The Iran Breakdown with Mark Dubowitz

A limited series from FDD Podcasts hosted by Mark Dubowitz.

Welcome to inaugural episode of The Iran Breakdown, hosted by Mark Dubowitz.About the EpisodeThere’s a truth we’ll come back to again and again on this show: The Iranian people are extraordinary. Whether in Tehran or Los Angeles, Berlin or Toronto — Iranians are known for their brilliance, resilience, and drive.Here’s the tragedy: Only Iranians living outside the Islamic Republic are free to thrive. Inside Iran, under the grip of this brutal regime, that potential is crushed.But it wasn’t always this way.Just a few decades ago, Iran was a very different place. Women walked the streets in high fashion, Tehran’s vibrant nightlife rivaled Paris, and yes — Iran’s vineyards produced world-renowned wines that you could enjoy in the open. The people of Iran used to be free — before the Islamic Revolution of 1979 turned their lives, and their country, upside down.Before we dive into today’s regime — its nuclear ambitions, its terror networks, and its stranglehold on the Iranian people — we need to understand how we got here.In this episode, we’ll explore the regime’s relentless crackdown on dissent, the courage of Iran’s opposition, and the critical role the free world must play in standing with the Iranian people in their fight for liberty.About the GuestJoining Mark to break down how we got here is Reza Pahlavi, the Crown Prince of Iran.As the son of the last Shah, he was raised to one day take the throne — but history took a brutal turn when the 1979 Revolution forced him and his family into exile. Since then, he’s become a leading voice for freedom, calling for an end to the Islamic Republic and the birth of a secular, democratic Iran.About the MusicOur intro and outro music samples (with artist's permission) Liraz Charhi's single, "Roya" — check out the full version of the song and the meaning behind it here.

About the EpisodeWhether you’re a seasoned Iran watcher or just starting to explore the topic, understanding the Islamic Republic requires going back to the events that led to the 1979 Islamic Revolution. And to do that we need to revisit 1953, the year a coup overthrew Iran’s Prime Minister, Mohammad Mossadegh. If you think you already know this story, think again.About the GuestHost Mark Dubowitz is joined by Ray Takeyh—renowned Iran scholar and author of "The Last Shah: America, Iran, and the Fall of the Pahlavi Dynasty." His research has challenged, clarified, and reshaped the traditional narrative surrounding these pivotal events.Ray’s work isn’t just essential for understanding U.S.-Iran relations—it’s a guide for policymakers seeking to grasp the reality of an Iranian people who continue to defy the oppressive regime in Tehran. By the end of this episode, you’ll understand why.About the MusicOur intro and outro music samples (with artist's permission) Liraz Charhi's single, "Roya" — check out the full version of the song and the meaning behind it here.

About the EpisodeWelcome to The Iran Breakdown, hosted by Mark Dubowitz.If you know anything about Mark, you know he lives and breathes one mission: stopping a nuclear Iran and ending the Islamic Republic.Back in 2018, The New York Times put it this way: “Mark Dubowitz’s campaign to draw attention to what he saw as the flaws in the Iran nuclear deal has taken its place among the most consequential ever undertaken by a Washington think tank leader.”This excerpt was actually a hit piece that blamed Mark for President Trump’s decision to withdraw from the Obama-era Iran nuclear deal — the Times later issued multiple corrections to the piece because it was riddled with so many errors.A year later, The Atlantic dubbed FDD “D.C.’s ground zero for research and policy recommendations aimed at highlighting and fixing what Dubowitz saw as the flaws in the nuclear agreement.”Even Tehran took notice. In 2019, the Islamic Republic sanctioned FDD and Mark, accusing them of being “the designing and executing arm of the U.S. administration” on Iran policy. Guilty as charged.Why? Because a nuclear Iran isn’t just a threat — it’s the threat. The regime’s race for the bomb is the most dangerous challenge coming out of Tehran, and in this episode, you'll learn why.About the GuestHere to help Mark break down Iran's nuclear file is Rich Goldberg, who served on the National Security Council as the director for countering Iranian weapons of mass destruction. He helped architect key parts of President Trump’s “maximum pressure” campaign — a campaign that aimed to block Iran’s every pathway to nuclear weapons. Or as the regime calls the campaign: "economic terrorism." Rich also served in the Senate and the House where he drafted many of the key pieces of legislation sanctioning the Islamic Republic. Like Mark, Rich is proudly sanctioned by the Islamic Republic.About the MusicOur intro and outro music samples (with artist's permission) Liraz Charhi's single, "Roya" — check out the full version of the song and the meaning behind it here.

