When Does an Uprising Become a Revolution? Reza Aslan and Assal Rad on the Protests in Iran

Iran is in upheaval. The death of a young woman, Mahsa Amini, in the custody of Iran’s “morality police” has sparked an uprising throughout the country. Protesters have turned the current regime’s revolutionary iconography against it. Faced with what might be the biggest test to its legitimacy since 1979, the Iranian government has imposed a brutal crackdown on dissent. 

Countries and human rights organizations around the world condemn the government’s violence. In the United States, President Biden has paused nuclear negotiations and expressed his administration’s support for the protesters. But there is little consensus on how and whether this support should transform into official U.S. policy. This week on None Of The Above, IGA’s Mark Hannah speaks with Assal Rad and Reza Aslan, two experts on Iranian politics and culture. They discuss Iran’s history of uprisings and revolutions, the importance of international solidarity, and why Iran’s future is ultimately in Iranian hands.

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This podcast episode includes references to the Eurasia Group Foundation, now known as the Institute for Global Affairs.