badlands podcast by borzou daragahi

Epizódy

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  The Real Story Of The CIA’s Regime Change Plot In Syria 30.07.2026 20min

  This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit borzou.substack.comThursday, July 30, 2026, BostonAuthor and intellectual Robin Yassin-Kassab tells badlands the story behind the not-so-clandestine effort by the CIA and regional powers to arm the Syrian rebel groups which ultimately toppled the regime of Bashar al-Assad.Robin is author of the new book “The Blood Betwen Us,” which chronicles the first months following the downfall of the regime and what has transpired in the country under the regime of President Ahmed al-Sharaa, the former guerilla leader.Also in this episode, I discuss the latest dangerous escalations in the Iran war. Even as peace talks are underway and military aggressions seem to have paused, the the war continues in other forms, with recent Iranian missile attacks on Jordan and Saudi attacks on Iraq—as well as probably Houthi drone attacks— signaling preparations for an even bigger round of warfare.badlands is a listener-supported podcast. To receive new episodes and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
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  Iran: Two Publicly Hanged In Isfahan (S01E117) 29.07.2026 23min

  Wednesday, July 29, 2026, ChicagoIranians authorities publicly executed two young men early Tuesday in the city of Isfahan. Abolfazl Sepahi and Amirhossein Safari were protesters accused of taking part in the violent January 8 and 9 uprising that engulfed the country and that became used to trigger the ongoing war against the country by the US and Israel.In this edition of badlands, I briefly review the case of the two men, whose hangings prompted street protests. Guilty of any crime or not, the two men should never have been executed, especially given the opaque nature of the Iranian criminal justice system and the politically charged atmosphere inside Iran.Also, in an interview with India’s Southern Era Network television, I break down Donald Trump’s proposed nuclear deal with Saudi Arabia as well as the major diplomatic shifts taking place in the Middle East.In an interview with India’s NewsX World, I also discuss Trump’s latest in a series of threats against Iran as well as the prospects of a return to diplomatic talks.badlands is a viewer-supported podcast. To receive new posts 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
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  Lindsey Graham: More Of A Warmongering Freak Than We Ever Imagined (S01E116) 27.07.2026 23min

  Monday, July 27, 2026, ChicagoNewly released video excerpts from a documentary movie show the late South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham giddy about goading the US into a war against Iran, eagerly hoping for the country to collapse into warring segments, and supplicating himself before his true master—Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.In the latest edition of badlands, I discuss Graham’s legacy and what the latest revelations say about the US.Also, in a pair of in-depth interviews with NewsX World, I discuss the war’s expansion to include both the Red Sea—with the ongoing escalation between Saudi Arabia and Yemen’s Houthis—and the Caspian Sea, following an attack by Ukraine on an Iranian ship.badlands is a viewer-supported podcast. To receive new episiodes 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
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  How A TV Channel Drove The Iran War (S01E115) 24.07.2026 20min

  This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit borzou.substack.comFriday, July 24, 2026, ChicagoScholar Nahid Siamdoust joins badlands to disuss her new article for The New York Review of Books in which she explores how the Saudi-financed and Israeli-controlled satellite news channel Iran International shaped opinons of the war in both Iran and the diaspora, spewing a distorted vision of the conflict, peddling racist notions about Iranian identity, and artificially boosting support for exiled Iranian opposition figure Reza Pahlavi.I also discuss the lingering controversy over the number of deaths in Iran’s January protests, and how the inflated and seemingly arbitrary numbers flung about by the rightwing operatives actually dehumanize Iranians and prepare the grounds for civilian warfare.Plus, I offer my assessment on the latest diplomatic maneuvers and the White House’s mentality in an interview with India’s NewsX World.badlands is a listener-supported podcast. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
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  What Yemen Tells Us About The Iran War (S01E114) 23.07.2026 21min

  Thursday, July 22, 2026, ChicagoIn the latest edition of badlands, I discuss the Yemeni Houthi’s attacks on Saudi ships transiting the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, American attacks on civilian sites in Iran. Plus, I offer my take on those who predict that Iran’s capabilities and resilience are overrated, and why I think they totally miss the point. Also, watch or listen to my latest NewsX World interview—about Donald Trump’s inability to find an exit strategy, Lebanon’s future, and the possibility that the war could hurt the primacy of the petrodollar. badlands is a listner-supported podcast. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming 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
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  Chicago Stories: Nick Fuentes, ICE, And The Pope (S01E113) 22.07.2026 36min

