9: Iran Is Recalibrating Its National Identity

Iran is facing a cascade of domestic challenges, including a deepening currency crisis and drought so severe that President Masoud Pezeshkian has suggested residents of the capital city Tehran may need to evacuate. Meanwhile, strain is building over nuclear talks in the aftermath of the 12-day conflict with Israel and the U.S. in June 2025. Middle East fellow Mohammad Ayatollahi Tabaar joined the “Baker Briefing” podcast to discuss how the regime is managing these pressures — and redefining Iran’s national identity in the process. Featured guest: Mohammad Ayatollahi Tabaar, Ph.D., https://www.bakerinstitute.org/expert/mohammad-ayatollahi-tabaar This conversation was recorded on Dec. 8, 2025.  You can follow @BakerInstitute on X, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube. Learn more about our data-driven, nonpartisan policy research and analysis at bakerinstitute.org.