Roqe

A new season of Roqe launches next week (“The Uprising: One Year Later”), but in the meantime, we have a new edition - a season preview! Jian is joined by Pegah and journalist Mahsa Mortazavi in the Roqe Studio to preview next week’s star-studded launch, to look back at events of the summer, recap Jian’s trips to far off destinations, gawk at Pegah’s CN Tower climb, and to have a Roqe Roundup with...

The final instalment of our Best of Roqe series for the summer of 2023, featuring an interview with the late Iranian-American star scientist, Dr. Firouz Naderi, who died in June of this year - creating a deep void and profound sadness across the Diaspora. He was the kid from Shiraz who ascended to the heights of the most American of institutions. Firouz Naderi was well known for his rise to the to...

Another edition of the Best of Roqe featuring one of our favourite guests, replaying a conversation from his first appearance on the program. Dr. Fathali Moghaddam is an Iranian-British psychologist, author, professor of psychology, and director of the Interdisciplinary Program in Cognitive Science at Georgetown University. Fresh off his start appearance in the Netflix series, “How to be a Tyrant,...

Another edition for the Best of Roqe series featuring an interview with award-winning surgeon, entrepreneur, activist, and Netflix star, Dr. Sheila Nazarian, joining Jian from Los Angeles. Plus an all-time favourite of the Roqe Funnies revisited, “Mojtaba and the Garage.”

As part of The Best of Roqe series, two feature interviews with two preeminent broadcast stars of Iranian media. First up, Iran International journalist, TV presenter and entrepreneur, Fardad Farahzad, joins Jian for a comprehensive conversation about his career and personal journey to date. And then, popular BBC Persian TV personality, artist, and producer, Behzad Bolour sits down for his first e...

Another installment of “The Best of Roqe” series featuring an interview with acclaimed author, poet and scholar, Farzaneh Milani. Dr. Milani, a professor of Persian literature and women’s studies at the University of Virginia, joins Jian to recount her story of emigrating from Iran to America and becoming a foremost authority on Iranian women writers, her passion for female literature - and Foroug...

An action-packed episode from "The Best of Roqe," featuring two extraordinary fighters who have overcome incredible odds. First, Alireza "Razor Ali" Ghadiri, the resilient Iranian-British boxer, who has triumphed over tragedy to become a rising star in Britain's boxing scene. Then, we meet Pannie "Banzai" Kianzad, the Iranian-Swedish MMA star and UFC signee, shares her journey to the top and her q...

As part "The Best of Roqe" series, a feature interview with leading attorney, professor and author, Mehrangiz Kar. Mehrangiz is a celebrated human rights activist who was one of the first female attorneys to oppose the Islamization of gender relations following the Iranian Revolution of 1979. She became an active public defender in Iran’s civil and criminal courts. She joins Jian in the Roqe Studi...

Another episode is part of 'The Best of Roqe' series, featuring Iranian-American political satirist, actor, TV/radio broadcaster, and monologist, Kambiz Hosseini. Kambiz joins Jian to discuss his life journey, his broadcasting style, and more. Plus, one of the team's favourite comedic moments is revisited with a Roqe Funny.

Another episode as part of "The Best of Roqe" series featuring a man hailed as the “finest translator of Persian poetry.” Award-winning British poet, and leading scholar of Persian Literature, Dr. Dick Davis, joins Jian to discuss his life journey, his love for Iran and Persian culture, and his mission. Plus, one of the teams favorite comedic moments is revisited with a Roqe Funny.

Featuring interviews with two prominent Iranian-American surgeons. First, Dr. Abbas Ardehali, renowned for his pioneering work as the first US surgeon to perform a "breathing lung" transplant, and then, Dr. Sina Joorabchi, an influential ENT specialist and facial plastic surgeon popularly known as Doctor Sina.

A new edition of Roqe including a feature interview with Kamyar. The popular Iranian-French hitmaker, singer, writer and instrumentalist joins Jian from Las Vegas to discuss his successful career from jazz singer to Black Cats member to solo pop star. In a detailed and comprehensive conversation, Kamyar also talks about his bouts of depression, his activism, and his strong identification with Iran...

A special new edition of Roqe focused on the confusing culture of drinking in Iran. We all know that alcohol is officially forbidden under Islam. But we also know that most of the Islamic world, including Iran, has a long history that is drenched in drinking and culturally entwined with the consumption, celebration, romance, and medicinal practise of wine, beer, and alcohol drinking. So how do we...

