Iran
A Revolution’s Broken Promise
Iran’s Islamic republic was built on a pledge to uplift the poor and uproot inequality. Instead, decades of sanctions, ideological priorities and the Revolutionary Guard’s economic dominance have produced mass impoverishment and recurring unrest.
The Currency of Fear
Threats of war and the collapsing rial have devastated hopes for normalcy among ordinary Iranians and triggered a flight to gold in all forms, as people seek refuge for their savings and a sense of security amid economic turbulence.
What’s Behind Iran’s Protests
Journalist Nilo Tabrizy joins Faisal Al Yafai on the podcast to discuss protests in Iran, threats by the U.S. and her new book, “For the Sun After Long Nights.”
Iran’s Protest Movement and Diaspora Politics
Following weeks of nationwide protests fueled by economic collapse, internet blackouts and a deadly crackdown, Iranians face a country in ruins. From the streets of Rasht to the Iranian diaspora abroad, the question now is not only whether the regime can survive, but what might come after it.
The Iranian Journalist Who Dialed Nobel Laureates
For years, an Iranian science journalist interviewed Nobel Prize winners across the world, hoping that dialogue through science could mend the divide between Iran and the United States, before politics made the project impossible.
How Cafe Culture Is Reshaping Tehran
Cafes in Iran have been transformed, as young people look for new places to socialize, learn skills that might be useful abroad and embrace a new marker of taste. They are also attracting attention from the authorities for mimicking bars and nightclubs, which are prohibited by law.
The Stories That Shed Light on Power in Iran
Both the Iranian regime and those who resist it use myths and ideas about divinity to cultivate support. From self-sacrificing martyrs to ancient archers, bloodthirsty tyrants and dangerous davalpas, these tales help to reveal Iran’s political culture and the nature of the Islamic Republic’s authority.