Podcasts about islamic revolution

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.

Iran and Israel had been engaged in  years-long shadow war, attacking each other's assets without taking responsibility. Those attacks had ratcheted up considerably during the war in Gaza, sparked by the Palestinian group Hamas's assault on a nearby Israeli community. In October of 2023, we remember this. The two countries were allied until 1979, with the Islamic Revolution in Iran bringing in a regime that opposing the existence of  Israel as a key Part of its ideology. Iran did not recognise Israel's right to exist and seeks its eradication. The country's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khomeini, has called Israel a cancerous tumour that will undoubtedly be uprooted and destroyed. Israel believes that Iran poses a central threat to threat as as evidenced by Tehran's rhetoric, which builds up proxy forces in regions including the Lebanese Shia militant group, Hezbollah, that are sworn to Israel's destruction. Israel accuses Iran of secretly trying to develop nuclear weapons. You're going to hear some statements from Danny Danon, the ambassador to the United NationsBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/policy-and-rights--3339563/support.

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

Trump has called for Iran’s “unconditional surrender” as the Israel-Iran conflict escalates into its sixth day. At the same time, he hinted on the possibility of sending diplomatic envoys, including Vice President J.D. Vance, to speak with Iranian officials, raising questions about US role in this conflict and what it aims to achieve. Meanwhile, Iran is facing its most serious internal security breach since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, losing key military figures, fending off cyberattacks, and watching its regional influence unravel as allies weaken across the region. On The Big Story, Hongbin Jeong speaks to Dr Leon Goldsmith, Senior Lecturer in Middle East Politics, University of Otago, to unpack the latest updates on the Israel-Iran conflict.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 →

For the last 46 years, the Iranian Islamic Republic has been singularly responsible for inspiring and funding a vast network of terror around the world. Tens if not hundreds of thousands have been killed, including in Iran and throughout the Middle East. Nowhere is this more true than in Israel where Iran itself, and multiple Iranian proxies have targeted and attacked Israel for decades. Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis are the main culprits. As Iran still working toward the means to build a nuclear weapon which would threaten Israel, and the Saudis and others. Conventional wisdom is that they could break out in weeks. This would be a game changer throughout the Middle East and the world. Despite its proxies being weakened, can Iran be counted out? · PLEASE DONATE TO THE GENESIS 123 FOUNDATION ISRAEL EMERGENCY FUND AT WWW.GENESIS123.CO

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

The bravest person on the planet is Iranian. Her name is Ahoo Daryaei. Ahoo is a student who stripped to her underwear on the streets of Iran after the Iranian morality police accosted her for not wearing a hijab. There is an honorific title for this kind of Iranian woman: shirzan. Ahoo is shirzan: a lioness; a woman who protects herself, her family, friends, community, and country at all costs.Shirzan.Iran has many shirzans, including my guest, Nazee Moinian. Nazee was born in Iran but fled with her family for freedom. She holds a PhD in Iranian studies with a sharp understanding of the nation's rich, rich history, plus its modern-day leaders from the Shah through the Ayatollah Khomeini. Nazee currently serves as a fellow at the Middle East Institute, speaks five languages, and hosts various think tanks on this subject matter. Could a feminist uprising topple Iran's theocracy? Is the Iranian regime on the verge of collapsing? In this episode of Some Future Day, host Marc Beckman sits down with Nazee Moinian, an insightful voice on Iranian culture, history, and geopolitics. Nazee takes us on a journey through the vibrant and transformative years of 1960s and 70s Iran, recounting the country's progress under the Shah's modernization efforts and its dramatic shift following the Islamic Revolution.Delving into her personal experiences growing up in Iran, Nazee reflects on the socio-cultural evolution of the nation, the role of women as fearless change agents, and the historic bond between Iran and Israel. The conversation explores the complexities of Iran's current regime, its foreign policies, and the ongoing resistance led by courageous Iranian women.With historical depth and poignant storytelling, this episode highlights the resilience of a people yearning for freedom and the potential for a brighter future. Tune in for a riveting discussion on leadership, cultural transformation, and the enduring power of hope.Preorder Marc's new book, "Some Future Day: How AI Is Going to Change Everything"Sign up for the Some Future Day Newsletter here: https://marcbeckman.substack.com/Episode Links:Nazee on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nazeemahnazmoinianNazee on Twitter: https://x.com/nazeemoinian?lang=enJpost Article: https://www.jpost.com/opinion/article-820947To join the conversation, follow Marc Beckman here: YoutubeLinkedInTwitterInstagramTikTok

Naghmeh Aberdini - Part 1 Today, hosts Mark Stafford and SOM International CEO David Witt welcome special guest Naghmeh Aberdini, a passionate advocate for the Persecuted Church in Iran and the Middle East. You'll hear Naghmeh's captivating story of faith and resilience as she shares her journey of finding Jesus amid the chaos of the Islamic Revolution and the Iran-Iraq War. Raised in a devout Muslim household, Naghmeh's life took a transformative turn when she encountered Jesus Christ, leading to a lifelong mission to support the Underground Church. Gain insight into her mission work, her first experiences with the Amish Mennonites, and the inspiring power of faith and perseverance. Don't miss this compelling episode highlighting leadership and resilience in the Christian community at risk. Learn more about Naghmeh Aberdini and her book, I Didn't Survive.

Part III: Religious Minorities in Modern Iran ‎ In this episode, I delved into the intricate dynamics of religious minorities in the Islamic Republic of Iran. ‎We explored how the 1979 Islamic Revolution brought ideological shifts that reshaped policies and ‎attitudes toward non-Muslim communities. From the strategic public relations campaigns projecting ‎tolerance to the underlying systemic discrimination entrenched in laws, the discussion unravelled the ‎complexities of the state's dual narrative.‎ I also examined the social realities faced by Iran's religious minorities, including Persian Jews, Christians, ‎and Zoroastrians, and how they navigate a society shaped by both solidarity and segregation. The ‎episode further addressed Iran's ideological opposition to Zionism, its domestic policies toward Jewish ‎communities, and the broader global implications of its approach to diversity.‎ This conversation offered a nuanced look at the contradictions between ideology and practice, shedding ‎light on the delicate balance between state policies and societal attitudes. Your thoughts and reflections ‎are welcome—let's keep the dialogue going!‎ Keywords ‎ ‎#ReligiousMinorities; #IranianHistory; #IslamicRevolution; #ShiiteIslam; #MinorityRights; ‎‎#IslamicRepublic; #Zionism; #ReligiousDiscrimination; #HumanRights; #IranianJews; #Zoroastrianism; ‎‎#ChristianityInIran; #InterfaithRelations; #ClericalInfluence; #PersianSociety; #ToleranceAndContradictions; #IranianConstitution‎

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)

