Roqe

Jian opens this episode of Roqe with an essay titled “The War Is Changing Us,” reflecting on how the past four months - from the January massacres inside Iran to the current war - have affected Iranians not only inside the country, but across the diaspora. While the realities inside Iran remain the central focus, this conversation examines how millions outside the country are experiencing a different kind of impact - one that is emotional, psychological, and deeply tied to identity, relationships, and community. Jian is joined by Shiva Negar, Satin, and Sadaf Yasini for a panel discussion on how this moment has reshaped their lives, their work, and their connections to others. Topics include the strain on friendships and families, the pressure to take public positions, the role of artists and influencers, and the challenge of staying engaged without becoming overwhelmed. This episode is brought to you with the support of Stellar Law - https://stellarlaw.ca And Avoca Chocolates - https://avocachocolates.com

On this episode of Roqe, Iranian-British journalist and documentary filmmaker Bozorgmehr Sharafedin joins from Washington for a timely and revealing conversation on the state of Iran and the global conversation surrounding it. As Head of Digital News at Iran International and a former BBC editor and Reuters reporter, Sharafedin brings deep insight into how Iran is being understood - and misunderstood - right now. The discussion examines whether the Islamic Republic is actually gaining ground, what divisions inside the regime may or may not mean, and how much of what we are seeing on social media reflects reality versus propaganda. The conversation also explores the idea of a “war of perception” - and who is shaping the story of what Iranians want, both inside the country and across the diaspora. Jian Ghomeshi opens the episode with an essay titled “Stop Underestimating Iranians,” challenging the growing narrative that Iranians calling for outside intervention are naïve. The essay argues that Iranians understand global power dynamics better than most - and are making calculated assessments based on lived experience. Guest: Bozorgmehr Sharafedin (Washington, DC) Support the show: https://roqemedia.com This episode is brought to you with the support of: FAMLUXY - https://famluxy.com QUASAR HOMES - https://instagram.com/quasarhomes

Jian opens Episode 431 of Roqe with an essay titled The Story Has Been Hijacked, reflecting on how the global conversation around Iran has shifted away from the human rights movement that brought millions into the streets - and why it is up to Iranians to bring that focus back. He is then joined by Lisa Daftari, Iranian-American foreign policy analyst and Editor-in-Chief of The Foreign Desk (from Los Angeles), and Dr. Shahram Kholdi, Middle East historian and political analyst (from Southwestern Ontario), for a wide-ranging conversation on who is really in charge right now. From the inner workings of the Islamic Republic to the competing influences shaping U.S. policy, and the evolving leadership dynamics within the Iranian diaspora, this episode explores how power is exercised - and perceived - at a critical moment. This is Roqe Ep.431 - IRAN RISES - Who’s In Charge? This episode is supported by: Stellar Law - stellarlaw.ca Famluxy - famluxy.com

A ceasefire has been declared - but the tension has not eased. On this edition of Roqe - Iran Rises, Jian is joined by Ali Hamedani (London), Shayan Sami’i (Washington), and Sadeq Bigdeli (Toronto) to assess where things stand as talks break down and uncertainty grows. Is this a moment of calm - or The Illusion of Calm? Jian opens with an essay titled Outsourcing Repression - exploring news that the Islamic Republic has brought in foreign fighters to help suppress dissent, and what it means when a regime cannot rely on its own people to enforce its rule. The conversation that follows examines: the likelihood of the ceasefire holding why the regime is resisting a deal what people inside Iran are saying now how the diaspora is reacting and what signals matter most in the days ahead This episode is supported by: Quasar Homes https://www.instagram.com/quasarhomes Avoca Chocolates https://avocachocolates.com

As a ceasefire takes hold and attention shifts, what are we left with? On this episode, Jian opens with an essay arguing that the recent war has diverted global focus away from what he describes as one of the most consequential events in recent Iranian history - the mass killing of civilians in January. The piece examines how media narratives, geopolitical analysis, and ideological debates can displace moral clarity. Jian is then joined by Behnam Ben Taleblu, Senior Director of the Iran Program at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, joining from Washington, D.C. The conversation explores whether anything has fundamentally changed inside the Islamic Republic, how to interpret competing narratives about the regime’s strength, and whether ceasefires and de-escalation ultimately prolong the status quo. This episode is supported by: Stellar Law - https://stellarlaw.ca Famluxy - https://famluxy.com

