Why the Islamic Republic endures despite discontent | Eye for Iran | EP 81

Former CIA analyst and National Security Council director Kenneth Pollack joins Eye for Iran to explain why he believes Iran has been in a “pre-revolutionary state” for years, why revolutions succeed only when regimes lose the will or capacity to use force and how Khamenei’s eventual succession could reshape everything.

Then, Behnam Ben Taleblu of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD) breaks down President Donald Trump’s new National Security Strategy and why Iran is dramatically downplayed compared to 2017 — plus the risks of an “indifference” moment when the Islamic Republic, according to Taleblu, is “down but not out.”

Finally, we speak with Tatyana Eatwell of Doughty Street Chambers in the UK about the death of Iranian defense lawyer Khosrow Alikordi. Authorities cite cardiac arrest, while colleagues raise serious concerns about state involvement. What does this case mean for lawyers, detainees and due process in Iran and what role can international mechanisms play?

You can watch episode 81 of Eye for Iran on YouTube or listen on any podcast platform of your choosing.

Contents of this video:

00:00 Intro — Is Iran in a Pre-Revolutionary State?

Ken Pollack: Iran, Revolution, and Regime Change
01:22 Why Iran Has Been “Pre-Revolutionary” for Years
06:55 Why the Nuclear Issue Isn’t the Core Iran Problem
11:30 Iran’s Regional Ambitions and the Axis of Resistance
16:20 After October 7: Is Tehran Winning or Losing?
20:43 Why Iran’s Uprisings Keep Failing
28:49 What Happens After Khamenei?

Behnam Ben Taleblu: Trump’s Iran Strategy
37:18 Trump’s New National Security Strategy and Iran
41:56 Why the Iran Threat Is Being Downplayed
44:37 “Down but Not Out”: Risks of Strategic Indifference

Tatyana Eatwell: The Alikordi Case
47:36 The Death of Lawyer Khosrow Alikordi
48:32 Tatyana Eatwell (Doughty Street Chambers) on What This Means
52:32 Why Lawyers and Dissidents Face Growing Danger

58:08 Closing — Why Iran’s Future Remains Uncertain

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