Kamran Bokhari, a strategic forecaster and geopolitical analyst who specializes on the Middle Eastern and Eurasia, about Iran's nationwide protests, what they reveal about the power and stability of the Iranian regime, and what the state of Iranian affairs portends for Iran's future, the region's geopolitics, and the strategic considerations and objectives of the United States. The conversation's opening hour traces Iran's modern formation—beginning in the early 1900s with the Constitutional Revolution, moving through the 1953 coup and the Shah's rule, and culminating in the 1979 Islamic Revolution and its aftermath. Kamran walks the audience through the evolution of Iran's dual military structure, explaining the critical distinction between the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and the regular armed forces (Artesh), and how the IRGC grew from an ideological militia into an oversized parallel state controlling everything from telecommunications to Iran's nuclear program, while becoming increasingly corrupt and internally divided. The second hour is devoted to analyzing the current protests engulfing Iran, how they differ from previous uprisings, and the implications for a severely weakened IRGC following Israel's dismantling of its proxy network, the relentless targeting of its commanders, and its failure to secure the safety of its own citizens from Israeli reprisals. They explore the regime's internal factionalization, the role of the merchant class in these protests, the potential pathways forward—from managed regime decay to military intervention to outright chaos—and the cascading effects that Iran's instability could have on its neighbors, from Turkey and Azerbaijan to Iraq, Afghanistan, and beyond. Subscribe to our premium content—including our premium feed, episode transcripts, and Intelligence Reports—by visiting HiddenForces.io/subscribe. If you'd like to join the conversation and become a member of the Hidden Forces Genius community—with benefits like Q&A calls with guests, exclusive research and analysis, in-person events, and dinners—you can also sign up on our subscriber page at HiddenForces.io/subscribe. If you enjoyed today's episode of Hidden Forces, please support the show by: Subscribing on Apple Podcasts, YouTube, Spotify, Stitcher, SoundCloud, CastBox, or via our RSS Feed Writing us a review on Apple Podcasts & Spotify Joining our mailing list at https://hiddenforces.io/newsletter/ Producer & Host: Demetri Kofinas Editor & Engineer: Stylianos Nicolaou Subscribe and support the podcast at https://hiddenforces.io. Join the conversation on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter at @hiddenforcespod Follow Demetri on Twitter at @Kofinas Episode Recorded on 01/15/2026

Episode 459 of Hidden Forces is the twelfth episode in the Hundred Year Pivot podcast series. In it, Demetri Kofinas and Grant Williams speak with Kamran Bokhari, a strategic forecaster and geopolitical analyst who specializes on the Middle Eastern and Eurasia, about Iran's nationwide protests, what they reveal about the power and stability of the Iranian regime, and what the state of Iranian affairs portends for Iran's future, the region's geopolitics, and the strategic considerations and objectives of the United States. The conversation's opening hour traces Iran's modern formation—beginning in the early 1900s with the Constitutional Revolution, moving through the 1953 coup and the Shah's rule, and culminating in the 1979 Islamic Revolution and its aftermath. Kamran walks the audience through the evolution of Iran's dual military structure, explaining the critical distinction between the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and the regular armed forces (Artesh), and how the IRGC grew from an ideological militia into an oversized parallel state controlling everything from telecommunications to Iran's nuclear program, while becoming increasingly corrupt and internally divided. The second hour is devoted to analyzing the current protests engulfing Iran, how they differ from previous uprisings, and the implications for a severely weakened IRGC following Israel's dismantling of its proxy network, the relentless targeting of its commanders, and its failure to secure the safety of its own citizens from Israeli reprisals. They explore the regime's internal factionalization, the role of the merchant class in these protests, the potential pathways forward—from managed regime decay to military intervention to outright chaos—and the cascading effects that Iran's instability could have on its neighbors, from Turkey and Azerbaijan to Iraq, Afghanistan, and beyond. Subscribe to our premium content—including our premium feed, episode transcripts, and Intelligence Reports—by visiting HiddenForces.io/subscribe. If you'd like to join the conversation and become a member of the Hidden Forces Genius community—with benefits like Q&A calls with guests, exclusive research and analysis, in-person events, and dinners—you can also sign up on our subscriber page at HiddenForces.io/subscribe. If you enjoyed today's episode of Hidden Forces, please support the show by: Subscribing on Apple Podcasts, YouTube, Spotify, Stitcher, SoundCloud, CastBox, or via our RSS Feed Writing us a review on Apple Podcasts & Spotify Joining our mailing list at https://hiddenforces.io/newsletter/ Producer & Host: Demetri Kofinas Editor & Engineer: Stylianos Nicolaou Subscribe and support the podcast at https://hiddenforces.io. Join the conversation on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter at @hiddenforcespod Follow Demetri on Twitter at @Kofinas Episode Recorded on 01/15/2026

