badlands podcast by borzou daragahi

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• How Iran Is Defeating The Washington Blob 05.06.2026 15хв

  This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit borzou.substack.comFriday, June 5, 2026, IstanbulUS lawmakers finally stood up to the Trump administration this week, voting in a surprise move to call on President Donald Trump to halt the war in Iran or seek Congressional approval.Huge segments of official Washington are finally catching up with the overwhelming American public consensus that the war is a disastrous mistake. But why did it take so much and so long to overcome?In today’s podcast, Washington-based scholar Sina Toossi and I discuss the hawkish Beltway consensus that led to a war that is badly damaging the world economy.Other topics in today’s edition:* The latest updates on Iran’s nuclear program* The rift between Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over Lebanon* Iran’s remaining military capabilities* Iran’s increasing abuse of dissidents and use of the death penalty* What to expect ahead Iran’s arrival to North America for the World Cup* And Sina’s picks on some of the best restaurants in WashingtonPlease watch, listen, share, and subscribe!badlands is a listener-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
• Albania Protests Halt Jared And Ivanka’s 'Epstein Island' Resort Scheme 04.06.2026 24хв

  Thursday, June 4, 2026, Istanbul Tiny Albania turned itself into a Balkan United Arab Emirates by cozying up to Israel and the administration of Donald Trump. It joined the Board of Peace, the sham organization used to deflect attention from the ongoing Israeli subjugation of Palestinians in Gaza.But it all blew up this week over plans to hand over precious coastal properties and an island to Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump for a $4 billion resort scheme funded with ill-gotten cash from Saudi Arabia and Qatar. On today’s podcast, I detail how growing public unease over Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama’s enthusiastic embrace of Israel blew up in his face this week, forcing him to freeze the resort project. Plus, I discuss the ongoing low-level war between Iran and the US and, in an interview with India’s NewsX World, the complications that could arise when Team Iran arrives in the US for the World Cup this summer. Please listen or watch, share, comment, and subscribe. badlands is a reader-supported publication. 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
• Israel's War In Lebanon Threatens To Blow Up US Deal With Iran 02.06.2026 21хв

  Tuesday, June 2, 2026, IstanbulAxios reports on a testy exchange between Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu over Israel’s offensive in Lebanon. Earlier on Monday, Iran announced that it was walking away from negotiations over reopening the Strait of Hormuz and potentially rolling back its nuclear program because of Israel’s continued military actions in Lebanon, which now amount to an occupation of the the country’s south. That wasn’t the deal, Iran declared, noting that ceasefire in Lebanon was part of the April settlement that ended the most ferocious phase of warfare between the US and Iran. Trump said he didn’t care. Apparently he did care. According to Axios’ explosive report, Trump was fuming at Netanyahu, going all Joe Pesce on him. “You’re f*****g crazy,” Axios reported that Trump told Netanyahu. “You’d be in prison if it weren’t for me. I’m saving your ass. Everybody hates you now. Everybody hates Israel because of this.”Lebanon has become a key stumbling back in ending a conflict that continues to threaten the world economy. On the latest edition of badlands, I discuss the deep ties between Iran and Lebanon that go beyond Hezbollah and its role as a proxy force for Tehran. In interviews with India’s NewsX World and Azerbaijan’s Anewz, I also discuss the latest news and diplomatic maneuvering, and the Strait of Hormuz and whether Iran is holding it hostage. In short, hell yeah it’s holding the Strait hostage, and it’s getting away with it because of US missteps. A quick programming note. badlands was ranked 29 in Substack’s list of rising newsletters! Thanks to everyone for their support. Please watch. listen, share, and subscribe.badlands is a reader-supported publication. 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
• They Need Iran To Be The Next Forever War 01.06.2026 25хв