Iran's Religious and Ethnic Diversity, Part I: Introduction This episode delves into the rich tapestry of Iran's religious, linguistic, and ethnic diversity, tracing its ‎roots from the ancient Persian empires to the transformative events of the Islamic Revolution of 1979. ‎Iran's historical role as a crossroads of civilizations has shaped a multi-ethnic society, with Persian as the ‎national language alongside numerous minority languages and dialects. Religiously, while Shiism ‎dominates, smaller communities of Sunni Muslims, Christians, Jews, Zoroastrians, and Bahā'īs ‎contribute to the nation's pluralistic identity.‎ We explore how efforts at centralization during the Pahlavi era—through language policies, land ‎reforms, and modernization—sought to homogenize this diversity, often with limited success. The ‎Islamic Revolution then ushered in a Shiite theocracy, profoundly impacting Iran's sociopolitical fabric. ‎Recognized religious minorities, such as Zoroastrians, Christians, and Jews, face varying degrees of ‎inclusion and restrictions, influenced by constitutional provisions and state strategies.‎ From Reza Shah's modernization policies to Khomeini's establishment of a dual governance system, ‎the episode examines the tension between Iran's vibrant diversity and the state's attempts to impose ‎ideological unity.‎ Keywords ‎#IranDiversity #ReligiousPluralism #IslamicRevolution #PersianHeritage #EthnicMinorities #Jews ‎‎#Iranianjews #Rezashah #Khomeini #Iran‎

In this special episode of Lox of Laughs, host Ashley Arpel Steinback interviews Dr. Sheila Nazarian, a well-known plastic surgeon and TV personality. Dr. Nazarian shares her journey from Iran to the U.S., her struggles with antisemitism, and her advocacy for Jewish rights. Their conversation delves into Dr. Nazarian's successful career, parenting philosophies, and thoughts on the political climate in California. She emphasizes the need for freedom of speech and pride in one's identity.Key Takeaways:Passion for Plastic Surgery: Dr. Nazarian was drawn to plastic surgery for its hands-on nature and creativity.Early Life Challenges: Fleeing Iran during the Islamic Revolution was difficult for her family.Education & Dedication: Her path to success was built on education and hard work.Advocacy for Jewish Rights: She actively speaks against antisemitism and encourages being vocal about identity.Role of Television: Her TV presence helps reshape perceptions of plastic surgery.Parenting Values: Dr. Nazarian believes deeply in instilling values in her children.Self-Determined Success: She argues that success is driven by inner conviction, not external validation.Encouragement to Vote: She highlights the importance of voting and democratic participation.Freedom of Speech: Dr. Nazarian emphasizes the value of expressing personal beliefs unapologetically.This episode is an inspiring look into the life of a woman who balances career, advocacy, and family while standing firm in her beliefs.4oFollow Dr. Nazarian here:https://www.instagram.com/drsheilanazarian/Follow the show here:https://www.instagram.com/loxoflaughspodcast/https://www.instagram.com/thatsashleyskitchen/This show is brought to you by The Hopecast Networkhttps://www.instagram.com/hopecastnetwork/

Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world. Military reporter Emanuel Fabian joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan on today's episode. Early this morning, Israel launched Days of Repentance, its long-awaited retaliatory strike against Iran, almost a month after the Islamic Republic's October 1 massive barrage of some 200 ballistic missiles. Fabian explains the timeline and goals of the Israeli Air Force's targeting of strategic military sites near Teheran and other parts of Iran in several waves of operations. The Iranian Air Force reportedly has only a few dozen working strike aircraft, including Russian jets and aging US models acquired before the country's 1979 Islamic Revolution. We hear about Iran's aerial defense and offense capabilities ahead of a potential escalation between Iran and Israel. For news updates, please check out The Times of Israel's ongoing live blog. Discussed articles include: IDF launches strikes on military sites throughout Iran, weeks after missile attack What Iran and Israel would wield in any long-range air war Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by the Pod-Waves. IMAGE: Illustrative: An Israeli Air Force F-15 Eagle fighter aircraft flies over Haifa on September 24, 2024. (Jack Guez / AFP)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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. 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.

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.

Suzi Ehtesham-Zadeh was born in Washington, D.C. to an Iranian father and an American mother. She moved to Iran at age 5 and grew up in Tehran under the Shah. She returned to the U.S. to attend Stanford University, and when the Islamic Revolution started brewing shortly after she graduated, she moved back to Iran and plopped herself down in it. She later received an MFA in Creative Writing from Boston University. A lifelong English teacher, she has taught in schools and universities on three continents, and she now lives in the United States. Her fiction has been published in numerous publications, including The Georgia Review, Gertrude Press, and Fiction International, and she received an honorable mention for The Best American Short Stories 2018. Her latest book, Zan, a collection of short stories, is published in 2024 by Dzanc Books and was the Winner of the 2022 Dzanc Short Collection Prize.https://www.dzancbooks.org/all-titles/p/zan