In 1953 the CIA and MI6 participated in a coup d'etat in Iran. That true sentence (and what usually follows) can create an oversimplified distortion of history—and present. But Iran is in the news again with the biggest protests since the 1979 Islamic Revolution bringing millions to the streets. The regime unsurprisingly cracked down hard: at least 2,700 protesters have been killed and 18,000 arrested. Though the initial impetus was economic, these are the latest in a wave of growing uprisings in Iran against the far-right theocratic authoritarian government—especially its treatment of women. How did we get here? What happened in 1953? Isn't this all just about oil anyway? Was the 1979 revolution really about religion? Weren't there Communists involved? Does all the turmoil in this region trace back to Western colonial imperialism? Julian explores the tangled threads of oil, empire, and religion. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Iranian peoples' call for freedom was heard all over the world, but has a bloody crackdown crushed the uprising? Shirin Ebadi was Iran's first female judge, but was demoted following the 1979 Islamic Revolution. But she kept advocating for women and human rights, and in 2003, became Iran's first Nobel Peace Prize winner. Shirin Ebadi joins the show from London.  Also on today's show: author Theodor Meron; author Dr. Ezekiel Emanuel    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Darrell Castle talks about Iran today and exploring the possibilities for changing the regime there from one run by Islamic fundamentalists to one run by the ex-Shah’s son, Reza Pahlavi. Transcription / Notes REGIME CHANGE IN IRAN Hello, this is Darrell Castle with today's Castle Report. This is Friday the 16th day of January in the year of our Lord 2026. I will be talking about Iran today and exploring the possibilities for changing the regime there from one run by Islamic fundamentalists to one run by the ex-Shah's son Reza Pahlavi. What does the US want in Iran and what is it willing to do to have it. Yes, it seems that revolution is in the air once again in Iran but this time it seems to be different. Every few years people grow weary of the Ayatollah's strict laws, its moral police, etc. and they take to the streets to protest. This time it seems to be different for several reasons. The protests are much more massive and widespread this time and the people are showing great courage because the last report I saw showed more than 2500 dead and 10,000 arrested so not just protests but war in the streets it seems. The Iranians don't waste much time on niceties such as a fair trial either because they arrest a protester one day and publicly hang him the next as a warning to others. Another reason why this time might be different is that the US President is clearly fully supporting the protesters with his words and promises of military action. The primary reason, however, is that this time there are real reasons other that the resistance to fundamentalist Islam. The last large-scale protests happened when a young woman was arrested by the moral police and she ended up raped and murdered in their custody. The regime is apparently then made up of very bad people and that is always involved in the unrest. This time, in addition, there is a critical, life threatening nationwide water shortage caused or at least made worse by the regime's misuse of water facilities, reservoirs, etc. The water shortage is so bad that the capital city of Tehran is threatened with water rationing. For a city of 9 million that would be catastrophic. The final straw in this round of unrest has been the skyrocketing inflation and destruction of the purchasing power of the Iranian rial. The rial has been devalued so much that Iranian reports now express inflation in terms of dollars. It has lost 60% of its value since last June. So, the regime is bad and the people are courageous. Hundreds killed and thousands arrested which for many is the same thing. The US, through its chief executive, threatens to “hit them very hard.” The US currently has about 2000 troops next door in Iraq and all US bases in the region are on high alert. The US Central Command and certain regional partners have opened a new Middle East Air and Missile Defense command center at the US airbase in Qatar. Reports yesterday said that US troops are now being evacuated in expectation of an Iranian attack. If you have any doubt about whether the US considers itself to be responsible for policing the world and making it right in the US President's eyes those doubts should be erased. When one country has regime change fostered on it quite often it makes a lot of other countries mad and this situation is no different. The US announced a 25% tariff on countries that do business with Iran and that has made the Chinese very angry, Iran is a key part of China's multi-trillion-dollar Belt and Road Initiative and they desperately want the Mullahs to stay in power. So, the US is, in its own eyes, the policeman of the world. The Iranians seem genuinely disturbed this time unlike all the other times. Their repressive tactics don't seem to be working as well this time. I guess all the Mossad and CIA agents on the ground in Iran encourage the people to carry on. Reports coming out of Iran are that many in the regime want to talk diplomatically with the US this time to avoid a US attack. Talks were scheduled but when Trump heard that people were being killed and hanged he canceled the talks. My opinion is that the regime wanted talks not to diplomatically agree to reforms but to preserve their power. The other problem with talks is that if the US held talks and agreed for the regime to stay in power with US blessing then the US administration would lose its standing. Right now, the people protesting, undoubtedly with Mossad and CIA encouragement, are literally dying and risking their lives to bring about the downfall of the Ayatollah's rule and they expect the US to refrain from diplomatically supporting it. We now have about four decades of diplomatic efforts with Iran without any noticeable results except to make the situation worse so I suppose talking to them and sending them money is pointless. It makes sense to me to stop business and encourage our allies to stop business with a regime that commits such human rights abuses as long as it's universally applied. That's the problem though isn't it. The concept of isolating human rights abusers is not universally applied and everyone knows it including the Iranians. It's hard to stay on the moral high road under such circumstances. Iran, ever the implacable adversary, as usual is talking tough. Would a sensible leader threaten war with an adversary many times stronger when that leader has what appears to be a weakened or destroyed armed forces. The Ayatollah is doing just that but I don't think he is insane, no, he is living out the Islamic book as he perceives it. It tells him seek death instead of life and wash the cities of the world with blood and constant war until the 12th Imman, the Mahdi comes and makes the world into what the books tells him it should be and will be. Rather than insanity he really does literally believe the words in the Islamic Holy Book written almost 1400 years ago. Western leaders don't understand that because they believe nothing. Religion, whether Christianity or anything else is just a ruse they use to get elected. They really believe nothing and worship only the god of power to which they are utterly addicted. This man, the Ayatollah, the unbending foe is different. He will pretend to negotiate for a better deal but when his gullible adversaries in the West deliver he will not comply because he believes the words in that book and nothing else matters to him. He warns the US, through his foreign minister, that he is ready for war if Washington wants to test it. I'm sure he is ready and he apparently doesn't mind how much his people suffer. Why doesn't he get them some food and especially water. I guess it's because he doesn't know how and besides the book doesn't tell him to do that. Why won't he make a deal with the great Satan for water technology and resources, well the answer to that question is obvious by the name of his adversary. The foreign minister said if the US wants war like it did before, Iran is ready for it but he hopes the US will choose the wise diplomatic option. The other way leads to criminal war like the abduction of Nichalos Maduro did. He hopes the US will negotiate rather than make war for Israel's interests. There is a man here in the US who has been very vocal in support of the protestors on social media. That man is Reza Pahlavi, the son of former Shah Mohammed Reza Pahlavi, who has been living in exile in the US since the ouster from power of the Shah in 1979 Islamic Revolution. He has been very active with international media appearances as well as social media and the other day he met with Trump's chief Middle East negotiator, Steve Wittkof. Some of the demonstrators in Tehran shout long live the Shah. My guess is that they are too young to remember what life was really like under the Shah. Pahlavi, to my knowledge, has not stated his true intentions with respect to Iran but he is scheduled to travel to Mar-a-Lago to meet with Trump as well as to deliver a speech at the Jerusalem Prayer Breakfast. Very interesting indeed because that makes me think of the real reason for all this. Who are the American politicians who favor the interests of a foreign country over that of the American people. Just about all of them it seems. Last Tuesday, the US ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, said there is no room in his party for those who do not support regime change wars. He said all should be in on overthrowing the Iranian government allegedly on Israel's behalf. There are many polls which show the Ambassador is dead wrong (no pun intended) about that. Polls show that far more Americans support my position of come home and mind your own business rather than the Ambassador's position of fighting for greater Israel in the Middle East. Did Trump commit an act of war against Iran when he sent stealth bombers a few weeks ago. The real question is not was the attack an act of war but was the attack at the bequest of a foreign leader and if so will that same leader request or demand another attack on Iran this time. My conclusion is that yes, he will do it despite the undeniable fact that the American people are sick of foreign wars that have nothing to do with them but are beneficial to foreign nations and their leaders. Meanwhile, in Iran the regime has shut down the internet across the country in an effort to prevent people from organizing meetings and protests. Elon Musk has provided his Starlink system and anyone in Iran can access it without charge he says. There are rumors that the Chinese have provided technology to Iran to disable Starlink. Anytime it is so obvious that an entire people group is not free it causes anger and outrage here in America. In response the Iranians have threatened to assassinate President Trump pledging that “this time we will not miss.” Well, a regime that murders and hangs its own people and which is mired in a water crises and inflation might want to consider a more low-key approach especially when that regime's past performance against the US air force is considered. For now the ISW reports that protests have been suppressed by security forces but could erupt again at any time so we will see. Finally, folks, to close this Castle Report here is an interesting quote from Paul Craig Roberts. “The United States is a strange place. Americans pledge their allegiance to the United States of America, but their government pledges allegiance to Israel. President Trump parades around as if he is master of the world, but he is not even master of his own country.” At least that's the way I see it, Until next time folks, This is Darrell Castle, Thanks for listening.

Before the Islamic Revolution, Iran was steadily progressing toward becoming a modern, advanced nation under the Shah's development plans and was regarded as a major regional power. Historian and writer Homer Abramian explains how the policies and missteps of the Islamic regime reversed these gains, leading to Iran's economic decline and loss of regional influence. Homer also talks about his relationship with Prince Reza Bahlavi and his mother Queen Farah Bahlavi.

1. Current Situation in Iran Over one million Iranians are protesting against the regime in major cities. The Iranian leadership has shut down the internet, phones, and media to suppress information and maintain control. Protesters are risking their lives; acts of defiance include burning hijabs and removing religious coverings in public. 2. Historical Context References to the 1979 Islamic Revolution and the U.S. hostage crisis (444 days). Comparison of Jimmy Carter’s weak foreign policy to Barack Obama and Joe Biden, arguing that weakness emboldens adversaries. Contrast with Ronald Reagan’s strong stance, which led to the release of hostages and eventual Soviet collapse. 3. Iran’s Role in Global Terrorism Iran funds over 90% of Hamas and Hezbollah budgets. Responsible for IED attacks and the deaths of 593+ American service members in Iraq and Afghanistan. Iran manufactures drones used by Russia in Ukraine. Allegations that Iran plotted to assassinate Donald Trump. 4. U.S. Foreign Policy and Leadership Strong emphasis on “Peace through Strength” as advocated by Reagan and Trump. Trump’s recent actions (e.g., military strikes, bunker-buster bombing of Iranian nuclear facilities) portrayed as decisive. Trump’s public message: “Iran is looking at freedom… USA stands ready to help.” 5. Why Regime Change Matters The fall of Iran’s regime would be transformational for Middle East stability and U.S. security. Advocates for regime change without boots on the ground, using diplomatic, economic, and informational support. Compares potential Iranian revolution to the fall of the Berlin Wall and collapse of the Soviet Union. 6. Role of Media and Messaging Iranian state TV is allegedly broadcasting Tucker Carlson interviews in Persian as propaganda. Criticism of voices opposing U.S. involvement or promoting isolationism. Emphasis on using platforms like podcasts and Starlink internet access to reach Iranians and encourage freedom. Please Hit Subscribe to this podcast Right Now. Also Please Subscribe to the 47 Morning Update with Ben Ferguson and The Ben Ferguson Show Podcast Wherever You get You're Podcasts. And don't forget to follow the show on Social Media so you never miss a moment! Thanks for Listening YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@VerdictwithTedCruz/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/verdictwithtedcruz X: https://x.com/tedcruz X: https://x.com/benfergusonshowYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@VerdictwithTedCruzSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Roya Hakakian, author of Assassins of the Turquoise Palace and Journey from the Land of No, joins the show to discuss the 1979 Islamic Revolution in Iran, the rise of Ayatollah Khomeini, and how these events have shaped the world. ▪️ Times 02:56 Life Before the Revolution 11:02 Antisemitism in Revolutionary Iran 21:56 Khomeini's Rise to Power 22:32 The Global Left and the Soviet Union 29:49 A Catastrophe of the 20th Century 37:21 The State of the Iranian Regime 42:19 The Revolution is Alive and Well 52:01 The Future of Iran and Its Leadership Follow along on Instagram, X @schoolofwarpod, and YouTube @SchoolofWarPodcast Find more content on our School of War Substack

