Novara Live Death Toll Continues to Rise in Iran Protests
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Jan 12, 2026 Arash Azizi, a contributing writer and expert on Iranian politics, joins the conversation to analyze the intensified protests in Iran. He explains how economic grievances spiraled into anti-regime demands. Arash discusses the scale of the government's violent crackdown and the rising death toll, calling it the deadliest since the 1980s. He also explores possible paths for regime change and whether internal factions could influence Iran's policies. The episode delves into international reactions, as well as the hypocrisy of some Western commentators on the protests.
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External Threats Complicate Protest Dynamics
- Donald Trump publicly raised military options and framed potential strikes as support for protesters.
- That rhetoric risks international escalation and may be used by Tehran to justify hardline responses.
Government Uses Pageantry And Blame To Signal Control
- The Iranian state broadcast large pro-regime marches and declared national mourning to signal control.
- Officials also framed protesters as foreign-directed terrorists while warning against external intervention.
Firsthand Accounts Point To Severe Repression
- Arash Azizi described hearing directly from people across Iran and personally knowing someone killed in northern Iran.
- He warned this appears to be the most violent crackdown since the 1980s and numbers may remain unclear for years.