  Wednesday, July 22, 2026, IstanbulIn this edition of badlands, I speak with Chicago-area college professor and activist David Goldberg about rightwing streamer Nicholas J. Fuentes and Pope Leo—both locals—about the various tides of political activism and discourse in the US.We also discuss the impact that Donald Trump’s ICE immigration crackdowns have had on communities in the city in the first part of my interview with David, an old friend of mine since childhood.I also discuss the latest escalations in Iran, including neoconservatives’ attempt to bait Trump into escalating the war by going after Pickaxe Mountain.And in an inteview with India’s NewsX World, I discuss multiple aspects of the war in the Middle East, including the impact on the Gulf and the potential for Yemen’s Houthis to enter the fray.badlands is a listener-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
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  Why Libya Was A Neocon Regime Change War, And Why It Wasn’t (S01E112) 21.07.2026 17min

  This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit borzou.substack.comTuesday, July 21, 2026, ChicagoIn the latest edition of badlands, Libya expert Anas el-Gomati and I examine our sympathy for the 2011 uprising that toppled ruler Muammer Gaddafi and ignited an ongoing civil conflict that has impoverished the country and handed it to rival armed gangs, (as described in S01E109).Gomati describes why Libya remained in the crosshairs of Israel and Washington even after it dismantled its nuclear program and brokered a measure of peace with the West in the early 2000s. But he also explains the flaws in Gaddafi’s system that might have made a civil war after his fall inevitable.Plus, in this episode I provide an update on the latest from the Iran war, and also discuss the tough quandaries of the Gulf states, Israel’s role in the current phase of the conflict, how propaganda shapes perceptions of the conflict, and how technology is impacting the war in an interview with India’s NewsX World.badlands is a viewer-supported platfiorm. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
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  Here’s What The Iran War Looks Like (S01E111) 20.07.2026 24min

  Monday, July 20, 2026, ChicagoThe US military completed a ninth consecutive night of airstrikes on Iran, and Iran reciprocated with missile and drone strikes of its own over the weekend targeting not just the Gulf states but Jordan and Iraq. At least two US soldiers died in Jordan, and another soldier remains missing. Another US solider was killed in northern Iraq, apparently while attempting to defuse an Iranian explosive drone that was struck done. For months, both the US and its allies and Iran have offered highly censored images of the war damage. But some footage and pictures have begun to emerge, and in today’s edition of badlands, I attempt to compile and describe some of that imagery. Other topics include Donald Trump’s humiliation of himself and anything he touches, and the emerging importance of Jordan, as well as potential economic impact of the continuing war on everything from summer travel prices to Gulf economies in a pair of discussions with India’s NewsX World. badlands is a listener-supported podcast. To receive new posts 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
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  Sleepwalking Into A Forever War With Iran (S01E110) 18.07.2026 32min

  Friday, July 17, 2026, ChicagoAs the Iran war escalates, Donald Trump rehashes his nonsensical election conspiracy theories. The Democrats come out strongly opposed to the war, but their criticism that the US has no plan appears off-the-mark. Washington indeed seems to have a single-minded goal for the escalation: get the Strait of Hormuz reopened, and potentially create regional divisions inside Iran.Meanwhile, Secretary of State Marco Rubio shows his desperation, while Vice President JD Vance positions himself against the neocons, and reporting on a well-known Israeli influence operation and Jeffrey Epstein’s ties to Israeli intelligence finally reach the mainstream media. Plus, interviews with me on India’s NewsX World and the Pakistan TV about the state of the conflict and US and Iranian political calculations. badlands is a listener-supported podcast. To receive new posts 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
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  Corrupt, Violent Gangs Rule Over Libya (S01E109) 16.07.2026 54min

  Thursday, July 16, 2026, ChicagoLibya has often been described as yet another US-led Middle East regime change operations that led to catastrophic results for its people and for the world. Nearly 15 years after the 2011 overthrow of dictator Muammer Gaddafi, the country is indeed a mess. It is divided by civil conflict and being exploited for its resources by rival families working in conjunction with their foreign backers. In part one of a special edition of badlands, Libya expert Anas el-Gomati, founder of Libya’s Sadeq Institute, and I recount Libya’s recent history and discuss the sudden international interest in Libya, including meetings between warlord Khalifa Haftar’s and both US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Turkey’s Recep Tayyip Erdogan, as well as fresh interest in the country’s oil reserves.“The oil is the best reason why everybody always comes back to Libya,” he says. There is also talk of a unification deal, between the two fractured halves of the country. “It’s being noted and penned as a unification deal,” he says. “It’s really a merger between these two rival families.”As the powerful grapple for power and resources, ordinary Libyans are suffering immensely, with declining living standards and eroding infrastructure, exemplified by the 2023 dam failures in eastern Libya that led to the deaths of at least 7,800 people. Also in this episode, I discuss the confusion over Donald Trump’s Iran strategy as well as the impact of the war on the global economy and the prospects for peace in interviews with India’s NewsX World.badlands is a listener-supported podcast. To receive new posts 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
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  Why Israel Has Gone Off The Rails (S01E108) 19.07.2026 46min