  This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit borzou.substack.comMonday, June 1, 2026, IstanbulThe same people who goaded Donald Trump into launching a war of choice against Iran that would be over in a few days or weeks are now signaling that the US president should just stay the course for another two-and-a-half years!This comes as the US and Iran again exchanged fire overnight Sunday to Monday. The US hit Iranian missile bases along southwestern Iran’s coast. Iran responded with missile strikes on US positions in Kuwait. No casualties were reported by either side.On today’s edition of badlands, I discuss delusions and propaganda disguised as policy with Brett Erickson, a dynamic analyst at the risk advisory firm Obsidian whose razor-sharp takes on the Iran conflict stand out. As both negotiations and low-level warfare continue, the world economy, is in deep trouble, he warns.“The problem is basically we’re in energy war right now,” he tells me. “And unfortunately Iran can withstand this much longer than the global economy can.”Erickson notes that the closure of the Strait of Hormuz is costing the world 12.8 million barrels of oil per day. “We’re above 1.1 billion barrels lost in total now,” he says. “And it’s going to take time to conduct mine-clearing operations. It’s going to take time to negotiate this memorandum of understanding still. We then need to get tankers out of the Gulf and get them back into the Gulf. And it’s just a long timeline that could extend quite significantly.”Also on today’s show, I discuss the latest in Iran with updates on the diplomatic struggle to end the conflict in a pair of interviews with India’s NewsX World. Plus, why Israel has stepped up its war efforts in Lebanon. badlands is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
• Turkey's Democracy Under Dire Threat 29.05.2026 20хв

  This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit borzou.substack.comFriday, May 29, 2026, IstanbulNot enough has been said about Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s systematic dismantling of Turkey’s opposition movement and the craven acquiescence of the United States and the European Union to his machinations. Today’s podcast features an interview with Turkish scholar and fellow Substacker Orhan Şener Deliormanlı. He’s a UK-educated political commentator and media researcher now continuing his doctoral studies at Istanbul’s prestigious Galatasaray University. He specializes in youth movements and democracy in Turkey.But that’s not all today. In addition to the fascinating discussion about the decline of Turkey’s democracy, we have updates on the latest news from Iran, Gaza, and the West Bank, where the EU has sanctioned the most extremist settlers. Please listen or watch, comment, share, and subscribe. badlands is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
• Trump Threatens To ‘Blow Up’ Oman 28.05.2026 20хв

  Thursday, May 28, 2026, IstanbulIt was one of the nastiest and most uncalled for moments in Donald Trump’s unhinged second term. In the middle of a press briefing at a cabinet Trump threatened to “blow up” Oman if it didn’t do the Americans’ bidding on the Strait of Hormuz. It was a deranged outburst that is part of a pattern of Trump attacking the countries attempting to find a diplomatic solution to the Iran war. It also shows the childish way that Trump sees war. In reality might not only does not make right, it sometimes leads to defeats. Just because the US and Israel blew up more stuff than Iran in the recent armed conflict doesn’t make them the winners. It actually made them the losers, because it ended up strengthening the regime and expanding Iran’s influence. I discuss all this in today’s podcast, as well as bring you up to date on the news in an excellent interview with anchor Guy Shone of Azerbaijan’s Anewz. badlands is a reader-supported outlet. 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
• She Reports Iran News In Her Pajamas 27.05.2026 10хв

  This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit borzou.substack.comIn today’s edition of badlands, I speak with journalist Leila Gharagozlou, a CNN correspondent who has amassed a massive following on her TikTok account with astute, pithy takes and takedowns on Iran and geopolitics. She often gives her talks while chilling on her couch in Dubai in her favorite bathrobe. In a wide-ranging discussion we talk about everything from the role of the Revolutionary Guard in Iran to best Persian restaurant in Dubai. “I found that people who generally should understand the region a little bit better seem to constantly be misinterpreting and misunderstanding the Iranians and their point of view and how Iran works inside,” she says. “And I don’t know where that comes from. I can only assume that it is maybe this kind of wishful thinking—almost delusion—of what we want to happen rather than what is actually happening on the ground and how Iran fundamentally functions.”Please listen or watch, comment, share, and subscribe.
• US Airstrikes Endanger Iran Peace Talks 26.05.2026 34хв

  Tuesday, May 26, 2026, IstanbulIranians are warning of a wider war following US airstrikes on the country late Monday or early Tuesday. On the latest edition of badlands, I discuss how little the latest attack makes sense.Also on today’s jam-packed podcast:* Why Iran might got internet restored* Whether Israel might face more international pressure* Whether the United Arab Emirates may be facing the same kind of isolation it once imposed on Qatar* How Turkey’s democracy is failingA great talk last night on France 24 with Francois Picard included debate about how Iran, Israel, the Gulf, and the US are trying to shape the ongoing crisis.The entire discussion can be viewed below, but some choice excerpts are included in my latest podcast.In a deep dive with Pakistan Express 24/7’s Fahd Hassan, I discuss the latest developments across the region, including in Iran, Israel, and the Gulf, including the role of China and Pakistan in the negotiations.Also in today’s editions, more talk about Iran, as well as Israel and Turkey, on India’s NewsX World with host Ellie Richardson.Please listen, watch, and subscribe!badlands is a reader-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
• Rumors Of Iran Deal Trigger Epic Neocon Meltdowns 24.05.2026 18хв

