Roqe

Canada officially lists the IRGC as a terrorist entity. So why do reports continue surfacing about regime-connected figures, insiders, and individuals allegedly tied to the Islamic Republic entering Canada? On this episode of Roqe, Jian Ghomeshi moderates a timely and provocative panel discussion examining immigration, ideology, western political culture, security concerns, and whether Canada has...

In the midst of revolution, repression, emotional exhaustion, and political uncertainty, is it still okay to laugh? On this edition of Roqe, Jian sits down with two Iranian content creators and comedians who have built large audiences through satire, parody, viral videos, standup, and social media commentary while also openly supporting the Lion and Sun Revolution against the Islamic Republic regi...

Why has the war not resumed? Why has a deal not been reached? And what exactly is happening during this strange and uneasy silence between the Islamic Republic and the West? On this edition of Roqe, Jian is joined by Lisa Daftari in Los Angeles and Bozorgmehr Sharafedin in Washington DC for a deeper examination of the prolonged pause following the ceasefire. Is the regime buying time? Is the West...

After months of rallies, emotional highs, hopes for revolution, fears of war, endless political debates, and now growing uncertainty once again, many Iranians are simply exhausted. On this 440th edition of Roqe - “IRAN RISES - We Are Not Okay” - Jian Ghomeshi explores the emotional and psychological toll the last five months have taken on Iranians around the world. In his opening essay, “WE ARE NO...

Roqe Ep.439 - Can China Decide Iran’s Future? As Donald Trump meets Xi Jinping in Beijing, Iran is quietly becoming one of the most consequential subjects behind closed doors. On this edition of Roqe, Jian opens with an essay entitled “The Regime Is Not Surviving Alone” - a provocative look at how China has become one of the Islamic Republic’s most important economic lifelines, and why the future...

Do we return to “normal” - or not yet? For many Iranians in the diaspora, recent months have been marked by trauma, war, executions, fear for loved ones, and a collective decision to pause parts of ordinary life out of solidarity with those suffering inside Iran. But as exhaustion sets in, an important question emerges: how do people remain engaged in a long struggle without losing themselves enti...

Roqe Ep. 437 - IRAN RISES - The Lion & Sun Revolution: Stalled or Still Alive? As the movement against the Islamic Republic enters a more uncertain and psychologically complicated phase, many Iranians are asking a difficult question: has the revolutionary momentum toward regime change stalled… or is this simply the messy middle chapter that revolutions often pass through before change arrives? Jia...

On this episode of Roqe, a question that sounds like sport… but cuts far deeper. As the World Cup approaches, many Iranians are facing a painful dilemma: does Team Melli represent a nation - or the Islamic Republic regime? In the opening essay, Jian asks a question that has become unavoidable: Who do you cheer for… when your country has been taken from you? Then, a real debate with three voices wh...

Roqe Ep.435 - IRAN RISES - Who Benefits from the Delay? - Shayan Sami’i, Picasso Moin The regime wants you to think it’s over - it’s not. On this episode, Jian opens with a message to those declaring the Iranian uprising finished, making the case that this narrative risks amplifying the regime’s messaging at a critical moment. Then, a panel examining the current pause in confrontation between the...

We miss the voices of Iran. In this episode, Jian opens with a poetic and powerful essay on the impact of the Iranian regime’s internet blackouts - not only as a violation of human rights, but as a loss of connection, clarity, and direction for millions outside the country who have been inspired by those inside it. The conversation then turns to the role of alternative media at a critical moment....

Jian opens this episode of Roqe with an essay titled “The War Is Changing Us,” reflecting on how the past four months - from the January massacres inside Iran to the current war - have affected Iranians not only inside the country, but across the diaspora. While the realities inside Iran remain the central focus, this conversation examines how millions outside the country are experiencing a differ...

On this episode of Roqe, Iranian-British journalist and documentary filmmaker Bozorgmehr Sharafedin joins from Washington for a timely and revealing conversation on the state of Iran and the global conversation surrounding it. As Head of Digital News at Iran International and a former BBC editor and Reuters reporter, Sharafedin brings deep insight into how Iran is being understood - and misunderst...

Jian opens Episode 431 of Roqe with an essay titled The Story Has Been Hijacked, reflecting on how the global conversation around Iran has shifted away from the human rights movement that brought millions into the streets - and why it is up to Iranians to bring that focus back. He is then joined by Lisa Daftari, Iranian-American foreign policy analyst and Editor-in-Chief of The Foreign Desk (from...

