badlands podcast by borzou daragahi

Wednesday, October 28, 2026, ParisJust a few months ago, it looked as though Saudi Arabia would be fine. It seemed it alone among the Gulf states would withstand and perhaps even profit from the chaos ignited by the unprovoked February 28 US and Israeli military attack on Iran and the subsequent warfare and economic fallout. That all ended when Saudi stumbled into a renewal of its disastrous war with Yemen’s Ansar Allah, or the Houthis.In the latest episode of badlands, renowned Middle East scholar and Saudi exile Madawi Al-Rasheed joins host Borzou Daragahi to dissect the recent escalation of conflict involving Saudi Arabia, Iran, the US, Israel, and the Houthis. Madawi discusses the historical context of Saudi involvement in Yemen, the implications of rising oil prices on global economies, and the paradox of American military might failing to achieve its goals. Madawi sheds light on why the Saudis’ perceived security has crumbled and how their reliance on foreign aid has left them vulnerable.She also delves into the stability of the kingdom itself, and whether there’s any chance that the ongoing wars in the region could destabilize the heavy-handed rule of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. In the episode, Borzou also offers a brief update on the Israeli elections and, in an interview with India’s NewsX World, discusses civilian casualties in the war between Saudi Arabia and Yemen.Notes:* Saudi Arabia’s war with Yemen is now threatening the kingdom’s non-oil economy, the service industry sector that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has desperately sought to cultivate.* Civilian deaths continue to mount in the conflict between Yemen’s Houthis and Saudi Arabia. * Arab Israelis (Palestinians) turned out to vote in huge numbers in Israel’s crucial elections.badlands is an independent. audience-supported media platform. please consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit borzou.substack.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit borzou.substack.comFriday, November 13, 2026, IstanbulThe dramatic US midterm election results obscured news of another regime change in the Western Hemisphere. Over the last weekend, the president of Paraguay, Santiago Peña, was removed from office and placed under house arrest after the collapse of Ueno Bank. In the latest episode of badlands, Colombian-American scholar and intellectual Guillermo Calvo Mahé joins host Borzou Daragahi for a lively discussion about the recent unrest in Paraguay, providing granular details about the massive financial scandal. In a wide-ranging discussion encompassing recent developments in Brazil, Argentina, and Colombia, they also talk about Israel’s increasing influence in South America and how the region is reacting to the US midterm elections. They also talk about Cuba, and why Latin American countries are standing by idly as the US strangles a country that has contributed immensely to the region’s culture and science. Borzou also discusses recent events in Gaza, including massive flooding and a horrific Israeli airstrike on a hospital, and how the so-called “Board of Peace” is enabling war crimes.Notes* Guillermo Calvo Mahe’s website* NPR report on the Ueno Bank collapse* Rains flood 70,000 tents in Gaza* Israeli strike on Gaza hospital kills 6* Cuba’s international support hits low as Latin American governments turn away* Subscribe to badlands for $25 for a whole year, a 50% discount!

Friday, November 6, 2026, IstanbulNearly two years after rebels swept through Syria, seized control of Damascus, and ousted longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad, the country remains a land in flux and occasional chaos. Reconstruction is spotty. Foreign investment is sparse. Poverty is epidemic. Sectarian and political violence persists.Yet there are also signs of hope and life.In the latest episode of badlands, researcher Rena Netjes joins badlands host Borzou Daragahi from Damascus to discuss the situation on the ground inside the new Syria. She discusses the security dynamics, economic activity, the political scene, and Israeli encroachments into southern Syria.She also describes her research into the kidnapping of journalist Austin Tice, the American Washington Post correspondent who went missing more than a decade ago in Syria.Also in this episode, Borzou delves into the Iranian response to the midterm elections. The messaging from Tehran suggests it is engaging in triumphalism and misunderstanding the stability of US democracy, mistaking political dynamism for weakness.In interviews with India’s NewsX World, Borzou also answers questions about the diplomatic efforts to resolve the impasse between Iran and the US, the ongoing negotiations over government formation in Israel, and the fresh round of protests in France.Notes:* Follow Rena Netjes’ Substack newsletter.* Hear me discuss about post-midterm prospects for war or peace between Iran and the US on Austria’s RadioFM4 (interview in English begins at 1:13 mark).* How Democrats can sabotage Donald Trump’s agenda abroad.badlands is a viewer-supported podcast. To receive new episodes and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit borzou.substack.com/subscribe

