Hooman Majd comes from a family that reads like a parable about modern Iran: a grandfather who was an ayatollah, an uncle who worked for the Shah, and a folk-singing aunt. Everyone’s family has a version of this, right?
-Iran is a tragedy
-the sense of triumph has already faded
-is Hooman happy the Supreme Leader was killed?
-Trump’s motive: regime change, or only regime adjustment?
-a ring of fire around Israel
-hijab mandates, strict social rules, and the morality police using facial recognition
-did the 1979 Islamic Revolution fail on its own terms?
-MEK is a cult
-is there room for a homegrown anti-regime revolution, or does war smother it?
-who ends up in the IRGC?
-the girls’ school bombing, and the propaganda machine
-internet shutdowns, VPN life, and tweeting through a war
-if you want to be an authoritarian, you cannot tolerate a free press
-how to consume war info without getting played
-outlets reporting on the new Ayatollah
-sanctions: efficacy, blowback, and who they actually punish
-Can Iran function like a normal state, and can it have workable relations with Israel?
-Oct. 7 and Iran’s role
-concerns about civil war
-the mullah stereotype
-“translating” for Mahmoud Ahmadinejad
-death threats, anonymous phone calls, and “don’t ever come back”
-defending against charges of being a regime apologist
Buy Minister Without Portfolio: Memoir of a Reluctant Exile (Bookshop | Amazon)
Prefer to watch & chat live with other members of the Fifdom? This episode premieres over on our YouTube channel at 12PM EST.
The Fifth Column is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support our work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
Follow The Fifth Column
YouTube: @wethefifthInstagram: @we.the.fifthX: @wethefifthTikTok: @wethefifthFacebook: @thefifthcolumn
This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit
www.wethefifth.com/subscribe
