Novara Live Death Toll Continues to Rise in Iran Protests
11 snips
Jan 12, 2026 Arash Azizi, a contributing writer and expert on Iranian politics, joins the conversation to analyze the intensified protests in Iran. He explains how economic grievances spiraled into anti-regime demands. Arash discusses the scale of the government's violent crackdown and the rising death toll, calling it the deadliest since the 1980s. He also explores possible paths for regime change and whether internal factions could influence Iran's policies. The episode delves into international reactions, as well as the hypocrisy of some Western commentators on the protests.
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Protests Grew From Economics To Political Uprising
- Protests in Iran began as economic and merchant strikes and quickly gained political character against an unaccountable regime.
- Communications blackouts and verified footage suggest a brutal crackdown with hundreds killed and possibly far more.
External Threats Complicate Protest Dynamics
- Donald Trump publicly raised military options and framed potential strikes as support for protesters.
- That rhetoric risks international escalation and may be used by Tehran to justify hardline responses.
Government Uses Pageantry And Blame To Signal Control
- The Iranian state broadcast large pro-regime marches and declared national mourning to signal control.
- Officials also framed protesters as foreign-directed terrorists while warning against external intervention.
