Roqe

A feature interview with Jane Lewisohn, Director of the Golha Project, about her multi-year mission to preserve Persian culture, music, poetry and art from the 20th Century, particularly by digitizing and archiving the legendary Golha radio programs from pre-revolutionary Iran. And, Iranian-New Zealander psychologist Tina Parsamand on her decision to return to Tehran to help those in need of menta...

A feature interview with Iranian-French tennis player, Aravane Rezai. Aravane joins Jian to reflect on her journey to #15 in the world, sacrifices along the way, stepping away from the game, and how she has found her inspiration again as a proud Iranian and French national. Plus the Roqe Team discusses the late Eddie Van Halen, group photos, and dips into the bulging mailbag with comments and lett...

A special edition of Roqe: A Tribute to Shajarian. On the day of the passing of the iconic Maestro Mohammad-Reza Shajarian, we are joined by important voices from the Iranian global community, including: Abbas Milani, Babak Amini, Arsalan Kamkar, Golrokh Aminian, Iraj Janati Ataie, Erfan, Hooman Khalatbari, Hamed Nikpay, Fariba Davoodi, Amir Koushkani, Farid Zoland, Safoura Safavi, Yahya Alkhansa...

A feature interview with superstar Iranian-American comedian and actor, Maz Jobrani. Maz joins Jian for a more serious long-form conversation about his political leanings, identity, activism, and social media presence during a chaotic election year in America.

A feature interview with Afghan-American actress, Azita Ghanizada. In addition to a prolific and successful career in TV and film, Azita is the founder the MENA Arts Advocacy Coalition. She joins Jian to discuss conscious casting, changing the white norms of Hollywood, and her personal strength in transforming life as a political refugee born into a conservative Muslim family of modest means, into...

An interview with musician, performer and Persian TRAP Music pioneer, Danny Asadi. Danny joins Jian on a wide-ranging musical chat to discuss how he invented his sound, inspiring trips to Iran as a teenager, his personal fusion of East and West, becoming an online sensation, and his billionaire ambitions. youtu.be/h2IyMvjzYJ8

A feature interview with actor, dancer, inventive artist and creative sprite, Shahrokh Moshkin Ghalam. Shahrokh joins Jian to talk about everything from career highs, to the energetic art of performance, to acting in different languages and the history of Persian dance. He also tells us why he would rather be a crow (the bird) than human. Plus, the Thursday Roqe Team reconvenes to discuss dogs, sk...

A feature interview with Iranian-American comedian and actor, Max Amini. In a wide-ranging conversation Max opens up to Jian about navigating comedy in difficult times, a knack for improvisation, the challenges of being an oddball American kid in revolutionary Iran, and his ongoing commitment to working hard and spreading positivity.

Interviews with human rights activist, Hadi Ghaemi, legendary writer and feminist, Shahrnush Parsipur, and screenwriter and director Cyrus Nowrasteh. Plus the Roqe Thursday team convenes for option and Letters of the Week.

An in-depth interview with legendary songwriter/composer Farid Zoland about compensation, copyright, and hoping to finally be paid what he deserves. The man behind dozens and dozens of hit songs in Persian music by icons like Googoosh, Dariush, Ebi and Hayedeh, joins Jian to talk about how he has received little to no significant compensation and recognition for a catalogue of melodies that most I...

An interview with Iranian-American communications strategist, radio host, and national chair of Iranians Count, Bita Milanian, about the campaign to have people of Iranian descent in the United States sign up for the 2020 census. Plus classical guitar virtuoso Lily Afshar joins Jian to recount her journey from a kid in Tehran to the top stages of the world as a master classical guitarist. And the...

An interview with popular Iranian-American politician, Jimmy Delshad, the former two-term Mayor of Beverly Hills, California. Jimmy joins Jian for a funny and touching interview to share his story of being a Jewish kid from Shiraz who arrived in America in 1959, his pioneering campaign to become Mayor, his recent bout with Covid-19, and his reflections on the diaspora and community divisions in 20...

An interview with Behdad Esfahbod, widely regarded to be a tech genius, the creator of Persian text on the internet, and a former employee at Google, about his recent harrowing trip to Iran and detention at the hands of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard. Also, Iranian-American comedian Melissa Shoshahi joins Jian on her Travel Ban comedy show. Plus the Roqe Roundtable with special guest psychotherap...

An interview with legendary Iranian-American journalist, Homa Sarshar. Homa joins Jian to reflect on her 55 years as a writer, reporter, producer and broadcaster.

Part two of the Roqe Series marking the 40th anniversary of the death of the Shah of Iran. Historians Andrew Scott Cooper and Mohammad Amini join Jian for separate feature interviews to discuss the Pahlavi Dynasty, historical revisionism, and assessing the Shah through the lens of 2020. Plus, the Roqe team convenes for Letters of the Week.

On the summer marking the 40th anniversary of Shah of Iran’s passing, a feature interview with historian Dr Abbas Milani on the evolving legacy of the Pahlavi Dynasty.

Theme from Roqe (full version)

Interviews with Fariborz Mokhtari (“In the Lion’s Shadow”) on the remarkable story of the ‘Iranian Schindler’ in Paris during World War 2, and Sepideh Nasiri on becoming a Silicon Valley leader and addressing a lack of diversity in the tech sector, specifically for Iranian woman and women of colour. Plus, the Roqe team reconvenes with some prickly Letters of the Week.

A feature interview with “Mother Miracle” herself, Shahla Ettefagh. Shahla tells Jian of her indulgent early adult life, a momentous decision to abandon her lush California lifestyle for India and build a school for children in need, making peace with her father before his death, and her spiritual evolution into Mother Miracle.

An interview with renowned Iranian-American scientist and leading figure at NASA, Dr. Firouz Naderi. Firouz joins Jian to discuss the latest Mars mission, the importance of space exploration, the “blessing and curse” of a dual national identity, speaking out about Trump and the regime in Iran, and the emotional toll of dealing with detractors in social media.

A feature interview with prolific Iranian-American actor. Navid Negahban. Navid recounts his journey from living in his car when he first came to America, to being one of the most busy actors in Hollywood.

A feature interview with karate champion and Head Coach of the Canadian national karate team, Nassim Varasteh. Nassim joins Jian in the Roqe Studio for a rare interview about her path to excellence, the obstacles of achieving success in a male-dominated sport, and the expectations that come with being the daughter of an Iranian karate legend. Plus, the Roqe team reconvenes for a catch-up and Lette...

An interview with guitar virtuoso, Babak Amini. Babak joins Jian in the Roqe Studio to discuss painful days trying to make music in revolutionary Iran, his journey to the West with Googoosh, and his prolific roster of performance, arrangement and production with iconic Persian artists.

A feature interview with professor of constitutional law, best-selling author, and pioneering human rights attorney, Banafsheh Akhlaghi. Plus the Roqe Roundtable reconvenes with very special guest, actress and human rights activist, Niaz Salimi.

An interview with Armenian-Iranian-American musician, songwriter and producer, Erwin Khachikian. Erwin recounts growing up the son of a church pastor in 1970s Tehran, working with System of the Down’s Serj Tankian, producing Siavash Ghomayshi, and finding his own solo sound.