Welcome to inaugural episode of The Iran Breakdown, hosted by Mark Dubowitz.

There’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 #islamicrepublic are free to thrive. Inside Iran under the grip of this brutal regime, that potential is crushed.

But it wasn’t always this way.

Just a few decades ago, Iran was a very different place. Women walked the streets in high fashion, Tehran’s vibrant nightlife rivaled Paris, and yes — Iran’s vineyards produced world-renowned wines that you could enjoy in the open. The people of Iran used to be free — before the Islamic Revolution of 1979 turned their lives, and their country, upside down.

Before we dive into today’s regime — its nuclear ambitions, its terror networks, and its stranglehold on the Iranian people — on this series, we need to first understand how we got here.

In this episode, we’ll explore the regime’s relentless crackdown on dissent, the courage of Iran’s opposition, and the critical role the free world must play in standing with the Iranian people in their fight for liberty.

CROWN PRINCE REZA PAHLAVI
Joining Mark to break down how we got here is Reza Pahlavi, the Crown Prince of Iran.

As the son of the last Shah, he was raised to one day take the throne — but history took a brutal turn when the 1979 Revolution forced him and his family into exile. Since then, he’s become a leading voice for freedom, calling for an end to the Islamic Republic and the birth of a secular, democratic Iran.