ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash EP-381 | Iran Crisis: If U.S. Strikes Khamenei, What Comes Next? | Gaddam Dharmendra & Waiel Awwad
Jan 16, 2026
Gaddam Dharmendra, former Indian Ambassador to Iran, and Waiel Awwad, a Syrian journalist with extensive war reporting experience, dive into the complexities of the Iran crisis. They explore the impact of U.S. strikes and discuss the potential fallout for the Khamenei regime. The conversation highlights grassroots protests, Iranian public desires, and the challenges of external intervention. They also assess the stability of Iranian institutions and the regional implications of a regime change, all while noting the historical context of U.S. involvement in the Middle East.
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Economic Collapse Fueled Mass Protests
- Iran's protests were triggered by economic collapse and bazaar strikes that amplified discontent.
- Gaddam Dharmendra warns the movement is a tipping point but hard to target with kinetic strikes.
Kinetic Strikes Risk Backfiring Regionally
- Kinetic strikes lack clear targets in a diffuse uprising and risk pushing the population toward the regime.
- Neighboring Gulf states have urged against strikes because instability would hurt them first.
Strong Institutions Reduce Collapse Likelihood
- Iran's institutions and governance are deep and widespread, making wholesale regime overthrow unlikely.
- Gaddam Dharmendra stresses Iran cannot be toppled the way Saddam's regime was removed.