EPISODE · Jan 22, 2026 · 1H 8M

Ep. 262: Escaping Iran

from So to Speak: The Free Speech Podcast · host FIRE

Recent protests in Iran have drawn renewed attention to dissent under the country's authoritarian government. The demonstrations have been met with mass arrests, internet restrictions, and even accusations of murder.  While large-scale demonstrations appear to have subsided for now, reporting from Iran describes a tense calm, a heightened security presence, and widespread "disappointment and disillusionment" among Iranians. Today we are joined by Pouya Nikmand, an Iranian-born writer who escaped Iran at 18. He writes about how his experiences have shaped his understanding of expression, freedom, and belonging on his Substack, Outliving Iran. Timestamps:  00:00 Intro   02:17 What's happening in Iran now? 10:47 What does life look like under an authoritarian regime? 20:33 Growing up in Iran  24:48 The influence of Western media in Iran 32:55 Escaping Iran  37:05 Life after escape 40:55 Being trafficked to Poland 54:45 Escaping captivity and coming to America 01:01:53 An immigrant's perspective on US immigration 1:07:24 Outro Read the transcript here. Enjoy listening to the podcast? Donate to FIRE today and get exclusive content like member webinars, special episodes, and more.  If you became a FIRE Member through a donation to FIRE at thefire.org and would like access to Substack's paid subscriber podcast feed, please email [email protected].