The Reckoning of the Ayatollahs: Understanding Iran's Burgeoning Uprising

Ryan had an hour-long conversation with Afshon Ostovar, a leading expert on the Iranian regime and its brutal security services. Afshon breaks down everything you need to know to understand the protest movement taking to the streets across Iran, openly calling for the end of this authoritarian regime. How does the regime operate its repressive apparatus? What of Reza Pahlavi, the son of the ousted shah who is waiting in the wings? What are the scenarios under which we could see the regime fall apart? How did we get here? Afshon answers these questions and more. This is a free episode of The Iran Reckoning with Afshon Ostovar . If you want more episodes like this and access to our broader suite of members-only podcasts, newsletters, and more, sign up at warontherocks.com/membership .

You can listen to The Reckoning of the Ayatollahs: Understanding Iran's Burgeoning Uprising online on Radio and Podcast. Open the player on this page to stream the available audio.

The Reckoning of the Ayatollahs: Understanding Iran's Burgeoning Uprising is an episode from War on the Rocks by War on the Rocks.

This episode is 53:21 long.

This episode was published on Jan 13, 2026.

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