“I never thought there's antisemitism. It's something from the past, for my grandparents, for my mom a little, but it's not something in my generation, or my kids' generation. It's done . . . apparently, not.” Einat Admony is a chef, cookbook author, comedian, and social media star who grew up in Bnei Brak, Israel. With parents from Iran and Yemen, Einat spent her childhood in the kitchens of Mizrahi, Sephardi, and Ashkenazi neighbors. Learn about her family's deep-rooted Jewish heritage in Iran and the broader Middle East. Along with her mother Ziona's journey from Iran to Israel in 1948, Einat discusses the antisemitism she's dealt with online and on the streets in the past year. Hear her stories of Jewish-Muslim coexistence in Iran and memories of spices and perfumes that inspire Einat's dishes. Her cookbooks Balaboosta and Shuk, along with her Manhattan restaurant Balaboosta, reflect a blend of tradition and innovation. “You could not have Judaism today, if it were not for the Jews of Iran,” says Houman Sarshar, an independent scholar and director of publications at the Center for Iranian Jewish Oral History in Los Angeles. Sarshar highlights the historical relationship between Iran and Israel, noting that Iran was the second Muslim-majority country to recognize Israel post-1948.  The conversation also touches on the challenges faced by Jews in Iran, their cultural integration, and the impact of the 1979 Islamic Revolution.  —- Show notes: How much do you know about Jewish history in the Middle East? Take our quiz. Sign up to receive podcast updates. Learn more about the series. Song credits:  Pond5:  “Desert Caravans”: Publisher: Pond5 Publishing Beta (BMI), Composer: Tiemur Zarobov (BMI), IPI#1098108837 “Suspense Middle East” Publisher: Victor Romanov, Composer: Victor Romanov; Item ID: 196056047 ___ Episode Transcript: EINAT ADMONY: I've been in Israel a few months ago. It's like you always feel loved, you always feel supported. It's still home. It's always going to be my home. MANYA BRACHEAR PASHMAN: The world has overlooked an important episode in modern history: the 800,000 Jews who left or were driven from their homes in the Middle East and North Africa in the mid-20th century. Welcome to the second season of The Forgotten Exodus, brought to you by American Jewish Committee. This series explores that pivotal moment in history and the little-known Jewish heritage of Iran and Arab nations. As Jews around the world confront violent antisemitism and Israelis face daily attacks by terrorists on multiple fronts, our second season explores how Jews have lived throughout the region for generations despite hardship, hostility, and hatred, then sought safety and new possibilities in their ancestral homeland. I'm your host, Manya Brachear Pashman. Join us as we explore untold family histories and personal stories of courage, perseverance, and resilience from this transformative and tumultuous period of history for the Jewish people and the Middle East.  The world has ignored these voices. We will not.  This is The Forgotten Exodus. Today's episode: Leaving Iran. MANYA: Whether she's deviling eggs soaked in beet juice, simmering Oxtail in shawarma spices, or sprinkling za'atar on pastry dough, chef Einat Admony is honoring her family's Middle Eastern heritage. Both the places where they have lived for generations, as well as the place they have and will always call home: Israel.   EINAT/Clip: Start with brushing the puff pastry with olive oil and za'atar. Have some feta all around and shredded mozzarella. Take the other sheet and just cut it to one inch strips. Now we're going to twist. Need to be careful. Now we're just gonna brush the top with the mix of oil and za'atar. Get it some shiny and glazy. This is ready for the oven. Bake at 400 until it's golden. That's it super easy, just sprinkle some za'atar and eat. MANYA: For the chef, author, reality TV star, and comedian, food reflects the Zionist roots that have been a constant for Einat, the self-made balaboosta, who is largely credited with introducing Israeli cuisine to the U.S. That love for Israel goes back generations, long before the modern state existed, when her maternal ancestors lived in the land, that until 1935 was known as Persia, but is now known as Iran. Her own mother Ziona, the third of seven siblings, was even named for the destination where Einat's grandparents aspired to one day raise their family. Returning home to the land of Zion from which Jews had been exiled centuries earlier was always the goal. When you ask her why, Einat laughs in disbelief.  EINAT: Why? Why? That's homeland. I think a lot of Jewish people for hundreds of years was, that's in every prayer, it's in every Shabbat dinner evening. MANYA: The hatred directed toward Israel by Iran's regime in the form of the deadly attacks on Israel by Iran-backed terrorist groups and the Islamic Republic of Iran itself make it hard to believe that Iran was once a place where Jews and the Zionist movement thrived. But in fact, Iran's history includes periods when the wide-open roads between Iran and Israel ran two ways and the countries not only lived in harmony but worked in close partnership.  Iran was the second Muslim-majority country after Turkey to recognize the modern state of Israel after its formation in 1948, and the two established diplomatic ties. Regular flights ran between Tehran's Mehrabad International Airport and Tel Aviv's Ben Gurion airport.  SARSHAR: We cannot overlook the fact that since October 29, 539 BCE the Jewish community of Iran remains to this day the largest community of Jews anywhere in the Middle East outside the state of Israel. To this day. You could not have Judaism today, if it were not for the Jews of Iran.  MANYA: Houman Sarshar is an independent scholar and director of publications at the Center for Iranian Jewish Oral History in Los Angeles. He has edited a number of books, including Esther's Children: A Portrait of Iranian Jews.  SARSHAR: The history of the Jews in Iran begins about 2,700 years ago, when the first community of known Jews was taken to Iran. They are commonly believed to be one of the 10 Lost Tribes. And then when we fast forward to when Nebuchadnezzar came and destroyed the temple in Jerusalem and took Jews into captivity. Some years after that at 539 BCE on October 29, 539 BCE, to be exact, Cyrus the Great, the founder of the Achaemenid dynasty, liberated Babylon and gave Jews the permission to go back to Israel and rebuild the Second Temple. MANYA: Cyrus the Great – a Persian emperor particularly renowned among contemporary scholars for the respect he showed toward peoples' customs and religions in the lands that he conquered. According to the Book of Ezra in the Hebrew Bible, Cyrus even paid for the restoration of the Jewish temple in Jerusalem. SARSHAR: This is known as the Second Temple period in Jewish history, and under the Achaemenid dynasty, Jews participated in every level of society. And a few centuries forward, around the 5th Century, we know the Jews continue to live with many freedoms, because that is the era when the Babylonian Talmud was originally produced in Iran by Rav Ashi. So, you know, there was a thriving rabbanut (rabbanite) in Iran who had the freedom and the luxury and the time to be able to produce such an important document as the Talmud, which has become the cornerstone of all jurisprudence that we know, Western law, and everything. MANYA: The advent and arrival of Islam in Iran in the 7th Century CE changed circumstances somewhat. As was the case across the Middle East, all non-Muslims became dhimmis – residents who paid a special tax and lived under certain restrictions. The situation for Jews worsened in the 16th Century when the Safavid dynasty made the Shiite creed the dominant form of Islam in Iran. Fatwas made life for all non-Shiites quite difficult. SARSHAR: And for reasons that are still open to discussion, all of these restrictions were most vehemently imposed on the Jews of Iran. And because of these restrictions, all non-Shiites were considered religiously impure. And this religious impurity, kind of like the concept of the untouchable sect in India, they were considered pollutive. MANYA: Jews could not look Muslims in the eye. They were placed in ghettos called mahaleh where they could not leave on rainy days for fear the water that splattered on them could contaminate the water supply. They wore yellow stars and special shoes to distinguish them from the rest of the population. They were not allowed to purchase property from Muslims or build homes with walls that were higher than those of their Muslim neighbors. SARSHAR: They could not, for example, participate in the trade of edible goods because, you know, fruits and vegetables and meats carried this pollution. So Muslims could no longer consume the foods that were touched by Jews. And as a result, this created a certain path forward in history for the Jews of Iran.  They went into antique trades. They went into carpet trades. They went into work of textiles. They became musicians. And for the following 500 years, these restrictions kind of guided the way the Jews of Iran lived in that country, even though they had been there for thousands of years previously. MANYA: Houman said the 1895 arrival of the Alliance Israélite Universelle, a Paris-based network of schools for Jewish children throughout the Middle East and North Africa, including within the mahalehs in Persia, was the first step in a series of improvements for Jews there. SARSHAR: Previous to that, Jews were not allowed to get any kind of an education whatsoever. The only teachers were the Muslim clergy, and they refused to teach anything to Jewish students. So this allowed for the Jewish community to finally start to get a Western-style education, which was very important at that time, given all of the dynamics that were going on in society with modernity. MANYA: As educational opportunities increased in the middle of the 19th Century, so did opportunities for the courtiers and elite to travel and see the Western world as it industrialized and modernized, expanding international trade and sharing wealth more widely. SARSHAR: Often they would be sent by their families to go and try to see if they can, you know, find a way to expand the family's businesses and lives as merchants, and they would come back shocked. I mean, Iran was a place where you know of mostly mud brick homes and dirt roads and people riding around on donkeys. And imagine this is all you've known. You never see women walking around the street. The only women you have ever seen with your own eyes in your life are your mom, your sister, your daughter or your wife, and occasionally, sex workers. And that's it. So all of a sudden, you know, you travel a couple of months by boat and train, and you get to Paris, and it's impossible to try to even conceive of the experience. It must have been something like the Hegelian experience of the sublime. What can the world look like? And where is it that I live in, and why isn't my country the same as this? MANYA: By the early 20th Century, the Persian people concluded the answer to that question was in the rule of law. The reason the European nations provided such opportunity for the community at-large had to do with the fact that the law of the land was not arbitrary or enforced by religion or royalty. It was embedded in a constitution – a set of laws that define the structure of a government and the rights of its citizens – a Western tenet that reduced the power of the clergy and created a parliament called the Majles. SARSHAR: They were starting to read travel journals. They were starting to understand the perspective that Westerners had on Iranians, and those perspectives were often awful. You know, the Western world believed, for example –the country was corrupt to the bone in every respect.  So all of these things gradually led to a call for a constitution, the major pivot of which was the establishment of a legislature of law that would start to create a community where everyone can feel like they're equal in the eyes of the law and have something to gain by trying to improve the country as a whole. Iran became the first constitutional monarchy in the Middle East in 1906 when that revolution happened, it was a momentous event. And really, things really, really did, in fact, start to change. MANYA: In 1925, Reza Shah Pahlavi – an arch nationalist who wanted to propel Iran forward into the industrial age – took over the crown of Iran. He welcomed any Iranian citizen to participate in that agenda. SARSHAR: By now, we had a good two generations of Jews who had been French-educated by the Allianz Society.  