How We Arrived at this Iranian Moment and What Happens Next
Alex Vatanka, Holly Dagres, Naysan Rafati, Kerry Boyd Anderson, and Ryan Evans
February 5, 2026
The Iranian regime has crushed the latest wave of protests through brute force, but the regime’s survival comes at a cost. It now confronts a volatile mix of domestic opposition, weakened regional proxies, and years of economic decay. Ryan is joined by co-host Kerry Anderson in a conversation with Alex Vatanka (Middle East Institute), Holly Dagres (Washington Institute for Near East Policy), and Naysan Rafati (International Crisis Group) about the pressures bearing down on Tehran and what might come next.