Can Iran's Protest Movement Topple the Regime?

Exiled journalist Fardad Farahzad discusses how Iranians get uncensored news, the state of the protest movement, and whether the Islamic Republic is losing its grip on power.

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Can Iran's Protest Movement Topple the Regime?

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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

Comments

[Don't look at me! ( Is the war over yet?)]

No, they will be slaughtered in the streets.

[MWAocdoc]

I would vote for diverting some of the social welfare spending to providing AK-47s, Stingers and Javelins to the Iranian people. When can the air drops begin?

[MWAocdoc]

"a media outlet that the Islamic Republic has labeled a terrorist organization"

If a terrorist nation labels someone a terrorist, does the double plus unthink cancel itself out automatically? Would this concept call into question anyone in authority who labels anyone else a terrorist? When can Americans expect to finally have a nation of laws based upon actual objective criteria instead of unconstitutionally broad and vague Congressional bills, Executive branch regulatory mumbo-jumbo and hundred-page Supreme Court legislation from the bench? For answers to these and other fascinating questions, tune in next week - same Bat-time, same Bat-channel!

[damikesc]

The moment passed. I almost wish we got involved, but it is something the Iranians have to do for themselves. It is horrible that so many died.

[mad.casual]

It would almost be an interesting discussion to have with actual Iranian-Americans about how best to help Iranians without doing the same old, obvious-but-totally-unforseen-consequences stupid shit like opening the immigration floodgates, bombing Tehran out of existence, or air-dropping pallets of cash.

I don't like social programs, but (just spit-balling) a modern-day Radio-Free Europe Iran program to counteract media blackouts and that ends once the leadership is replaced could make some sense. The sort of thing that is looked at as at least minimally active and passively favorable rather than as an attack or betrayal when we stop doing it after whatever shorter international aims we have, are met (admittedly, our own media feels like a psyop against our own people and probably isn't the best model or suggestion but... spit-balling about how to spread democracy or liberty without effectively becoming police/defender).

[JFree]

Reza Pahlavi? This really is just a fucking retread of deep state banana republic permawar shit. From Central America to the Middle East to everywhere else. Hundreds of them over the last 130 or so years.

This is a predictable pattern.
Put a name forward who is pliant to their controllers (BigOil, Big Banana, Israel, etc). The obvious purpose of that name and supposed Western leanings is to sell the war. That pliancy is also why they have ZERO internal credibility in the country they will supposedly lead.

Picking that person also proves that the US/etc has ceased to actually plan for and/or understand the war. It's Animal House. I think we have to go all out. I think that this situation absolutely requires a really futile and stupid gesture be done on somebody's part

In the real world, Reza Pahlavi is more likely to be a video-game playing dilettante than someone who has contacts inside Iran. Which would require decades of boots-on-ground military. Alternatively, there's a small possibility that he becomes the Duvaliers, Sese Seko, his father (who wasn't actually that despotic), etc - and we STILL have a multi-decade long military involvement until a coup/revolution overthrows our presence.

It is no surprise whatsoever that Reason is, once again, simping for whoever wants this war to begin. The failure to plan this military action - and our arrogance and hubris - is going to have very ugly consequences.