About the EpisodeIn today’s episode, host Mark Dubowitz is joined by one of the Iranian regime's most fearless enemies, Masih Alinejad. Masih is not just a journalist or an activist—she’s a one-woman revolution. Born in Iran, exiled for speaking truth to power, and now living under constant threat, Masih has become a voice for the voiceless, especially for Iranian women fighting back against the regime's brutality. Her campaigns, My Stealthy Freedom, White Wednesdays, and United for Navid all went viral. Her social media platforms have become lifelines for Iranians risking everything to protest.The regime sees her as a threat, and they've tried to silence her the only way they know how, through violence. In the past few years, the Islamic Republic has made multiple attempts to kidnap or assassinate her on US soil. A New York court recently convicted two men for their roles in a murder-for-hire plot orchestrated by Iranian operatives to assassinate Masih right in Brooklyn. We break down her story, the verdict, and what it tells us about the regime's global terror machine. About the MusicOur intro and outro music samples (with artist's permission) Liraz Charhi's single, "Roya" — check out the full version of the song and the meaning behind it here.

About the Episode"Death to Israel, the little satan!"It's all too familiar, this rallying cry of Islamic Republic regime officials and their sympathizers — they've been chanting this for almost 50 years now. But make no mistake: they mean what they say.With its terrorist proxies across the region, the Iran threat has been knocking at Israel's door for decades. But on October 7, 2023, they knocked down the door—what was previously considered a "war between wars" came out of the shadows and into plain sight.Tehran activated its regional terror proxies like Hezbollah in Lebanon and the Houthi rebels in Yemen to pile on with direct rocket attacks in an attempt to overwhelm Israel's already-taxed security apparatus. And in an unprecedented move — not once but twice in recent months — a missile attack on Israel was launched directly from Tehran.As the new Trump administration grapples with how to face the Iran threat, understanding the Israeli perspective will be vital.To help us do just that, host Mark Dubowitz speaks with Israel's former Prime Minister Yair Lapid as well as with former Israeli national security advisor Eyal Hulata, now a senior international fellow at FDD.About the MusicOur intro and outro music samples (with artist's permission) Liraz Charhi's single, "Roya" — check out the full version of the song and the meaning behind it here.

About the Episode Mark Dubowitz sits down with journalist Jay Solomon to unpack the new round of U.S.-Iran nuclear negotiations and trace the arc from Obama’s secret backchannels to Trump’s second shot at a deal — raising the question: are we about to do the fatally flawed, Obama-era JCPOA all over again?  They unpack the early U.S. concessions that shaped the first deal, Iran’s global terror playbook, and what the new talks reveal about the regime’s leverage — and ours. They also discuss Iran’s growing boldness in global terror operations, including plots on American soil, and what it means for the future of U.S. foreign policy. Is history repeating itself? And if so, what lessons still haven’t been learned?Watch this episode on YouTube here.About the MusicOur intro and outro music samples (with artist's permission) Liraz Charhi's single, "Roya" — check out the full version of the song and the meaning behind it here: https://youtu.be/1Ab4XFaWnOk?si=aIdBdvY1mkMiQPN9

