EPISODE · Jan 23, 2026 · 1H 35M
Iran is bleeding: Will the world act now? | Eye for Iran | EP 87
from Eye For Iran · host Iran International English
As Iran’s streets turn into killing fields, the debate in Washington is no longer theoretical. Eye for Iran examines the Islamic Republic’s escalating violence against civilians under a near total digital blackout and asks the most urgent question yet: what will the world do now?Michael Makovsky, President and CEO of the Jewish Institute for National Security of America (JINSA), and Blaise Misztal, the Institute’s Vice President for Policy, argue the United States should pursue one clear objective: regime collapse. They explain why this moment may be a rare strategic window, what collapse could unlock for US policy and regional security and what concrete steps could weaken the regime while supporting Iranians risking their lives.Democracy and internet freedom activist Mehdi Yahyanejad then shares what his sources inside Iran are reporting despite the blackout, including how censorship, propaganda and fear are shaping what the world can and cannot see. He describes the role of Starlink access, the dangers faced by those sending information out and the stories emerging from the crackdown.Finally, Dr. Nazak Tavakoli of the Iranian Association of Human Rights and Allies, political activist Iman Vaez and Jerusalem Center for Security and Foreign Affairs contributor Sogand Fakheri come together for a deeply personal conversation about grief, resilience and the human cost of this uprising, as families inside Iran vanish into silence and the diaspora struggles to respond.Subscribe for ongoing coverage of Iran’s uprising, the regime’s bloody crackdown and the global decisions that may shape what happens next.Contents of this video: 00:00:00 Cold open: eyewitness accounts under blackout00:00:25 Opening montage: “war on civilians” framing00:01:14 Segment 1 teaser: regime collapse argument (Makovsky + Misztal)00:02:55 Show open + guest introductions (Makovsky, Misztal)00:03:32 What does “regime collapse” actually mean00:05:07 Regime change vs. regime collapse: key distinction00:05:59 What collapse would unlock for US + region00:09:12 Does this moment have a “window”00:11:31 Trump red line: credibility, consequences, deterrence00:15:04 Most effective next step for Washington00:16:15 Building a long-term “collapse strategy” (comms, defections, pressure)00:20:41 Mixed signals: Witkoff, negotiation talk, military moves00:23:55 Where is this headed + closing thoughts (Segment 1 wrap)00:26:34 Segment 2 intro: Mehdi Yahyanejad (internet freedom + sources inside Iran)00:27:09 What he’s hearing now: fear, shock, missing loved ones00:28:51 Starlink pipeline + protecting identities00:35:29 Paint the picture: escalation, tactics, scale of violence00:41:32 Disinformation + confusion as a regime tactic00:49:09 Stories weighing on him most + what Iranians want from the world00:58:38 Victims + the human toll (Segment 2 wrap)01:01:03 Segment 3 intro: Nazak Tavakoli, Iman Vaez, Sogand Fakheri01:01:55 How they’re holding up: trauma, grief, resolve01:07:03 Family and friends back home: silence, fear, loss01:11:13 “This is war on unarmed people”01:11:36 Nazak’s story: legacy, missing contact, waiting for news01:16:14 Nazak on her father and the long shadow of repression01:22:03 Iman: messages from inside Iran + the diaspora’s role01:30:19 Message to Iranians: don’t lose hope01:32:19 Imagining Iran after: dignity, remembrance, rebuilding01:34:40 Closing thanks + sign-off + where to follow / newsletter#iran #iranprotests #usa #trump #iranrevolution #freeiran #podcast #iranpodcast #news #youtube #youtubeshorts
What this episode covers
As Iran’s streets turn into killing fields, the debate in Washington is no longer theoretical. Eye for Iran examines the Islamic Republic’s escalating violence against civilians under a near total digital blackout and asks the most urgent question yet: what will the world do now?Michael Makovsky, President and CEO of the Jewish Institute for National Security of America (JINSA), and Blaise Misztal, the Institute’s Vice President for Policy, argue the United States should pursue one clear objective: regime collapse. They explain why this moment may be a rare strategic window, what collapse could unlock for US policy and regional security and what concrete steps could weaken the regime while supporting Iranians risking their lives.Democracy and internet freedom activist Mehdi Yahyanejad then shares what his sources inside Iran are reporting despite the blackout, including how censorship, propaganda and fear are shaping what the world can and cannot see. He describes the role of Starlink access, the dangers faced by those sending information out and the stories emerging from the crackdown.Finally, Dr. Nazak Tavakoli of the Iranian Association of Human Rights and Allies, political activist Iman Vaez and Jerusalem Center for Security and Foreign Affairs contributor Sogand Fakheri come together for a deeply personal conversation about grief, resilience and the human cost of this uprising, as families inside Iran vanish into silence and the diaspora struggles to respond.Subscribe for ongoing coverage of Iran’s uprising, the regime’s bloody crackdown and the global decisions that may shape what happens next.Contents of this video: 00:00:00 Cold open: eyewitness accounts under blackout00:00:25 Opening montage: “war on civilians” framing00:01:14 Segment 1 teaser: regime collapse argument (Makovsky + Misztal)00:02:55 Show open + guest introductions (Makovsky, Misztal)00:03:32 What does “regime collapse” actually mean00:05:07 Regime change vs. regime collapse: key distinction00:05:59 What collapse would unlock for US + region00:09:12 Does this moment have a “window”00:11:31 Trump red line: credibility, consequences, deterrence00:15:04 Most effective next step for Washington00:16:15 Building a long-term “collapse strategy” (comms, defections, pressure)00:20:41 Mixed signals: Witkoff, negotiation talk, military moves00:23:55 Where is this headed + closing thoughts (Segment 1 wrap)00:26:34 Segment 2 intro: Mehdi Yahyanejad (internet freedom + sources inside Iran)00:27:09 What he’s hearing now: fear, shock, missing loved ones00:28:51 Starlink pipeline + protecting identities00:35:29 Paint the picture: escalation, tactics, scale of violence00:41:32 Disinformation + confusion as a regime tactic00:49:09 Stories weighing on him most + what Iranians want from the world00:58:38 Victims + the human toll (Segment 2 wrap)01:01:03 Segment 3 intro: Nazak Tavakoli, Iman Vaez, Sogand Fakheri01:01:55 How they’re holding up: trauma, grief, resolve01:07:03 Family and friends back home: silence, fear, loss01:11:13 “This is war on unarmed people”01:11:36 Nazak’s story: legacy, missing contact, waiting for news01:16:14 Nazak on her father and the long shadow of repression01:22:03 Iman: messages from inside Iran + the diaspora’s role01:30:19 Message to Iranians: don’t lose hope01:32:19 Imagining Iran after: dignity, remembrance, rebuilding01:34:40 Closing thanks + sign-off + where to follow / newsletter#iran #iranprotests #usa #trump #iranrevolution #freeiran #podcast #iranpodcast #news #youtube #youtubeshorts
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Iran is bleeding: Will the world act now? | Eye for Iran | EP 87
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