They had all gone to France at some point in their lives, so they were able to participate in this industrialization of the country, given the language skills that they had and some of the connections they had built in the Western world. MANYA: Both World Wars in Europe took a massive toll on Iran. Despite declaring neutrality, Iran was occupied by European nations that took over the nation's agriculture, treating Iran as a pantry to feed the armies. Droughts and disease worsened the toll. SARSHAR: One of the lesser-known factoids about history is that during World War I, the nation that lost the most individuals as a result of the war was Iran. Above and beyond all European nations who were at war, because of a famine that had started in Iran. The same dynamic started to happen in World War II. MANYA: With nationalist fever sweeping Europe and Iran, the Allies feared the arch-nationalist Shah would go the way of Franco in Spain, Mussolini in Italy, and Hitler in Germany. They also feared the Shah would collaborate with Hitler's Germany to provide oil for the German oil machine and cease being the pantry the Allies needed it to be. In 1941, the Western powers convinced him to abdicate the throne to his son Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi. And when the war ended, Iran was able to enjoy the same economic benefits as the rest of the world at peace time. Most importantly, it was able to profit from its own oil reserves, significantly boosting Iran's national income. SARSHAR: In 1941, it was really the beginning of what is commonly referred to by the scholars of Jewish Iranian history as the Golden Age of Iranian Jewry. From 1941 until the revolution in 1978, the Jewish community of Iran saw a meteoric rise to power and social wealth. Industries such as pharmaceuticals, banking, insurance, real estate development, and other major industries, the aluminum plastics industries in Iran, all were either directly owned by the Jews of Iran or managed under their management.  And during this period, really, we can say that for the first time, after 2,500 years, the Jews of Iran really started to experience the kinds of freedoms that they had not seen since the Achaemenid dynasty. And it is during this time that, you know, we see, really, that life started to change for the Jews of Iran, even though some of the age-old social dynamics were still there.  The institutionalized antisemitism had not been completely wiped out. But for the most part, things had changed because Iranian society in general was also being Westernized, light speed. And many educated people had realized that antisemitism was really looked down upon, you know, that kind of prejudice was really no longer acceptable in the world at large. So many, many sections of the community really had shifted, genuinely shifted. And some, even though maybe their feelings had not changed, knew that their antisemitism was something that they needed to keep private. MANYA: At that time, Iran also became a refuge for Jews fleeing Europe and other parts of the Middle East. On June 1, 1941, a brutal pogrom in Iraq known as the Farhud, incited by Nazi propaganda, targeted Jews celebrating the holiday of Shavuot. Nearly 200 Jews were murdered in the streets. The violence became a turning point for Iraqi Jews. Thousands fled, many stopping in Iran, which became a way station for those headed to Palestine.  In 1942, thousands of Jewish refugees from Poland who had fled across the border into the Soviet Union during the German invasion traveled on trains and ships to Iran. Among the refugees – 1,000 orphaned children.  As Zionist leaders worked to negotiate the young Jews' immigration to Palestine, the Jewish Agency established the “Tehran Home for Jewish Children” – a complex of tents on the grounds of a former Iranian Air Force barracks outside Tehran. More than 800 orphans, escorted by adults, most of them also refugees, moved from Tehran to kibbutzim in Palestine the following year. Later, in 1948, when most Arab League states forbade the emigration of their Jews after the creation of Israel, the Zionist underground continued to smuggle Jews to Iran at about a rate of 1,000 a month, before they were flown to Israel. SARSHAR: The Zionist movement was fairly strong in Iran. It was a very lively movement. The Balfour Declaration was celebrated in all of the Allianz schools in Iran, and very soon thereafter, the first Zionist organization of Iran was established. And truly many of its founding fathers were some of the leading industrialists and intellectuals in Iranian society, in the Jewish Iranian community for the years to come. It was not unlike the kind of Zionism we see today in the United States, for example. You know, the wealthy families of the Jewish communities in New York and Los Angeles, all are very passionate about Israel, but you don't see very many of them selling their homes and packing up and moving to Israel because they just don't want to do it. They feel like they're very comfortable here. And what matters is that a state of Israel should exist, and they are political advocates of that state and of that policy and of its continued existence, but not necessarily diehard participants in the experiment itself. Iranians, after the establishment of the State of Israel, were being encouraged to move to Israel, and the Israeli government was having a lot of difficulty with that, because a lot of Iranians were seeing that life had become better for them, and they weren't as willing to leave, despite the fact that the Kourosh Project provided airplanes to get Jews out of Iran. My own great-grandmother was one of those passengers. She is buried in Mount of Olives in Jerusalem. She was one of the early citizens of Israel who went to live out the Zionist dream. MANYA: Both sides of Einat's family – her mother and father's ancestors – were among those early Israeli citizens. Einat's father was born in Tel Aviv. His parents and grandparents had come from Yemen in the late 19th Century. Einat's mother Ziona was 10 years old when in 1948, the family left Kerman, a city in southeastern Iran known for its carpet weaving and woolen shawls. They arrived in Israel with their suitcases ready to fulfill their dream. But living the dream in the new Jewish nation was not easy. After all, the day after Israel declared its independence, Arab nations attacked the Jewish state, launching the first of a series of Arab-Israeli Wars. EINAT: The story of my mom, it's a very interesting story. The family didn't have much money. There wasn't like, rich family that left, very different story. No, both of my parents come from very, I would say, very poor family. My grandpa was, like, dealing with textile. He was like, traveling from town to town with fabric. And that's what they did. They put them in what's called ma'aborot, which was like a very kind of small villages, tin houses. My mom always said there were seven kids, so all of them in one room. In the winter it's freezing; in the summer, it's super hot. But it was also close to the border, so the one window they have, they always had to cover it so at night, the enemy cannot see the light inside that room and shoot there. Also in the ma'aabarot, nobody speaks the same language. So, it was Moroccan and Iraqi and nobody speak the same dialect or the same language. So, they cannot even communicate quite yet. MANYA: Most of Ziona's six siblings did not go to school. To make it possible for Ziona, her parents placed her in a foster home with an Iraqi family in Ramat Gan, east of Tel Aviv. EINAT: My mom's family decided that for her, she should get education, because most of the siblings didn't went to school or anything, So they put her in a foster home. In an Iraqi home, and she didn't speak a word there. So my mom, as a 10 years old, became a kid for foster parents that live in a center in Ramat Gan, where I basically grew up. And she got education, which was great. She learned also Iraqi, which is Arabic. So she speaks fluent Arabic, but she had not an easy life in coming to Israel from a different country. MANYA: Ziona has shared many of these stories with her daughter in the kitchen and dining room as they prepare and enjoy dishes that remind them of home. When she visited her daughter at her home in upstate New York at the end of the summer, Einat collected as many stories as she could over cutting boards, steaming pots, and sizzling pans. EINAT: There's a lot of story coming up, some old story that I know, some new stories. And it's really nice, because my mom is 84, 85. So, it's really nice to capture all of it, all of it. There is a lot of interesting stuff that happened during the first 10 years when she came to Israel.  That's the main, I think, I always talk about, like, how I grew up and how much food was a very substantial part of our life, if not the biggest part. You know, it's like, family can fight and this, but when it's come to the dinner, it's just change everything, the dynamic. For us, it was a big, significant part of everything. So obviously, most of these stories and memories come in while we're cooking or eating. A lot of time she used to talk about, and still talking about the smells, the smells of the flowers, the smells of the zafar (perfume). She still have the nostalgia from that time and talking very highly about what Iran used to be, and how great, and the relationship between the Muslims and the Jews back then. My grandpa's best friend was crying when he left, and he said: ‘Please don't go. Stay with us.' And he said: ‘I want to go to homeland.' So, they have a really great relationship. She's always talking, actually, about how they come for Shabbat dinner, the friends if they put the cigarettes outside of the door in Shabbat because they were observant. So cigarettes, lighter, everything, they keep it outside, in the garden, not coming inside the house. So a lot of mutual respect for the religion to each other. And I love that stories. It just showed what's happened when people take it extreme. MANYA: Einat's cookbooks and restaurant menus are filled with recipes from her own childhood and her parents' upbringing. To satisfy the appetite of her father, a former Israeli athlete, her house always had hummus and every weekend, the family made a hilbeh sauce --  a traditional Yemenite fenugreek dip made with cardamom, caraway seeds and chili flakes. Other recipes reflect her mother's Persian roots. And then there are recipes that, at first blush, seem to come out of left field, but are inspired by the Iraqi Jewish foster family that raised her mother, and the Mizrahi, Sephardi, and Ashkenazi neighbors that passed through the dining room and kitchen where Einat was raised in Bnei Brak.  Now a Haredi town east of Tel Aviv, it was then a diverse population of Jews from, well, everywhere. Einat still remembers standing on a stool next to the Moroccan neighbor in her building learning how to roll couscous. EINAT: One neighbor that was my second mom, her name was Tova, and she was Moroccan, so it was like, I have another Moroccan mom. But all the building was all Holocaust survivors. None of them had kids, and they were all speaking in Yiddish, mostly. So I grew up with a lot of mix. I wouldn't say, you know, in my time, it's not like our neighborhood. I grew up in Bnei Brak, and our neighborhood was very, it was before Bnei Brak became so religious like today. It was still religious, if you go really in, but we're close to Ramat Gan, and I have to say that it's, I would say, I didn't grow up with, it's very mixed, very mixed.  Wouldn't say I grew up just with Moroccan or Mizrahi, I say that it's very, very mixed. And my mom same. I think a lot of her friend is like, It's my mom would speak some Yiddish. She would do Kugel on Shabbat next to the jachnun and all the Mizrahi food. You know, this is the multi-pot and one things I love in Israel. You can see in one table so many different cultures. And that's something that would have happened in my house a lot. MANYA: That amalgam of Jewish cultures is reflected in her cookbooks Balaboosta and Shuk. It also shows up in her menu at the brick-and-mortar Balaboosta, a quaint Middle Eastern trattoria on Mulberry Street in Manhattan.  