What’s really happening in Iran right now — and why are these protests being compared to (and surpassing) the 2009 Green Movement? In this episode of People Fuss, we speak with Zolal Habibi, an Iranian-American activist and advocate, to break down the ongoing protests in Iran in clear, human terms. Zolal explains how nationwide strikes, student movements, and cross-generational resistance have converged into the largest uprising Iran has seen in decades — amid mass internet shutdowns, widespread arrests, and severe state violence.

We discuss:

-Why these protests are larger and more unified than the 2009 Green Movement

-How internet blackouts and surveillance are being used to suppress information

-The role of Gen Z, women, and underground resistance networks

-What the international community can (and hasn’t) done

-How disinformation spreads — and how activists verify what’s real

What Americans can learn about protecting democratic rights before they’re lost

-This conversation centers Iranian voices, lived experience, and the human cost of authoritarian rule — beyond headlines and soundbites.

-Listener note: This episode includes discussion of state violence and human rights abuses.