Wrath of the Ayatollahs

Subscribe now to enjoy ad-free listening and bonus content. Keep the narrative flow going in 2026! This month Iran's clerical leaders and security forces spilled oceans of blood to suppress mass demonstrations after Iranians took to the streets to protest the regime's economic and political failings. Systematic violence has always been a tool utilized by the Islamic Republic to enforce obedience, but never in its history have Iran's leaders killed so many people in a short amount of time, if an estimated death toll of at least 10,000 — possibly 20,000 — is accurate. In this episode, historian Naghmeh Sohrabi examines the origins of a regime whose current government is desperately trying to hold onto power by killing thousands of its people. Recommended reading: These Are the True Things — Naghmeh Sohrabi's Substack about Iran/Middle East How much longer can Iran's Islamic Republic survive? by Ali Ansari (New Statesman) Iran's coming reckoning by Siamak Namazi (Middle East Institute) Iran's ayatollah will fall — but the road may be long and deadly by Simon Sebag Montefiore (The Times of London)