Can Iran’s Protest Movement Topple the Regime?

This week, guest host Zach Weissmueller is joined by Fardad Farahzad, a prominent Iranian journalist and the primetime anchor of 24 with Fardad Farahzad, a nightly news program on Iran International, a Persian-language channel based in London that broadcasts into Iran via satellite. Farahzad discusses what it’s like working for a media outlet that the Islamic Republic has labeled a terrorist organization, and the personal risks that come with reporting on Iran from exile.

Farahzad and Weissmueller talk about how Iranians access uncensored news despite the regime’s efforts to block satellite television, jam signals, and restrict the internet. They also discuss the state of Iran’s protest movement, how the regime has responded to dissent, and why Farahzad believes the Islamic Republic is facing deeper internal challenges than in past cycles of unrest.

The conversation explores the prospects for regime change, the declining appeal of Islamist ideology among younger Iranians, and the growing prominence of Reza Pahlavi as a unifying opposition figure. Farahzad also weighs in on U.S. policy toward Iran, including President Donald Trump’s rhetoric about military pressure, and whether the legacy of the Iraq War should caution against American intervention in Iran.

0:00—Intro

1:07—How Iranians watch censored newscasts

9:49—Government accusations against Iran International

14:39—Covering Iran from exile

16:51—Failings in U.S. media coverage of Iran

20:05—Protester casualties in Iran

27:53—Reza Pahlavi

34:09—Trump’s threats of military action

41:12—Was it a mistake to abandon the Iran nuclear deal?

43:49—Difference in U.S. reaction to Gaza vs. Iran

50:33—Islam as a political force in Iran

53:09—What options does the Islamic Republic have left?

• Producer: Paul Alexander
• Audio Mixer: Ian Keyser