A ceasefire has been declared - but the tension has not eased. On this edition of Roqe - Iran Rises, Jian is joined by Ali Hamedani (London), Shayan Sami’i (Washington), and Sadeq Bigdeli (Toronto) to assess where things stand as talks break down and uncertainty grows. Is this a moment of calm - or The Illusion of Calm? Jian opens with an essay titled Outsourcing Repression - exploring news that t...

As a ceasefire takes hold and attention shifts, what are we left with? On this episode, Jian opens with an essay arguing that the recent war has diverted global focus away from what he describes as one of the most consequential events in recent Iranian history - the mass killing of civilians in January. The piece examines how media narratives, geopolitical analysis, and ideological debates can dis...

On this edition of Roqe, Dr. Shahram Kholdi (Southwestern Ontario) and Dr. Mahdi Ghodsi (Vienna) join Jian for a timely conversation at a consequential moment in the Iran crisis. With a deadline from Donald Trump threatening major escalation, strikes already hitting infrastructure inside Iran, and ongoing uncertainty about how Iranians are responding, this episode examines where things stand - and...

On this episode of Roqe, Andrew Ghalili joins Jian from New York for a conversation on the dangers of pursuing another deal with the Islamic Republic. They discuss the aftermath of President Trump’s recent speech, why the idea of a “moderate” replacement within the regime is fundamentally flawed, and how the IRGC continues to hold power despite mounting pressure. Andrew also shares insights on wha...

On this episode of Roqe, Jian opens with an essay titled “When the Truth Is Hard to Find - Ask Who Benefits,” exploring how propaganda, projection, and competing agendas are shaping the global conversation about Iran during a time of internet blackout. He is then joined by Nazenin Ansari (London), Dr. Sepehr Vakil (Evanston, Illinois), and Dr. Kaveh Elahiyoun (Las Vegas) for a panel discussion on...

On this episode of Roqe, Jian is joined by Bijan Kian - a returning guest who consistently sparks strong reactions from the Roqe audience. A former senior U.S. official with decades of experience across public and private sectors, Kian offers his perspective on the current war involving the United States, Israel, and the Islamic Republic. The conversation explores competing narratives in American...

On this episode of Roqe, Jian is joined by a global panel to unpack a fast-moving and uncertain moment around Iran and the role of Donald Trump’s rhetoric and positioning in shaping what may come next. Joining from London, Washington, and Toronto are Shooka Bidarian, Shayan Sami’i, and Ardeshir Zarezadeh - bringing perspectives from media, policy, and activism to explore where things stand right n...

On this episode of Roqe, Jian opens with an essay titled “Beware the Regime Narratives in Western Media.” As the conflict surrounding Iran continues, Jian examines how Islamic Republic propaganda can travel through Western media ecosystems - and how narratives amplified abroad can eventually be used to influence audiences inside Iran. He looks at several examples currently circulating in Western c...

On this episode of Roqe, Jian Ghomeshi speaks with Iranian-British journalist Bozorgmehr Sharafedin, head of digital news at Iran International. Joining Jian from Washington, Sharafedin discusses the rapidly unfolding situation surrounding Iran as the conflict enters its ninth day and global commentary intensifies. Their conversation explores: the emergence of Mojtaba Khamenei as Supreme Leader wh...

On this episode of Roqe, Jian opens with an essay about the brave Iranians who took to the streets in recent weeks demanding regime change - and the promise many in the diaspora made to stand with them. As war imagery dominates the headlines and debates grow louder around intervention, Jian reminds listeners that history is rarely tidy - and that the courage of those inside Iran should remain at t...

With Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei killed following a joint United States–Israel military operation inside Iran, the political and strategic landscape has shifted dramatically. What comes next? Jian sits down with: Shayan Samii - U.S. national security analyst and strategic communications expert. Behnam Ben Taleblu - Senior Director of the Iran Program at FDD and specialist on Iran’s security appara...

On this edition of Roqe, Jian and guests examine the growing wave of disinformation surrounding Iran in Western media and public discourse. Joining from Vancouver, Sadaf Yasini, and from Ottawa, longtime Roqe contributor Pegah Ganji, the conversation explores: The scale and discipline of diaspora demonstrations Why Western audiences struggle to process the demand for regime change How anti-war rhe...