Global Roaming with Geraldine Doogue and Hamish Macdonald These are Iran's emerging power players
Mar 20, 2026
Arash Azizi, an Iranian-American historian and author of What Iranians Want, lays out Iran's opaque power shifts. He names rising figures like Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf and Saeed Jalili. Short takes cover street control by security forces, impacts of infrastructure strikes, and whether pragmatic conservatives could placate protesters.
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Power Now Lies With The National Security Council
- Iran's current power center is the National Security Council rather than a single visible leader.
- Arash Azizi says Bagher Ghalibaf, backed by IRGC ties, is likely the strongest man directing policy now.
Basij Used Preemptively To Intimidate Streets
- The regime maintains street control through a layered security machine including police, provincial governors and the Basij paramilitary network.
- Azizi notes Basij units are preemptively deployed as goons to intimidate potential protests across neighbourhoods.
Targeting Infrastructure Backfires On Civilians
- Attacks on Iran's civilian infrastructure risk turning public opinion against the attackers because damage is long-lasting and hurts ordinary Iranians.
- Azizi emphasises hits on refineries like Asaluyeh will take decades to rebuild and worsen daily life.
