Stolen Revolution: Behind Iran's Protest Movements (feat. Bozorgmehr Sharafedin)

Stolen Revolution: Behind Iran's Protest Movements (feat. Bozorgmehr Sharafedin)

Author: FDD June 3, 2026 Duration: 57:30

Every Iranian revolution begins with an ordinary life hitting an extraordinary wall. Stolen Revolution captures those moments — the personal reckonings with a regime that promised faith and delivered suffocation. Co-authored by award-winning journalists Yeganeh Torbati and Bozorgmehr Sharafedin, the book traces six Iranians living the full arc of modern Iranian history: a Khomeini devotee cast from power, a poet who gave voice to a generation's shattered dreams, a bureaucrat who risked everything to expose state corruption, an entrepreneur crushed by the security apparatus, and two young women who joined the Woman, Life, Freedom uprising.

Iran International's Bozorgmehr Sharafedin joins FDD Iran Program Senior Director Behnam Ben Taleblu to unpack the human stories behind Iran's seismic shift from reform to revolution, and what they reveal about life under the Islamic Republic.


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
From Gaza to Doha to Tehran: Nowhere to Hide (feat. Rich Goldberg) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 57:46
To help break down lessons learned from the 12-Day War, Israel’s strike in Qatar, and how American energy dominance is reshaping the strategic landscape — Rich Goldberg is back with Mark on The Iran Breakdown.
Nothing Short of Complete and Utter Dismantlement (feat. Jacob Nagel) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:06:31
Washington has wasted decades chasing pauses and half-measures. But as Mark Dubowitz and Brigadier General Jacob Nagel argue, the only answer to Iran’s nuclear blackmail is total dismantlement — no delay, no suspension,…
The Saudi Factor (feat. Amb. Michael Ratney) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:13:56
Mark Dubowitz is joined by former U.S. Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Michael Ratney to break down the complex Saudi–Iran stalemate — from the 1979 Siege of Mecca and Khomeini’s revolution, to today’s regime-backed Houthis r…