  Wednesday, July 15, 2026, ChicagoIsrael’s wars in Gaza, the West Bank, Iran, and Lebanon have led to ambiguous military outcomes but undoubtedly increased the isolation of the country, both in terms of diplomacy and its worldwide image. In part two of her interview with badlands, Noga Tarnopolsky discusses what I describe as the “malaise” that seems to be afflicting Israeli society. She describes fear and loathing whipped up by a gang of rightwing politicians to exploit the horror of October 7 to keep a tight reign over society and pursue their maximalist demands. We also discuss Benjamin Netanyahu’s latest power grab, in which he defies a supreme court ruling in order increase his control over the country’s media ahead of elections now scheduled for October 27. Subscribe to Noga’s newsletter now!Also today, I provide some brief updates on the escalation in the Persian Gulf and Donald Trump’s various flip flops in an interview with France 24. badlands is a listener-supported podcast. To receive new posts 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
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  Neocons Drag World Back To Brink Of Total Iran War (S01E107) 14.07.2026 30min

  Tuesday, July 14, 2026, ChicagoUS President Donald Trump plans to re-impose the blockade on Iranian ships transiting the Persian Gulf. As for other ships, he claims that not only is the Strait of Hormuz is “OPEN” but soon to become a cash machine for America!In the latest episode of badlands, Brett Erickson of Obsidian Risk Advisors joins the podcast again to help unravel the combination of delusion and confusion that appears to be driving the Trump administration’s Middle East policy.“He's desperate and he's clearly under way more pressure,” he tells me “I don’t think anyone expected it to go this bad. And I mean, he's just tweeting or Truthing. He's just spewing out nonsense because he's not putting thought into it because he's angry.”Also, on today’s show, I discuss the whether diplomacy can still salvage the memorandum of understanding, as well as the increasing risk of Yemen being drawn onto the conflict in an interview with NewsX World.Separately, I spoke about the latest news in the Persian Gulf in an interview with NPR’s mid-afternoon show Here & Now.badlands is a listener-supported podcast. To receive new posts 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
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  Can Israel Handle The Truth? (S01E106) 13.07.2026 36min

  Monday, July 13, 2026, ChicagoThe US and Iran hammered away at each other over the weekend, with Tehran effectively imposing a closure on the Strait of Hormuz and Washington all but tossing the memorandum of understanding it signed last month into the trash heap.While this may appear to be the new normal in the Persian Gulf, it is not sustainable for Americans, Iranians, or the rest of the world. On today’s edition of badlands, I discuss the lack of public input or popular protest in a war that is nonetheless the world.Also, Noga Tarnopolsky joins badlands from Israel to discuss US Democratic Party stalwart Rahm Emanuel’s recent visit to Tel Aviv . Please tune in tomorrow when Noga and I discuss Benjamin Netanyahu’s power grab and Israel’s sense of isolation. in second part of her interview with badlands. Subscribe to Noga’s newly launched newsletter, Bibi and Beyond.badlands is a viewer-supported podcast. To receive new posts 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
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  Fragile Lebanon Is Disintegrating Under Weight Of Israeli War, US Pressure (S01E105) 10.07.2026 51min

  Friday, July 10, 2026, IstanbulIsrael continues to occupy a huge swath of Lebanon, attacking Lebanese civilians in horrific atrocities taking place regularly.In the latest edition of the badlands podcast, Lebanon-based journalist Habib Battah, founder of the Beirut Report, joins in for a discussion about how the country has been further fragmented along both sectarian and class lines as Israel continues its military operations against Hezbollah.The war is furthering the country’s collapse, with everything from traffic lights to security forces failing to function. The government is unable to accede to US and Israeli demands that it get Hezbollah under control.“This is a country that has been disintegrated, fragmented by decades and decades and decades of wars and so it’s in no it’s in no position really to take any massive control of the situation in this country,” he said.Habib also details his groundbreaking reporting on the massive new US embassy being built up, one that sounds like a vast fortress meant to effectively run Lebanon rather than represent US interests in the country.You can follow Habib on his Instagram or on X.badlands is a listener-supported podcast. To receive new posts 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
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  Fear, Treachery, Lies: Iran Crisis Continues To Rattle The Gulf (S01E104) 10.07.2026 43min