  News of a possible deal between Iran and the US sent heads exploding among neocons and warmongers. Truth be told it was a delight to be behold.In today’s special edition of the podcast, I discuss the deal and how it could still fall apart.Plus, in an interview with India’s NewsX World, I speak about Turkey’s efforts to destroy President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s main opposition party and shut down an important university.Also, what a US troop deployment in Poland could mean.To receive all 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
• Let’s Face It: Donald Trump Is An Idiot 22.05.2026 13хв

  Friday, May 22, 2026, IstanbulOn Wednesday, Donald Trump took a call from Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.On Thursday, Turkey’s Erdogan-controlled judiciary removed the effective and charismatic leader of the opposition party from his post, and re-installed a flailing dullard.On today’s podcast, I discuss how time after time, Trump’s idiocy, arrogance, and naïveté allow him to be used by adversaries and supposed allies. Cuba and Iran are also examples of how people are using his incredible stupidity to their own advantage.As I also discuss during an update on India’s NewsX World, all Trump really cares about is looking good on television. He’s a blithering moron, a fact that can not be ignored. badlands is a reader-supported publication. 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
• Ukraine: High-Tech 'Kill Zones’ And The New Economics Of Warfare 21.05.2026 10хв

  This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit borzou.substack.comThursday, May 21, 2026, IstanbulUkraine stunned the world last weekend with a fresh, robust drone and missile strike on Russia’s capital. It wasn’t the first Ukrainian attack on Moscow, but it was most definitely the most robust, targeting Russian energy infrastructure in an attempt to decrease Russia’s ability to wage war. In an exceptional and insightful interview, Ukrainian analyst Anastasiya Shapochkina, of the Eastern Circles think tank in Paris, discusses the latest attack and how it is the result of an ongoing tech-driven with ever murkier rules of engagement and frontlines. “The front line, as we have understood it, has disappeared,” she tells badlands. “It’s gotten replaced with a kill zone of about 30 kilometers and anything that goes anywhere near there is directly targeted and annihilated. It’s an environment completely saturated with drone presence, which means it’s absolutely transparent. The technology which now dominates the battlefield it allows both sides to see at night to see based on the heating that a body can produce.”Please listen or watch, comment, subscribe, and share.badlands is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
• Trump's Tough Talk Toughens Iran’s Resolve 20.05.2026 15хв

  Wednesday, May 20, 2026, IstanbulAfter signaling that the US was again getting ready to resume its military operations against Iran, Trump again backed down.He said he was convinced to give diplomacy a chance for a few days, but the facts suggest he remains caught in a trap created by a combination of military and geographic reality and his own rhetoric.On today’s edition of badlands, I discuss how Trump’s tough talk strengthens Iranian hardliners and makes the deal he appears to want even harder to get. Trump, already threatened to annihilate Iran’s civilization, and Tehran refused to back down. More threats serve little purpose, except to empower the wrong people in Tehran. badlands is a reader-supported publication. 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
• Iran Regime, Opponents Lack Solutions To Economic Woes 19.05.2026 7хв

  This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit borzou.substack.comLast week Tehran-based tech entrepreneur Hamidreza Ahmadi stunned Iran watchers with an insightful and extraordinarily brave essay written from Iran about the real reasons behind Iranians’ misery in the leftist journal Jacobin.In the piece, the Queens College graduate and one-time New York resident stu recounts the double tragedy of the January protests in Iran. Not only were the protests brutally crushed, costing thousands of lives. But they were effectively hijacked by both the government and the opposition to obscure the underlying difficulties that prompted people to head into the streets:Over the span of two days, thousands lost their lives, and many more were injured. The details of the crackdown are grim and well documented elsewhere. Both the state and the Pahlavi camps had an interest in burying the economic angle. The protests were swiftly reframed as a civilizational clash: Islamic Republic versus monarchical restoration. Both sides gained from this framing because neither could offer a credible answer to the material grievances that had brought people into the streets. Neither had redistributive policies to propose. Neither wanted to talk about the VAT hike, the forex shock, or the rising price of food and rent. So they didn’t. The economic origin story was erased. And so January became about security and treason for one side and freedom and democracy for the other.In an exclusive interview, badlands’ first on-camera dicussion from Tehran, Ahmadi discusses the impact of Iran’s economic troubles, how sanctions relief helped launch a whole generation of entrepreneurial verve, and how the re-imposition of sanctions crushed that spirit.He also discusses the day-to-day troubles in Iran now, how his own small business is going, and whether people fear a return to full-scale warfare.We also get a live view of the snow-capped mountaintops of northern Tehran.Please listen or watch, subscribe and share.badlands is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
• In Iran & Ukraine, Hybrid Warfare Comes Of Age 18.05.2026 18хв