The name Balaboosta is borrowed from Yiddish meaning “a perfect housewife” – a twist on ba'al habayit, Hebrew for master of the house, or boss. But Einat insists that the term is no longer exclusively Ashkenazi, nor does it refer exclusively to a woman's domestic role. EINAT: An old friend, chef, asked me when I went to open Balaboosta, and I said, ‘I don't have a name.' She said: ‘What do you call a badass woman in Hebrew?' I'm like, ‘balaboosta.' She said, ‘It's a perfect name. We done.' Took five minutes to find this name, and I love it. It's really connected because for me it's so so much different things. You know, I always talk about the 20th century balaboosta. The balaboosta that outside going to work, the balaboosta that asking a man for a date. The balaboosta that it's not just like she's the housewife and the homekeeper. It's much more than that. Today, she's a multitask badass.  It's much more spiritual than what it is. I think it's the one that can bond the people together and bring them together and make peace between two parties clashing. So for me, it's much more than somebody that can cook and clean. So, much, much more than that. MANYA: Einat's parents became more religious when she was 12, which of course had the opposite effect on their daughter: she rebelled. When her time came to do her mandatory service in the Israel Defense Force, she was determined not to serve in a role typically assigned to women. She requested a post as a firing instructor. But after reviewing the high school transcript shaped by her rebellious adolescence, the IDF assigned her to the Nevatim Air Base where she served as a chauffeur for fighter pilots. EINAT: Back then most women would be secretaries giving coffee to some assholes. I was trying not to do that, and somehow I got very lucky, and I was in the same division, I was in the Air Force. I had amazing time for two years. I start the military a very different person, and left a very different person. I used to hang with a lot of bad people before, really bad people. And when I get to the military, I was a driver of pilots, it's the top of the top of the top in the hierarchy in the military in all IDF. So now I'm hanging with people that have the biggest ambition ever, and I'm learning new stuff, and everything opened up, even my language changed completely. Everything. I was want to travel more than I ever want before, and I have like, crazy dreams. MANYA: To make sure the elite pilots were well-fed, the IDF bused in a group of Yemenite grandmothers to provide ochel bayit, or home-cooked meals. Einat befriended the kitchen staff and helped out from time to time. Then in January 1991, she was tapped to cook a meal that probably launched her career. The IDF chiefs of staff had convened at Nevatim base to discuss the U.S. plan to bomb Iraq during the Gulf War and what Israel would do if Saddam Hussein retaliated with an attack on the Jewish state. But they needed to plot that strategy on full stomachs. A couple of pilots served as her sous chefs. That night, the Israeli generals dined on Chinese chicken with garlic, honey, and soy. And a rice salad. EINAT: It was definitely the turning point, the military.  I would say there is some values of relationship and working ethics that I wouldn't see anywhere else, and that's coming, I think because the military. They're waking up in the morning, the friendship, they're no snitching or none of this. It's to stand up for each other. There is so many other values that I grabbed from that. So when I start my culinary career, and I was in a fine dining kitchen, it was very helpful, very helpful. MANYA: After spending five years in a van driving around Germany – an extended celebration of freedom after IDF service --  it was time to get serious about a career. A culinary career made as good a sense as any. Einat worked as a waitress in Eilat and enrolled in culinary school. At the end, she marched into the kitchen of Keren, one of the first restaurants in Israel to offer haute cuisine. She got an internship, then a job. The former restaurant, run by Israeli Chef and television host Haim Cohen, is credited for reinventing Israeli cuisine. Now, as a restaurant owner and TV personality herself, Einat is largely credited for introducing Israeli cuisine to the U.S. But before she became the self-made Balaboosta of fine Israeli dining, Einat was America's Falafel Queen, made famous by two victories on the Food Network's show Chopped and her first restaurant – now a fast food chain called Ta'im Falafel. But her fame and influence when it comes to Israeli cooking has exposed her to a fair bit of criticism. She has become a target on social media by those who accuse Israelis of appropriating Palestinian foods – an argument she calls petty and ridiculous. So ridiculous, she has found the best platform to address it is on the stage of her new hobby: stand-up comedy. Cooking has always been her Zen. But so is dark humor. EINAT: I like comedy more than anything, not more than food, but close enough. EINAT/Clip: Yeah, this year was great here on Instagram, lot of hate comments, though. A lot about food appropriation, me making Arabic dishes. So let me clarify something here. I check my DNA through ancestry.com and I am 97% Middle Eastern, so I fucking bleed hummus. EINAT: It's very petty. Food, supposed always to share. Food supposed to moving forward.  It's tiring and life is much more complex than to even argue and have a debate about stupid things. I'm done. OK, yes, we're indigenous.I have connection to the land. My parents, my grandparents and great grandparents have connection to that land. Okay, I get it. Now we need to solve what's going on, because there was Palestinian that lived there before, and how we can, for me, how we change the ideology, which I don't see how we can, but how we can change the ideology, convince them that they want peace. And they want…I don't know. MANYA: Needless to say, in the year that has followed the attacks of October 7, stand-up comedy has not been the balm it once was. The attacks that unfolded that day by Iran-backed terrorists that killed more than 1,200 Israelis and kidnapped more than 250 more was simply too devastating. EINAT: I was broken there, my husband was with me, I was every day on a bed crying, and then going to work, and it was like I couldn't hear music, because every music thinking about Nova and my friends and then I couldn't see babies with a mom. Everything was a trigger. It was bad. We had a disaster of October 7 and then October 8 to see the world reaction was another. It's not just enough that we going through so much grief and need to kind of contain all that emotion and crazy and anger and rage and now we need to see the world's. Like, ok. I never thought there is antisemitism. It's something from the past, for my grandparents, for my mom a little, but it's not something in my generation, or my kids' generation. It's done, apparently, not. MANYA: The lack of sympathy around the world and among her culinary peers only amplified Einat's grief. As a way to push for a cease-fire and end U.S. support for Israel, nearly 900 chefs, farmers and others in the food industry signed a pledge to boycott Israel-based food businesses and culinary events that promote Israel. EINAT: I felt very, very alone, very alone. The first few months, I felt like, wow, not one call from anyone to check on me. It was pretty sad. At the same time, I'm in the best company ever Jewish community. There is nothing like that, nothing. MANYA: Her team at Balaboosta also checked in on their Israeli boss. But they too were scared. Soon after she posted pictures of the hostages on the window of her restaurant, she confronted a group of teenagers who tried to tear them down. EINAT: I stand in front of them and I said, ‘You better move fast'. MANYA: It's no secret that Iran helped plan Oct. 7. What is not as well known is how many Jews still live and thrive in Iran. Before the 1979 Islamic Revolution, there were nearly 100,000 Jews in Iran. Today, Israeli sources say the population numbers less than 10,000, while the regime and Iran's Jewish leaders say it's closer to 20,000. Regardless, Iran's Jewish community remains the largest in the Middle East outside Israel.  To be sure, the constitution adopted in 1906 is still in place nominally, and it still includes Jews as a protected religious minority. Jews in Iran have synagogues, access to kosher meat, and permission to consume wine for Shabbat, despite a national ban on alcohol. There's also a Jewish representative in Iran's parliament or Majlis. But all women and girls regardless of religion are required to wear a veil, according to the Islamist dress code, and Jews are pressured to vote in elections at Jewish-specific ballot stations so the regime can monitor their participation. Zionism is punishable by death and after Oct. 7, the regime warned its Jewish citizens to sever contact with family and friends in Israel or risk arrest. They also can't leave. Iranian law forbids an entire Jewish nuclear family from traveling abroad at the same time. At least one family member, usually the father, must remain behind to prevent emigration. But Houman points out that many Iranian Jews, including himself, are deeply attached to Iranian culture. As a resident of Los Angeles, he reads Persian literature, cooks Persian herb stew for his children and speaks in Persian to his pets. He would return to Iran in an instant if given the opportunity to do so safely. For Jews living in Iran it may be no different. They've become accustomed to living under Islamist laws. They may not want to leave, even if they could. SARSHAR: The concept of living and thriving in Iran, for anyone who is not related to the ruling clergy and the Revolutionary Guard, is a dream that feels unattainable by anyone in Iran, let alone the Jews. In a world where there is really no fairness for anyone, the fact that you're treated even less fairly almost fades. MANYA: Scholars say since the Islamic Revolution, most Jews who have left Iran have landed in Los Angeles or Long Island, New York. Still, more Jews of Iranian descent live in Israel – possibly more than all other countries combined. The reason why? Because so many like Einat's family made aliyah–up until the mid-20th Century.  It's hard to say where another exodus might lead Iranian Jews to call home. Einat will be forever grateful that her family left when they still could and landed in a beautiful and beloved place. Though she lives in the U.S. now, she travels back to Israel at least twice a year. EINAT: It's a dream for every Jew, it's not just me. It's the safe zone for every Jew. It's the one place that, even if we have, it's not safe because there is people around us that want to kill us. It's still emotionally. You know, I've been in Israel a few months ago, it's like, you always feel loved, you always feel supported. It's incredible. And it's still home. It's always going to be my home. MANYA: Persian Jews are just one of the many Jewish communities who, in the last century, left Middle Eastern and North African countries to forge new lives for themselves and future generations.  Many thanks to Einat for sharing her family's story. You can enjoy some of her family's favorite recipes in her cookbooks Balaboosta and Shuk. Her memoir Taste of Love was recently released in  an audio and digital format.  Too many times during my reporting, I encountered children and grandchildren who didn't have the answers to my questions because they'd never asked. That's why one of the goals of this project is to encourage you to ask those questions. Find your stories. Atara Lakritz is our producer. T.K. Broderick is our sound engineer. Special thanks to Jon Schweitzer, Nicole Mazur, Sean Savage, and Madeleine Stern, and so many of our colleagues, too many to name really, for making this series possible. You can subscribe to The Forgotten Exodus on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts, and you can learn more at AJC.org/theforgottenexodus.  The views and opinions of our guests don't necessarily reflect the positions of AJC. You can reach us at theforgottenexodus@ajc.org. If you've enjoyed this episode, please be sure to spread the word, and hop onto Apple Podcasts or Spotify to rate us and write a review to help more listeners find us.

