Episode 9: Schmooze with Kaveh Shahrooz, Lawyer and Human Rights Activist and Senior Fellow at MacDonald-Laurier Institute

Iran is in turmoil. Nationwide protests that began with economic frustration have escalated into a direct challenge to the Islamic Republic, amid internet shutdowns, mass detentions, and reports of severe crackdowns.On this episode of The Schmooze, Don Schapira and Jared Shore are joined by Kaveh Shahrooz, a Toronto-based Iranian-Canadian lawyer, human rights activist, and Senior Fellow at the Macdonald-Laurier Institute. Kaveh walks us through “Iran 101” (how Iran got here), what we can and can’t confirm about what’s happening right now, why much of the activist left has stayed quiet, and what Canadians can do today to support the Iranian people, including practical pressure points for MPs and enforcement against regime-linked actors in Canada.We also discuss the historic bond between Persians and Jews, the Iranian diaspora in Canada, and why solidarity matters now more than ever.