Should the Iranian People Seize This Moment? (featuring Mehdi Parpanchi)

Should the Iranian People Seize This Moment? (featuring Mehdi Parpanchi)

Author: FDD June 26, 2025 Duration: 1:05:33

In the last week, U.S. and Israeli forces have hit the heart of the Islamic Republic’s power from Fordow and Natanz to Evin Prison and the Basij headquarters. Khamenei has gone dark. The Islamic Republic is on the defensive. But moments like this can go two ways: collapse or crackdown. Is this the moment the opposition seizes — or one the regime survives?

Mehdi Parpanchi is one of the sharpest voices covering Iran today and the executive editor of Iran International, the 24/7 Persian-language channel the regime fears most.

He joins host Mark Dubowitz to unpack what’s breaking inside the regime — and what might be rising to replace it.


Hosted by Mark Dubowitz, The Iran Breakdown with Mark Dubowitz is a focused miniseries from FDD that cuts through the noise surrounding one of the world's most persistent and complex crises. Rather than just recounting headlines, this podcast delves into the underlying forces-historical, religious, and societal-that shape Iran's actions both at home and abroad. You'll hear detailed analysis on the regime's nuclear ambitions, its support for proxy networks across the Middle East, and the ongoing struggle for human rights within its borders. Each episode aims to connect these geopolitical strategies to their real-world impact, offering a clearer understanding of a nation that consistently defies simple explanation. For anyone trying to make sense of the tensions that ripple from Tehran to the wider world, this series provides essential context and insight, moving beyond surface-level reporting to explore the deeper cultural and ideological drivers. Tune in for a sober, informed exploration that treats the subject with the gravity it demands.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 50

The Iran Breakdown with Mark Dubowitz
Podcast Episodes
War of the Words in Iran (feat. Ali Ansari) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 46:03
This war isn’t just being fought with missiles and drones. There's also a war of the words, a narrative battle.While the regime pushes its narrative at home and abroad, the West struggles to keep up — and the Iranian peo…
Breaking Down The Islamic Republic (Cliff May feat. Mark Dubowitz) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:04:48
We’re marking one year of The Iran Breakdown by bringing you a special conversation from our sister FDD podcast.In this episode of Foreign Podicy, host Cliff May sits down with Mark Dubowitz to unpack a question at the c…
Cracking The Regime (feat. Ray Takeyh and Reuel Marc Gerecht) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 49:47
The regime is down — but it's not out. So... what does collapse actually look like? Not strikes... Not decapitations... The moment the regime loses control. Mark asks Ray Takeyh and Reuel Marc Gerecht to answer the only…
FDD SITREP: The Islamic Republic Is Falling [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 29:50
Bonus Episode of The Iran Breakdown: Mark Dubowitz joins FDD's Jonathan Schanzer and Rich Goldberg for a late night FDD SITREP following the death of Khamenei.---In the early hours of February 28, the United States and I…