Roqe

“Rethinking the Shah of Iran - 2” - Part 31 of the Roqe Media series, The Contemporary History of Iran. There is, perhaps, no greater figure in the Contemporary History of Iran than the last Shah of Iran, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi. And there is no shortage of opinions about him and his legacy - from admiration to condemnation. But has the perception of the Shah and the Pahlavi period changed in the years since his overthrow and death in exile? Historian and analyst, Dr. Andrew Scott Cooper, author of the book, “The Fall of Heaven: The Pahlavis and the Final Days of Imperial Iran,” joins Jian Ghomeshi from Brussels, Belgium, to discuss the Shah’s time in power, and a changing and more sympathetic narrative amongst some historians and Iranians in the Diaspora about the Pahlavi era and the Shah, in the beginning of the fifth decade since this removal.

Feature interviews with surgeon turned social media star, Dr. Iman Taheri, in the Roqe Studio, and award-winning British-Iranian fashion designer, Alisa Vaseghi, Founder of the Vaseghia fashion house in London, UK. Plus the Roqe On-Air Team address Jian’s anxieties about who to support in the upcoming Canada vs Iran friendly football match in Vancouver.

“The Curious Case of Ahmadinejad” - Part 30 of the Roqe Media series, The Contemporary History of Iran. Is there are more mercurial figure in the modern history of Iran than Mahmoud Ahmadinejad - the man who served as the president of the Islamic Republic from 2005 to 2013? The conservative politician is either seen as a supervillain, or a superstar, depending on your perspective, ideology, and maybe even your place in the world. But his tenure was undeniably controversial and chaotic. So, how do we explain Ahmadinejad, and how will he be treated in history books? Professor of Iranian History and Founding Director of the Institute for Iranian Studies at the University of St. Andrews, Dr. Ali Ansari, author of the book, “Iran under Ahmadinejad: The Politics of Confrontation,” joins Jian Ghomeshi from Fife, Scotland, to try to untangle the ascendance and legacy of the one of the more colourful and odd figures in Iranian politics.

Roqe 178 - Popular rock musician Ali Azimi joins from London for the world premiere of some of the tracks from his forthcoming album, Kahrobaye Arezoo. Plus YouTuber/documentarian Anahita Eskandari on her story of being an Iranian woman in a mixed-race marriage in Ghana. And the Roqe Team discusses Reza’s throat issues and the Letters of the Week.

“Rethinking the Shah of Iran” - Part 29 of the Roqe Media series, The Contemporary History of Iran. There is, perhaps, no greater figure in the Contemporary History of Iran than the last Shah of Iran, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi. And there is no shortage of opinions about him and his legacy - from admiration to condemnation. But has the perception of the Shah and the Pahlavi period changed in the forty years since his overthrow and death in exile? Intellectual, author and Director of Iranian Studies at Stanford University, Dr. Abbas Milani, joins Jian Ghomeshi from Palo Alto, California, to discuss the Shah’s time in power, and the changing narrative amongst some historians, including the ways in which there may have been a rethinking of the Pahlavi regime since Milani’s definitive biography entitled, The Shah, was first published in 2011.

Roqe 177 - A feature interview with pilot, aviation expert, motivational speaker, and Iranian human rights advocate, Captain Christopher Behnam. Captain Behnam joins Jian from San Francisco to recount the harrowing tale of saving 381 lives aboard United Airlines 1175 en route to Hawaii in 2018, and his personal story of facing mortality and building resilience since childhood. Plus the Roqe Team discuss the fear of flying and the promotional practices of Iranian real estate agents in the diaspora.

“The Golha Legacy” - Part 28 of the Roqe Media series, The Contemporary History of Iran. From 1956-1979 a series of radio programs hit the national airwaves in Iran, aimed at showcasing poetry and traditional music in Persian culture, and enhancing their appreciation by the general public - the impact was monumental. But how did the Golha Programs find their genesis? How do we measure the impact they had on Iranian culture at the time? And what is the legacy of these programs today? Ms. Jane Lewisohn, Research Associate at the Department of Music, in the School of Oriental and African Studies at the University of London, and director of the Golha Project, joins Jian Ghomeshi from Eydon, England, for this music-infused episode, to discuss the unique and lasting influence of the ‘Flower Programs’ on Iran, Persian music, and the cultivation of culture.

Roqe 176 - A special edition of Roqe focusing on the future of money, creativity and investment - “Iranians and the Metaverse.” Making the case for cryptocurrencies is political analyst and crypto farmer Maysam Behravesh who joins Jian from Sweden to explain why he believes digital currencies will be the future and why you should get in on them now. And explaining and making the case for NFTs is lawyer and international business advisor Awin Tavakoli who joins from Zurich, Switzerland, for a spirited conversation. Plus the Roqe on-air Team give their opinions, discuss opera and hockey, and read the Letters of the Week.

“The Massacre of ’88 on Trial” - Part 27 of the Roqe Media series, The Contemporary History of Iran. In 1988, in the aftermath of the Iran-Iraq War, there was a wholesale killing of thousands of political prisoners by the Khomeini regime. What was the massacre of 1988 about? Who was involved? And how is the trial of Hamid Noori, currently taking place in Stockholm, related? Human rights lawyer and International Arbitrator at the International Court of Arbitration, Dr. Kaveh Moussavi, joins Jian Ghomeshi from Oxford, England, to relay information that has emerged about the atrocities of 1988, and how the outcome of the trial of Hamid Noori, one of the executioners, could have major implications for the Iranian government.

Roqe 175 - On the two-year anniversary of the launch of Roqe, a special feature interview with Iranian classical music star Alireza Ghorbani - considered one of the world’s foremost vocalists and recording artists. Alireza joins Jian from Tehran for a wide-ranging life interview about his technique, his performance style, his love of singing, his childhood, and his cross-cultural mission. The interview is conducted in both English and Persian. Plus the Roqe On-Air Team celebrate and reflect on two years of programming and their favourite moments.