The Iran Breakdown with Mark Dubowitz
The Iran Breakdown with Mark Dubowitz is a miniseries from FDD that explores the geopolitical and human rights challenges posed by the Islamic Republic of Iran. Hosted by Mark Dubowitz, the podcast covers Iran's nuclear ambitions, support for terror groups, domestic oppression, and alliances with China, Russia, and North Korea. Over 10 episodes, it delves into the regime's declining legitimacy and the global response to its actions.
Episodes
The Iran Dilemma: A View from Tokyo and Jerusalem
Japan occupies a unique position: a close ally of the United States, a strong partner of Israel, and a longtime diplomatic interlocutor with Tehran.In this episode of The Iran Breakdown, Japan’s Ambassador to Israel, Yusuke Arai, offers a rare perspective on Iran’s nuclear ambitions, the threats it poses to Israel, lessons from Japan’s experience with North Korea, and the limits of diplomacy and t
Inside The Cauldron: Iran, America, Israel, and the End of Khomeinism
To understand the war unfolding with Iran today — and where it could lead — you have to understand the history that brought the Middle East to this moment.In this episode of The Iran Breakdown, Mark Dubowitz sits down with acclaimed historian Simon Sebag Montefiore, author of The Cauldron: The Making of the Modern Middle East, to put today’s conflict with Iran in its deeper historical context.When
In the War Room: The Inside Story of Israel’s Fight Against Hamas and the Iranian Axis (feat. Yonah Jeremy Bob & Elliot Kaufman)
Elliot Kaufman and Yonah Jeremy Bob are the co-authors of the new book, In the War Room: The Inside Story of Israel’s Fight Against Hamas and the Iranian Axis – an inside account of the decisions, debates, and personalities that shaped Israel’s multi-front war, from October 7 to Hezbollah and ultimately Iran.Elliot Kaufman is an editorial writer and member of The Wall Street Journal’s editorial bo
Iran’s Nightmare: No War, No Relief (feat. Miad Maleki)
The Islamic Republic may discover that surviving the war was the easy part. Its military has been mauled, its deterrence shattered, its proxies weakened, and now an already dysfunctional economy faces relentless pressure — with no victory to rally around and no economic rescue on the horizon.On the latest episode of The Iran Breakdown, host Mark Dubowitz is joined by FDD’s Miad Maleki, a former se
After Iran: Is Erdogan’s Turkey the Middle East’s Next Great Threat? (feat. Steven A. Cook and Jonathan Schanzer)
For decades, Washington and Jerusalem worried about Iran dominating the Middle East. But as the Islamic Republic weakens, is Erdogan’s Turkey positioning itself to become the region’s next great revisionist power?Mark Dubowitz is joined by two Turkey and Middle East experts: Steven A. Cook, the Eni Enrico Mattei Senior Fellow for Middle East and Africa Studies at the Council on Foreign Relations a
Energy Wars: America, Iran and the Battle of Hormuz (feat. Rich Goldberg)
In this episode of The Iran Breakdown, Mark Dubowitz sits down with FDD’s Rich Goldberg for a wide-ranging discussion on Iran, the Strait of Hormuz, global energy markets and America’s growing energy dominance.Rich leads FDD’s Energy and National Security Program and served in the second Trump administration, where he helped establish the White House National Energy Dominance Council. During the f
The Islamic Republic’s Revolutionary DNA (feat. Haviv Rettig Gur)
What makes the Islamic Republic of Iran different from a conventional regime seeking security, prosperity, and survival? Its ideological DNA fuses Maoist revolutionary thought, Frantz Fanon’s vision of anticolonial struggle and redemptive violence—channeled through Iranian intellectual Ali Shariati—and a revolutionary Shia theology of martyrdom, resistance, and struggle against oppression.Ayatolla
Subterranean Warfare: Can Pickaxe Mountain Be Destroyed? (feat. Yadin Soffer)
The next battlefield isn’t in the sky or at sea—it’s underground.The Islamic Republic, together with Hamas and Hezbollah, spent decades building a subterranean fortress: hundreds of miles of terror tunnels beneath Gaza and Lebanon, and deeply buried nuclear and missile facilities designed to survive even the most powerful airstrikes. At the center of that strategy is Pickaxe Mountain, where Tehran
Pickaxe Mountain: Iran’s “Unbustable” Nuclear Bunker? (feat. Andrea Stricker)