  Donald Trump again threatened war this weekend, and there are reasons to believe he means this time.But does he know what he’s in for? In today’s podcast, I discuss the inventive ways that Iran has fended off the US attacks and pressure, a creativity born of both new weapons of warfare and Iran’s unique geography.Lots of fun stuff in the latest edition, including AI-generated depictions of battles and speculation over who could have been behind a recent attack on the United Arab Emirates sole nuclear power plant. Plus a recent interview with me and professor Ibrahim Al-Marashi about the changing nature of warfare on South Era Networks.Milestone: Thanks to your support, badlands just reached 1,000 subscribers. That’s a growth rate of 1,000% over the last 180 days!Please keep sharing and consider upgrading to a paid subscription. Under badlands’m sharing program, if you convince several others to sign up you’ll receive a complimentary subscription, giving you access to full articles, archives, and podcasts behind the paywall.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
• UAE Caught Two-Timing Arab World With Israel 14.05.2026 48хв

  It was something out of a 1960s brat-pack comedy.Israel got sick of being treated like the side piece and announced to the world that it had a thing going with the United Arab Emirates, publicly announcing that Benjamin Netanyahu had visited the UAE and met with the leader Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed. An Israeli channel even reported that MbZ picked up Bibi from airport, personally driving to a secret meeting.The UAE did what any philandering scoundrel might do. It denied, denied, denied to the rest of the Arab world that it had met with the toxic Netanyahu.Of course, no one believes it. There’s plane tracking data proving it. In today’s podcast I discuss why Israel might have disclosed the information.I also discuss Donald Trump’s visit to China, and have a long discussion with Pyotr Kurzin of the The Global Gambit podcast about the inner workings of the Iranian regime as well as relations between Gulf States and Ukraine.Please watch, listen, share, comment, and subscribe.badlands is a reader-supported publication. 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
• The Art Of The Steal 12.05.2026 17хв

  Tuesday, May 12, 2026, IstanbulDiplomacy over Iran remains at an impasse, as Donald Trump heads to Beijing for his big meeting with Xi Jinping without a deal, a victory, or even an open Strait of Hormuz. Trump also reveals that he US tried to arm Iran’s opposition by handing weapons Kurds, despite his own skepticism, but that they stole the weapons instead.In today’s podcast I also discuss the freeing of Iranian human rights activist and women’s rights advocate Narges Mohammadi from Tehran’s Evin Prison, the topic of an interview with Austria’s Channel 4 radio. In a discussion with India’s NewsX, I grapple with the diplomatic complexity of Turkey’s relations with Qatar, two allies whose relationship has been put to the test by the Iran war. badlands is a reader-supported publication. 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
• Iran, US Jaw-Jaw, War-War At The Same Time 08.05.2026 19хв