Thursday, November 12, 2026, IstanbulUS Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent is a corrupt oligarch who seems far more engaged with destroying the Iranian economy than repairing the American one. His party and his patron were slaughtered by American voters on Nov. 3. Now comes news that Iran is gearing up to assassinate him.In the latest totally free episode of badlands, host Borzou Daragahi assesses the allegation that Tehran is scheming to snuff out the life of the openly gay 64-year-old financier. He discusses the history of Iran’s overseas assassination campaigns and current capabilities. Are IRGC kill teams are already sneaking across the border to take out Bessent, or is just another piece of propaganda or twisted intelligence to raise tensions between Tehran and Washington?Borzou also discusses the plot in an interview with India’s NewsX World. Notes * New York Times report on Iran’s alleged assassination plot against Scott Bessent * Benjamin Netanyahu reportedly callsDonald Trump “every day” demanding that he bomb Iran* My 2018 report on Iran’s assassination plots abroad* My 2020 report about Iran’s assassination of a hacker in Istanbul * Subscribe to badlands for a whole year at the incredibly one-year anniversary sale price of just $25, 50% off the ordinary price!Thanks for reading badlands! This post is public so feel free to share it. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit borzou.substack.com/subscribe

Wednesday, November 11, 2026, IstanbulHouse Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and his enforcers are menacing incoming Democratic Party members of congress with threats of banishment if they fail to support the AIPAC-owned corporate shill’s bid for House Speaker.In the latest totally free episode of badlands, host Borzou Daragahi discusses the attempt to strong-arm fresh-faced incoming lawmakers into bending the knee. He assesses comments and interviews by incoming lawmakers Don Leonard, Major (Ret.) Richard Ojeda, and Dr. Adam Hamawy as they attempt to navigate Washington’s corruption and depravity.Borzou also looks at prospects by lawmakers to end the Iran war, including a push by Senator Chris Van Hollen.In an interview with Pakistan’s AsiaOne television, Borzou answers questions about the crisis in the Persian Gulf and the ongoing COP31 conference on climate change in Antalya, Turkey.He also joins France 24’s The Debate program with Francois Picard to discuss the wave of cyberattacks targeting refrigeration systems in France, with allegations that Iran may be responsible. He also answers questions about the ongoing negotiations in Abu Dhabi to end the Ukraine war, and whether Democrats will make a difference after the midterm elections.Notes:* Hakeem Jeffries’ campaign finance summary.* Progressive Democrats lay groundwork to defund the Iran war.* Murdoch media smears Dr. Adam Hamawy for refusing to call Iran an adversary.* Trump downplays Iran war escalation risks.* COP31 climate change conference convenes in Antalya, Turkey.* France blames Iran for wave of attacks on refrigeration technologies.* Russia and Ukraine begin talks in Abu Dhabi.* Watch the full France 24 The Debate show with Francois Picard.* Subscribe to badlands at a 50% discount only this month!Thanks for reading badlands! This post is public so feel free to share it. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit borzou.substack.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit borzou.substack.comTuesday, November 10, 2026, Istanbul Scholar Assal Rad joins badlands host Borzou Daragahi for an in-depth discussion of the biased media narratives shaping perceptions of the ongoing crisis in Gaza and the broader geopolitical landscape. Assal, known for her incisive commentary, is the author of “Don’t Say Palestine.” In this episode she dives deep into the power of language in journalism. She discusses how subtle shifts in wording can alter the meaning of tragic events and why this matters now more than ever. You’ll hear her perspective on the recent surge of misinformation and the chilling effects of media bias, particularly in the wake of the Gaza conflict. Also in the episode, Borzou discusses signs of hope that the corrupt Democratic Party leaders Hakeem Jeffries and Chuck Schumer are being driven out of their posts by angry voters. He offers up a solution that could allow Jeffries to become House Speaker only if he offers progressives some major concessions. Notes:* Order Assal Rad’s book, “Don’t Say Palestine.”* Read Assal’s analysis of media coverage of the Israeli war against Gaza.* Sign a petition to get rid of Hakeem Jeffries and Chuck Schumer.* Hakeem Jeffries financed by AI oligarchs.* Wife of director of Chuck Schumer’s PAC retained by United Arab Emirates.* Subscribe to badlands at a special anniversary price of 50% off!