Iran isn’t dismantling its nuclear program—it’s burying it deeper underground.At the center of growing U.S. concern is Pickaxe Mountain, a massive underground complex that signals the regime has no intention of abandoning its nuclear ambitions. Buried deep beneath solid rock and heavily fortified, the facility may be the most challenging nuclear target the United States has ever confronted, raisin
The End of the Ceasefire as We Know It? (feat. Rich Goldberg)
The United States has launched a fresh wave of strikes against Iran, hitting roughly 90 targets along the country's coastline, as tensions over the Strait of Hormuz threaten to unravel a fragile ceasefire between Washington and Tehran. With diplomatic channels strained and the regime holding Hormuz hostage, the path back to de-escalation looks increasingly uncertain.To unpack what comes next,
Lebanon: More than "a Piece of the Puzzle" (feat. Carine Hajjar)
The Israel-Lebanon framework brokered by Secretary Rubio may be historic, but Hezbollah still hasn't disarmed. The deal ties Israeli withdrawal to the Lebanese army securing designated pilot zones — yet Hezbollah and its parliamentary allies have already rejected it outright. Meanwhile, the U.S.-Iran MOU threatens to undercut the whole effort, handing Tehran leverage over Israel's right to
What Iranians Think About the US-Iran Deal (feat. Medhi Parpanchi)
The 60-day MOU between the Islamic Republic of Iran and the United States may dominate headlines, but for 90 million Iranians it changes nothing. The agreement contains no mention of the Iranian people — who only months ago faced a brutal massacre by the regime of an estimated 40,000 protesters. Deal or no deal, the Iranian people face water shortages, power outages, staggering inflation, frozen e
Breaking Down the US-Iran MOU (feat. Robert Greenway)
President Trump has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Iran, opening a 60-day window to negotiate a final deal. The debate is fierce: does the US-Iran MOU go far enough? Iran's nuclear program, ballistic missiles, regional proxies, and frozen assets all remain unresolved — leaving critical questions about what any final agreement may actually deliver.Robert Greenway — military vet
What Does Winning In Iran Look Like? (feat. Marc Thiessen)
The clock is ticking on the Islamic Republic — but what does finishing the job actually look like? With the regime battered, broken, and the pressure campaign at a critical inflection point, the U.S. faces a defining choice: double down or negotiate from strength? What tools remain in Washington's arsenal, and how does the Trump administration turn military and economic pressure into lasting p
Strait Victory: Bypassing Iran's Hormuz Chokepoint (feat. Richard Goldberg)
The Islamic Republic played one of the few cards it had left: the Strait of Hormuz. How did military planners prepare for this moment? Was a closure inevitable? If the U.S. and Israel had not confronted the Islamic Republic, where would we be today? And is Hormuz a diminishing weapon of leverage in the hands of Iran as countries take steps to reduce their dependencies on the straits?Mark Dubowitz
Stolen Revolution: Behind Iran's Protest Movements (feat. Bozorgmehr Sharafedin)
Every Iranian revolution begins with an ordinary life hitting an extraordinary wall. Stolen Revolution captures those moments — the personal reckonings with a regime that promised faith and delivered suffocation. Co-authored by award-winning journalists Yeganeh Torbati and Bozorgmehr Sharafedin, the book traces six Iranians living the full arc of modern Iranian history: a Khomeini devotee cast fro
The Iran Deal - What Trump Got, What Iran Got, and What Comes Next (feat. Richard Goldberg)
A deal has been struck. The Strait of Hormuz is reopening. Iran's nuclear program is — allegedly — being curtailed. And sanctions relief is on the way. But what did the United States actually get? What did the Islamic Republic walk away with? And does this agreement close the door on Iran's path to a nuclear weapon — or just delay it? Richard Goldberg — FDD's Senior Director for Energy
The Iran Ceasefire Didn't End the Battle for Hormuz (feat. Aaron MacLean)
Is the U.S.-Iran ceasefire built to last? While the bombs have stopped, the strategic Battle for Hormuz continues to threaten global stability. In this episode of The Iran Breakdown, FDD CEO Mark Dubowitz is joined by Aaron MacLean — CBS News national security analyst and host of the School of War podcast — to assess the military, strategic, and geopolitical stakes of the Iran war. Is the ceasefir
Winning the Iran War — Whether Washington Knows It or Not