  Thursday, July 9, 2026, ParisOvernight attacks between the US and Iran continued for a second day, with reports that Donald Trump pushed the envelope by hitting two railroad bridges in Iran’s north. That move could trigger Iranian retaliation against similar civilian infrastructure in the Arabian Peninsula states. The war pits the US against Iran, but the Persian Gulf has been the main battleground, as Trump struggles to restore the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz to its prewar status. In the latest edition of badlands, the well-informed Dr Andreas Krieg, lecturer at King’s College in London, joins us for a lively discussion about the how the conflict has transformed the Gulf States, and forced them to reassess their security needs. Gulf states are refusing so far to buckle to Iranian demands that they acknowledge Tehran’s control over the Strait of Hormuz, their economic lifeline, while Iran is asserting itself even if it damages it’s own economic interests.“A lot of what’s happening right now is about ego and it’s about principle–it’s not even about money,” he said. He also offers his insider insights about the signing of the memorandum of understanding between the US and Iran, and how the Gulf states are shifting their view of Israel’s potential role in the region. Also, on the latest edition of badlands, I discuss the latest developments in Iran and comment on the NATO summit in Turkey in an interview with India’s NewsX World.badlands is a viewer and listener-supported podcast. To receive new posts 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
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  'The War Has Started Again’: US, Iran Trade Major Attacks (S01E103) 08.07.2026 20min

  Wednesday, July 8, 2026, ParisThe US and Iran traded major military strikes overnight in the most serious threat to the framework ceasefire deal signed last month so far.The attacks continued into the morning with attacks by both countries into the late morning. Donald Trump said at the NATO summit in Turkey that he’s sick of negotiating with the Iranians and considers the memorandum of understanding effectively dead.The attacks may simmer down. But the bigger threat to any peace is the US decision to rescind its waiver of sanctions on Iranian oil, effectively giving Tehran zero incentives to stay in the deal and keep the Strait of Hormuz even somewhat open. In the latest edition of badlands, I delve into the continued erosion of the memorandum of understanding.Also, in a discussion with Pakistan’s Express 24/7 News I discuss the latest on the funeral services for the late Iranian ruler Ali Khamenei, the future prospects for a peace deal, and the significance of the NATO summit in Turkey.badlands is a listener-supported podcast. To receive new posts 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
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  The Energy Crisis Is Still Not Over (S01E102) 07.07.2026 30min

  Tuesday, July 7, 2026, ParisIs the oil shock finished? Not really. Energy analyst Robin Mills joins the latest edition of badlands for an interview on whether the tentative opening of the Strait of Hormuz will lead to a normalization of energy prices.Mills says energy is still below pre-war levels, in part because Gulf states are tentative about ramping up production.In today’s edition, I also discuss the latest kerfuffle over FIFA, the worldwide soccer organization that seemed to bend to Donald Trump’s will over a red card issued to an American player. (The US team still lost badly to Belgium).Plus, in an interview with the radio program The World, I discuss the future of Iran following the assassination of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and the consolidation of power by a new crop of regime stalwarts.badlands is a listener-supported podcast. To receive new posts 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
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  Hero Or Scoundrel? Putting Iran's Ali Khamenei To Rest (S01E101) 06.07.2026 21min

  Monday, July 6, 2026, ParisMillions of people are taking part in ceremonies marking the Feb. 28 death of Iran’s former supreme leader Ali Khamenei, a confounding historical figure who ruled Iran for 37 years.I wrote extensively about Khamenei in an article some years ago. But he remains something of an enigma. In this edition of badlands, I talk a bit about Khamenei and his legacy. In the end, he was granted a heroic death that will likely made him more warmly remembered—despite his many mistakes and the wrong turns he took throughout his reign.I also speak about the funeral procession in interviews with India’s NewsX World.badlands is a listener-supported podcast. To receive new posts 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
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  JD Vance Discloses Trump’s Real Plan On Iran (S01E100) 02.07.2026 18min

  Thursday, July 2, 2026, IstanbulIn an interview with Ben Shapiro’s Daily Wire network, Vice President JD Vance strongly suggested that the US was playing Iran, replenishing world energy stockpiles ahead of a possible future kinetic action.Needless to say, such talk will not help ongoing negotiations, only feeding into Iranian suspicions that the memorandum of understanding the US signed was a ruse to build up leverage for a future attack against the country.In the latest edition of the badlands, discuss I discuss Vance’s comments.Plus, in an appearance on France 24’s The Debate, I discuss the significance of the funeral for former Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, the role of the Revolutionary Guard, and the impact of sanctions.badlands is a reader-supported podcst. To receive new posts 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
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  Armenia Rejects Israel's ‘Weaponization’ of Genocide (S01E99) 01.07.2026 26min

  Wednesday, July 1, 2026, IstanbulIsrael recently began taking steps to recognize the Armenian Genocide, the horrific massacre of Armenian people at the hands of Ottoman Turks some 110 years ago. The move is meant in large part to provoke Israel rival Turkey. Problem is, even the Armenians are telling Israel to bugger off.On the latest edition of the badlands podcast, I explain how Israel’s ill-timed move to piss off Turkey interferes with Armenia’s historic breakthrough in relations with its Turkic neighbors to the east and west. Plus, in a conversation with India’s NewsX World, I discuss what the recent rulings by the US mean for the Trump administration. Thanks for watching or listening to 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