What defines Iranian identity, both within Iran and across its global diaspora? In this thought-provoking conversation with historian Keanu Heydari, we peel back layers of complexity surrounding one of the world's most politically fragmented diasporic communities.Heydari, a PhD candidate at the University of Michigan specializing in Iranian student activism in post-war France, offers a refreshingly nuanced perspective that avoids both regime apologetics and demonization. The Iranian diaspora, he explains, represents a fascinating anomaly – unlike other immigrant communities that typically organize around cultural markers, Iranians abroad primarily define themselves through political discourse coalitions. From hardline supporters of the Islamic Republic to advocates of monarchy restoration, these political positions often prevent meaningful dialogue between community members.We trace the historical trajectory of modern Iran through pivotal moments like the 1953 CIA-orchestrated coup against Mohammad Mossadegh and the 1979 Islamic Revolution, exploring how these events triggered waves of migration and shaped distinct political consciousnesses. Particularly fascinating is Heydari's analysis of how Iranian nationalism occupies a liminal space between European nationalism and anti-colonial struggles, making it simultaneously attractive and repellent to Western leftists.The conversation ventures into provocative territory when discussing Michel Foucault's misunderstood writings on the Iranian Revolution. Rather than dismissing Foucault as naively romanticizing a repressive regime, Heydari connects Foucault's interest in "Islamic political spirituality" to his broader intellectual project concerning self-transformation and political practice.Whether you're interested in diaspora politics, Middle Eastern history, or the complex interplay between religion and leftist thought, this conversation challenges simplistic narratives and offers fresh perspectives on Iran's place in global politics. Share your thoughts about this episode and let us know which aspects of Iranian diaspora identity you'd like us to explore further.Here are the two articles discussed: Threads of Belonging, Echoes of ExileIran, Israel, & the Logic of EscalationSend us a text Musis by Bitterlake, Used with Permission, all rights to BitterlakeSupport the showCrew:Host: C. Derick VarnIntro and Outro Music by Bitter Lake.Intro Video Design: Jason MylesArt Design: Corn and C. Derick VarnLinks and Social Media:twitter: @varnvlogblue sky: @varnvlog.bsky.socialYou can find the additional streams on YoutubeCurrent Patreon at the Sponsor Tier: Jordan Sheldon, Mark J. Matthews, Lindsay Kimbrough, RedWolf, DRV, Kenneth McKee, JY Chan, Matthew Monahan, Parzival, Adriel Mixon, Buddy Roark, Daniel Petrovic

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This excerpt from a sermon delivered at ColonialKC Church details the history and current work of Elam Ministries, which was co-founded in 1990 to spread Christianity in Iran. The speaker recounts how the ministry grew from a small prayer meeting in 1955, spurred by the Islamic Revolution in 1979 which forced missionaries out of Iran. Despite facing pain and persecution, the ministry focuses on training Iranian leaders, translating and distributing scriptures, and planting house churches, resulting in one of the world's fastest-growing Christian populations—from an estimated 500 Christians of Muslim background in 1979 to over a million today. The message centers on bearing witness to the light of Jesus Christ, which involves sharing a personal encounter with Christ, suffering for one's faith, and being visibly transformed by that faith, illustrating this transformation through several personal testimonies.Support the showThanks for listening! Follow us on Facebook or Instagram more info colonialkc.org

Curious about indie publishing? Physician Paria Hassouri shares her debut journey to self-publish Harvesting Rosewater, centering a woman's midlife awakening.If you've ever been interested in the independent publishing process, you're not alone. Today's revealing conversation with Paria Hassouri, a pediatrician, whose self-published debut, Harvesting Rosewater, recently hit bookstores, takes readers inside her remarkable publishing process. Discover how Paria balances medicine and storytelling in today's under-the-radar debut feature, which centers on a physician's midlife awakening that I guarantee you will not be able to put down.In our illuminating conversation, we explore:Independent Publishing Adventures- Paria opens up about her unique indie publishing path, sharing how she navigated editing, securing book blurbs, and the creative freedom that comes with going her own way—plus the surprises that made the process both challenging and rewarding.Uncovering Autofiction Elements From Paria's Life- Drawing on her own childhood in Iran during the Islamic Revolution, Paria shares personal memories and reflections from this challenging period in her young life in her story. She shares how blending real-life experiences with fiction has allowed her to explore her own identity, belonging, and what she hopes readers will take away from her book.The Women's Life Freedom Movement- We explore how themes of women's rights and resistance shaped this story, offering readers deeper insight into lives under restrictive systems and the tragedy that sparked the movement.

Patrick Bet-David sits down with Tommy Robinson for a no-holds-barred conversation on Britain's largest protest, immigration, free speech, Elon Musk's support, the monarchy, Qatar, and what's next for the UK's political future.----Ⓜ️ MINNECT WITH TOMMY ROBINSON: https://bit.ly/43FeUTA

Fareed Zakaria hosts a detailed special tracing the historical conflict between the United States and Iran, starting with a dramatization of a B-2 bomber strike on Iran's nuclear facilities. The narrative revisits the pivotal 1979 Iranian hostage crisis, emphasizing its roots in a 1953 CIA-led coup against Iran's Prime Minister Mossadeq. The documentary explores the complex history between the two nations, focusing on Iran's Islamic Revolution, the rise of Ayatollah Khomeini, and the subsequent brutal consolidation of power into a theocratic regime. It details the eight-year Iran-Iraq war, the rise of Iran's proxy forces, and the U.S.'s shifting policies towards Iran. The final segment speculates on the potential for future U.S.-Iran relations, highlighting the difficulties in achieving either regime change or friendship and suggesting the possibility of an uneasy coexistence while acknowledging the deep national pride and ancient civilization of Iran. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Patrick Bet-David asks Netanyahu about Iran before and after the 1979 revolution. Netanyahu contrasts the Shah's era of stability with the chaos under the IRGC, explains Iran's economic collapse, global terror sponsorship, and warns of its nuclear ambitions threatening the West.

Following Ayatollah Khomeini's Islamic Revolution in 1979, Iran became the world's only country to be governed by an Islamic theocracy. Today, many of those living under the Islamic regime are filled with despair. Yet, their disillusionment has opened new doors for the Gospel, which is sweeping across the nation via satellite TV, the Internet, as well as a growing number of house church movements. Even so, the government continues its attempts to thwart the spread of Christianity by persecuting the nation's followers of Jesus. Many Iranians are also coming into a relationship with Christ after leaving the country and moving abroad, where they are passionate about seeing fellow Iranians – both inside and outside of the nation – come to faith in Jesus. One such person is Shah Ahmadi of Iran Alive Ministries, a U.S.-based organization and trusted ministry partner of Voice of the Martyrs Canada. In this episode of Closer to the Fire, host Greg Musselman sits down with Shah at the Iran Alive headquarters in Texas. Length: 42 minutes Episode Notes Iran Alive Ministries: www.iranalive.org Voice of the Martyrs Canada: www.vomcanada.com

At the center of all the mayhem surrounding Israel and the Middle East is one powerful, villainous nation: Iran. Every group Israel has been battling—Hamas, Hezbollah, the Houthis—all take their orders from Iran. But it wasn't always this way. The nation once aimed to Westernize to usher in a prosperous era, but the Islamic Revolution dashed those hopes, sending Iran ... Read More The post A Look Into Iran's Modern History | August 9, 2025 appeared first on The Friends of Israel Today Radio.