About the EpisodeHezbollah is not a rogue actor. It’s a tool of the Islamic Republic.  That’s because Iran doesn’t just fund terror — it runs a global terror empire. And Hezbollah is the crown jewel.In this episode of The Iran Breakdown, host Mark Dubowitz sits down with Dr. Matthew Levitt, a top authority on Hezbollah and Iran’s proxy warfare, to break down how Hezbollah operates as Iran’s most powerful proxy; its deep involvement in terror plots, weapons trafficking, and criminal finance; the group’s expanding footprint around the world; what the US, Israel, and allies must do to dismantle this network; and why Hezbollah’s role is central to Tehran’s long-term strategy — and its survival.Watch this episode on YouTube here.About the MusicOur intro and outro music samples (with artist's permission) Liraz Charhi's single, "Roya" — check out the full version of the song and the meaning behind it here: https://youtu.be/1Ab4XFaWnOk?si=aIdBdvY1mkMiQPN9 

About the EpisodeIt's the world’s most dangerous nuclear standoff. Can President Trump get Iran to dismantle its nuclear program — or is Tehran just playing for time? In this episode of The Iran Breakdown, Mark sits down with award-winning journalist Barak Ravid for an insider’s look at the nuclear talks now underway in Oman. From enrichment red lines and snapback deadlines to Israel’s strategic calculus and Trump’s next move, Mark and Barak break down hard truths behind the headlines surrounding: Will the Iranians blink? Will Trump hold the line? And is Israel finally ready to act alone? Watch this episode on YouTube here.About the MusicOur intro and outro music samples (with artist’s permission) Liraz Charhi’s single, “Roya” — check out the full version of the song and the meaning behind it here.

About the EpisodeIn this episode of The Iran Breakdown, host Mark Dubowitz continues to expose and examine Tehran’s proxy wars. This time, we unravel Tehran’s relationship with the Houthis in Yemen; the Shi’a militias in Iraq; and Hamas in Gaza, specifically looking at the Regime’s hand in the October 7 attack against Israel.Admiral Mark Montgomery, Bill Roggio, and Beni Sabti, join Mark to scrutinize the Islamic Republic's weaponization of these militias to project power and carry out its agenda while dodging blame — and what America and its allies should do about it. Watch this episode on YouTube here. About the MusicOur intro and outro music samples (with artist’s permission) Liraz Charhi’s single, “Roya” — check out the full version of the song and the meaning behind it here.

About the EpisodeHost Mark Dubowitz is joined by Behnam Ben Taleblu, senior director of FDD's Iran Program and author of Arsenal: Assessing Iran's Ballistic Missile Program, for a masterclass on the Islamic Republic of Iran’s expansive — and still growing — weapons arsenal and the central role it plays in Tehran’s broader military strategy.From the Islamic Republic's ballistic missile and drone programs, military doctrine, and global proliferation links with North Korea, China, and Russia — or, as Mark calls it, "The Axis of Misery" — to its precision strike systems, proxy warfare, and unprecedented missile attacks on nuclear-armed states, Behnam and Mark explore how the regime combines these elements to coerce, deter, and dominate.Watch this episode on YouTube here. About the MusicOur intro and outro music samples (with artist’s permission) Liraz Charhi’s single, “Roya” — check out the full version of the song and the meaning behind it here.

About the EpisodeHost Mark Dubowitz is joined by author Roya Hakakian to trace the Islamic Republic’s decades-long war on dissent — both inside Iran and across the globe. Roya shares her personal journey from a hopeful 12-year-old during the 1979 revolution to a refugee, writer, and fierce advocate for democracy.At the heart of their discussion is the Mykonos trial, the landmark 1997 case in Berlin that exposed Tehran’s direct role in assassinating Iranian dissidents on European soil and forced a Western reckoning. They unpack how Tehran uses lies, violence, and intimidation as tools of statecraft. From Khomeini’s infamous “I lied” to the chilling reach of regime assassins in places like Berlin and Brooklyn, this episode is a warning: the Islamic Republic hasn’t changed, and the stakes are higher than ever.Watch this episode on YouTube here. About the MusicOur intro and outro music samples (with artist’s permission) Liraz Charhi’s single, “Roya” — check out the full version of the song and the meaning behind it here.

