Thoughts on Foreign Intervention in Iran

Thoughts on Foreign Intervention in Iran

Author: Saman Askari February 12, 2026 Duration: 8:30
Send us Fan Mail In this episode, Saman Askari reads his latest Substack essay on how Iran’s crisis is being misframed through debates about foreign intervention. The piece centers the mass killing of unarmed protesters by the Islamic Republic and argues that much Western commentary has obscured that reality by prioritizing abstract geopolitical narratives over the lived experience of repression inside Iran. Drawing on Iran’s history and comparative cases elsewhere, the episode explores why s...

Saman Askari brings a distinct perspective to Iran Explained, shaped by his life as an Iranian-American in the San Francisco Bay Area. This isn't a platform for political agendas, but rather a space for thoughtful exploration. Each episode digs into a different facet of a country that is often reduced to headlines, weaving together current events with deep historical context and cultural insights. You'll hear discussions that connect ancient Persian history to modern societal shifts, analyze news through a nuanced lens, and examine the everyday realities that define Iranian life both inside the country and across its global diaspora. The aim is to build understanding beyond simplistic narratives. By approaching topics from news and politics to art and social customs with genuine curiosity and independence, this podcast provides listeners with a more complete, human picture. Saman's independent and non-partisan approach allows for conversations that are both informative and accessible, whether you're completely new to the subject or seeking deeper layers of knowledge. Tune in for a series that treats its complex subject with the depth and respect it deserves.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 31

Iran Explained
Podcast Episodes
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Send us Fan Mail In this episode, I speak with Narges Bajoghli, an award-winning anthropologist, filmmaker, writer and an Assistant Professor of Middle East Studies at Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced Internat…
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Send us Fan Mail I'm ending Season 1 of talk iran with this short update episode. Stay tuned for Season 2 starting in April! Support the show
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Duration: 30:59
Send us Fan Mail In this episode, I speak with Lior Sternfeld, a social historian of the modern Middle East with a particular interest in the histories of the Jewish populations of the region. Lior and I talk about the 2…
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Duration: 51:45
Send us Fan Mail In this episode, I speak with Bahman Kalbasi, the New York and United Nations Correspondent for BBC Persian. He and I talk about the recent US sanctions against Iran and the reports of related shortages…
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Send us Fan Mail In this episode, I speak with Florida State Representative Anna V. Eskamani, the first ever Iranian-American to be elected to the Florida legislature and one of only a handful of Iranian-Americans to eve…
A Conversation with Yara Elmjouie [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 59:23
Send us Fan Mail In this episode, I speak with Yara Elmjouie, an Iranian-American video producer and presenter at AJ+. He and I talk about his time in Iran as a freelance journalist, his background and how he became a vi…
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Duration: 1:25:55
Send us Fan Mail In this episode, I speak with Armin Navabi, an Iranian-Canadian ex-Muslim atheist, secular activist, author and podcaster. Armin and I talk about his experience as a child growing up in Iran and becoming…
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Duration: 1:19:55
Send us Fan Mail In this episode, I speak with Dr. Eskandar Sadeghi, a political and intellectual historian of modern Iran and the Middle East. My conversation with him mostly revolves around Iran’s post-revolutionary re…
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Duration: 35:28
Send us Fan Mail In this episode, I speak with Maral Karimi, the author of the book 'The Iranian Green Movement of 2009' and a PhD student at the University of Toronto. Besides the green movement and the concepts in her…