If You're Listening
ABC Australia
The world is on fire. There's a coup. Inflation is through the roof, and AI is taking our jobs. What does it all mean? Each week, Matt Bevan explains the biggest story in world news while hiding in his basement from assassins and authoritarian regimes.
Recent episodes include an exploration of the relationship between India and China, a closer look at the Saudi Arabian city of NEOM, the conflict in the Middle East, the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Iran, and Ukraine's incursions into Vladimir Putin's Russia. Matt Bevan draws connections between stories from the past and the events of the present to help listeners understand world news and international affairs.
The podcast also features series about big moments in world news; previous series have focused on the United States presidential election, the United Kingdom's 14 years of Conservative Party leadership, Donald Trump's relationship with Russia, Donald Trump's presidency and promise to Make America Great Again, the Mueller Report, Vladimir Putin's scheme to destroy western democracies, how the relationship between Australia and China came to the verge of collapse, and Australia's turbulent history with climate change.
There's a new episode of If You're Listening every Thursday.
Recent episodes include an exploration of the relationship between India and China, a closer look at the Saudi Arabian city of NEOM, the conflict in the Middle East, the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Iran, and Ukraine's incursions into Vladimir Putin's Russia. Matt Bevan draws connections between stories from the past and the events of the present to help listeners understand world news and international affairs.
The podcast also features series about big moments in world news; previous series have focused on the United States presidential election, the United Kingdom's 14 years of Conservative Party leadership, Donald Trump's relationship with Russia, Donald Trump's presidency and promise to Make America Great Again, the Mueller Report, Vladimir Putin's scheme to destroy western democracies, how the relationship between Australia and China came to the verge of collapse, and Australia's turbulent history with climate change.
There's a new episode of If You're Listening every Thursday.
Episodes
Mentioned books
6 snips
Apr 6, 2026 • 19min
Growing up fighting apartheid
Sisonke Msimang, writer and podcaster who grew up in exile as the child of an ANC freedom fighter. She discusses the international boycott campaign against apartheid. She recounts her father’s revolutionary life, training abroad and life in Lusaka. She reflects on growing up amid global revolutionary communities and later migration to Canada and Australia.
16 snips
Apr 1, 2026 • 20min
What happened last time we ran out of oil
A historical tour of how oil shaped global politics, from CIA interventions to US ties with Saudi Arabia and Aramco. A look at the 1973 oil weapon, the 1979 supply shocks and how everyday life was transformed by rationing and panic buying. An analysis of how US priorities around Israel and Gulf oil have kept risks to supply alive.
6 snips
Mar 30, 2026 • 22min
When Iraq accidentally bombed a U.S. warship
A deep dive into the 1987 missile strike on a U.S. warship and how it happened amid the Iran–Iraq war. The story explores Iraq converting civilian jets into reconnaissance and attack planes. Listeners learn about battlefield mistakes, diplomatic fallout, and unexpected aircraft trajectories after the conflict.
42 snips
Mar 26, 2026 • 23min
We were warned about the Strait of Hormuz
A half-built pipeline in the desert and the puddle where it stops set the scene for a story about failed infrastructure. Long-planned routes to India and past Red Sea pipelines that barely worked are explored. Political pressure, sanctions and strategic choices that kept Hormuz central are uncovered. The episode traces decades of blocked bypass plans and the real costs for nearby countries.
18 snips
Mar 23, 2026 • 17min
Why Iran is building their own internet
Amin Naeeni, a Deakin University PhD researcher who has studied and lived through Iran's internet shutdowns. He walks through Iran's move from a growing urban internet to building a separate national network. He explains how shutdowns work differently from full blackouts, the 2012 cyberspace council, comparisons with China and Russia, and the state of Iran's offensive cyber capabilities.
36 snips
Mar 18, 2026 • 23min
Iran is running out of water
Ancient qanats and clever water engineering that once sustained civilisation in Iran. The Zayandeh River’s cultural role and how it has dwindled. Dams, steel mills and water-hungry farming that prioritized industry over cities. Collapsing aquifers and sinking ground in Isfahan. Growing protests and political tensions sparked by shrinking water supplies.
42 snips
Mar 16, 2026 • 34min
Life inside the Iranian Revolution
Saeed Fassaie, author and former Iranian political activist who lived through the 1979 revolution and later settled in Australia. He recounts growing up during the Shah’s reforms, the brief freedom after 1979 and its violent rollback. He describes fleeing Tehran, conscription in the Iran–Iraq War, trauma at the frontline, emigrating to Australia, rebuilding life and hopes for change in Iran.
47 snips
Mar 11, 2026 • 24min
Who is Trump really fighting in Iran?
A deep dive into how the IRGC grew from a revolutionary militia into a political, economic and social powerhouse. Stories from the Iran–Iraq War that shaped its mythology. Explanations of how the group controls business, politics and institutions to block reform. A look at why simple decapitation strategies would miss the tangled structures holding the system together.
22 snips
Mar 9, 2026 • 23min
Kylie Moore-Gilbert says Trump might be stuck in Iran
Kylie Moore‑Gilbert, an Australian academic and author who spent over 800 days imprisoned in Iran, offers firsthand perspective on the IRGC and Iranian politics. She reflects on Iran’s recent strikes, IRGC operational competence and conspiratorial mindset, recounts personal interrogations and detention life, and discusses succession dynamics and regional implications for allies.
12 snips
Mar 4, 2026 • 25min
Trump thinks he can switch off the Iran War
A look at a sudden shift from anti-war rhetoric to lethal strikes on Iran's leadership. Analysis of why the Strait of Hormuz is such a powerful geopolitical lever. Recap of past confrontations, from tanker attacks to nuclear-site strikes, and how short high-impact missions shape outcomes. Questions about whether a quick 'on-off' approach can contain wider regional fallout.