In this special solo episode of The Iran Breakdown, FDD CEO Mark Dubowitz pushes back hard on the narrative that America is losing the war with the Islamic Republic. Step by step, he makes the case that Tehran has just suffered the most severe strategic defeat in its 47-year history — its leadership decapitated, its nuclear program gutted, its air defenses shattered, its proxies in ruins, and its
The Door Tehran Kicked Open: MBS, The Bomb, and The Battle for The Gulf (feat. Bernard Haykel)
Riyadh is pressing Washington with a blunt message: don't leave the job half-finished.Saudi Arabia publicly condemned the strikes — and privately urged Trump to launch them. Now MBS faces the question he's long telegraphed: if Iran gets a bomb, the Kingdom follows. With IAEA inspectors locked out, is that still a signal — or active policy?Bernard Haykel, Princeton's foremost scholar of
No March on Tehran: The Military Logic of the Iran War (feat. John Spencer)
No tanks. No invasion. No march on Tehran.Instead: a methodical campaign to dismantle Iran’s war machine — missiles, drones, command networks, and the economy keeping it all alive.But can you break a regime by breaking the system that sustains it?Urban warfare expert John Spencer joins Mark Dubowitz to unpack the real logic of this war — from the “neurological” battlefield to the fight over Hormuz
Operation Economic Fury (feat. Miad Maleki and Rich Goldberg)
Iran isn’t just under pressure. It’s under siege.Its currency is collapsing. Its ports are constrained. Billions are bleeding out as war damage mounts and oil revenue tightens.This isn’t sanctions as usual. It’s economic warfare—aimed at the regime’s ability to survive.The question now: Does this force Tehran to the table… or push it toward something far more dangerous?
Regime Revisionism: Tehran's War Before the Iran War (feat. Jay Solomon & Negar Mojtahedi)
Back in January, the regime carried out the deadliest crackdown in modern Iranian history.As it gunned down protesters in the streets, it launched a parallel war online. A coordinated campaign to turn a domestic uprising into a so-called CIA–Mossad plot — rewriting the story in real time and pushing that narrative deep into Western discourse.The January crackdown and the narrative battle that acco
Iran's Global Game of Drones (& How To Stockpile While Sanctioned) (feat. Kerri Bitsoff)
For years, Washington has leaned on sanctions to contain Iran’s most dangerous capabilities.Tehran’s drone and missile programs didn’t just survive under pressure, they adapted, scaled, and in many ways thrived, fueled in part by Western-made components slipping through global supply chains.The result: a procurement network that’s harder to disrupt, more resilient, and still very much intact.Now,
War of the Words in Iran (feat. Ali Ansari)
This war isn’t just being fought with missiles and drones. There's also a war of the words, a narrative battle.While the regime pushes its narrative at home and abroad, the West struggles to keep up — and the Iranian people are caught in between. So, who controls the story: the regime, the West, or the Iranian people?Mark is joined by historian Ali Ansari to unpack the battle of narratives, th
From Tehran to Taipei: How the Iran War Reshapes China’s Taiwan Calculus (feat. Matt Pottinger)
On the battlefield, the Iran war is expanding, and the real negotiations aren’t happening in backchannels — they’re happening in the Strait of Hormuz. The Iran war isn’t just about Iran. It’s about energy, leverage, and whether Beijing—and even Taiwan—are already learning the lessons of this war in real time. FDD’s Matt Pottinger joins host Mark Dubowitz to break down why a deal may be closer than
Breaking Down The Islamic Republic (Cliff May feat. Mark Dubowitz)
We’re marking one year of The Iran Breakdown by bringing you a special conversation from our sister FDD podcast.In this episode of Foreign Podicy, host Cliff May sits down with Mark Dubowitz to unpack a question at the core of this show: what the Islamic Republic actually believes — and how it has waged war on the United States and its allies since 1979.It’s a conversation about ideology, strategy
Cracking The Regime (feat. Ray Takeyh and Reuel Marc Gerecht)
The regime is down — but it's not out. So... what does collapse actually look like? Not strikes... Not decapitations... The moment the regime loses control. Mark asks Ray Takeyh and Reuel Marc Gerecht to answer the only question that matters now: Are we close to the breaking point? If not, how do we close that gap?