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed the people of Iran directly Monday with a simple message: Until the Islamic Revolution, Persians and Jews were friends—and can be again. 5) Netanyahu sends video message to people of Iran; 4) Israel prepares ground invasion of Lebanon; 3) BRICS could expand to include Indonesia, Nigeria; 2) Unexpected consequence of Hurricane Helene—world's only source of ultra-pure quartz needed for computer chips cut off; 1) Iranian cleric claims Israel used genies to take out Hezbollah leader. FOLLOW US! X: @WatchSkyWatchTV | @Five_In_Ten YouTube: @SkyWatchTelevision | @SimplyHIS | @FiveInTen Rumble: @SkyWatchTV Facebook: @SkyWatchTV | @SimplyHIS | @EdensEssentials Instagram: @SkyWatchTV | @SimplyHisShow | @EdensEssentialsUSA SkyWatchTV.com | SkyWatchTVStore.com | EdensEssentials.com | WhisperingPoniesRanch.com

Porochista and Eurydice talk literature, uniparty, America's reality TV politics, celebrity culture, pop culture, rape culture, Jeffrey Epstein and P. Diddy. They discuss feminism from the 90s to now, Hamptons “white parties” and NYC clubs and Palm Beach society. Porochista Khakpour is a refugee from Iran , whose family fled the Iran-Iraq War and the Islamic Revolution , and the author of the books Sons and Other Flammable Objects, The Last Illusion, Sick, and Tehrangeles, her satirical, polyphonic, campy third novel, a tragicomic saga about the high-functioning dysfunctional Milani family of Iranian multimillionaires in LA who have a McMansion, a snack food empire, and four young daughters who live a reality TV lifestyle. The book is a critique of the untruth of social media, and the challenge of living an authentic life online. For more on Porochista's work, go to https://porochistakhakpour.com. @pkhakpourFor more on Eurydice's work, go to https://Eurydice.net or https://SpeakwithEve.com or https://youtube.com/@EveEurydice. @EurydiceEvePlease support this podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/speaksex/support or donate at https://www.paypal.me/Eurydice. We are 100% listener supported.Enjoy.Solstice Episode --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/speaksex/support