On this edition of Roqe, Dr. Shahram Kholdi (Southwestern Ontario) and Dr. Mahdi Ghodsi (Vienna) join Jian for a timely conversation at a consequential moment in the Iran crisis. With a deadline from Donald Trump threatening major escalation, strikes already hitting infrastructure inside Iran, and ongoing uncertainty about how Iranians are responding, this episode examines where things stand - and what may come next. Jian opens with an essay titled “Iran Is Being Debated While Iranians Are Cut Off”, looking at the regime’s internet blackout and how the absence of voices from inside Iran is shaping global narratives. The conversation covers the escalation of the conflict, the role of the blackout, the Iranian economy, recent executions, and whether the regime can survive. This episode is supported by: Quasar Homes - https://www.instagram.com/quasarhomes Avoca Chocolates - https://avocachocolates.com

On this episode of Roqe, Andrew Ghalili joins Jian from New York for a conversation on the dangers of pursuing another deal with the Islamic Republic. They discuss the aftermath of President Trump’s recent speech, why the idea of a “moderate” replacement within the regime is fundamentally flawed, and how the IRGC continues to hold power despite mounting pressure. Andrew also shares insights on what he is hearing from inside Iran, the state of the opposition, and the role of Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi at this pivotal time. Jian opens with an essay titled A Deal Means More of This - a stark look at how diplomacy with the regime may delay change and prolong repression, underscored by the recent execution of 18-year-old Amirhossein Hatemi. This is Roqe Episode 427 - Iran Rises. This episode is supported by: Famluxy https://famluxy.com Avoca Chocolates https://avocachocolates.com

On this episode of Roqe, Jian opens with an essay titled “When the Truth Is Hard to Find - Ask Who Benefits,” exploring how propaganda, projection, and competing agendas are shaping the global conversation about Iran during a time of internet blackout. He is then joined by Nazenin Ansari (London), Dr. Sepehr Vakil (Evanston, Illinois), and Dr. Kaveh Elahiyoun (Las Vegas) for a panel discussion on false narratives - how they emerge, who amplifies them, and what they reveal about the current moment in Iran. This episode is supported by: Stellar Law - https://stellarlaw.ca

On this episode of Roqe, Jian is joined by Bijan Kian - a returning guest who consistently sparks strong reactions from the Roqe audience. A former senior U.S. official with decades of experience across public and private sectors, Kian offers his perspective on the current war involving the United States, Israel, and the Islamic Republic. The conversation explores competing narratives in American media, questions around strategy, and what this moment may signal for the future of Iran - including the role of Reza Pahlavi in a potential transition. Later in the episode, Jian is joined by a panel of organizers and participants ahead of a major rally in Washington, D.C. this Sunday in support of the Lion and Sun movement: Andy Alem (New York), Mandana Khazraei (Washington, D.C.), Behnam Bayat (Toronto), and Sergio Khadem (Toronto). They discuss the purpose of the demonstration, the coordination across cities, and the broader significance for the Iranian diaspora. The episode opens with an essay by Jian examining a recent Canadian poll suggesting that roughly one in five Gen Z respondents express support for the Islamic Republic - and what this reveals about disinformation, ideology, and the urgency of better public understanding. This episode is supported by: Famluxy - https://famluxy.com Avoca Chocolates - https://avocachocolates.com

On this episode of Roqe, Jian is joined by a global panel to unpack a fast-moving and uncertain moment around Iran and the role of Donald Trump’s rhetoric and positioning in shaping what may come next. Joining from London, Washington, and Toronto are Shooka Bidarian, Shayan Sami’i, and Ardeshir Zarezadeh - bringing perspectives from media, policy, and activism to explore where things stand right now, how Iranians inside the country may be processing events, and whether the Islamic Republic is weaker than it appears. Jian opens the episode with an essay that zooms out from the daily chaos and makes a larger case: that Iran is not the Islamic Republic - and that this regime represents a temporary rupture in a much longer and richer history. This episode is supported by: Famluxy - https://famluxy.com Stellar Law - https://stellarlaw.ca

On this episode of Roqe, Jian opens with an essay titled “Beware the Regime Narratives in Western Media.” As the conflict surrounding Iran continues, Jian examines how Islamic Republic propaganda can travel through Western media ecosystems - and how narratives amplified abroad can eventually be used to influence audiences inside Iran. He looks at several examples currently circulating in Western coverage - from the discussion around Mojtaba Khamenei and regime succession, to the claim that the Iranian revolution has faded because people have not returned to the streets during the bombing campaign, to the repeated assertion that there is no opposition leadership. Later in the episode, Jian speaks with Germany-based researcher and political analyst Forouq Canaani, joining from Munich. Their conversation explores: the war so far the regime’s disinformation tactics how narratives move between Iran, the diaspora, and Western media the question of succession and whether the conditions for a new uprising inside Iran may be emerging. This episode is supported by: Avoca Chocolates https://avocachocolates.com

