"Mullahs must get lost": Iran protests threaten to topple the theocracy | Eye for Iran | EP 84

Chants of “Mullahs must get lost” are spreading across Iran six days after a collapsing currency and shuttered bazaars triggered the largest nationwide protests since the 2022 Woman, Life, Freedom movement. What began as demonstrations over economic hardship has evolved into a nationwide uprising directly targeting the Supreme Leader, posing one of the most serious challenges to Iran’s theocracy in years.

On Eye for Iran, host Negar Mojtahedi asks: Can the Islamic Republic still control the situation — or is something deeper breaking?

Joining us:

* Shayan Samii — former US government appointee in intelligence and foreign policy
* Arash Azizi — journalist and author of What Iranians Want: Women, Life, Freedom
* Danny Citrinowicz — former head of the Iran branch in Israeli military intelligence
* Alan Eyre — former US State Department Persian-language spokesperson and Iran specialist
* Alex Vatanka — Director of the Iran Program, Middle East Institute
* Joseph Epstein — Director, Turan Research Center at the Yorktown Institute
* Bozorgmehr Sharafedin — Iran International Digital lead and former Reuters journalist

We break down:

– Who these protesters are — and why bazaaris matter
– How economic collapse is fueling anger nationwide
– How the Islamic Republic may respond, and what signals to watch next

Plus: a deep dive into growing talk of regime change after the Trump–Netanyahu meeting — what Israel actually wants, what Washington is prepared to do and how any external pressure could shape the protests inside Iran.

Bozorgmehr also explains why this protest wave may be harder to contain: broader networks, deeper grievances and a regime weakened after the 12-day war and ongoing economic freefall.

Will these protests lead to the end of the Islamic Republic? Tell us in the comments.

Contents for this video:

00:00 – Cold open: anger over economic collapse
00:23 – Intro: is Iran’s regime nearing the end?
03:45 – Who are the protesters and what do they want? (Shayan)
06:24 – Protests spread nationwide and the leadership vacuum (Arash)
13:19 – No “silver bullet” for Iran’s economic crisis (Danny)
19:00 – Protester courage, opposition factions and Western support
27:29 – Who is on the streets? Gen Z, bazaaris, workers (Arash)
32:55 – Opposition disunity and scenarios for change after Khamenei
44:39 – Regime change versus change from within, and the exiled opposition
54:40 – Does fixing the economy save the regime? (panel wrap)

57:44 – Trump and Netanyahu meeting: is regime change a fantasy?
01:03:04 – How could regime change or system collapse actually unfold?
01:09:41 – Hopelessness inside the regime and IRGC’s next moves
01:13:23 – War scenarios: Iran, Israel, Trump and the next clash
01:18:53 – Ten features that make this protest wave different (Bozorgmehr)
01:25:58 – Bazaaris break with the regime and Iran’s failing state economy
01:34:41 – Comparing this to Women, Life, Freedom and what comes next
01:41:06 – Final thoughts and Eye for Iran newsletter promo

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