The United States largely misunderstands Iran. Historic anti-government protests rattled Iran this winter—and were met with lethal state repression and intensifying calls for regime change in Washington. Now, President Trump is again considering military strikes on the country, even as his envoys have sought to negotiate with Iranian leaders. Throughout, Iran has long been one of the most heavily sanctioned countries in the world, causing immense hardship for its people. 

In this episode, the Institute for Global Affairs' Jonathan Guyer is joined by Narges Bajoghli, an anthropologist and co-director of the Rethinking Iran Initiative at Johns Hopkins University, to challenge American assumptions about Iran. They discuss the impact of Trump's "maximum pressure" campaign, how the current protests unfolded, and those pushing for war in Washington. Narges also explains how the war would be damaging for the interests of Americans and Iranians.

Find Narges on Threads: https://www.threads.com/@nargesbajoghli

Check out the Rethinking Iran Initiative: https://www.rethinkingiran.com/