On this episode of Roqe, Jian Ghomeshi speaks with Iranian-British journalist Bozorgmehr Sharafedin, head of digital news at Iran International. Joining Jian from Washington, Sharafedin discusses the rapidly unfolding situation surrounding Iran as the conflict enters its ninth day and global commentary intensifies. Their conversation explores: the emergence of Mojtaba Khamenei as Supreme Leader whether Western media narratives are misreading events inside Iran why many Iranians have not taken to the streets while bombs are falling the potential impact of targeted strikes against IRGC infrastructure and the possibility that the regime - or some version of it - could survive the current crisis. Jian also opens the episode with an essay titled “The Mullas Are Not Anti-Imperialist Heros,” challenging the tendency in some Western political circles to romanticize the Islamic Republic as a form of anti-imperialist resistance. This episode is supported by: Famluxy https://famluxy.com (https://famluxy.com/) Stellar Law https://stellarlaw.ca (https://stellarlaw.ca/)

On this episode of Roqe, Jian opens with an essay about the brave Iranians who took to the streets in recent weeks demanding regime change - and the promise many in the diaspora made to stand with them. As war imagery dominates the headlines and debates grow louder around intervention, Jian reminds listeners that history is rarely tidy - and that the courage of those inside Iran should remain at the center of the conversation. Jian then speaks with Iranian-American lawyer and commentator Ari Aramesh, joining from Washington D.C. As U.S. military action against the Islamic Republic intensifies, the discussion focuses on a central question - will intervention actually bring change to Iran? Or could it entrench the regime further? They discuss the legality of the intervention, political reactions inside the United States, and whether weakening the regime’s military capabilities could create the conditions for Iranians inside the country to rise again. Guest: Ari Aramesh - managing attorney at Whitcomb Selinsky and frequent commentator on CNN, BBC, Fox News and Al Jazeera English. Episode 421 of Roqe - part of the Iran Risesseries. This episode is supported by: Famluxy https://famluxy.com (https://famluxy.com/) Use code ROQE to receive 40% off the Glory Days collection celebrating Iranian heritage.

With Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei killed following a joint United States–Israel military operation inside Iran, the political and strategic landscape has shifted dramatically. What comes next? Jian sits down with: Shayan Samii - U.S. national security analyst and strategic communications expert. Behnam Ben Taleblu - Senior Director of the Iran Program at FDD and specialist on Iran’s security apparatus. They discuss: Whether this is a genuine turning point If celebration is appropriate for long-suffering Iranians based on the death of Khamenei, but despite there being a long way to go Whether Washington and Jerusalem have a real “day after” plan The risk of a clerical power vacuum The role of Prince Reza Pahlavi and the opposition The regime’s regional retaliation The episode opens with an essay from Jian outlining 4 reasons a free Iran could transform global security, economics, migration patterns, and the Middle East’s long-term trajectory. This episode is supported by: Stellar Law - stellarlaw.ca Avoca Chocolates - avocachocolates.com Follow Jian on Instagram @JianGhomeshi Meezoon basheen.

On this edition of Roqe, Jian and guests examine the growing wave of disinformation surrounding Iran in Western media and public discourse. Joining from Vancouver, Sadaf Yasini, and from Ottawa, longtime Roqe contributor Pegah Ganji, the conversation explores: The scale and discipline of diaspora demonstrations Why Western audiences struggle to process the demand for regime change How anti-war rhetoric can obscure the reality Iranians are already living And what practical steps the diaspora can take to educate non-Iranians Jian opens with an essay urging Iranians in the diaspora not just to speak to each other - but to reach out beyond their own communities. Silence creates informational vacuums. Vacuums invite distortion. Later, Jian speaks with Daniel Diba, who recounts his imprisonment and torture by the Islamic Republic and explains why he believes it is critical to speak out now. This episode was recorded on February 26, 2026. This episode is supported by: Famluxy - famluxy.com Stellar Law - stellarlaw.ca

