Behind the News: What’s Going On in Iran? w/ Sohrab Ahmari

Zohran Mamdani, a 33-year-old democratic socialist, just stunned the political establishment—defeating Andrew Cuomo to win New York City’s Democratic mayoral primary. If elected, he’ll be NYC’s first Muslim mayor and the first democratic socialist to lead a major American city in generations, one that is both the epicenter of world finance and marked by extreme economic inequality. Mamdani’s campaign, powered by DSA activists and 50,000 volunteers, grew from years of organizing among young progressives and working-class immigrant communities long pushed to the Party’s margins, and he won across the city in nearly every constituency. Alan Minsky of Progressive Democrats of America, argues that Mamdani’s win is a vindication of Bernie-era politics, the best way to fight the far right, and a challenge to the Democratic Party establishment to open its doors to America's vibrant left. Jacobin Radio with Suzi Weissman features conversations with leading thinkers and activists, with a focus on labor, the economy, and protest movements.

Featuring NYC DSA co-chairs Gustavo Gordillo and Grace Mausser on how Zohran Mamdani won the Democratic mayoral primary. NYC DSA spent years building an electoral juggernaut that has now made history and offers a model for the left everywhere across the United States. A behind-the-scenes look at how NYC DSA and the Zohran campaign did it! Support The Dig at Patreon.com/TheDig Check out the Summer 2025 issue of Social Research: An International Quarterly at www.socres.org  Get 50% off Immigration Detention Inc. and other books in your first order from plutobooks.com with code DIG50 The Dig goes deep into politics everywhere, from labor struggles and political economy to imperialism and immigration. Hosted by Daniel Denvir.

Sohrab Ahmari, US editor of UnHerd, provides perspectives on the current state of the conflict between Iran, Israel, and the US. Leigh Claire La Berge, author of Fake Work recounts her journey into the ludicrous side of financialized capitalism. Behind the News, hosted by Doug Henwood, covers the worlds of economics and politics and their complex interactions, from the local to the global. Find the archive online: https://www.leftbusinessobserver.com/radio.html

Much of Trump’s popular appeal was wrapped up in his anti-establishment and anti-war posture on the campaign trail. But in only a few months, Trump’s populist mask has slipped completely and revealed him to be just another neoconservative Republican. In this episode of Confronting Capitalism, Vivek Chibber and Paul Prescod discuss Trump’s phony right-wing populism, the US involvement in the war with Iran, and how the Republicans are getting away with Medicaid cuts. Confronting Capitalism with Vivek Chibber is produced by Catalyst: A Journal of Theory and Strategy, and published by Jacobin. Music by Zonkey.

Late on June 21st, Trump joined Israel’s war on Iran. Just two days after warning Iran it had two weeks to make a deal, Trump unleashed the military might of 30,000-pound bunker busters delivered by B2 bombers on Fordo, while Tomahawks struck Natanz and Isfahan. With typical bombast, Trump bragged that Iran's nuclear sites were “totally obliterated." Iranian officials, however, claim the facilities had been emptied of nuclear materials months ago. Suzi spoke to Yassamine Mather just before Trump started bombing to get her analysis of Israel’s “Operation Rising Lion” — a unilateral military strike on Iran marking a dangerous new escalation in an already volatile region. The attack comes amid Israel’s ongoing genocidal war on Gaza, accelerating dispossession of Palestinians in the West Bank, pager bomb assassinations in Lebanon, and land grabs in Syria. Netanyahu’s war cabinet is committed to military solutions on all fronts — now including Iran. Iran has retaliated deep inside Israeli territory. This is a first for Israel, and it is dangerous in every way. Although the US was fully informed of Israel's intentions, Netanyahu defied Trump's public opposition to the strike. Trump then flipped, backing Netanyahu's attack and warning Iran to make a deal or else. Now we see the 'or else.' Jacobin Radio with Suzi Weissman features conversations with leading thinkers and activists, with a focus on labor, the economy, and protest movements.

Mouin Rabbani explains the regional and global context of Israel's war on Iran and Joel Schalit describes the society and politics that have informed Israel's latest aggression. Behind the News, hosted by Doug Henwood, covers the worlds of economics and politics and their complex interactions, from the local to the global. Find the archive online: https://www.leftbusinessobserver.com/radio.html

Featuring Mouin Rabbani on Israel’s war on Iran, possible direct US intervention, and the ongoing genocide in Gaza.  Chicago: come see The Dig live! secure.actblue.com/donate/thediglive Listen to Thawra and our five-part Iran series: thedigradio.com/series Support The Dig at Patreon.com/TheDig Read Eskandar Sadeghi-Boroujerdi in Sidecar newleftreview.org/sidecar/posts/culmination Buy All Our Trials: Prisons, Policing, and the Feminist Fight to End Violence at Haymarketbooks.com In These Times is offering 78% off print subscriptions for Dig listeners at Inthesetimes.com/dig

The Left often invokes the media’s power of persuasion to explain why people accept their situation within capitalism. But what if instead the system remains stable by “the dull compulsions” of economic life? In this episode of Confronting Capitalism, Vivek Chibber discusses the difference between consent and coercion, the real role of the media, and the conditions for organized resistance. Confronting Capitalism with Vivek Chibber is produced by Catalyst: A Journal of Theory and Strategy, and published by Jacobin. Music by Zonkey.

Featuring Ryann Liebenthal, Chenjerai Kumanyika, and Mike Pierce on Ryann’s book Burdened: Student Debt and the Making of an American Crisis. Interview by guest host Astra Taylor. We are working on an episode analyzing Israel's war on Iran amid the ongoing Gaza genocide—it will be out soon. For now, check out our five-part series on the history of Iran and also Thawra, our 19-part series on the history of Arab politics (lots on Iran in the final episodes). Find both series here: thedigradio.com/series Support The Dig at Patreon.com/TheDig In These Times is offering 78% off print subscriptions for Dig listeners at Inthesetimes.com/dig Subscribe to a year of Jacobin for only $15— a special offer for Dig listeners! bit.ly/digjacobin

Paolo Gerbaudo, author of recent articles for Phenomenal World, traces the rise of Chinese electric vehicle maker BYD. Andrew Hartman, who has written the book Karl Marx in America, discusses the bearded one’s reception in the US. Behind the News, hosted by Doug Henwood, covers the worlds of economics and politics and their complex interactions, from the local to the global. Find the archive online: https://www.leftbusinessobserver.com/radio.html