  Friday, May 8, 2026, Paris There was another exchange of fire between Iran and the US on Friday. This time Americans disabled two Iranians ships. Meanwhile Iran struck Dubai. Images emerged showing smoke rising from the city’s glitzy international airport.The UAE may have also taken part on a series of US airstrikes on Thursday targeting Tehran, Qeshm Island, and Bandar Abbas. Iran can’t reach the US aircraft carriers and bases launching those airstrikes and fighter jets. So it targets the Gulf States instead, particularly the United Arab Emirates, which Tehran sees as an extension of the US and Israel.Despite the skirmishes, both the US and Iran appear seem keen to avoid going back to the most ferocious days of the 40-day war. None of the attacks appear to have caused a much major damage or casualties. Both countries are also under quite a bit of domestic and international pressure to avoid a return to war. Negotiations continue, though there is a lot of misinformation floating around.I speak about these pressures, about the pull and push away and from a return to war, in an interview with South Era Network in today’s podcast.The war has also stripped away the illusions many have about the state of global leadership and global order. The crisis was caused by the west. Western nations coddled Israel enabled its dehumanizing of Arabs and Irans, and backed its wars. Western nations enabled Donald Trump by mostly refusing to stand up to him and giving in to his worst impulses. The war is now profoundly damaging the world. But it is being defused largely by the countries of Eurasia and the Global South. That includes Pakistan, China, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Oman, and Turkey. The UN is nowhere to be found, Europe is pathetically absent, ineffective, and preoccupied—more an unprincipled supplicant to the US and Israel than a potential arbiter of a peace deal. I spoke about these geopolitical changes and the possible ushering in of a new era on in an interview with India’s News X World.badlands is a reader-supported publication. 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
• ‘Any Wrong Move’ Could Lead To Civil War In Lebanon 07.05.2026 33хв

  Thursday, May 7, 2026, ParisDespite a US-imposed ceasefire, Israel continued to aggressively target Lebanon, ostensibly to target members and leaders of the Shia group Hezbollah.On Wednesday, for the first time since the ceasefire, Israel also launched an attack on Beirut, targeting an apparent Hezbollah commander, but also in a likely attempt provoke Hezbollah’s Iranian patrons and complicated any move toward a deal between Tehran and Washington.I recently spoke with Jad al-Dilati, a researcher at the Tahrir Institute for Middle East Policy, and a native of the southern Lebanese town of Nabatiyeh. We spoke about the history of Israel’s military interventions in Lebanon, Hezbollah’s provocative rogue actions, and the way the war risks destroying the country’s fragile sectarian balance.badlands is a reader-supported publication. 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
• Inching Toward An Iran Deal, Or More War 06.05.2026 9хв

  Wednesday, May 6, 2026, ParisLots of back and forth today on whether Iran and the US were getting closer to a deal or not. There were reports citing US officials saying that the countries were close to signing a memorandum of understanding that would reopen the Strait of Hormuz to commercial traffic and serve as a framework for a broader and more durable deal.But Iranians denounced the US proposal as an American wishlist that would be quickly rejected. And then President Donald Trump poured cold water on any deal prospects by telling PBS Iran would have to give up all nuclear enrichment and hand its enriched uranium stockpile to the US. He also threatened to bomb the hell out of Iran.That was followed by Israel launching fresh airstrikes on Lebanon’s capital, blatantly violating a ceasefire agreement imposed by the US.All this comes ahead of Trump’s big visit to China next week.Trump would like to meet Xi Jinping from a position of strength. A hot war raging in the Middle East or an extended blockade of the Persian Gulf will make him look week and irresponsible. More likely than not, Trump wants to give the appearance of progress in talks and a resolution to the conflict in an attempt to put lipstick on a pig. He and his handlers want to prettify the mess they created in the Middle East with their typical bluster and fakery.If there is any move toward escalatory war, it will take place after the Beijing visit.The tragedy and the comedy is that there is a deal to be made with Iran. The problem is that it will inevitably be a near-facsimile of the one forged by Barack Obama that he ripped up eight years ago.I spoke about today’s news on NewsX World with host Asuma Kataoka.badlands is a reader-supported platform. 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
• Iran Signals It’s Ready To Escalate 05.05.2026 9хв

  Tuesday, May 5, 2026, ParisIt was no surprise that the US tried to test Iran’s resolve on the Strait of Hormuz just after it announced the launch on Monday of its “Project Freedom,” an attempt to break the Iranian closure of the Strait of Hormuz by offering ships passage. What was a bit shocking was the Iranian response. It launched a barrage of missiles at the United Arab Emirates, including at least one that allegedly struck at the country’s sole Gulf of Oman oil terminal in the emirate Fujairah, setting it on fire. The messaging by the Iranians was clear. Tehran is not afraid of escalation. Indeed, some factions in Iran have been saying for weeks that the Pakistani-brokered ceasefire was a mistake. They argue that a return to war that would more rapidly damage the US-led global economy from which Iran has been excluded would be preferable to the current stalemate.On the today’s badlands podcast, I speak briefly about the recent, dangerous escalation. I also speak with India’s NewsXWorld about the continued US belief that Iran is fractured and whether it is even possible for the US to impose its world with military means alone.badlands is a reader-supported publication. 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