Trump’s Iran Gamble: Operation Epic Fury and Death to the Dictator (feat. Eli Lake)
The U.S. and Israel again struck deep inside Iran. The Supreme Leader is dead. The region is on edge. The question is no longer whether this is war — but how long will it last and what will be the impact.The conflict has now spread far beyond Tehran’s borders: Hezbollah rockets have drawn Israel into full-blown engagements across Lebanon, Gulf states have condemned Iranian aggression as they reel
FDD SITREP: The Islamic Republic Is Falling
Bonus Episode of The Iran Breakdown: Mark Dubowitz joins FDD's Jonathan Schanzer and Rich Goldberg for a late night FDD SITREP following the death of Khamenei.---In the early hours of February 28, the United States and Israel launched a coordinated military campaign against the Iranian regime—Washington calling it “Operation Epic Fury,” Israel calling it “Operation Lion’s Roar.” Strikes hit si
The Iran Breakdown SITREP: U.S. Israeli Strikes Against the Islamic Republic
The U.S. and Israel have conducted joint military action against the Islamic Republic of Iran. Dubbed "Operation Epic Fury" by Washington and "Lion's Roar" by Jerusalem, the strikes were launched on February 28 after nuclear negotiations with the regime failed to yield progress. President Trump stated that U.S. objectives are to "defend the American people by eliminating im
The Islamic Republic's Weaponization of Global Terror (feat. Edmund Fitton-Brown)
How does Iran fit into the global ecosystem of terrorism — and why does the West struggle to see the full picture?For decades, policymakers treated ISIS, al-Qaeda, and Iran’s proxy network as separate threats. But that's not reality. This is: They operate in the same battle space and exploit the same weaknesses in Western strategy.To examine what the West missed — and what it may still be gett
A Reagan-Approved Blueprint for Iran (feat. Charlie Laderman, Nazee Moinian)
📺: Watch this episode on YouTube here. Ronald Reagan didn’t defeat the Soviet empire with tanks — he defeated it with pressure, principle, and moral clarity. Can the same strategy work in Iran? A recent FDD Memo, “Freedom for Iran: Learning From U.S. Support for Polish Anti-Communists in the 1980s,” says that it can. Mark is joined by the Memo’s authors, Charlie Laderman and Nazee Moinian, to brea
48 Hours in Iran (feat. Behnam Ben Taleblu)
One of the gravest human rights crises in recent history is happening right now in Iran. The Islamic Republic has carried out mass killings on a scale not seen in modern Iranian history, slaughtering an estimated 33,000, arresting tens of thousands, and subjecting countless Iranians to torture, disappearance, and sham trials. Internet blackouts have plunged entire cities into darkness in an effort
In the Eye of the Storm (feat. Rich Goldberg)
The regime in Iran has slaughtered tens of thousands of Iranians and plunged the country into an internet blackout — and dared the world to look away. Still, President Trump warned that American support was coming as U.S. military vessels made their way to the region. And yet — the decisive moment hasn’t arrived.In this episode of The Iran Breakdown, host Mark Dubowitz is joined again by Rich Gold
Iran Protests, Day 18 | A Decisive Moment for Iran
While the United States is on the brink of military action in Iran, Iran itself may be on the brink of something far bigger.U.S. forces are repositioning. Allies are on alert. And in Tehran, a crippled regime already at war with its own people is threatening retaliation against the United States.In this urgent episode of The Iran Breakdown, Mark is joined again by Reuel Marc Gerecht and Ray Takeyh
Iran Protests: Day 16 | Mark's Generation Jihad interview
Iran Breakdown-ers, we're pleased to introduce you to Generation Jihad, a podcast from FDD's Long War Journal hosted by Bill Roggio.It's January 12, 2026, day 16 of the Iran protests. Bill hosts Mark on Generation Jihad to discuss whether this is the moment.Iran protest resourcesWe're tracking the Iran protests at fdd.org/iranprotests. If you're new to The Iran Breakdown, welco