Regime change started long ago. The new version is just a change of clothes. Dwight Eisenhower was president when the U.S. overthrew the popular democratic government of Mohammad Mossadegh in Iran in 1953. What was Mossadegh's transgression? He wanted Iran's oil to benefit the Iranian people. The coup brought the Shah back from exile and installed him in power. What ensued was 25 years of tyranny and repression culminating in Ayatollah Khomeini's Islamic Revolution. The Iran coup was a pivotal event of the 20th century. Virtually all Iranians know about it. Yet most Americans haven't even heard of it. The U.S. professes that it supports democracy in the Middle East, yet when there was a democratic government in Iran, Washington destroyed it. Recorded at the Pacific Asia Museum.

In this inaugural episode of Sibylline's "Power Players" series, Intelligence Analyst Claire Brady delves into the enigmatic and influential Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). Established in 1979 by Ayatollah Khomeini, the IRGC was created to protect the Islamic Revolution and has since evolved into a socio-military, political and economic force. With a vast network, the IRGC commands significant influence both within Iran and internationally. From controlling Iran's missile program to influencing elections and managing a business empire, the IRGC's reach now extends far beyond its original mandate.  Each episode of Power Players will dive into one major actor shaping our world. That could mean a government, a militia, a political movement, an intelligence agency—or even a global corporation that is orchestrating, pushing, and maybe even puppeteering, the world's most pivotal, dangerous and influential events.    These episodes are narrative-driven, grounded in intelligence analysis, and occasionally feature expert soundbites or quotes. All are researched, written, and hosted by Intelligence Analyst Claire Brady, edited by our media producer with review and input from our regional desks and analysts to ensure accuracy. You'll still hear our regular Insight Episodes on this channel—but Power Players will now appear alongside them, as a reliable way to keep up with the key names and groups driving global events.  If you enjoyed this episode, let us know by liking, subscribing, or leaving a review! You can also contact us with any questions or feedback at info@sibylline.co.uk   Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sibyllineltd/?hl=en  Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/sibylline-ltd/  Follow us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@sibyllineTV  For more information, visit our website: www.sibylline.co.uk  #Geopolitics #PowerPlayers #IRGC #Iran

Beni Sabti, senior Iran expert at the Institute for National Security, reflects on his memories of pre-revolution Tehran, a city he recalls as vibrant and inclusive before the Islamic Revolution shattered its harmony. He also elaborates on Iran's ruling system: its global ambitions, its missteps, the 12 Day War and Iran's future post- Khamenei.

Host Noam Weissman sits down with acclaimed Iranian-American writer Roya Hakakian to trace the complex and often misunderstood history of Persian Jewry. Roya shares her personal story growing up Jewish in Iran before and after the 1979 Islamic Revolution, explores why the country shifted from relative tolerance to theocratic repression, and reflects on why millions of Iranians today remain deeply secular despite their fundamentalist regime. Noam and Roya discuss why Iranian society feels poised for change—and why history teaches us that no regime lasts forever. Here is a link to Roya Hakakian's homepage, bio and work. Here is a link to Roya Hakakian's memoir, Journey from the Land of No: A Girlhood Caught in Revolutionary Iran. Please get in touch at noam@unpacked.media. This podcast was brought to you by Unpacked, a division of OpenDor Media. ------------------- For other podcasts from Unpacked, check out: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Jewish History Nerds⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Soulful Jewish Living⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Stars of David with Elon Gold ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Wondering Jews⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Firas explains the geopolitics of Iran, the Islamic Revolution, and its relationship with Israel.

The U.S. shipped a nuclear reactor to Tehran in the late 1960s. After it cut diplomatic ties with Iran after the Islamic Revolution and during the hostage crisis, Iran turned to Pakistan to keep its atomic ambitions alive. Federal officials aren’t saying how many immigrants they’ve detained. But immigrant advocates say the Adelanto detention center is “bursting at the seams.” Those inside lack access to family members and attorneys. In California, agents claiming to be ICE are wearing masks and refusing to show identification when arresting immigrants. A new bill seeks to make that illegal.  Sally Ride was the first American woman in space, and when she died in 2012, her obituary publicly revealed that she was gay. KCRW hears from her partner Tam O’Shaughnessy, plus the director of the documentary “Sally.” 

World War III is canceled — at least for now. That's where we are after one of the most dramatic weeks I can remember. The United States bombed Iran's nuclear facilities. Israel followed up with its own strikes. Iran responded with missile attacks on CENTCOM in Qatar. And somehow, through all that, we've landed at a ceasefire. It felt like this was going to spiral — like this was going to be Qasem Soleimani times ten. Instead, it fizzled. Iran's missile strikes were calibrated, coordinated with the Qataris, coordinated even with us. They hit the sand, not American soldiers. It was more about sending a message back home than actually escalating the conflict.And that's the strange brilliance of it all. Trump took the boldest action — destroying Iran's nuclear program — and managed to walk away looking like the peacemaker. The people who warned that this would unleash chaos — Tucker Carlson predicting tens of thousands of dead Americans, Steve Bannon talking about gas at $30 a gallon — they look like they overshot. Gas prices are lower. No Americans killed. And Trump's using this moment to reframe himself. He's not just the guy who kept his promise to stop Iran's nukes. He's the guy who did it without dragging America into another endless war. That's going to matter politically. It gives him an argument the MAGA base and the suburbs can both live with.Politics Politics Politics is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Israel's role here is important too. Make no mistake — this was their mission. They wanted Iran's nuclear capacity gone. Trump signed off on a limited U.S. role, but Rising Lion was an Israeli operation at its core. Their goal was never just to set the program back a few years. It was to shake the regime. You can see it in the name — Rising Lion, the symbol of Iran before the Islamic Revolution. They're trying to turn the clock back. And they knew this was their window. Iran's economy is fragile, its proxies are weakened, and Trump was willing to greenlight the hits. The question now is whether this creates the cracks in the regime they've been waiting for — or just rallies Iranians around the flag.The domestic political fallout has been fascinating. Never Trump Republicans who've trashed Trump for years — Bolton, Christie, Kinzinger, even Jeb Bush — lined up to praise him. And that's made MAGA a little uneasy. They didn't sign up for regime change wars. They signed up for America First. And now they're watching Trump get applause from the same people who cheered on Iraq. Meanwhile, Democrats are trying to resurrect the war powers debate, framing this as executive overreach. It's the rare moment where anti-war Republicans and Democrats are kind of saying the same thing. But for now, Trump's riding high. He promised strength without entanglement — and for the moment, he's delivered.The NYC Mayoral Primary: Cuomo Stumbles, Mamdani SurgesOver in New York City, the Democratic mayoral primary has become the most interesting race in the country. Andrew Cuomo should have been cruising. He had the name recognition, the machine, the donor network. But his campaign has been a disaster. He looks old, angry, and out of step. His message is all negative — all about why Mamdani is dangerous, not why Cuomo is right for the job. And the voters can feel that. It's a re-run of 2021 for Cuomo: defensive, brittle, uninspired. Meanwhile, Mamdani is doing what progressives often struggle to do. He's selling a vision. He's making people feel like the future could actually look different.Mamdani's campaign has been relentless. He turned a 14-mile walk from the bottom to the top of Manhattan into a social media juggernaut. TikToks. Instagram reels. Everywhere you look, there's Mamdani, talking to voters, talking about his ideas, looking like he actually wants the job. His policy platform is ambitious — some would say reckless — rent freezes, city-owned grocery stores, free public transit. But it's positive. He's offering something, not just fighting against something. That matters, especially in a city where voters are tired of politics as usual.The ranked choice system adds another layer of drama. Mamdani doesn't have to win outright on the first round. He just has to stay close enough that the second- and third-choice votes break his way. And given how much Cuomo is disliked even by his own side, that's very possible. The big donors are starting to notice. If Mamdani wins the primary, they'll flood Eric Adams with money for the general. They'll do it out of fear — fear that a Mamdani mayoralty would upend the city's power structures in ways they can't predict or control. And they're probably right.But even if Mamdani falls short, this race is a marker for where the Democratic Party is going. The fact that he got this far, this fast, tells you something about the appetite for progressive politics in urban America. Cuomo thought he could coast on his name and his record. Instead, he's found himself outworked, outmessaged, and outmaneuvered. And the rest of the party is watching. Because if Mamdani can do this in New York, somebody else can do it somewhere else. The future is up for grabs.Chapters00:00:00 - Intro00:01:39 - Iran-Israel Ceasefire00:17:53 - NYC Mayoral Primary00:28:00 - Update00:29:04 - Tariff Inflation00:31:18 - Big Beautiful Bill Voting00:34:48 - Trade Deals00:38:02 - Interview with Sam Feist01:11:11 - Wrap-up This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.politicspoliticspolitics.com/subscribe