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/TheDigBuy Nuclear Is Not The Solution at versobooks.comBuy The Wannabe Fascists at UCPress.edu Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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

Rabbi Jacobson will discuss the following topics:What do the Nine Days teach us today?    What is the Rebbe's unique approach to this saddest time of the year?  How does this period help us face challenges?  How does Rosh Chodesh Av empower us?  Can we expect that the sadness of this period will be transformed to joy?  Should we be afraid of our enemies threatening us?  What is the best way to fight our enemies?  What can we learn from this assassination in Tehran, in a private place?  Are we allowed to celebrate the deaths of our enemies?  Can we desecrate their graves?   What does the Torah say about offense being the best defense?   What should be our reaction to Israeli soldiers being arrested for abusing Hamas terrorists?  Why do we have an enemy that wants to destroy us in every generation?  Why isn't there greater emphasis on fighting radical Islam and its mandate to take over the world?  Did the Rebbe comment on the Islamic Revolution and Khomeini?  Should we start buying property now in Israel?  Why are we not doing more to unite Jews?  What should be our attitude to Jewish antisemites?  Why don't you openly come out against the current democratic party?  How should we address the current crisis following the assassination of prominent terrorist leaders? Is it wise to assassinate the enemy's leaders? War in Israel Jewish Unity Presidential Election Sholom Bayis: How do you distinguish between healthy compromise and becoming a “doormat”? What is the significance of Shabbos Chazon? 

Daniel and Harry had Danielle Dardashti on last week to discuss the film Persepolis, and this week they are sharing the first episode of Danielle's series, "The Nightingale of Iran", enjoy!____________________________Sisters Danielle and Galeet Dardashti grew up in a Jewish American family band: The Dardashti Family. They sang international folk music in 12 languages – English, Hebrew, Yiddish, Ladino, Greek, Spanish, French, Japanese and more – but never any songs in Persian. This seems odd to them since both their father and grandfather were famous Iranian singers during the “Golden Age” for Jews in Iran, before the Islamic Revolution. Danielle and Galeet make a discovery that takes them back in time, and helps them find answers to their questions about why their family left Iran and abandoned their Iranian identity.Co-creators / Co-executive producers - Danielle Dardashti and Galeet DardashtiThe Nightingale of Iran - nightingaleofiran.comPresented by The Jewish Telegraphic Agency, a publication of 70 Faces MediaHost - Danielle DardashtiWriter / Director / Senior Producer - Danielle DardashtiProducer / Musical Director / Subject Matter Expert - Galeet DardashtiAudio Editors / Sound Designers - Rebecca Seidel and Zachary GoldbergStory Editor - Rider AlsopStory Consultant - Asal EhsanipourComposer of Theme Song - Galeet Dardashti: “Melekh” from her album Monajat, featuring Younes Dardashti (with Shanir Blumenkranz, Max ZT, Zafer Tawil, Philip Mayer)In Episode 1, The Time Machine, you heard our conversations with: Farid and Sheila Dardashti, Shahla Javdan, Homa Sarshar, Lili Keypour, and Nahid Pirnazar.Thank you to our sponsors:-Jewish Writers' Initiative Digital Storytellers Lab / Maimonides Fund-Common Era-Younes and Soraya Nazarian Family Foundation-The Himan Brown Charitable Trust-UCLA Mickey Katz Endowed Chair in Jewish Music-Be'chol Lashon (fiscal sponsor)Intro credits read by: Michelle DardashtiCover art design: Ghulam NabiAssistants: Courtney Cunningham & Jessica DeWeeseMarketing / PR: TinkDistributed by PRX, the Public Media ExchangeConnect with Jews on Film online:Jews on Film Merch - https://jews-on-film.printify.me/productsInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/jewsonfilm/Twitter - https://twitter.com/jewsonfilmpodYouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@jewsonfilmTikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@jewsonfilmpod

In this episode, we explore the duality of life in Iran through the journey of an Iranian-born designer who moved to New York. She delves into her experience growing up in Tehran, where public life mandates wearing a hijab, while underground shows and exhibitions provided a different reality. The discussion highlights the constraints and obstacles faced due to governmental policies, the impact of the Islamic Revolution, and the ongoing struggle for freedom. The designer also talks about her company's origins, the impact of international sanctions on Iranian artisans, and the hopes pinned on the 'Women, Life, Freedom' movement. This episode offers a nuanced view of Iranian culture, the paradoxes within, and a call for greater global awareness and action. 00:00 The Dual Lives of Iranians: Public vs. Underground 00:24 The Perils of Being Labelled Suspicious in Iran 00:51 The Underground Art Scene and Cultural Restrictions 03:08 The Complexities of Iranian Education and Gender Roles 03:56 Misconceptions and the Reality of Iranian Women's Education 04:51 The Rich History and Cultural Misunderstandings of Iran 05:33 Pre-Revolution Iran: A Glimpse into the Past 06:59 The Impact of the Islamic Revolution on Daily Life 08:51 Challenging Western Media's Narrative on Iran 10:10 Navigating Sanctions: The Struggle of Iranian Artisans 16:05 The Personal Cost of Political Tensions 19:45 The Woman Life Freedom Movement and Hope for Change 24:22 Comparing Women's Experiences: Iran vs. The United States 30:58 The Future of Iranian Artisans and Global Awareness 32:28 The Role of Social Media in Iran's Protests 33:54 Closing Thoughts and the Power of Conversation

This graphic memoir (ahem) This collection of comics chronicles the life of an Iranian girl named Marji, whose experiences are heavily based on those of author Marjane Satrapi. Satrapi lived through the Islamic Revolution in Iran and its authoritarian aftermath, and her story is one of resistance, education, and the difficulty of finding yourself amidst societal upheaval. Note: our discussion is based on reading the Complete Persepolis, which combines Volume 1: The Story of a Childhood with Volume 2: The Story of a Return.This episode is sponsored by Squarespace. Go to squarespace.com/overdue for 10% of your first purchase of a website or domain.Our theme music was composed by Nick Lerangis.Follow @overduepod on Instagram and BlueskyAdvertise on OverdueSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Iran's attack on Israel. On Saturday, Iran launched 170 drones, 120 ballistic missiles, and 30 cruise missiles toward Israel. Iran had been promising the attack for two weeks since Israel's bombing of an Iranian consulate building in Syria that killed seven members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), including two generals. Despite years of Iran's proxies attacking Israel in a wide-reaching shadow war, Iran had never launched a direct attack on Israel until this weekend's missile launches. The two former allies have been living with deep tensions since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. You can read our most recent coverage of the war in Gaza here and here.  You can read today's podcast⁠ ⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠, our “Under the Radar” story ⁠here and today's “Have a nice day” story ⁠here⁠. Watch our latest YouTube video, an interview with Edwin Raymond. He is a recently retired NYPD lieutenant, civil-rights activist and author of the riveting new memoir An Inconvenient Cop: My Fight to Change Policing in America. You can view it here. Catch up on Episode 1 of our first ever limited podcast series, The Undecideds, before the next one comes out. We're following five voters — all Tangle readers — who are undecided about who they are going to vote for in the 2024 election. In Episode 1, we introduce you to those voters.  Today's clickables: Correction and notes (0:53), Quick hits (5:41), Today's story (7:53), Right's take (10:42), Left's take (14:50), Isaac's take (18:43), Listener question (23:28), Under the Radar (27:57), Numbers (28:51), Have a nice day (29:57) You can subscribe to Tangle by clicking here or drop something in our tip jar by clicking here.  Our general admission tickets are now sold out; but we still have some VIP seats left for purchase to our New York City event on April 17th. Get them here.  Tangle is looking for a part-time intern to work as an assistant to our YouTube and podcast producer. This is a part-time, paid position that would be ideal for a college student or recent college graduate looking to get real-world deadline experience in the industry. Applicants should have: Proficiency in Adobe Premiere — After Effects a plus. Minimum of one year of video editing (Adobe Premiere) Minimum of one year of audio editing and mixing (Any DAW) Good organizational and communication skills Understanding of composition and aesthetic choices Self-sufficiency in solving technical problems Proficiency in color grading and vertical video formatting (preferred, not required) To apply, email your resume and a few paragraphs about why you are applying to jon@readtangle.com and isaac@readtangle.com with the subject line "Editor opening" The job listing is posted here. Preference will be given to candidates in the greater Philadelphia area.  What do you think should be the response to Iran's strike on Israel? Let us know! Our podcast is written by Isaac Saul and edited and engineered by Jon Lall. Music for the podcast was produced by Diet 75.  Our newsletter is edited by Managing Editor Ari Weitzman, Will Kaback, Bailey Saul, Sean Brady, and produced in conjunction with Tangle's social media manager Magdalena Bokowa, who also created our logo. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/tanglenews/message