Day 12 of the Iran Protests (January 8 update)
The strong-as-ever Iranian people are back on the streets, protesting against the weak-as-ever regime in the shadow of the 12-Day War. Recorded live on X Spaces on Thursday, January 8, 2026 as events unfolded, this episode of The Iran Breakdown brings you a real-time conversation with Mark Dubowitz, Behnam Ben Taleblu, and Janatan Sayeh as they assess what’s different about this protest wave, why
The Empire Strikes Back? (feat. Tal Kelman)
📺: Watch this episode on YouTube here. Israel’s 12-day war with Iran upended years of assumptions and may have rewritten the rules of deterrence — but the aftermath could prove more dangerous than the war itself. As Tehran absorbs the shock of defeat, it now faces a stark choice: regroup, retaliate, or retreat. The regime’s next move will determine whether this war was a turning point — or merely
The Widening Gulf Between Iran and the Gulf (Behnam Ben Taleblu feat. Norm Roule)
📺: Watch this episode on YouTube here. We're bringing you another riveting episode from our sister podcast, Foreign Podicy, repackaged for Iran Breakdown followers: Behnam Ben Taleblu, Senior Director of FDD’s Iran Program, is joined by former senior U.S. intelligence official Norman Roule to assess Iran’s post–12-Day War reality, including the gap between regime propaganda and mounting intern
Is Iran Unraveling? (feat. David Patrikarakos)
📺: Watch this episode on YouTube here. With the regime reeling from military humiliation, economic decay, and growing defiance at home, Mark sits down with frontline journalist David Patrikarakos to cut through Tehran’s spin to explain what’s really happening inside the Islamic Republic. From the collapse of Iran’s nuclear prestige to the widening cracks in its coercive power, this conversation di
No Country for Old Mullahs (Behnam Ben Taleblu feat. Dr. Ali Ansari)
📺: Watch this episode on YouTube here. Before new episodes of The Iran Breakdown return (soon!), we’re bringing you a riveting discussion from our sister podcast, Foreign Podicy, featuring FDD's Behnam Ben Taleblu in dialogue with Dr. Ali Ansari — one of the world’s foremost scholars of modern Iran.In a sweeping, incisive discussion, they trace the forces now reshaping the Islamic Republic aft
Iran and the Axis of Aggressors, Part II: Russia (feat. Clifford D. May)
📺: Watch this episode on YouTube here. A new axis is rising — forged not in friendship but in shared hatred of the West. Putin and Khamenei have sealed a 20-year pact: Iranian drones rain over Ukraine, Russian diplomats shield Tehran’s nuclear ambitions, and together they’re plotting to shatter the U.S.-led order.Mark Dubowitz and Clifford D. May break down this dangerous alliance from imperial ri
Snapback to Reality: Using the Almighty Dollar to Force a Regime Reckoning (feat. Miad Maleki)
📺: Watch this episode on YouTube here. One of America’s top sanctions experts, Miad Maleki, now a senior advisor at FDD, joins Mark Dubowitz to pull back the curtain on the Islamic Republic’s mafia state — a regime that controls every corner of the economy, launders terror money through “charities,” and weaponizes humanitarian channels to fund global terror. They break down how U.S. financial powe
From Gaza to Doha to Tehran: Nowhere to Hide (feat. Rich Goldberg)
📺: Watch this episode on YouTube here. U.S.–Israeli coordination during the 12-Day War critically damaged Iran’s nuclear program and flipped deterrence on its head. Now, Israeli strikes targeting Hamas leaders in Qatar have sent shockwaves across the region — and a strong message to Tehran. Washington’s latest show of strength? The National Energy Dominance Council.Established by Trump and co-arch