The U.S. shipped a nuclear reactor to Tehran in the late 1960s. After it cut diplomatic ties with Iran after the Islamic Revolution and during the hostage crisis, Iran turned to Pakistan to keep its atomic ambitions alive. Federal officials aren't saying how many immigrants they've detained. But immigrant advocates say the Adelanto detention center is “bursting at the seams.” Those inside lack access to family members and attorneys. In California, agents claiming to be ICE are wearing masks and refusing to show identification when arresting immigrants. A new bill seeks to make that illegal.  Sally Ride was the first American woman in space, and when she died in 2012, her obituary publicly revealed that she was gay. KCRW hears from her partner Tam O'Shaughnessy, plus the director of the documentary “Sally.” 

Has the crisis over Iran driven its already weakened leader to the brink? Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is unpopular but do the people of Iran want regime change from outside? And if he falls, what then for Iran?This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestoryGuests: Professor Mohsen Milani, Author, The Making of Iran's Islamic Revolution.Fatemeh Jamalpour, Iranian Journalist.Host: Manveen Rana, Producer: Shabnam Grewal. Further reading: Will Israel's strikes on Iran bring about a regime change?Iran needs regime change — I'd die for it, says Shah's sonIran's Rise and Rivalry with the US in the Middle East: Iran's Rise and its Geostrategic Rivalry with the US in the Middle East by Mohsen Milani Further listening: Iran strikes back: what next?Clips: BBC, ITN News, Coup53, MSNBC, ABC, Al Jazeera English, CBS, DW News.Photo: Getty Images.Get in touch: thestory@thetimes.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Islamic Revolution in 1979 created an Iranian-dominated Middle East, and unleashed seemingly endless decades of Islamic terrorism around the world. Iran created a proxy terror network that included Hezbollah, Hamas, Houthis and The Palestinian Islamic Jihad. The first crack in the wall appeared in 2020 with the introduction of the Abraham Accords, then the events of October 7th, which all lead us to where we are right now in 2025. A new Middle East is being formed, and Israel is right where the prophets said she would be at the end of the Church Age, at the dawn of Jacob's trouble.“But I will shew thee that which is noted in the scripture of truth: and there is none that holdeth with me in these things, but Michael your prince.” Daniel 10:21 (KJB)On this episode of the Prophecy News Podcast, the entire world has been on pins and needles these past 7 days, watching the astonishing and often-times horrifying events happening in the Middle East. These events have also been driving a wedge right down the middle of Trump's MAGA Movement, half of whom stand for Israel and the other half do not. Whatever happens by the time this thing is all done, one thing is assured. You will have a very different Middle East, guaranteed. Over in Rome, the Catholic Church has been enjoying the “bump” they have gotten with the election of Pope Leo XIV, and Catholics worldwide are suddenly motivated and energized. Everywhere you look, there is electricity in the air, and that's because we are on the cusp of the revealing of the man of sin who is coming to claim his Middle Eastern kingdom. On this episode, we will show you how very drastically the last days landscape is changing, and where it is all leading. Tick, tock, goes the end times clock.

OK. Tonight I really. Must sleep.I spoke last night with Beni Sabti, an Iranian-born expert on security, culture and politics of his native country. BenI has been going night and day since Friday morning, being one of the most highly regarded Iran experts in the world. So I was thrilled to finally have some time to speak with him Wednesday night. We both signed off, exhausted, around midnight. Five minutes later the first alarms went off in central Israel, where he lives. This morning, multiple targets were hit by Iranian missiles, including Be'er Sheba's Soroka Hospital. We begin with a brief report on that, but this podcast is really devoted to Beni's insights about the psychology of Iranian leadership. Western analysts tend to extol the savvy Iranian negotiation strategy, but Beni is far less reverential. He thinks that the leaders of Iran have made a hash of nuclear negotiations. As well, the overwhelming majority of the population loathes this regime and is desperate for change. It's a fascinating exploration of a country and culture under siege and how they might react in the coming days.You may want to watch this one on YouTube - there are some interesting visuals throughout but especially for the first five minutes or so. State of Tel Aviv is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Podcast NotesBeni Sabti is an Iran expert at the INSS. Sabti was born in Iran in 1972 and raised primarily under the Islamic Revolution regime. After escaping Iran to Israel in 1987, he served in the IDF, primarily as a researcher, mostly in projects relating to Iranian culture and influence on cognition, decision-making, and media. One of the flagship projects he led was the establishment of the IDF Spokesperson's platforms in Persian, designed to address the Iranian people directly.Sabti holds an M.A in political science and public communications from Bar Ilan University, and was a research fellow at JISS in Jerusalem. Sabti gives lectures about many issues related to Iran and is a commentator on Iran for media outlets in Israel and abroad. He was also one of the cultural advisors to the series “Tehran,” broadcast on Apple TV and Israel's Channel 11. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.stateoftelaviv.com/subscribe

