Roqe Ep. 417 - IRAN RISES - Iranians Are Already at War - Ali Hamedani, Mahdi Ghodsi, Ardeshir Zarezadeh

On this episode of Roqe, Jian Ghomeshi speaks with Iranian-British journalist Bozorgmehr Sharafedin, head of digital news at Iran International. Joining Jian from Washington, Sharafedin discusses the rapidly unfolding situation surrounding Iran as the conflict enters its ninth day and global commentary intensifies. Their conversation explores: the emergence of Mojtaba Khamenei as Supreme Leader whether Western media narratives are misreading events inside Iran why many Iranians have not taken to the streets while bombs are falling the potential impact of targeted strikes against IRGC infrastructure and the possibility that the regime - or some version of it - could survive the current crisis. Jian also opens the episode with an essay titled “The Mullas Are Not Anti-Imperialist Heros,” challenging the tendency in some Western political circles to romanticize the Islamic Republic as a form of anti-imperialist resistance. This episode is supported by: Famluxy https://famluxy.com (https://famluxy.com/) Stellar Law https://stellarlaw.ca (https://stellarlaw.ca/)

On this episode of Roqe, Jian opens with an essay about the brave Iranians who took to the streets in recent weeks demanding regime change - and the promise many in the diaspora made to stand with them. As war imagery dominates the headlines and debates grow louder around intervention, Jian reminds listeners that history is rarely tidy - and that the courage of those inside Iran should remain at the center of the conversation. Jian then speaks with Iranian-American lawyer and commentator Ari Aramesh, joining from Washington D.C. As U.S. military action against the Islamic Republic intensifies, the discussion focuses on a central question - will intervention actually bring change to Iran? Or could it entrench the regime further? They discuss the legality of the intervention, political reactions inside the United States, and whether weakening the regime’s military capabilities could create the conditions for Iranians inside the country to rise again. Guest: Ari Aramesh - managing attorney at Whitcomb Selinsky and frequent commentator on CNN, BBC, Fox News and Al Jazeera English. Episode 421 of Roqe - part of the Iran Risesseries. This episode is supported by: Famluxy https://famluxy.com (https://famluxy.com/) Use code ROQE to receive 40% off the Glory Days collection celebrating Iranian heritage.

With Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei killed following a joint United States–Israel military operation inside Iran, the political and strategic landscape has shifted dramatically. What comes next? Jian sits down with: Shayan Samii - U.S. national security analyst and strategic communications expert. Behnam Ben Taleblu - Senior Director of the Iran Program at FDD and specialist on Iran’s security apparatus. They discuss: Whether this is a genuine turning point If celebration is appropriate for long-suffering Iranians based on the death of Khamenei, but despite there being a long way to go Whether Washington and Jerusalem have a real “day after” plan The risk of a clerical power vacuum The role of Prince Reza Pahlavi and the opposition The regime’s regional retaliation The episode opens with an essay from Jian outlining 4 reasons a free Iran could transform global security, economics, migration patterns, and the Middle East’s long-term trajectory. This episode is supported by: Stellar Law - stellarlaw.ca Avoca Chocolates - avocachocolates.com Follow Jian on Instagram @JianGhomeshi Meezoon basheen.

On this edition of Roqe, Jian and guests examine the growing wave of disinformation surrounding Iran in Western media and public discourse. Joining from Vancouver, Sadaf Yasini, and from Ottawa, longtime Roqe contributor Pegah Ganji, the conversation explores: The scale and discipline of diaspora demonstrations Why Western audiences struggle to process the demand for regime change How anti-war rhetoric can obscure the reality Iranians are already living And what practical steps the diaspora can take to educate non-Iranians Jian opens with an essay urging Iranians in the diaspora not just to speak to each other - but to reach out beyond their own communities. Silence creates informational vacuums. Vacuums invite distortion. Later, Jian speaks with Daniel Diba, who recounts his imprisonment and torture by the Islamic Republic and explains why he believes it is critical to speak out now. This episode was recorded on February 26, 2026. This episode is supported by: Famluxy - famluxy.com Stellar Law - stellarlaw.ca

As student protests surge across Iran, universities are once again becoming epicenters of open defiance. In this episode of Roqe, we focus on the courage of Iranian students demonstrating right now - chanting forbidden slogans, confronting repression on their own campuses, and absorbing immense personal risk in the face of an authoritarian regime. Jian opens with a powerful essay addressed directly to Iran’s students. He is then joined by Dr. Sepehr Vakil, associate professor at Northwestern University and author of Revolutionary Engineers, for a wide-ranging conversation that connects Iran’s long history of student activism to the present moment. Together, they explore why students so often move first, what today’s campus uprisings reveal about the strength and fragility of the Islamic Republic, and what this latest wave of student courage may bode for a revolution aimed at a free Iran. This episode is supported by: Avoca Chocolates https://avocachocolates.com

