KQED's Forum Iran and US Tensions Escalate
Feb 5, 2026
Jason Rezaian, former Iran prisoner and press freedoms advocate; Nate Swanson, ex-diplomat and Iran policy strategist; Sahar Razavi, political scientist specializing in Iranian politics. They discuss massive nationwide protests, government repression and casualty counts. They weigh risks of foreign intervention, limits of U.S. leverage, evolving social movements, and what to watch next in negotiations and leadership uncertainty.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
Streets Quiet, Grief Persists
- Street protests have largely stopped but public sentiment remains heavy and fearful.
- Sahar Razavi warns repression can clear streets without ending the uprising's effects.
Scale And Stakes Have Escalated
- This wave is different because the death toll and brutality are orders of magnitude higher than past protests.
- Nate Swanson says protesters' demands now feel more regime-change oriented, not reformist.
Killing Used As Deterrent
- Repression combined indiscriminate and targeted killings to instill fear and deter protest participation.
- Sahar Razavi points to state media footage of body bags used to discourage others from protesting.
