Yesterday

Islamism in Britain: what is the threat?

Though a growing share of the British population is anxious about Islam, they have no reason to be. Islamism, a fringe ideology that believes government and society should be guided by Islamic principles, is the real concern. America cracks down on multinationals’ efforts to shif ... Show More

23m 41s

Sep 14

Strait and narrowing: the Houthis’ striking advance

After years of stalemate, Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthis are taking territory, including on a Red Sea strait. We ask what has changed, and how the shift fits into the wider regional conflict. As America’s midterm elections approach, we examine the fragmentation of the coalition that ... Show More

22m 46s

Sep 12

The Weekend Intelligence: Shire folk

For 15 years, the British media dismissed Tommy Robinson as a far-right extremist. We kept him off our televisions, and out of our newspapers. Today his rallies attract tens of thousands of followers and he has the ear of the world’s richest man.Shire Folk is the story of how som ... Show More

49m 13s

Jun 2025

Not-deciding factor: Iran’s supreme leader

We examine the path of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, once a bookish cleric underrated by everyone—including himself. He has hung on to power perhaps in part by not making decisions at crucial points. Our finance correspondent looks at the shifting wisdom on how best to manage an inheri ... Show More

23m 54s

Feb 2021

Who Is Ali Khamenei?

<p>Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, is one of the most powerful and one of the most enigmatic people in the world. Often positioned as a primary global antagonist of the United States, Khamenei and his regime have endured five American presi ... Show More

43m 28s

Jan 2019

The Shah And The Ayatollah Part II

The Iranian Revolution - Part 2: The Fire Ignites Welcome back to the Islamic History Podcast, and to the dramatic conclusion of our two-part series on one of the 20th century's most pivotal and misunderstood events: the Iranian Revolution of 1979. In Part 1, we explored the deep ... Show More

48m 12s

Feb 2024

The View From Iran

<p>To understand any country's foreign policy you need to understand domestic political dynamics. So what is driving Iranian decision making right now? Negar Mortazavi is a journalist, host of the Iran Podcast and senior fellow at the Center for International Policy. I reached ou ... Show More

25m 36s

Jun 2025

Confused unity: the mood in Iran

A sudden war made Iran’s leaders look unprepared. And many Iranians loathe the regime. But there are no signs yet that internal dissent will shape the conflict. Shortly after Nayib Bukele became El Salvador’s president, he was labelled as the world’s first millennial dictator; no ... Show More

23m 28s

Apr 2024

The Intelligence: Iran and Israel’s new era?

A missile has reportedly struck a site in the Islamic Republic. If this is retaliation for Iran’s most recent attacks, then it is a muted response. But is there still a risk of escalation? As India’s election kicks off, a look into why the opposition is likely to have a poor show ... Show More

27m 7s

Sep 2023

The Battles of the Ayatollah

Negar Mortazavi speaks with Alex Vatanka about Iran’s domestic politics and mass protests, the crisis of legitimacy and the issue of leadership succession, Tehran’s deescalation with Washington and regional engagement with Arab rivals, and the continuous shift to the East towards ... Show More

34m 36s

Jul 2024

Change of heart surgeon: Iran’s reformist president

Masoud Pezeshkian rode to victory on a promise of reforms that Iran’s people seem desperately to want. Will the former heart surgeon be permitted to carry them out? Ukraine has been getting a wartime pass on servicing its debts, but its creditors will soon come knocking (10:05). ... Show More

23m 20s

Apr 2024

The Intelligence: Argentina turner?

After more than 100 days in office, President Javier Milei has managed some much-needed economic reforms. But the hit to voters’ pockets may limit his popularity, and progress. Sprucing up a peripheral Paris neighbourhood for the Olympics is just part of a plan to transform the c ... Show More

25m 6s

Jan 2023

Unveiled threats: Iran's patient protesters

<p>Iran’s <a href="https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2022/12/04/irans-rattled-government-may-be-backing-down?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.list ... Show More

24m 46s

Not-deciding factor: Iran’s supreme lead...