Israel's Operation Rising Lion: Nuking Iran's Arsenal Sparks WWIII Fears—Candace Owens' Claim Dissected Join Richard Syrett for a gripping episode dissecting Israel's daring Operation Rising Lion, a bold strike on Iran's nuclear and ballistic missile sites. Guest Ali Siadian, an Iranian-Canadian who escaped the Islamic Revolution and now serves as Tafsik's Education Director, offers unparalleled insights into Middle East tensions. Together, they unpack the raid's implications and react to Candace Owens and Ian Carroll's provocative claim on The Candace Owens Show that this sparks World War III. Tune in for a riveting discussion on geopolitics, survival, and the edge of global conflict. Ali Siaditan is an Iranian Canadian who fled Iran after the Islamic Revolution. He is expert on Middle East affairs and the Education Director of Tafsik, a Jewish Civil Rights Group. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week we talk about tit-for-tat warfare, conflict off-ramps, and Israel's renewed attacks on Iran's nuclear program.We also discuss the Iron Dome, the Iran-Iraq War, and regime change.Recommended Book: How Much is Enough? by Robert and Edward SkidelskyTranscriptIn late-October of 2024, Israel launched a wave of airstrikes against targets in Iran and Syria. These strikes were code-named Operation Days of Repentance, and it marked the largest such attack on Iran by Israel since the 1980s, during the height of the Iran-Iraq War.Operation Days of Repentance was ostensibly a response to Iran's attack on Israel earlier than same month, that attack code-named Operation True Promise II, which involved the launch of around 200 ballistic missiles against Israeli targets. Operation True Promise II was itself a response to Israel's assassination of the leader of Hamas, the leader of Hezbollah, and the Deputy of Operations for Iran's Revolutionary Guard.If you feel like there might be a tit-for-tat pattern here, you're right. Iran and Israel have been at each other's throats since 1979, following the Islamic Revolution when Iran cut off all diplomatic relations with Israel; some backchannel relations continued between the two countries, even through part of the Iran-Iraq War, when Israel often supported Iran in that conflict, but things got tense in the early 1980s when Iran, partnering with the Syrian government, started backing Hezbollah and their effort to boot Israel out of Southern Lebanon, while also partnering with Islamist militants in Iraq and Yemen, including the Houthis, and at times Hamas in Gaza, as well.Most of these attacks have, until recently, been fairly restrained, all things considered. There's long been bravado by politicians on both sides of the mostly cold war-ish conflict, but they've generally told the other side what they would be hitting, and signaled just how far they would be going, telling them the extent of the damage they would cause, and why, which provides the other side ample opportunity to step off the escalatory ladder; everyone has the chance to posture for their constituents and then step back, finding an off-ramp and claiming victory in that specific scuffle.That back-and-forth in late-2024 largely stuck to that larger pattern, and both sides stuck with what typically works for them, in terms of doing damage: Israel flew more than 100 aircraft to just beyond or just inside Iran's borders and struck a bunch of military targets, like air defense batteries and missile production facilities, while Iran launched a few hundred far less-accurate missiles at broad portions of Israel—a type of attack that could conceivably result in a lot of civilian casualties, not just damage to military targets, which would typically be a no-no if you're trying to keep the tit-for-tat strikes regulated and avoid escalation, but because Israel has a fairly effective anti-missile system called the Iron Dome, Iran could be fairly confident that just hurling a large number of missiles in their general direction would be okay, as most of those missiles would be shot down by the Iron Dome, the rest by Israel's allies in the region, and the few that made it through or struck unoccupied land in the general vicinity would make their point.While this conflict has been fairly stable for decades, though, the tenor and tone seems to have changed substantially in 2025, and a recent wave of attacks by Israel is generally being seen as the culmination of several other efforts, and possibly an attempt by the Israeli government to change the nature of this conflict, perhaps permanently.And that's what I'd like to talk about today; Operation Rising Lion, and the implications of Israel's seeming expansion and evolution of their approach to dealing with Iran.—In mid-June of 2025, Israel's military launched early morning strikes against more than a dozen targets across Iran, most of the targets either fundamental to Iran's nuclear program or its military.The strikes were very targeted, and some were assassinations of top Iranian military leaders and nuclear scientists, like the Commander of the Revolutionary Guard, along with their families, including twenty children, who were presumably collateral damage. Some came from beyond Iran's borders, some were conducted by assets smuggled into Iran earlier: car bombs and drones, things like that.More attacks followed that initial wave, which resulted in the collapse of nuclear sites and airport structures, along with several residential buildings in the country's capitol, Tehran.This attack was ostensibly meant to hobble Iran's nuclear program, which the Iranian government has long claimed is for purely peaceful, energy-generation purposes, but which independent watchdog organizations, and pretty much every other non-Iranian-allied government says is probably dual-purpose, allowing Iran to produce nuclear energy, but also nuclear weapons.There was a deal on the books for a while that had Iran getting some benefits in exchange for allowing international regulators to monitor its nuclear program, but that deal, considered imperfect by many, but also relatively effective compared to having no deal at all, went away under the first Trump administration, and the nuclear program has apparently been chugging along since then with relative success; claims that Iran is just weeks from having enough fissile material to make a nuclear weapon have been common for years, now, but they apparently now have enough nuclear weapons-grade materials to make several bombs, and Israel in particular is quite keen to keep them from building such a weapon, as Iran's leaders, over the years, have said they'd like to wipe Israel off the face of the Earth, and nuclear weapons would be a relatively quick and easy way to make that happen.Of course, even without using such a weapon, simply having one or more is a sort of insurance policy against conventionally armed enemies. It ups the stakes in every type of conflict, and allows the nuclear-armed belligerent to persistently raise the specter of nuclear war if anyone threatens them, which is truly terrifying because of how many nuclear-related failsafes are in place around the world: one launch or detonation potentially becoming many, all at once, because of Dr. Strangelove-like automated systems that many militaries have readied, just in case.So the possibility that Iran might be on the brink of actually, really, truly this time making a nuclear weapon is part of the impetus for this new strike by Israel.But this is also probably a continuation of the larger effort to dismantle Iran's influence across the region by the current Israeli government, which, following the sneak attack on Israel by Hamas on October 7, 2023, and the subsequent invasion of the Gaza Strip by Israeli forces, has been trying to undermine Iran's proxies, which again, include quite a few militant organizations, the most powerful of which, in recent years, have been the trio of Hamas in Gaza, the Houthis in Yemen, and Hezbollah in southern Lebanon, right on Israel's border.Israel's invasion of Gaza, which has led to an absolutely catastrophic humanitarian situation for Gazan civilians, but has also led to the near-total collapse of Hamas as a functioning militant organization in the Strip, could be construed as a successful mission, if you ignore all those civilians casualties and fatalities, and the near-leveling of a good portion of the Strip.Israel was also able to take out a significant portion of Hezbollah's leadership via conventional aerial attacks and ground-assaults, and a bizarrely effective asymmetric attack using bombs installed in the pagers used by the organization, and it's been able to significantly decrease the Houthis' ability to menace ships passing through the Red Sea, using their own military, but also through their relationship with the US, which has significant naval assets in the area.Iran has long projected power in the region through its relationship with these proxies, providing them training and weapons and money in exchange for their flanking of Israel. That flanking was meant to keep Israel perpetually off-balance with the knowledge that if they ever do anything too serious, beyond the bounds of the controllable tit-for-tat, Cold War-style conflict in which they were engaged with Iran, they could suffer significant damage at home, from the north via Lebanon, from their southwestern flank via Gaza, or from a little ways to the south and via their coast from Yemen.Those proxies now largely hobbled, though, Israel found itself suddenly freed-up to do something more significant, and this attack is being seen by analysts as the initial stages of what might be a more substantial, perhaps permanent solution to the Iran problem. Rather than being a show of force or a tit-for-tat play, these might be the beginning days of an assault that's meant to enact not just a dismantling of Iran's nuclear program, but full-on regime change in Iran.And regime change means exactly what it sounds like: Iran's government is Islamist, meaning that it wants to enforce a fairly brutal, repressive version of Islam globally, and it already does so against its people. There have periodically been successful protests against these measures by Iranian citizens, especially by severely repressed women and minority groups in the country, including folks of different religions and LGBTQ identifying folks, among others, almost always these protests, and any other attempts to attain more rights and equality for people who aren't strictly Islamist men, generally result in violence, the black-bagging of protest leaders, extrajudicial killings and lifetime imprisonment and torture; a whole lot of really authoritarian, generally just villain-scale behavior by the Iranian government against anyone who steps out of line.So the Iranian government is pretty monstrous by most modern, democratic standards, and the Israeli government's seeming desire to crush it—to cry false on the regime's projection of strength, and create the circumstances for revolution, if that is indeed what they're doing—could be construed as a fairly noble goal.It perhaps serves the purposes of Israel, as again, Iran has said, over and over, that they want to destroy Israel and would totally do so, given the chance. But it arguably also serves the purpose of democratic-leaning people, and perhaps even more so folks who are suffering under the current Iranian regime, and maybe even other, similar regimes in the region. Which again, in terms of spreading democracy and human rights, sounds pretty good to some ears.That said, Israel is killing a lot of Iranian civilians alongside military targets, and its efforts in Gaza have led to accusations that it's committing genocide in the region. Israeli leaders have themselves been accused of anti-democratic actions, basically doubling-down on the nation's furthest-right, most militant, and most authoritarian and theocratic impulses, which makes any claims of moral superiority a little tricky for them to make, at this point.There's a chance, of course, that all this speculation and analysis ends up being completely off-base, and Israel is really, truly just trying to hobble Iran a bit, taking out some of their missile launchers and missile- and drone-manufacturing capacity, while also pushing back their acquisition of nuclear weapons by some meaningful amount of time; that amount of time currently unknown, as initial reports, at least, indicate that many of the attacks on Iran's most vital nuclear research and development facilities were perhaps not as effective as Israel had hoped. There's a chance that if enough overall damage is done, Iran's government will enthusiastically return to the negotiating table and perhaps be convinced to set their nuclear program aside willingly, but at the moment both Iran and Israel seem committed to hurting each other, physically.On that note, so far, as of the day I'm recording this, Iran has launched around 100 missiles, killed a few dozen Israelis, and injured more than 500 of the same. The Iranian government has said Israel's strikes have killed at least 224 people and wounded more than 1,200; though a human rights group says the death toll in Iran could be quite a bit higher than official government numbers, with more than 400 people killed, around half of them civilians, so far.It's been nearly a week of this, and it looks likely that these strikes will continue for at least another few days, though many analysts are now saying they expect this to go one for at least a few weeks, if indeed Israel is trying to knock out some of Iran's more hardened nuclear program-related targets; several of which are buried deep down in the ground, thus requiring bunker-buster-style missiles to reach and destroy, and Israel doesn't have such weapons in their arsenal.Neutralizing those targets would therefore mean either getting those kinds of weapons from the US or other allies, taking them out via some other means, which would probably take more time and entail more risk, or doing enough damage quickly than Iran's government is forced to the negotiation table.And if that ends up being the case, if Israel is really just gunning for the nuclear program and nothing else, this could be remembered as a significant strike, but one that mostly maintains the current status quo; same Iranian leadership, same perpetual conflict between these two nations, but Israel boasting even more of an upper-hand than before, with less to worry about in terms of serious damage from Iran or its proxies for the next several years, minimum.It does seem like a good moment to undertake regime change in Iran, though, as doing so could help Israel polish up its reputation, at least a little, following the reputational drubbing it has taken because of its actions in Gaza. I doubt people who have really turned on Israel would be convinced, as doing away with an abusive, extremist regime, while doing abusive, extremist regime stuff yourself the homefront, probably won't be an argument that convinces many Palestinian liberation-oriented people; there's a chance some of those people will even take up the cause of Iranian civilians, which is true to a point, as many Iranian civilians are suffering and will continue to suffer under Israel's attacks—though of course that leaves out the part about them also suffering, for much longer, under their current government.That said, taking Iran out of the geopolitical equation would serve a lot of international interests, including those of the US—which has long hated Iran—and Ukraine, the latter of which because Russia has allied itself with the Iranian government, and buys a lot of drones, among other weapons, from Iran. That regime falling could make life more difficult for Russia, at least in the short term, and it would mean another ally lost in the region, following the fall of the Assad regime in Syria in late-2024.There's a chance that these same geopolitical variables could pull other players into this conflict, though: Russia could help Iran, for instance, directly or indirectly, by sending supplies, taking out Israeli missiles and drones, maybe, while the US could help Israel (more directly, that is, as it's apparently already helping them by shooting down some of Iran's counterstrike projectiles) by providing bunker-buster weapons, or striking vital military targets from a distance.Such an escalation, on either side, would probably be pretty bad for everyone except possibly Iran, though Israel has said it wants the US to join in on its side, as that would likely result in a much quicker victory and far fewer casualties on its side.The US government is pretty keen to keep out of foreign conflicts right now, though, at least directly, and Russia is pretty bogged down by its invasion of Ukraine; there's a chance other regional powers, even smaller ones, could act as proxies for these larger, outside forces—the Saudis taking the opportunity to score some damage on their long-time rival, Iran, for instance, by helping out Israel—but any such acts would expand the scope of the conflict, and it's seldom politically expedient to do anything that might require your people make any kind of sacrifice, so most everyone will probably stay out of this as long as they can, unless there are serious benefits to doing so.Show Noteshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/June_2025_Israeli_strikes_on_Iranhttps://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2025/06/13/israel-iran-regime-attack-goal-column-00405153https://www.foreignaffairs.com/israel/real-threat-iran-tehran-most-dangerous-option-responding-israelhttps://www.twz.com/news-features/could-iran-carry-out-its-threat-to-shut-the-strait-of-hormuzhttps://www.jpost.com/israel-news/defense-news/article-857713https://kyivindependent.com/israel-asks-us-to-join-strikes-on-irans-nuclear-sites-officials-told-axios/https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog-june-15-2025/https://www.twz.com/air/israel-escalates-to-attacking-iranian-energy-targets-after-ballistic-missiles-hit-tel-avivhttps://www.cnn.com/world/live-news/israel-iran-strikes-news-06-14-25https://www.timesofisrael.com/idf-confirms-irgc-air-force-chief-top-echelon-killed-in-israeli-strike/https://time.com/7294186/israel-warns-tehran-will-burn-deadly-strikes-traded-nuclear-program/https://www.nytimes.com/live/2025/06/14/world/israel-iran-newshttps://www.nytimes.com/2025/06/13/opinion/israel-iran-strikes.htmlhttps://www.nytimes.com/2025/06/14/world/middleeast/drones-smuggled-israel-iran-ukraine-russia.htmlhttps://www.nytimes.com/live/2025/06/15/world/iran-israel-nuclearhttps://www.nytimes.com/2025/06/15/world/middleeast/iran-military-leaders-killed.htmlhttps://www.nytimes.com/2024/04/14/world/europe/israel-iron-dome-defense.htmlhttps://www.nytimes.com/2025/06/14/world/middleeast/israel-iran-missile-attack.htmlhttps://www.nytimes.com/2025/06/14/world/middleeast/iran-israel-energy-facility-strikes-tehran.htmlhttps://www.cnn.com/world/live-news/israel-iran-strikes-news-06-15-25https://www.lawfaremedia.org/article/was-israel-s-strike-on-iran-a-good-idea--four-questions-to-askhttps://apnews.com/article/israel-iran-missile-attacks-nuclear-news-06-16-2025-c98074e62ce5afd4c3f6d33edaffa069https://www.nytimes.com/2025/06/16/world/middleeast/iran-israel-war-off-ramp.htmlhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/October_2024_Iranian_strikes_on_Israelhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/October_2024_Israeli_strikes_on_Iranhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Axis_of_Resistancehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2024_Lebanon_electronic_device_attacks This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit letsknowthings.substack.com/subscribe

