Jacobin Radio Long Reads: Iran on the Brink w/ Eskandar Sadeghi-Boroujerdi
Jan 30, 2026
Eskandar Sadeghi-Boroujerdi, lecturer on Middle East international politics and author on Iranian reform, provides expert analysis. He discusses the aftermath of June strikes, sanctions and economic collapse, how protests began and spread, casualty verification during internet blackouts, competing political currents, US hesitation to escalate, and possible futures for Iran.
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June Strikes Shifted The Risk Environment
- The June strikes broke a long-standing taboo on direct attacks on Iran and intensified perceptions of vulnerability.
- That shock spurred internal debate about negotiations while deepening Iran's security and economic strains.
Economic Collapse Fueled Survival Protests
- Iran faced hyperinflation with food prices and bread soaring, producing survival-driven protests.
- Sanctions reduced foreign-currency access and combined with domestic corruption to deepen economic collapse.
Bazaar Sparked Nationwide Diffusion
- Protests began among electronics vendors in Tehran's bazaar and then spread quickly to provincial towns and major cities.
- The state's response varied regionally but escalated to overwhelming violence to suppress diffusion.
