Hour 4 [03/02/2026]: Shakiba Inayati on Iran’s Uprising, Carla Sands on Operation Epic Fury, and Tom Ackerman on the Cardinals

Marc Cox opens Hour 4 with Shakiba Inayati, a UMSL professor and recent Iranian immigrant, sharing her firsthand perspective on the current situation in Iran. She describes the jubilant reactions of citizens to U.S. military operations, the hope for democratic change under exiled Prince Reza Pahlavi, and the ongoing oppression by the regime. The discussion highlights the Iranian-American community’s celebrations in Los Angeles and reflections on America’s role. Carla Sands, chair of foreign policy at the America First Policy Institute and former U.S. ambassador to Denmark, joins to contextualize U.S. military authority, global implications of Operation Epic Fury, and President Trump’s leadership on Iran and broader geopolitics. Sports commentator Tom Ackerman then takes over, covering Cardinals management decisions, Missouri college basketball, NCAA tournament projections, and St. Louis sports highlights. Cox wraps the hour by revisiting the themes from earlier interviews, emphasizing hope for Iran’s democratic future and the significance of U.S. engagement. Hashtags: #ShakibaInayati #CarlaSands #TomAckerman #Iran #USPolicy #OperationEpicFury #MarcCox #IranianAmerican #StLouisSports #Cardinals #NCAA #Democracy