What Comes Next for Iran?
Summary
David Frum and Karim Sadjadpour discuss the aftermath of the Israeli airstrike on Iran, focusing on the internal dynamics of the Islamic Republic. They analyze Supreme Leader Khamenei's survival instincts, the regime's ideological principles versus Iran's national interests, the colossal failure and cost of the nuclear program, and the disconnect between the ruling elite and a society yearning for openness and connection to the outside world.Episode description
On this episode of The David Frum Show, The Atlantic’s David Frum urges an end to wishful thinking about Iran, and a focus instead on the regime’s threatening words and murderous actions.
Then David is joined by the Carnegie Endowment scholar Karim Sadjadpour for an urgent conversation about the internal decay of Iran’s theocracy. They discuss the survival instincts of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the regime’s obsession with martyrdom and repression, the true cost of the Islamic Republic’s nuclear ambitions, and the disconnect between the revolutionary slogans of the state and the aspirations of Iranian society.
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