A dynamic new edition of Roqe focused on language, and the particular proposition: “Does having an accent make life harder?” Jian is joined by professor, author and President of the Linguistics Association of Canada, Dr. Jila Ghomeshi, for a vibrant conversation about accents (with some sibling teasing interlaced!). Jila, with over two decades of experience in the field of Iranian linguistics, dis...

A dynamic new edition of Roqe including a feature interview with legendary Iranian-American journalist, Homa Sarshar. Ms Sarshar joins Jian from Los Angeles for an in-depth conversation covering her latest lifetime achievement award (presented at Stanford University last week), her thoughts on the future of the Iranian community around the world, and how media and journalists should deal with the...

A special culinary-focused edition of Roqe with a dynamic debate amongst a panel of food enthusiasts and health experts addressing the simple but disputed question: “Is Persian Food Healthy?” Panelists joining Jian include Iranian-Canadian Doctor of Natural Medicine, and Ayurveda specialist, Dr. Rosa Moradi in the Roqe Studio, Iranian- American chef and culinary health coach, Tara Radcliffe in Los...

On a new edition of Roqe, the "khoresht" vs "khoresh" debate is in full flow (how is it said??), and Jian speaks to two talented visual artists who each share their personal stories and the profound influence that creativity has had on their lives. First, the Mohammad Rasoulipour, an acclaimed Iranian-American visual artist and technologist with a unique vision that intertwines history and art joi...

A special edition remembering the late Iranian-American star scientist and NASA veteran, Dr. Firouz Naderi, featuring distinguished constitutional law expert, and pioneering human rights attorney, Banafsheh Akhlaghi in San Francisco, acclaimed technologist, entrepreneur, and former NASA scientist, Mehrzad Sajjadi in Chennai, India, and veteran Iranian-Canadian journalist Dr. Mohammad Tajdolati in...

A big new episode of Roqe kicking off with an audio tribute to a Persian icon with Jian’s essay entitled, “An Ode to Googoosh.” Then feature interviews with LGBTQ-centered surgeon and essential online resource, Dr. Alireza Hamidian in Philadelphia, and acclaimed multi-genre cellist Mahsa Ghassemi, joining Jian in the Roqe Studio, for a conversation and performance amidst her participation in the c...

A big and diverse episode of Roqe including a feature interview with young Chinese-Iranian-American piano virtuoso, composer, and internet star, Joshua Kyan Aalampour. Joshua joins Jian from New York to tell his story of teaching himself to play piano and performing at the Lincoln Centre before turning 20 years-old. Also, award winning Iranian-Swedish psychologist and author Shirin Amani Azari ret...

Feature interviews with two dynamic Iranian-Canadians: Award-winning Sergeant Kamyar Mahinsa, and trailblazing politician and a member of the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario, Goldie Ghamari. Kam Mahinsa joins Jian from Vancouver to tell his personal story of becoming the first Iranian police officer in Vancouver, his passion for outreach and giving back to the community, and his growing...

A feature interview with Iranian virtuoso violinist, musician, composer, songwriter, and singer Bijan Mortazavi live in the Roqe Studio. Jian has an in depth and unfiltered 90 minute exchange with Bijan about his musical journey, rise to fame, migration from Iran, and so much more. Plus, Pegah and Jian are joined by Super P and Savvy Roham for the Roqe Roundup where Jian calls out Super P for her...

A new edition of Roqe focusing on grief, resilience and recovery. Feature interviews in the Roqe Studio with Iranian-Canadian grief recovery specialist and popular life coach and speaker Mitra Mohamadzadeh, and then Iranian-Canadian athlete and rapper, Tymaz Bagbani, who shares his inspiring dramatic story of surviving three life-threatening bouts with cancer even though he’s still only in his ear...

A feature interview with popular Iranian singer, songwriter, performer and recording artist, Farnaz Maleki, known as Satin. Satin joins Jian live in the Roqe Studio for her first major interview in English and tells the story of fighting the odds to be a female singer inside Iran, her rise to fame and a massive global following for her catchy pop songs, her contribution to the soundtrack of the wi...

Interviews with outstanding young Iranian-German singer, songwriter, pianist and Voice Persia finalist, Ayda Rastgoo, and returning guest, life coach and stress recovery specialist, Solmaz Barghgir. Ayda joins Jian from Hamburg to tell her personal story of pursuing her passions and becoming a rising star across the Iranian world despite being only 17. Then, Solmaz is in the Roqe Studio to talk ab...