As student protests surge across Iran, universities are once again becoming epicenters of open defiance. In this episode of Roqe, we focus on the courage of Iranian students demonstrating right now - chanting forbidden slogans, confronting repression on their own campuses, and absorbing immense personal risk in the face of an authoritarian regime. Jian opens with a powerful essay addressed directly to Iran’s students. He is then joined by Dr. Sepehr Vakil, associate professor at Northwestern University and author of Revolutionary Engineers, for a wide-ranging conversation that connects Iran’s long history of student activism to the present moment. Together, they explore why students so often move first, what today’s campus uprisings reveal about the strength and fragility of the Islamic Republic, and what this latest wave of student courage may bode for a revolution aimed at a free Iran. This episode is supported by: Avoca Chocolates https://avocachocolates.com

In Episode 417 of Roqe, Jian challenges the sudden rise of Western “anti-war” rhetoric on Iran by reframing the reality on the ground. Iranians are not debating a future conflict - they are already living through one, as the Islamic Republic continues its campaign of repression, arrests, and mass killing. The opening essay explores why many Iranians now support intervention - not lightly, not casually, but after decades of failed reform, negotiation, and restraint. The episode then turns to a global panel discussion examining the fallout from the Global Day of Action demonstrations, Prince Reza Pahlavi’s presence at the Munich Security Conference, and the regime’s escalating crackdown inside Iran. Panelists analyze whether the Islamic Republic can maintain power, what intervention actually means, and why Western audiences continue to misunderstand Iranian demands. Guests: Ali Hamedani - London Ardeshir Zarezadeh - Toronto Mahdi Ghodsi - Vienna Recorded February 19, 2026. Sponsors: @StellarLawTO @AvocaChocolates

This episode of Roqe takes stock of an extraordinary Global Day of Action for a Free Iran, with major demonstrations in Toronto, Los Angeles, and Munich - and coordinated rallies across the diaspora following a call initiated by Prince Reza Pahlavi. Jian is joined by four voices who were there: Farnoush Hamidian in Munich Laleh Tangsiri, joining from London after attending the Munich rally Navid Negahban in Los Angeles Pegah Ganji in Toronto They reflect on the scale, discipline, and political significance of the weekend - and what this moment could mean for Iranians inside Iran and around the world. Jian opens the episode with an essay addressing Christiane Amanpour and the criticism surrounding her recent interview with Prince Reza Pahlavi - arguing the issue is not tough questions, but uneven journalism. This episode is brought to you with the support of Avoca Chocolates https://avocachocolates.com

Jian opens Episode 415 of Roqe – Iran Rises with a sober assessment of the United Nations, arguing that despite its language and ideals, it is structurally incapable of protecting Iranian civilians or advancing the revolution now underway. As tens of thousands of Iranian families grieve victims of an ongoing massacre, outrage is growing over the UN’s continued engagement with representatives of the Islamic Republic. This episode asks a difficult but necessary question: where should Iranians place their energy, pressure, and hope now? Jian is joined by: Lisa Daftari, Iranian-American foreign policy analyst, journalist, and founder of The Foreign Desk Shayan Samii, U.S. national security analyst and expert in strategic communications Bahador Alast, Iranian-Canadian engineer and widely followed cultural and language commentator The conversation explores: Why anger toward the UN is intensifying among Iranians worldwide Whether the UN functions as protection or symbolism during mass atrocities The meaning of “intervention” and what actually helps people on the ground The role of global protests in cities like Toronto, Los Angeles, and Munich Recorded February 12, 2026. This episode of Roqe is brought to you with the support of: Avoca Chocolates – avocachocolates.com Stellar Law – stellarlaw.ca

On this episode of Roqe – Iran Rises, Jian is joined by Khosro Isfahani, Research Director at the National Union for Democracy in Iran, for a clear-eyed conversation about where the Iranian revolution stands right now, what intervention actually looks like, why the United States continues to negotiate with the Islamic Republic, and what may come next under Donald Trump. The episode then widens into a panel discussion with Picasso Moin in Istanbul and Kamyar Mahinsa in Vancouver, including Kamyar’s reflections from the demonstration in Vancouver yesterday, the resilience of Iranians inside the country, growing distractions and infighting in the diaspora, and whether unity is holding at the moment it matters most. Jian opens Episode 414 with a moving essay - “When they arrest the doctors, the regime tells you what it is” - examining the moral meaning of a regime that punishes doctors and medical workers for helping wounded protesters. This episode of Roqe is brought to you with the support of Avoca Chocolates 🔗 https://avocachocolates.com