Regularly embroiled in international conflicts – both militarily and diplomatically – and locked in a cycle of protest and heavy government crackdowns on the domestic political front, Iran has rarely been out of the international spotlight over the past decades. The protests in recent years that were initially sparked in resistance to the oppression of women formed the inspiration for writer and historian Arash Azizi's latest book, What Iranians Want: Women, Life, Freedom. The book asks whether a cohesive movement could eventually be formed out of the many voices of dissent in the country to bring about real change. Joining Azizi to discuss it for this episode is the journalist, audio producer and book critic Mythili Rao.

This episode was recorded in early March 2024, prior to the most recent military conflict between Iran and Israel.

We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to Indeed.com/IS for £100 sponsored credit.

If you'd like to become a Member and get access to all of our longer form interviews and Members-only content, just visit intelligencesquared.com/membership to find out more.

For £4.99 per month you'll also receive:

- Full-length and ad-free Intelligence Squared episodes, wherever you get your podcasts

- Bonus Intelligence Squared podcasts, curated feeds and members exclusive series

- 15% discount on livestreams and in-person tickets for all Intelligence Squared events

- Our member-only newsletter The Monthly Read, sent straight to your inbox

...

Or Subscribe on Apple for £4.99:

- Full-length and ad-free Intelligence Squared podcasts

- Bonus Intelligence Squared podcasts, curated feeds and members exclusive series

...

Already a subscriber? Thank you for supporting our mission to foster honest debate and compelling conversations! Visit intelligencesquared.com to explore all your benefits including ad-free podcasts, exclusive bonus content and early access.

...

Subscribe to our newsletter here to hear about our latest events, discounts and much more.

https://www.intelligencesquared.com/newsletter-signup/

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Joe Biden’s Sweeping New Executive Order Aims to Drag the US Government into the Age of ChatGPT