About the EpisodeLiraz Charhi is an Israeli artist with deep Iranian roots, and her voice is shaking the walls of the Islamic Republic. Known for her role on the hit Apple TV+ series Tehran, Liraz joins Mark Dubowitz to reveal how her art became real-life defiance: from secretly collaborating with Iranian women banned from singing, to recording underground albums across encrypted apps, and turning her song "Roya" — a song you're familiar with, as it's the theme music to this podcast series — into an anthem for the Woman, Life, Freedom movement.This is a story of identity, rebellion, and the dream of a free Iran — sung loud enough to rattle the regime and inspire a generation.About the MusicOur intro and outro music samples (with artist's permission) Liraz Charhi's single, "Roya" — check out the full version of the song and the meaning behind it here: https://youtu.be/1Ab4XFaWnOk?si=aIdBdvY1mkMiQPN9

About the EpisodeMehdi Yahyanejad was raised in the Islamic Republic. Now, he's fighting it from the outside... with code.From founding the digital platform that helped power Iran’s Green Movement in 2009 to coordinating resistance through online activism, Mehdi has seen firsthand how technology empowers dissidents and fuels regime resistance.As the Islamic Republic faces external challenges coupled with internal decay, the regime is cracking. Mehdi and Mark discuss how the right digital tools can help the Iranian people finish the job. About the MusicOur intro and outro music samples (with artist's permission) Liraz Charhi's single, "Roya" — check out the full version of the song and the meaning behind it here: https://youtu.be/1Ab4XFaWnOk?si=aIdBdvY1mkMiQPN9

About the EpisodeIn 2015 while serving in the Obama administration, Dan Shapiro supported the Iran nuclear deal. Mark Dubowitz led the fight to stop it.A decade later, Iran is a nuclear threshold state. The regime has enriched enough uranium for multiple bombs, deterrence has broken down, and Washington still hasn’t figured out how to stop a nuclear Iran.Today, Mark and Dan are in the same strategic corner—not because the politics have shifted but because reality has.And they're both asking the same question: With diplomacy failing and enrichment advancing, what’s next? About the MusicOur intro and outro music samples (with artist's permission) Liraz Charhi's single, "Roya" — check out the full version of the song and the meaning behind it here: https://youtu.be/1Ab4XFaWnOk?si=aIdBdvY1mkMiQPN9

To unpack the latest developments in Israel's ongoing operation against Iran's nuclear infrastructure, Chief Executive Mark Dubowitz hosts a special live edition of FDD's The Iran Breakdown with Israeli journalists Barak Ravid and Nadav Eyal.

Mossad strikes inside Iran. Top scientists and IRGC leaders are dead. Mark Dubowitz and Eyal Hulata, Israel’s former national security advisor and 23-year Mossad veteran, break down Israel’s boldest op yet—and what happens if the job isn’t finished.Our intro and outro music samples (with artist's permission) Liraz Charhi's single, "Roya" — check out the full version of the song and the meaning behind it here: https://youtu.be/1Ab4XFaWnOk?si=aIdBdvY1mkMiQPN9

The shadow war is over. This weekend, the United States took direct military action against Iran’s nuclear program for the first time, in a coordinated operation with Israel that targeted the regime’s most heavily fortified enrichment sites.The strikes were historic. The question now: Did they actually work? What was hit — and is anything still operational?Host Mark Dubowitz is joined by David Albright — president and founder of the Institute for Science and International Security and one of the world’s leading nuclear experts — to break down the damage, the regime’s next moves, and what comes after Operation Midnight Hammer.

In the last week, U.S. and Israeli forces have hit the heart of the Islamic Republic’s power from Fordow and Natanz to Evin Prison and the Basij headquarters. Khamenei has gone dark. The Islamic Republic is on the defensive. But moments like this can go two ways: collapse or crackdown. Is this the moment the opposition seizes — or one the regime survives?Mehdi Parpanchi is one of the sharpest voices covering Iran today and the executive editor of Iran International, the 24/7 Persian-language channel the regime fears most.He joins host Mark Dubowitz to unpack what’s breaking inside the regime — and what might be rising to replace it.