This episode was recorded on Jan 21, 2026.

Wasay Mir hosts a conversation with Trita Parsi, Executive Vice President of the Quincy Institute and one of the most influential voices on US-Iran relations in Washington.

A Johns Hopkins SAIS PhD and author of four books on American foreign policy in the Middle East, Parsi unpacks Iran's unfolding domestic crisis in January 2026. Seven months after devastating strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities, mass protests have erupted amid economic collapse and an unprecedented regime crackdown.

Together, they explore whether this uprising differs from past movements like the Green Revolution or Mahsa Amini protests, what the collapse of Iran's regional proxy network means for the regime's survival, and whether Gulf states actually want a weakened Iran or fear what comes after.

Parsi's personal history as the son of an outspoken academic who faced repression under both the Shah and Ayatollah Khomeini provides unique insight into Iranian authoritarianism.

Produced by the Phillip Merrill Center for Strategic Studies at Johns Hopkins SAIS.

Researched and hosted by Wasay Mir; edited by Vishal Gogusetti