Send us a textNick is a fascinating guy. He was born in Iran and had an American dad, then fled the country during the Islamic Revolution.  He came to the US and had along career in Special Operations.  Since then, he has worked in IT consulting.  

Andrew Callaghan and Patrick Bet-David go deep on Iran, freedom, authoritarianism, and how personal history shapes political views. From the Islamic Revolution to modern American polarization, this is a generational bridge of experience and ideology you don't want to miss.

Description Returning guest Rachel Armstrong joins Joe to discuss the classic graphic novel Persepolis. Created by Marjane Satrapi, this autobiographical graphic novel tells the story of her life in Iran after the Islamic Revolution. Persepolis is told in two parts, … Continue reading →

Overflowing with news items, Jim presented another 'Round-Up' broadcast. Listeners added their comments as well. Here are stories presented during the first quarter hour:--Hamas, the Iranian backed terror organization, announced Wednesday that they won't be complying with the next stage of the previously negotiated hostage deal. Israeli violations are said to be the reason for their decision. --A task force devoted to the prosecution of October 7th massacre perpetrators and supporters was established by the U.S. Attorney General's office. That's according to a memorandum issued by Attorney General Pam Bondi.--The Palestinian Authority Chairman, Mahmoud Abbas, issued a decree on Monday, ostensibly ending his embattled government's terrorist payment program known as "pay for slay."--Iranian people marked the 46th anniversary of the 1979 Islamic Revolution with cries of, "Death to the Islamic Republic" and "Death to the Dictator" ringing through several cities.--Iran's currency plunged to a new all-time low against the U.S. dollar on February 8th.--President Trump appears to have at least partially won over Jordanian leader King Abdullah II after their Tuesday meeting to discuss plans for the U.S. to take over and rebuild the Gaza strip.--A Hezbollah field commander, Abbas Haidar, was killed last Friday along with several members of his family, in an explosion in southern Lebanon.--The Trump administration is planning to sell more than 7 billion dollars in weapons to Israel, including thousands of missiles and bombs.--2 Jewish men were accosted by a woman spewing anti-semitic slurs in mid-town Manhattan. Jim provided audio.

