How to Fix It with John Avlon S2 Ep59: Iran Has No Exit Plan (w/ Christiane Amanpour) | How to Fix It
Jan 25, 2026
Christiane Amanpour, renowned international journalist and CNN chief international anchor, brings decades of reporting on Iran and the Middle East. She discusses what made recent protests unusually brutal. She examines regime surveillance and repression. She weighs the risks of outside military action and lessons from past interventions. She considers whether a credible transition path exists amid competing opposition forces.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
Uprising Was Unusually Broad
- The 2023–24 Iranian uprising was broader and more diverse than past protests, spanning classes, cities, and beliefs.
- Christiane Amanpour says its scale met unprecedented violent repression that temporarily snuffed it out.
Regime Used Intimidation Tools
- The regime used terror tactics: automatic-weapons fire, beatings, home intrusions, and targeted surveillance.
- Amanpour reports text messages and images were sent to families to deter protesters.
External Strikes Changed Perception
- Israeli strikes on Iranian infrastructure removed a perceived veil of invincibility over the regime.
- Amanpour says those attacks briefly rallied nationalist sentiment and complicated protest dynamics.