Iran and the Axis of Aggressors, Part I: China (feat. Craig Singleton and Grant Rumley)
📺: Watch this episode on YouTube here. One is the world’s leading state sponsor of terror. The other is the world’s most powerful dictatorship and greatest long-term threat facing the United States. What happens when they join forces? Mark Dubowitz sits down with Craig Singleton (FDD) and Grant Rumley (Washington Institute, formerly FDD) to unpack the dragon–mullah alliance. From oil deals, weapon
Nothing Short of Complete and Utter Dismantlement (feat. Jacob Nagel)
📺: Watch this episode on YouTube here. Washington has wasted decades chasing pauses and half-measures. But as Mark Dubowitz and Brigadier General Jacob Nagel argue, the only answer to Iran’s nuclear blackmail is total dismantlement — no delay, no suspension, no enrichment, no deal that leaves Tehran’s program intact.From Israel’s 12-Day War against Iran’s nuclear and missile arsenal to the fatal f
American Economic and Financial Power and the Iran File (feat. Juan Zarate)
📺: Watch this episode on YouTube here. Missiles cripple armies, but sanctions topple regimes.Juan Zarate, the strategist who pioneered U.S. financial warfare, joins Mark to break down how sanctions and isolation bled Iran’s economy and forced concessions—and how the dollar became Washington’s weapon of choice against Tehran, reshaping the regime’s choices and the future of American power. Together
American Military and Political Power and the Iran File (feat. Bradley Bowman)
📺: Watch this episode on YouTube here. What did the 12-Day War reveal about the Islamic Republic — and about us?Host Mark Dubowitz sits down with his FDD colleague Brad Bowman, Senior Director of FDD’s Center on Military and Political Power (CMPP), to break down what the 12-Day War taught us about American military and political power — how it’s wielded, where it’s failing, and what comes next.The
American Intelligence and Information Power V. Iran (feat. Reuel Marc Gerecht)
📺: Watch this episode on YouTube here. In Part II of their conversation, Mark Dubowitz and Reuel Marc Gerecht dive into what the 12-Day War exposed about the Islamic Republic and why Iran’s leaders, even after decades of hostility, were caught flat-footed. From the failures of counterintelligence to the delusions of anti-Semitic ideology, they break down how the regime misjudged Israeli capabiliti
Know Thine Enemy: The Curious Casefile of Reuel Marc Gerecht
📺: Watch this episode on YouTube here. Mark Dubowitz sits down with Reuel Marc Gerecht, a former Iranian-targets officer in the CIA turned FDD resident scholar, to discuss the covert odyssey that is his career. From the origins of his fascination with Iran to what ultimately became an obsession — one that compelled him to smuggle himself into the country — they spend Part I of the conversation bre
The Saudi Factor (feat. Amb. Michael Ratney)
📺: Watch this episode on YouTube here. Mark Dubowitz is joined by former U.S. Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Michael Ratney to break down the complex Saudi–Iran stalemate — from the 1979 Siege of Mecca and Khomeini’s revolution, which forced Riyadh into a hard-line Sunni revival and Tehran into expansionist zeal, to today’s regime-backed Houthis raining fire into Saudi Arabia from Yemen, with China’s
Should the Iranian People Seize This Moment? (featuring Mehdi Parpanchi)
In the last week, U.S. and Israeli forces have hit the heart of the Islamic Republic’s power from Fordow and Natanz to Evin Prison and the Basij headquarters. Khamenei has gone dark. The Islamic Republic is on the defensive. But moments like this can go two ways: collapse or crackdown. Is this the moment the opposition seizes — or one the regime survives?Mehdi Parpanchi is one of the sharpest voic
Assessing the U.S. Strikes on Iranian Nuclear Facilities (featuring David Albright)
