playnext.fm

Useful Idiots with Katie Halper and Aaron Maté

US War with Iran Will Be ‘Disaster’ – Iranian Professor

·54 min·5 clips
As U.S.-Iran peace talks hang by a thread, Professor Afshin Mateen Asghari explains why war would be a disaster.
The episode opens with hosts Katie Halper and Aaron Maté introducing the topic of U.S.-Iran talks, noting the Trump administration's sanctions and bombing threats. They preview an interview with Professor Afshin Mateen Asghari, a history professor and author of 'Axis of Empire: A History of Iran-U.S. Relations.' First, the hosts present a segment called the Friday Free For All, analyzing media coverage of the Jeffrey Epstein files release. They critique headlines blaming Russia for Epstein's activities, pointing instead to his documented ties to Israel, such as relationships with former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak and lawyer Alan Dershowitz. After a sponsor break, the interview with Professor Asghari begins. He discusses the current U.S.-Iran negotiations, suggesting Trump may seek a deal to claim victory and avoid war. Asghari addresses protests in Iran, estimating over 3,000 deaths and debating government responsibility versus foreign infiltration. The conversation touches on U.S. Senator J.D. Vance's criticism of Iran's government structure, with Asghari arguing that diplomacy doesn't require direct leader-to-leader talks. Historical analysis follows, examining whether the 1953 CIA coup or the 1979 hostage crisis is the foundational event in U.S.-Iran conflict. Asghari explains Iran's nuclear enrichment as a deterrence strategy, though he questions its effectiveness. He shares his personal experience as a leftist student during the Iranian revolution, describing the chaotic state-building period and Khomeini's popularity. The interview concludes with Asghari arguing that U.S. sanctions and threats entrench Iran's government, but reducing tensions could benefit domestic dissent. The episode ends with a preview of a bonus interview with Palestinian-American writer Ahmad Ibsais.

As heard by us

A pointed Iran discussion about protest, repression, and the stories that can make unrest a path toward war.

Useful Idiots treats U.S.-Iran talks less as a policy update than as a fight over evidence: what is known, what is asserted, and how protest, repression, and escalation get folded into one story.

Read the full review in PlayNext →

Why you'd press play

You want the Iran debate where protest claims meet the threat of U.S. bombing? Press play.

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →
Listen to the show on
Apple PodcastsSpotify
Play clips from this episodeMore from Useful Idiots with Katie Halper and Aaron Maté