Reveal Iran, the US, and the Making of a New Middle East
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Mar 3, 2026 Davar Ardalan, journalist and author who grew up in Iran and worked at NPR, brings personal history and on-the-ground perspective. She recounts reactions inside Iran, the long history of foreign intervention, contested legacies of recent leaders, and who might steer the country next. Short, vivid takes on regional strikes, diaspora politics, and hopes for a less violent future.
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Fragmented Public Response Across Iran
- Iran's population is fractured in response to war, with simultaneous fear, exhaustion, grief, and hope among different groups.
- Davar Ardalan describes fragmented communications, WhatsApp updates from diasporas, and parents scrambling for food and fuel during strikes.
1953 Coup Left Lasting Political Wounds
- Historical foreign intervention shaped modern Iranian mistrust, notably the 1953 CIA coup that ousted Prime Minister Mossadegh.
- Ardalan links repeated revolutions, wars, and sanctions over 100+ years to Western influence, especially British and U.S. actions.
Khamenei Evokes Deeply Split Emotions
- Ali Khamenei's long rule produced polarized public sentiment: reverence among hardliners and celebration among many reformists.
- Ardalan notes public scenes from Esfahan demanding revenge beside crowds cheering and toppling statues.