The shadow war is over. This weekend, the United States took direct military action against Iran’s nuclear program for the first time, in a coordinated operation with Israel that targeted the regime’s most heavily fortified enrichment sites.The strikes were historic. The question now: Did they actually work? What was hit — and is anything still operational?Host Mark Dubowitz is joined by David Alb
The Israel-Iran War is Here. Now What? (featuring Eyal Hulata)
Mossad strikes inside Iran. Top scientists and IRGC leaders are dead. Mark Dubowitz and Eyal Hulata, Israel’s former national security advisor and 23-year Mossad veteran, break down Israel’s boldest op yet—and what happens if the job isn’t finished.Our intro and outro music samples (with artist's permission) Liraz Charhi's single, "Roya" — check out the full version of the song and
Israel and Iran at War (featuring Barak Ravid and Nadav Eyal)
To unpack the latest developments in Israel's ongoing operation against Iran's nuclear infrastructure, Chief Executive Mark Dubowitz hosts a special live edition of FDD's The Iran Breakdown with Israeli journalists Barak Ravid and Nadav Eyal.
10 Years After the Deal, Iran is a Nuclear Threshold State (featuring Amb. Dan Shapiro)
About the EpisodeIn 2015 while serving in the Obama administration, Dan Shapiro supported the Iran nuclear deal. Mark Dubowitz led the fight to stop it.A decade later, Iran is a nuclear threshold state. The regime has enriched enough uranium for multiple bombs, deterrence has broken down, and Washington still hasn’t figured out how to stop a nuclear Iran.Today, Mark and Dan are in the same strateg
Digital Resistance: Using Tech to Empower Iranians and Take Down the Regime (featuring Mehdi Yahyanejad)
About the EpisodeMehdi Yahyanejad was raised in the Islamic Republic. Now, he's fighting it from the outside... with code.From founding the digital platform that helped power Iran’s Green Movement in 2009 to coordinating resistance through online activism, Mehdi has seen firsthand how technology empowers dissidents and fuels regime resistance.As the Islamic Republic faces external challenges c
Rage Against the Regime: Music as Rebellion (featuring Liraz Charhi)
About the EpisodeLiraz Charhi is an Israeli artist with deep Iranian roots, and her voice is shaking the walls of the Islamic Republic. Known for her role on the hit Apple TV+ series Tehran, Liraz joins Mark Dubowitz to reveal how her art became real-life defiance: from secretly collaborating with Iranian women banned from singing, to recording underground albums across encrypted apps, and turning
Assassins Abroad: Iran's Global War on Dissent (featuring Roya Hakakian)
About the EpisodeHost Mark Dubowitz is joined by author Roya Hakakian to trace the Islamic Republic’s decades-long war on dissent — both inside Iran and across the globe. Roya shares her personal journey from a hopeful 12-year-old during the 1979 revolution to a refugee, writer, and fierce advocate for democracy.At the heart of their discussion is the Mykonos trial, the landmark 1997 case in Berli
Going Ballistic: Inside Iran's Military Strategy and Arsenal
(featuring Behnam Ben Taleblu)
About the EpisodeHost Mark Dubowitz is joined by Behnam Ben Taleblu, senior director of FDD's Iran Program and author of Arsenal: Assessing Iran's Ballistic Missile Program, for a masterclass on the Islamic Republic of Iran’s expansive — and still growing — weapons arsenal and the central role it plays in Tehran’s broader military strategy.From the Islamic Republic's ballistic missile
Terror Without Borders, Part II: Hamas, Houthis, Shi'ite Militias, Oh My (featuring Mark Montgomery, Bill Roggio, and Beni Sabti)
About the EpisodeIn this episode of The Iran Breakdown, host Mark Dubowitz continues to expose and examine Tehran’s proxy wars. This time, we unravel Tehran’s relationship with the Houthis in Yemen; the Shi’a militias in Iraq; and Hamas in Gaza, specifically looking at the Regime’s hand in the October 7 attack against Israel.Admiral Mark Montgomery, Bill Roggio, and Beni Sabti, join Mark to scruti