Overflowing with news items, Jim presented another 'Round-Up' broadcast. Listeners added their comments as well. Here are stories presented during the first quarter hour:--Hamas, the Iranian backed terror organization, announced Wednesday that they won't be complying with the next stage of the previously negotiated hostage deal. Israeli violations are said to be the reason for their decision. --A task force devoted to the prosecution of October 7th massacre perpetrators and supporters was established by the U.S. Attorney General's office. That's according to a memorandum issued by Attorney General Pam Bondi.--The Palestinian Authority Chairman, Mahmoud Abbas, issued a decree on Monday, ostensibly ending his embattled government's terrorist payment program known as "pay for slay."--Iranian people marked the 46th anniversary of the 1979 Islamic Revolution with cries of, "Death to the Islamic Republic" and "Death to the Dictator" ringing through several cities.--Iran's currency plunged to a new all-time low against the U.S. dollar on February 8th.--President Trump appears to have at least partially won over Jordanian leader King Abdullah II after their Tuesday meeting to discuss plans for the U.S. to take over and rebuild the Gaza strip.--A Hezbollah field commander, Abbas Haidar, was killed last Friday along with several members of his family, in an explosion in southern Lebanon.--The Trump administration is planning to sell more than 7 billion dollars in weapons to Israel, including thousands of missiles and bombs.--2 Jewish men were accosted by a woman spewing anti-semitic slurs in mid-town Manhattan. Jim provided audio.

Today, we sit down with Lily Meschi, the director of partner relations at Iran Alive Ministries, to hear her testimony of coming to Christ after growing up Muslim and surviving an abusive, arranged marriage. She shares with us her story of how she came to Christ in the midst of that abusive marriage after a family friend shared the gospel with her. She tells us about what it's like to grow up Muslim in Iran in the aftermath of the Islamic Revolution and how women suffer under the oppressive regime. Despite everything standing in its way, Christianity is on the rise in Iran as more and more people grow disillusioned with Islam, and Lily tells us how Iran Alive is spreading the gospel to the people of Iran and giving them hope. Iran Alive Ministries: https://iranalive.org/ Buy Allie's new book, "Toxic Empathy: How Progressives Exploit Christian Compassion": https://a.co/d/4COtBxy --- Timecodes: (00:57) Lily Meschi introduction (05:05) Islamic Revolution (10:23) Growing up Muslim (20:06) Lily's arranged marriage (27:08) Lily's testimony (49:08) Iran Alive Ministries  ---   Today's Sponsors: Seven Weeks - Experience the best coffee while supporting the pro-life movement with Seven Weeks Coffee; use code ALLIE at https://www.sevenweekscoffee.com to save up to 25% and help save lives. Good Ranchers — Go to GoodRanchers.com and use code ALLIE at checkout to claim your free gift and get $25 off your order. CrowdHealth — get your first 3 months for just $99/month. Use promo code 'ALLIE' when you sign up at JoinCrowdHealth.com. Jase Medical — Go to Jase.com and enter code “ALLIE” at checkout for a discount on your order. Carly Jean Los Angeles — Go to https://www.carlyjeanlosangeles.com and use code ALLIEB30 to get 30% off your next CJLA order, site wide (one-time use only) and start filling your closet with timeless staple pieces. --- Links: Iran is responsible for the ‘physical violence' that killed Mahsa Amini in 2022, UN probe finds: https://apnews.com/article/iran-mahsa-amini-protests-un-report-366a199119720e69696a123560ef4018 --- Related Episodes: Ep 717 | From Porn Star to Pastor | Guest: Joshua Broome https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ep-717-from-porn-star-to-pastor-guest-joshua-broome/id1359249098?i=1000588385066 Ep 886 | Donor-Conceived, Lesbian-Raised, & Born Again | Guest: Ross Johnston https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ep-886-donor-conceived-lesbian-raised-born-again-guest/id1359249098?i=1000630733945 ---   Buy Allie's book, You're Not Enough (& That's Okay): Escaping the Toxic Culture of Self-Love: https://alliebethstuckey.com/book Relatable merchandise – use promo code 'ALLIE10' for a discount: https://shop.blazemedia.com/collections/allie-stuckey Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After Iran's Islamic Revolution in 1979, some Christians faced persecution. Between 2002 and 2005, Naghmeh Panahi and her husband, Saeed Abedini, set up a network of secret 'house churches' across the country. But it came at a cost: they were arrested, forced to flee the country, and Saeed was jailed. Naghmeh Panahi speaks to Ben Henderson.Eye-witness accounts brought to life by archive. Witness History is for those fascinated by the past. We take you to the events that have shaped our world through the eyes of the people who were there. For nine minutes every day, we take you back in time and all over the world, to examine wars, coups, scientific discoveries, cultural moments and much more. Recent episodes explore everything from football in Brazil, the history of the ‘Indian Titanic' and the invention of air fryers, to Public Enemy's Fight The Power, subway art and the political crisis in Georgia. We look at the lives of some of the most famous leaders, artists, scientists and personalities in history, including: visionary architect Antoni Gaudi and the design of the Sagrada Familia; Michael Jordan and his bespoke Nike trainers; Princess Diana at the Taj Mahal; and Görel Hanser, manager of legendary Swedish pop band Abba on the influence they've had on the music industry. You can learn all about fascinating and surprising stories, such as the time an Iraqi journalist hurled his shoes at the President of the United States in protest of America's occupation of Iraq; the creation of the Hollywood commercial that changed advertising forever; and the ascent of the first Aboriginal MP.(Photo: Naghmeh Panahi. Credit: Kyle Green/The Washington Post via Getty Images)

Middle East Concern was founded in 1991, in response to needs expressed by Christian leaders in the Middle East and North Africa. Through a network of ministry partners, Middle East Concern seeks to help Christians facing persecution across the Middle East and North Africa. They work to come up with strategies to improve conditions and protect rights of Christians with a goal of seeing Christians able to live out their faith in Christ freely. Brother Rob, a researcher for MEC, shares with VOM Radio this week about his work and about persecution faced by Christians in the MENA region. One of Rob's areas of interest is Iran, and he will tell us about recent large-scale research that shows how many Iranians are questioning and even rejecting Islam since the Islamic Revolution. Many of those have become followers of Jesus Christ—despite the risk of persecution. Rob also tells how God is bringing good out of Christian persecution in Türkiye (formerly Turkey) as Turkish Christian leaders are stepping up to shepherd the church after the expulsions of numerous foreign Christians. The Turkish government's strategy since 2019 has been to designate Christians from other countries living in turkey as a “threat to national security” and force them to leave, causing upheaval to many families who've lived there for decades. David Byle was one of those pushed out of Türkiye after fighting the expulsion order through the court system. Israel is another country where Rob monitors religious freedom and you'll hear about challenges to gospel outreach there. Brother Rob will also share how we can pray for Israel, including Palestinian Christians in the West Bank and Gaza, as there is so much conflict there. “The Christian community in this part of the world,” says Rob, “are the light and salt in these lands.” Prayer is the central part of the ministry at Middle East Concern as they continue to seek God's wisdom in each sensitive situation. Learn how you can pray specifically for Christians in Israel, Iran and Türkiye as Rob shares the needs of the church in these nations. Never miss an episode! Subscribe to the VOM Radio podcast.

Featuring Abdel Razzaq Takriti, this is the first of a two-part epilogue to Thawra (Revolution), our series on Arab radicalism in the 20th century. Today's installment covers the Iranian Islamic Revolution's huge impact across the Arab East alongside Saudi and Egyptian efforts to foster religious conservative movements in an effort to supplant and suppress the secular nationalist left. Plus the Iran-Iraq War, the mujahideen in Afghanistan, the First Intifada, Iraq's invasion of Kuwait, the first US-led invasion of Iraq, and the PLO's march toward the Oslo Accords–and how Hamas and Islamic Jihad stepped into the resulting vacuum, picking up a Palestinian armed struggle the PLO had renounced. Support The Dig at Patreon.com/TheDig Buy Nuclear Is Not The Solution at versobooks.com Buy The Wannabe Fascists at UCPress.edu