Monday, November 9, 2026, IstanbulLiberals and progressives were clinking their champagne glasses in celebration after their resounding victory over their Republicans. But in the darkest recesses of the far right, there was also elation. For months Nick Fuentes has been urging his ultra-conservative groyper movement to vote Democrat.In the latest totally free episode of badlands, host Borzou Daragahi discusses how and why Fuentes played a key role in getting young white men to support Democratic Party candidates across the country, and assesses his movement’s future prospects and plans.Also, in this episode, Borzou speaks with Pakistan TV about the latest protests in France, and how the economic disquiet across Europe is rooted the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.In an interview with India’s NewsX World, Borzou discusses the US scheme to generate intelligence on Iran’s nuclear program by offering up to $20 million in rewards.He also discusses the departure of numerous officials from the US Department of Justice and answers questions about a wave of cyberattacks targeting the West.Notes:* Why Nick Fuentes endorsed Democrats in 2026.* France lowered corporate tax rates from 33% to 25%, let TotalEnergies pay zero in 2025 taxes, and forgave 140 million euros in taxes owed by an Indian oligarch to facilitate a weapons deal.* A third of the world’s helium supply is under threat because of the crisis in the Persian Gulf, which is also impeding global fertilizer supplies.* Three US Department of Justice officials quit after midterms elections.* A wave of cyber attacks are targeting food and hospital technologies.* Get or give a paid annual subscription to badlands for only $25! That’s an incredibly 50% savings off the ordinary price. This month only!badlands is an audience-supported podcast. To receive new episodes and support the project, please become a paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit borzou.substack.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit borzou.substack.comThursday, November 5, 2026, IstanbulAlireza Nader is a former Rand Corporation researcher who specialized in Iran’s Revolutionary Guard. He later joined the movement around self-proclaimed opposition leader Reza Pahlavi, ensconcing himself within the exiled opposition movement in the US. But he later broke away, disillusioned and critical of Pahlavi and his inner circle. That move unleashed a wave of threats against him.In the latest episode of badlands, Nader joins host Borzou Daragahi to assess prospects for a return to conflict, critique the US and Israel war against Iran, and recount his personal experience as a former supporter of Pahlavi.Borzou also discusses the aftermath of the midterm elections, taking the mainstream media to task for being as out of touch with the public as the Republican Party that was destroyed in the vote.In an interview with India’s NewsX World, Borzou sketches out possible consequences of the midterms for US foreign policy, andNotes:* Guest Alireza on why Pahlavi is not the man to lead Iran.* Alireza describes the dangers of Pahlavi’s movement.* White House reckons with the consequences of its historic midterm election defeat. “Maybe we could get asylum in Israel.”* Iranian Supreme National Security Council Secretary Mohsen Rezai takes credit for Trump’s midterm defeat.* Subscribe to badlands at a special one-time rate of $25 per year, a 50% discount, Only this month!!!badlands is a listener-supported podcast. To receive new episodes and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

Tuesday, November 3, 2026, IstanbulIt is election day in the US, even as millions of Americans have already voted because via mail or at pre-election voting centers designed to make it easier. In conversation on the implications of the vote, foreign policy expert Matt Duss joins badlands host Borzou Daragahi to reveal how the vote outcome could reshape US foreign relations and military funding. With a new coalition of progressive voices entering Congress, will they challenge the status quo of American exceptionalism and military intervention? Duss, a former advisor to Bernie Sanders, and Borzou dissect the potential shifts in power dynamics and how a Democratic-controlled Congress might influence decisions around military funding and oversight. Borzou also kicks off the episode by sketching out an alternative reality in which Donald Trump resists pressure to attack Iran, and how the political landscape in the US might have been very different. He also discusses Michigan politician Haley Stevens’ spectacular crash-out, and what it says about the toxic impact of the Israel lobby on US politics. Also, in an interview with India’s NewsX World, Borzou talks about what impact a new Democratic-controlled Congress could have on US foreign policy in Iran and Eastern Europe.Notes:* The US and Iran appear to be making tentative diplomatic progress on a deal that would avert a return to all-out conflict.* Israeli operatives embedded in Republican Senate candidate Mike Rogers’ campaign team.* Order Matt Duss’ book A World for All: New Visions of US Foreign Policy* Subscribe to badlands during this month’s 50% off sale—just $25 for a whole year.Subscribe to badlands for just $25 for a whole year, half the ordinary price! This month only. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit borzou.substack.com/subscribe

Wednesday, November 4, 2026, IstanbulIn the end, it was even worse for Republicans than the polls predicted. Democrats have seized control of the Senate and House, and the bleeding for the Republicans hasn’t even ended. They will also lose hundreds of state and local elections that have yet to be reported.In the latest episode of badlands, host Borzou Daragahi dissects the shocking outcomes of the recent midterm elections, where Republican dominance faced a dramatic collapse. He picks out winners and losers, and assesses next steps.He discusses the staggering sums of money—over $450 million from figures like Elon Musk—spent to influence the election, and how it all backfired spectacularly.He calls attention to the rise of influential new voices in politics, including Twitch streamer Hassan Piker, who turned the tide for several congressional candidates.In an interview with India’s NewsX World, Borzou also discusses how the election outcome might impact US foreign policy and the Iran war.Notes:* Benjamin Netanyahu peddles story about Iranian chemical weapons to lure US into further escalation.* Democrat Gina Hinojosa defeats Republican Greg Abbott for Texas Governor.* Late neocon Senator Lindsey Graham’s sister loses South Carolina Senate seat to Democrat.* Iranian parliament speaker Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf welcomes midterm outcome.* Subscribe to badlands for only $25 for an annual subscription. That’s 50% off! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit borzou.substack.com/subscribe