Bonus Breakdown: Iran Nuclear Talks — Deal or No Deal? (featuring Barak Ravid)
About the EpisodeIt's the world’s most dangerous nuclear standoff. Can President Trump get Iran to dismantle its nuclear program — or is Tehran just playing for time? In this episode of The Iran Breakdown, Mark sits down with award-winning journalist Barak Ravid for an insider’s look at the nuclear talks now underway in Oman. From enrichment red lines and snapback deadlines to Israel’s strateg
Terror Without Borders, Part I: Hezbollah, Inc. and Beyond (featuring Matt Levitt)
About the EpisodeHezbollah is not a rogue actor. It’s a tool of the Islamic Republic. That’s because Iran doesn’t just fund terror — it runs a global terror empire. And Hezbollah is the crown jewel.In this episode of The Iran Breakdown, host Mark Dubowitz sits down with Dr. Matthew Levitt, a top authority on Hezbollah and Iran’s proxy warfare, to break down how Hezbollah operates as Iran’s most p
Diplomacy, Deception, and Iran's War Against America (featuring Jay Solomon)
About the EpisodeMark Dubowitz sits down with journalist Jay Solomon to unpack the new round of U.S.-Iran nuclear negotiations and trace the arc from Obama’s secret backchannels to Trump’s second shot at a deal — raising the question: are we about to do the fatally flawed, Obama-era JCPOA all over again? They unpack the early U.S. concessions that shaped the first deal, Iran’s global terror playb
The Israeli Perspective (featuring Yair Lapid and Eyal Hulata)
About the Episode"Death to Israel, the little satan!"It's all too familiar, this rallying cry of Islamic Republic regime officials and their sympathizers — they've been chanting this for almost 50 years now. But make no mistake: they mean what they say.With its terrorist proxies across the region, the Iran threat has been knocking at Israel's door for decades. But on October 7,
Woman, Life, Freedom (featuring Masih Alinejad)
About the EpisodeIn today’s episode, host Mark Dubowitz is joined by one of the Iranian regime's most fearless enemies, Masih Alinejad. Masih is not just a journalist or an activist—she’s a one-woman revolution. Born in Iran, exiled for speaking truth to power, and now living under constant threat, Masih has become a voice for the voiceless, especially for Iranian women fighting back against t
The Iran Nuclear File (featuring Rich Goldberg)
About the EpisodeWelcome to The Iran Breakdown, hosted by Mark Dubowitz.If you know anything about Mark, you know he lives and breathes one mission: stopping a nuclear Iran and ending the Islamic Republic.Back in 2018, The New York Times put it this way: “Mark Dubowitz’s campaign to draw attention to what he saw as the flaws in the Iran nuclear deal has taken its place among the most consequential
Iran Before the Revolution (featuring Ray Takeyh)
About the EpisodeWhether you’re a seasoned Iran watcher or just starting to explore the topic, understanding the Islamic Republic requires going back to the events that led to the 1979 Islamic Revolution. And to do that we need to revisit 1953, the year a coup overthrew Iran’s Prime Minister, Mohammad Mossadegh. If you think you already know this story, think again.About the GuestHost Mark Dubowit
Iran v. The Islamic Republic (featuring Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi)
Welcome to inaugural episode of The Iran Breakdown, hosted by Mark Dubowitz.About the EpisodeThere’s a truth we’ll come back to again and again on this show: The Iranian people are extraordinary. Whether in Tehran or Los Angeles, Berlin or Toronto — Iranians are known for their brilliance, resilience, and drive.Here’s the tragedy: Only Iranians living outside the Islamic Republic are free to thriv
Introducing "The Iran Breakdown"
A limited series from FDD Podcasts hosted by Mark Dubowitz.
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