In Episode 417 of Roqe, Jian challenges the sudden rise of Western “anti-war” rhetoric on Iran by reframing the reality on the ground. Iranians are not debating a future conflict - they are already living through one, as the Islamic Republic continues its campaign of repression, arrests, and mass killing. The opening essay explores why many Iranians now support intervention - not lightly, not casually, but after decades of failed reform, negotiation, and restraint. The episode then turns to a global panel discussion examining the fallout from the Global Day of Action demonstrations, Prince Reza Pahlavi’s presence at the Munich Security Conference, and the regime’s escalating crackdown inside Iran. Panelists analyze whether the Islamic Republic can maintain power, what intervention actually means, and why Western audiences continue to misunderstand Iranian demands. Guests: Ali Hamedani - London Ardeshir Zarezadeh - Toronto Mahdi Ghodsi - Vienna Recorded February 19, 2026. Sponsors: @StellarLawTO @AvocaChocolates

This episode of Roqe takes stock of an extraordinary Global Day of Action for a Free Iran, with major demonstrations in Toronto, Los Angeles, and Munich - and coordinated rallies across the diaspora following a call initiated by Prince Reza Pahlavi. Jian is joined by four voices who were there: Farnoush Hamidian in Munich Laleh Tangsiri, joining from London after attending the Munich rally Navid Negahban in Los Angeles Pegah Ganji in Toronto They reflect on the scale, discipline, and political significance of the weekend - and what this moment could mean for Iranians inside Iran and around the world. Jian opens the episode with an essay addressing Christiane Amanpour and the criticism surrounding her recent interview with Prince Reza Pahlavi - arguing the issue is not tough questions, but uneven journalism. This episode is brought to you with the support of Avoca Chocolates https://avocachocolates.com

Jian opens Episode 415 of Roqe – Iran Rises with a sober assessment of the United Nations, arguing that despite its language and ideals, it is structurally incapable of protecting Iranian civilians or advancing the revolution now underway. As tens of thousands of Iranian families grieve victims of an ongoing massacre, outrage is growing over the UN’s continued engagement with representatives of the Islamic Republic. This episode asks a difficult but necessary question: where should Iranians place their energy, pressure, and hope now? Jian is joined by: Lisa Daftari, Iranian-American foreign policy analyst, journalist, and founder of The Foreign Desk Shayan Samii, U.S. national security analyst and expert in strategic communications Bahador Alast, Iranian-Canadian engineer and widely followed cultural and language commentator The conversation explores: Why anger toward the UN is intensifying among Iranians worldwide Whether the UN functions as protection or symbolism during mass atrocities The meaning of “intervention” and what actually helps people on the ground The role of global protests in cities like Toronto, Los Angeles, and Munich Recorded February 12, 2026. This episode of Roqe is brought to you with the support of: Avoca Chocolates – avocachocolates.com Stellar Law – stellarlaw.ca

On this episode of Roqe – Iran Rises, Jian is joined by Khosro Isfahani, Research Director at the National Union for Democracy in Iran, for a clear-eyed conversation about where the Iranian revolution stands right now, what intervention actually looks like, why the United States continues to negotiate with the Islamic Republic, and what may come next under Donald Trump. The episode then widens into a panel discussion with Picasso Moin in Istanbul and Kamyar Mahinsa in Vancouver, including Kamyar’s reflections from the demonstration in Vancouver yesterday, the resilience of Iranians inside the country, growing distractions and infighting in the diaspora, and whether unity is holding at the moment it matters most. Jian opens Episode 414 with a moving essay - “When they arrest the doctors, the regime tells you what it is” - examining the moral meaning of a regime that punishes doctors and medical workers for helping wounded protesters. This episode of Roqe is brought to you with the support of Avoca Chocolates 🔗 https://avocachocolates.com

Jian opens this episode of Roqe with an essay making the case for calling this uprising the Lion and Sun Revolution. He reflects on the Lion and Sun flag being raised in Richmond Hill, Canada, while making one thing unmistakably clear - symbols in the diaspora are never enough. The real revolution is being paid for in blood inside Iran. Still, when a people are fighting to reclaim identity beyond the rulers who define them, symbols matter. Jian is then joined by Salar Gholami - former Iranian national team boxer and key organizer behind the historic Iranian-Canadian demonstrations in Toronto. They discuss how these massive rallies were built, how unity was maintained, what’s happening inside Iran, and what comes next as February 14th approaches. This episode of Roqe is supported by: Avoca Chocolates avocachocolates.com Stellar Law stellarlaw.ca