Roqe

A feature interview with distinguished Iranian-American photojournalist, scientific explorer, and "master of the night sky," Babak Tafreshi. Babak joins Jian from Boston for an in-depth conversation about his work within the field of astronomy, his personal journey and migration from Iran to the United States, and his research on the sky, including mind-bending concepts of time and space.

A new edition of Roqe featuring interviews with rock musician and winner of The Voice Persia, Amin Yahyazadeh, and martial arts Master Badri Ricciardelli. Amin joins Jian from Istanbul to tell the tale of a misfit heavy metal kid from Mashhad who ends up leaving Iran with his band and winning a major television singing show last month. Then, Master Badri is in the Roqe Studio to chronicle her dram...

A new edition of Roqe featuring a special interview with popular Iranian-American rapper, recording artist, producer and activist, Erfan Paydar. Erfan joins Jian in the Roqe Studio in Toronto for a wide-ranging, passionate and very personal interview about the recent uprising for freedom in Iran, his role in speaking out as a prominent Iranian voice, and his perspective on the growing dysfunction...

A new wide-ranging edition of Roqe including a feature interview with Iranian-American entrepreneur and youtube content creator Farzad Mesbahi in Austin, Texas. In this heartfelt conversation, Farzad tells Jian the story of going from an immigrant kid who was a Tesla super-fan, to a Tesla employee and program manager, only to leave and become a rising YouTube star. Then Kayvon Zand, gender queer n...

A new edition of Roqe featuring a special interview and performance with famed Iranian singer, songwriter, guitarist, and composer, Mazyar Fallahi. In this wide-ranging conversation, Mazyar sits down with Jian live in the Roqe Studio to share his dramatic journey from early life in Iran, to forced exile, to Ukraine, and more recently, Germany. He shares his passion for music and freedom in Iran an...

A new big variety edition of Roqe featuring interviews with songwriter, producer and recording artist, Erwin Khachikian, and political scientist Behnam Taleblu. Jian starts the show with an audio essay suggesting declarations of the death of the uprising in Iran are premature, and those in the diaspora assuming it is “over" do a disservice to the Iranians that have been killed and those continuing...

A feature interview with dynamic Iranian-Swedish politician, Azadeh Rojhan. Azadeh joins Jian from Stockholm for a wide-ranging conversation about growing up in Iran, adjusting to Scandinavian life, finding her ideological and political roots, and becoming a member of Swedish parliament since 2014. She also discusses the uprising in Iran and her ideas around how the Iranian diaspora should organiz...

A new edition of Roqe featuring a special long-form interview with Iranian-British journalist and human rights activist, Vahid Beheshti, live via zoom from London where he has been on a hunger strike for over 6 weeks. Mr. Beheshti joins Jian from the street outside the UK foreign office - where he has camped out for 43 consecutive days - to discuss how his hunger strike came about, his past encoun...

A feature full-length interview with the Iranian-American Chief of Internal Medicine at the Clifton Springs Hospital & Clinic in New York, Dr. Kayvan Mirhadi, in the Roqe Studio. Dr. Mirhadi, perhaps best known as “Dr. Kay,” joins Jian for a wide-ranging conversation about his life growing up in Iran and Canada, his passion for medicine and healthcare, and his massive online presence after going v...

A new edition of Roqe including feature interviews with Iranian-German surgeon, musician and social media influencer, Dr. Pouria Sabetian, who joins Jian in the Roqe Studio, and poet, singer and activist, Mandana Khazraei in Washington DC. In a wide-ranging interview, Dr. Sabetian tells the story of how he was inspired to become a doctor after a promise made to his mother before she died in Iran w...

A new edition of Roqe focused on the uprising in Iran and particularly, the southeast region of Baluchistan, including a feature interview with the internationally recognized “Prince of Baluchi music,” Iranian-Swedish folk musician Rostam Mirlashari, in the Roqe Studio. Jian begins the episode with a heartfelt audio essay praising the resilience of the people of Zahedan in Sistan and Baluchistan w...

A new edition of Roqe marking more than six months since the beginning of the uprising for freedom in Iran. Jian is joined by two strong women who have become powerful voices in the diaspora with their online presence in these months: First up, healthcare specialist and digital media star Hedieh Safiyari joins from Vancouver; then, Iranian-German activist and social sustainability expert Forouq Ca...

A special Nowruz day edition of Roqe where some of the key team members, Pegah, Parissa, Anahita and Roham, join Jian in the Roqe Studio for a heartfelt and personal roundtable looking at the year that has been, the brightest and darkest moments, their personal reflections, and their wishes and aspirations for the year ahead. Plus, Jian kicks off the episode with a stirring audio essay in tribute...

