Is history repeating itself in Iran?

Iran has been shaken by protests on a scale not seen since its 1979 revolution. Demonstrations that began in the country’s capital over the state of the economy have spread to multiple cities, with wider calls for political change. The government has called the demonstrations "riots" backed by the nation’s enemies. Thousands have been killed. For some, the scenes bring back memories of the uprising that toppled the monarchy more than four decades ago. Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi, the exiled son of Iran’s last monarch, has emerged as a figure that could challenge the existing order. This week on The Inquiry, we’re asking ‘Is history repeating itself in Iran?’ Contributors: Naghmeh Sohrabi, modern Middle East historian, director for research at the Crown Center for Middle East Studies at Brandeis University, United States Azadeh Kian, author of ‘Rethinking Gender, Ethnicity and Religion in Iran’, emerita professor of sociology and gender studies at the University of Paris Cité, France Sara Bazoobandi, non-resident research fellow at the Institute for Security Policy of Kiel University, Germany Siavash Ardalan, BBC Persia senior reporter, United Kingdom Presenter: Daniel Rosney Producer: Megan Lawton Technical producer: James Bradshaw Editor: Tom Bigwood Production Management: Phoebe Lomas and Liam Morrey (Photo: Car on fire on a street in Iran. Credit: WANA/Reuters/BBC Images)

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Is history repeating itself in Iran? is an episode from The Inquiry by BBC.

This episode is 24:07 long.

This episode was published on Jan 22, 2026.

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