KQED's Forum Unpacking the Latest Developments in Iran
Mar 6, 2026
Sina Toossi, policy fellow who amplifies marginalized Iranian voices. Arash Azizi, Atlantic writer and author on Iranian society. They discuss recent airstrikes and Iran’s interim leadership. They examine how Iranians at home and abroad are reacting. They unpack military tactics, regional fallout, and the limits of outside intervention.
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Uprising Was Unlikely During Wartime
- Arash Azizi said a foreign-led call for uprising was never likely because wartime conditions suppress mass protest and opposition lacks organized leadership.
- He noted the regime's brutal suppression in January left opponents without the capacity to safely mass mobilize again.
Regime Cohesion Fracturing After Khamenei
- Sina Toossi explained regime cohesion is fracturing after Khamenei's assassination with an interim leadership council and delegated provincial authority.
- He described a now-ratcheted leadership competition and a National Security Council that has assumed practical power.
National Security Council Holds Real Power
- Arash Azizi argued the National Security Council and IRGC-linked military figures are the real power brokers currently running Iran.
- He named figures like Ali Darijani and Baagher Qalibaf and emphasized a collective military-political governance.
