In this special episode of Passages Pulse, Josiah McGee is joined by Janatan Sayeh, Iran Research Analyst at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, for an urgent conversation as historic protests erupt across Iran amid a sweeping internet blackout.

What’s really happening inside Iran right now? Are these protests different from past uprisings — and could this moment finally lead to regime change?

Drawing on both deep policy expertise and lived experience growing up in Tehran, Janatan offers rare insight into the ideology of Iran’s Islamic Republic, the brutality of its response to dissent, and why Iranians are increasingly risking everything to take to the streets.

We unpack:

🔥 What triggered the current wave of protests — and why they’re not just “economic”

📵 How the regime’s internet blackout is obscuring the true scale of violence

⚖️ The Islamic Republic’s ideology, from the 1979 revolution to today’s human rights abuses

🧕 Why women, minorities, and young people are at the forefront of resistance

🩸 What we know (and don’t) about casualties, executions, and the regime’s crackdown

🌍 The role of international pressure — and why Iranians are calling for outside support

🔮 What could come next if the regime collapses: military rule, monarchy, or reform?

Disclaimer: Individual views expressed in this episode are their own and do not necessarily represent those of Passages.

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