As Iran’s streets turn into killing fields, the debate in Washington is no longer theoretical. Eye for Iran examines the Islamic Republic’s escalating violence against civilians under a near total digital blackout and asks the most urgent question yet: what will the world do now?

Michael Makovsky, President and CEO of the Jewish Institute for National Security of America (JINSA), and Blaise Misztal, the Institute’s Vice President for Policy, argue the United States should pursue one clear objective: regime collapse. They explain why this moment may be a rare strategic window, what collapse could unlock for US policy and regional security and what concrete steps could weaken the regime while supporting Iranians risking their lives.

Democracy and internet freedom activist Mehdi Yahyanejad then shares what his sources inside Iran are reporting despite the blackout, including how censorship, propaganda and fear are shaping what the world can and cannot see. He describes the role of Starlink access, the dangers faced by those sending information out and the stories emerging from the crackdown.

Finally, Dr. Nazak Tavakoli of the Iranian Association of Human Rights and Allies, political activist Iman Vaez and Jerusalem Center for Security and Foreign Affairs contributor Sogand Fakheri come together for a deeply personal conversation about grief, resilience and the human cost of this uprising, as families inside Iran vanish into silence and the diaspora struggles to respond.

Subscribe for ongoing coverage of Iran’s uprising, the regime’s bloody crackdown and the global decisions that may shape what happens next.

Contents of this video:

00:00:00 Cold open: eyewitness accounts under blackout
00:00:25 Opening montage: “war on civilians” framing
00:01:14 Segment 1 teaser: regime collapse argument (Makovsky + Misztal)
00:02:55 Show open + guest introductions (Makovsky, Misztal)

00:03:32 What does “regime collapse” actually mean
00:05:07 Regime change vs. regime collapse: key distinction
00:05:59 What collapse would unlock for US + region
00:09:12 Does this moment have a “window”
00:11:31 Trump red line: credibility, consequences, deterrence
00:15:04 Most effective next step for Washington
00:16:15 Building a long-term “collapse strategy” (comms, defections, pressure)
00:20:41 Mixed signals: Witkoff, negotiation talk, military moves
00:23:55 Where is this headed + closing thoughts (Segment 1 wrap)

00:26:34 Segment 2 intro: Mehdi Yahyanejad (internet freedom + sources inside Iran)
00:27:09 What he’s hearing now: fear, shock, missing loved ones
00:28:51 Starlink pipeline + protecting identities
00:35:29 Paint the picture: escalation, tactics, scale of violence
00:41:32 Disinformation + confusion as a regime tactic
00:49:09 Stories weighing on him most + what Iranians want from the world
00:58:38 Victims + the human toll (Segment 2 wrap)

01:01:03 Segment 3 intro: Nazak Tavakoli, Iman Vaez, Sogand Fakheri
01:01:55 How they’re holding up: trauma, grief, resolve
01:07:03 Family and friends back home: silence, fear, loss
01:11:13 “This is war on unarmed people”
01:11:36 Nazak’s story: legacy, missing contact, waiting for news
01:16:14 Nazak on her father and the long shadow of repression
01:22:03 Iman: messages from inside Iran + the diaspora’s role
01:30:19 Message to Iranians: don’t lose hope
01:32:19 Imagining Iran after: dignity, remembrance, rebuilding
01:34:40 Closing thanks + sign-off + where to follow / newsletter

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