Kate Adie presents dispatches from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Iran, the United States, Croatia and France.The brutality of Joseph Kony and the Lord's Resistance Army once made headlines around the world, as #Kony2012 became a global social media cause. While the world soon moved on, the forgotten victims of LRA violence living in the Democratic Republic of Congo are still trying to heal. Hugh Kinsella Cunningham reports from Haut-Uele province.The Islamic Revolution in Iran put an end to a once thriving cabaret culture and music scene. But over the years, people have still found ways to party - albeit underground and out of sight of the religious police. Among them was Faranak Amidi, who's met some of Iran's women DJs, who dream of playing to clubbers all over the world.A controversial court ruling in Alabama has divided Christian conservatives on the issue of reproductive rights, as the state's supreme court ruled that frozen embryos should be considered as children. Nomia Iqbal reports on the schism that has emerged between pro-life Republicans.Rab Island off the north coast of Croatia was once home to a lesser-known Italian concentration camp, where some 4,000 people were killed during World War Two. Mary Novakovich visited the island, where she met a woman who began her life in one of the camps.And our Paris Correspondent Hugh Schofield takes on the challenge of running the city's half-marathon - with some welcome assistance from The Rolling Stones.Producer: Serena Tarling Production coordinator: Katie Morrison Editor: Richard Fenton-Smith

The Rt Revd Dr Guli Francis-Dehqani is the Bishop of Chelmsford. She also sits in Parliament as a Lord Spiritual and last year she played a prominent role in the Coronation, administering Holy Communion to the King and Queen. She was born in Isfahan, central Iran, the youngest of four children to Hassan Dehqani-Tafti, the first ethnic Iranian Anglican Bishop of his country, and his wife Margaret. In 1980, in the wake of the Islamic Revolution, her family were targeted and forced to leave the country. She arrived in the UK aged 13 as a refugee. Four decades on, Guli has yet to set foot on Iranian soil.She was ordained as a deacon in 1998 and a priest the following year. She was consecrated a bishop in November 2017, making her the first woman from a minority ethnic background to be ordained as an Anglican bishop in the UK.She is the lead Bishop for Housing for the Church of England and is a contributor to BBC Radio 4s Thought for the Day. She is married to Lee, who is a priest, and they have three children.DISC ONE: Requiem in D Minor, Op. 48: VI. Libera me. Composed by Gabriel Fauré and performed by Stephen Varcoe (baritone), The Cambridge Singers, conducted by John Rutter DISC TWO: Morgh-e Sahar - Homayoun Shajarian and Dastan Ensemble DISC THREE: Ride on Time - Black Box DISC FOUR: Miniatures for Piano Trio. Set 2: No. 4, Romance. Composed by Frank Bridge and performed by Alexander Chaushian and Ashley Wass DISC FIVE: Variations on Bahram's Melody. Composed by Bahram Dehqani-Tafti and performed by Gabriel Francis-Dehqani with Fiona Sweeney, Krystof Kohout and Will Harmer DISC SIX: Take me to Church - Sinead O'Connor DISC SEVEN: Sovereign Light Café - Keane DISC EIGHT: Mahi - Golnar Shahyar, Mahan Mirarab, (feat. Luis Guerra)BOOK CHOICE: The Book of Kings LUXURY ITEM: Photo albums CASTAWAY'S FAVOURITE: Requiem in D Minor, Op. 48: VI. Libera me. Composed by Gabriel Fauré and performed by Stephen Varcoe (baritone), The Cambridge Singers, conducted by John Rutter Presenter Lauren Laverne Producer Paula McGinley

Iranian-born entrepreneur Patrick Bet-David is known for offering sharp commentary at a waste-no-time pace. His experience as an American immigrant brings a unique perspective to today's chaotic political climate: “I think the white man has forgotten how important the West is,” he tells Glenn on this episode of "The Glenn Beck Podcast." Bet-David is no stranger to world conflict. As a survivor of the Islamic Revolution in Iran, he's seen the devastation it can bring. Fresh off his interview with the crown prince of Iran, he gives his take on the future of Iran, the complicated war between Israel and Palestine, and the evils of Hamas and Hezbollah. But he also has plenty to say about American current events as well. Bet-David and Glenn discuss Trump's complicated presidential backbone, how American politics will affect China's initiative to overcome the U.S. by 2025, and what many conservative Americans have been doing wrong. He also talks about the inspiration he's found in Elon Musk's life story, describing the Tesla CEO as both unpredictable AND predictable: “This is not a money guy; this is a vision guy.” Then, Glenn and Bet-David discuss Bet-David's media enterprise, “Valuetainment,” and dive into his latest book, “Choose Your Enemies Wisely.” They discuss the failures of liberals during the COVID pandemic — from remote work to homeschooling — and why a CBDC may be inevitable. He tells Glenn that now is "a perfect market for bullies and tyrants," comparing today's division to a divorce in need of stopping, like a marriage that can still be rescued.    Sponsors:  Right now, you can save $200 on an EdenPURE Thunderstorm Air Purifier 3-pack for whole-home protection. You'll get three units for under $200. That's a fraction of the cost compared to other air purifiers that can go for over $600. Just go to http://edenpuredeals.com and enter discount code GLENN.   Better Spectacles - Go to https://BetterSpectacles.com/BECK now to schedule a Tele-Optical appointment. You don't even have to leave the comfort of your home. They're offering an introductory 61% off of their progressive eyewear plus free handcrafted Rodenstock frames.   "The Glenn Beck Podcast" has partnered with Pre-born with a goal of saving 70,000 babies in 2023. Every tax-deductible donation, big or small, helps to save the unborn. Get involved today by dialing #250 and saying the keyword “BABY” or donate securely at https://preborn.com/GLENN   Home Title Lock. Home title fraud is growing 2.5x faster than credit card fraud. You could be a victim and not even know it. Visit https://HomeTitleLock.com and use the promo code BECK to get 30 days of free protection. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices