The Iran Podcast

Negar Mortazavi speaks to Matt Duss, foreign policy adviser to Senator Bernie Sanders, about a progressive vision for US foreign policy towards the Middle East, two decades after 9/11 and the global war on terror.

Negar Mortazavi speaks to Erica Moret about the effectiveness of sanctions as a foreign policy tool, the various different types of sanctions, and their humanitarian impact on targeted countries.  (Music by 127)

Negar Mortazavi speaks with Michael Page from Human Rights Watch about the Ukraine International Flight PS752 that was shot down by IRGC missiles over Tehran on 8 January 2020, and the year-long fight for truth and justice.

Negar Mortazavi speaks with Paul Pillar, veteran CIA analyst, about heightened tensions between Tehran and Washington, the possibility of a military conflict, and the future of US-Iran diplomacy after Trump.

Negar Mortazavi speaks with Mani Mostofi, Director of Miaan Group, about the recent execution of Ruhollah Zam, the international mechanism of human rights, and how to hold abusers accountable. *This episode was made possible with support from Heinrich Boll Foundation. Music by 127.

Negar Mortazavi speaks with Sina Azodi from the Atlantic Council about Iran’s nuclear ambitions and the history of continuity in the country’s nuclear program since it started under the Shah and continued under the Islamic Republic. *This episode was made possible with support from Heinrich Boll Foundation. Music by 127.

Negar Mortazavi speaks with Azadeh Zamirirad, Deputy Head of Middle East and Africa at the German Institute for International and Security Affairs in Berlin, about Europe’s role in diplomacy between Iran and the US, how the Europeans helped nuclear negotiations succeed in the past and what they can do to help deescalate tensions and restart diplomacy between Tehran and Washington. *This episode was made possible with support from Heinrich Boll Foundation. Music by 127.

Negar Mortazavi speaks with Hooman Majd, an Iranian-American author and journalist, about contemporary Iranian politics. He was born in a diplomatic family before the 1979 revolution in Iran, attended school in Europe, and now lives in New York. He has written three books on Iran; The Ayatollah Begs to Differ (2008), The Ayatollahs’ Democracy (2010), and The Ministry of Guidance Invites You to Not Stay (2013). *This episode was made possible with support from Heinrich Boll Foundation. Music by 127.

Negar Mortazavi speaks with John Ghazvinian, Executive Director of the Middle East Center at the University of Pennsylvania, about the history of US-Iran relations over the past few centuries since 1720, and how the two countries went from mutual admiration and close ties to mutual hatred.  *This episode was made possible with support from Heinrich Boll Foundation. Music by 127.

Negar Mortazavi speaks with Murtaza Hussain from The Intercept and Eli Clifton from Responsible Statecraft about a State Department project called IRAN DISINFO that attacked journalists and academics who were critical of Trump's Iran policy, as well as a fake online persona called Heshmat Alavi that is run by the MEK and has been retweeted by Donald Trump. *This episode was made possible with support from Heinrich Boll Foundation. Music by 127.