A Special Edition of Roqe coinciding with the anniversary of Reza Shah’s birthday this week. This two-hour special focused on the “father of modern Iran” - updated from our Contemporary History of Iran episodes last year - tells the story of a man who came from modest means to become Iran’s powerful ruler whilst establishing the Pahlavi Dynasty. Indeed, Reza Shah’s evolution from military leader,...

A new edition of Roqe including feature interviews with dancer, choreographer, actor, and entrepreneur, Kosar Abbasi in Los Angeles, and acclaimed Iranian-American artist Nicky Nodjoumi in New York. First, Kosar joins Jian for a powerful and emotional conversation about her nomadic life journey, her recent activism, and her perspective on the revolution in Iran as a female dancer. Then, Nicky retu...

A new edition of Roqe including feature interviews with economist and academic, Dr. Mahdi Ghodsi in Vienna, and kamancheh master Kourosh Babaie live in the Roqe Studio, in conversation and performance. Jian begins the episode with a thought-provoking audio essay on the catastrophic economic situation in Iran, sharing statistics and info as a segue into the first guest. And Pegah joins Jian for a R...

A new episode of Roqe including feature interviews with acclaimed actor and writer, Houshang Touzie in Los Angeles, about his responses to the uprising in Iran and a new tele-play, and songwriter and recording artist, Peyman Salimi, who joins Jian from Brussels for a chat and to debut songs from his forthcoming new album. Plus journalist and news producer, Mahsa Mortazavi is in the Roqe Studio for...

A new edition of Roqe featuring Part 8 of the “Voices from Inside Iran” series including interviews with frontline protesters in Mashhad, Tehran and Tabriz on where they believe the new revolution is at and their reaction to the most recent events in Iran. Plus, Jian opens the show with an audio essay about the horrendous regime poison attack on schoolgirls and university students and the lack of...

A new edition of Roqe as part of the Uprising series, including feature interviews with popular athlete and blogger, Picasso Moin, in Istanbul, and founder of the online marketplace, ‘Alangoo,’ Golshid Mola, in Los Angeles. Plus, Jian kicks off the show with an audio essay reflecting on the appearance of Hossein Amir-Abdollahian at the United Nations Human Rights Council, entitled, “The Iranian Fo...

A new edition of Roqe featuring three musicians of Iranian background in different parts of the diaspora making their contributions to the effort for a free Iran - the “sounds of change.” First, Jian is joined by talented songwriter and producer, Majid Kazemi, who is on the line from Dusseldorf and speaks of his experience at the major demonstration in Brussels earlier in the week. Then the rock v...

A new edition of Roqe, continuing the “Voices from Inside Iran” series that began in the fall, this time featuring four courageous young Iranians who’ve been on the frontlines of the movement for change in Iran - in Rasht, Shiraz, Tehran and Gilan. Plus, Jian kicks things off with an opening essay focused on the Islamic Republic as a threat to journalists around the world - particularly given the...

A new edition of Roqe as part of the Uprising series with a special feature-length interview with psychologist and academic, Dr. Fathali M. Moghaddam, on his new book: “Political Plasticity: The Future of Democracy and Dictatorships.” Jian and Dr. Moghaddam discuss the possibilities for actualized democracy in a new Iran and the obstacles along this path rooted in historic continuity of behaviour...

A new edition of Roqe from the Uprising series including feature interviews with popular Iranian-American therapist, Dr. Afarin Rajaei in San Diego, and Iranian-British broadcaster, producer and influencer, Shirin Naseri in the Roqe Studio - both addressing the psychological dimensions of the current moment for Iranians. And Jian begins the show with an audio essay entitled, “Really, Financial Tim...

A new edition of Roqe from The Uprising series featuring interviews with tech entrepreneur and online energizer Kooshiar Azimian in Los Angeles, and writer and academic Dr. Ali Fathollah-Nejad in Berlin. Jian starts the show with an audio essay addressing President Biden following his recent State of the Union address and complete omission of any mention of Iran. Plus the regulars, Pegah and Shaya...

A new edition of Roqe with feature guests: Australian-Iranian actor and producer, Mojean Aria, fresh from winning an award at the Sundance Film Festival with his latest project, “Shayda,” and award-winning journalist, physician and political scientist, Gilda Sahebi in Berlin. Jian begins the show with an essay decrying the notion that the revolution in Iran is dead. Plus, the Roqe regulars convene...