All The Ways The US Lost The War To Iran (S01E89)

Hero Or Scoundrel? Putting Iran's Ali Khamenei To Rest (S01E101)

Monday, July 6, 2026, Paris Millions of people are taking part in ceremonies marking the Feb. 28 death of Iran’s former supreme leader Ali Khamenei, a confounding historical figure who ruled Iran for 37 years. I wrote extensively about Khamenei [https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/iran-ali-khamanei-supreme-leader-grand-ayatollah-islamic-republic-80-birthday-a9011186.html] in an article some years ago. But he remains something of an enigma. In this edition of badlands, I talk a bit about Khamenei and his legacy. In the end, he was granted a heroic death that will likely made him more warmly remembered—despite his many mistakes and the wrong turns he took throughout his reign. I also speak about the funeral procession in interviews with India’s NewsX World. badlands is a listener-supported podcast. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit borzou.substack.com/subscribe [https://borzou.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_2]

Deconstructing The Scheme To Sabotage Iran Diplomacy (S01E93)

(Photo: AI-generated image posted online to intimidate Trita Parsi).) Tuesday, June 23, 2026, Istanbul Trita Parsi has been among the most measured and well-informed experts on Iran and the Middle East in the public eye. Yet for years, he’s been targeted by nefarious and well-funded forces seeking to paint him as an asset of the Islamic Republic, where he would be arrested on national security charges. In today’s powerful and jam-packed edition of the badlands podcast, Trita, author of the excellent book Treacherous Alliance [https://www.amazon.com/Treacherous-Alliance-Secret-Dealings-Israel/dp/0300143117], joins me for an extraordinary and revealing interview. He discusses the attempt by Israeli operative Bari Weiss to spark a deportation drive against him, his confrontations with members of the Iranian-American community, and his continued access to the halls of power despite attempts to silence him. Also on today’s episode, I discuss the latest, including: * Positive signs coming from Washington and Tehran * Lindsay Graham’s attempts to gin up another round of war * The continued clashes in Lebanon, and how they could undermine the whole deal I also answer questions about the state of Donald Trump’s mental health, the ongoing discussions between the US and Iran, the impact of the oil sanctions waivers, and the growing tension in the US over support for Israel in an interview with India’s NewsX World host Asuma Kataoka. badlands is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit borzou.substack.com/subscribe [https://borzou.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_2]

JD Vance Discloses Trump’s Real Plan On Iran (S01E100)

Thursday, July 2, 2026, Istanbul In an interview with Ben Shapiro’s Daily Wire network, Vice President JD Vance strongly suggested that the US was playing Iran, replenishing world energy stockpiles ahead of a possible future kinetic action. Needless to say, such talk will not help ongoing negotiations, only feeding into Iranian suspicions that the memorandum of understanding the US signed was a ruse to build up leverage for a future attack against the country. In the latest edition of the badlands, discuss I discuss Vance’s comments. Plus, in an appearance on France 24’s The Debate [https://www.france24.com/en/tv-shows/the-debate/20260701-iran-after-khamenei-what-direction-after-supreme-leader-s-funeral], I discuss the significance of the funeral for former Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, the role of the Revolutionary Guard, and the impact of sanctions. badlands is a reader-supported podcst. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit borzou.substack.com/subscribe [https://borzou.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_2]

Armenia Rejects Israel's ‘Weaponization’ of Genocide (S01E99)

Wednesday, July 1, 2026, Istanbul Israel recently began taking steps to recognize the Armenian Genocide, the horrific massacre of Armenian people at the hands of Ottoman Turks some 110 years ago. The move is meant in large part to provoke Israel rival Turkey. Problem is, even the Armenians are telling Israel to bugger off. On the latest edition of the badlands podcast, I explain how Israel’s ill-timed move to piss off Turkey interferes with Armenia’s historic breakthrough in relations with its Turkic neighbors to the east and west. Plus, in a conversation with India’s NewsX World, I discuss what the recent rulings by the US mean for the Trump administration. Thanks for watching or listening to badlands! This post is public so feel free to share it. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit borzou.substack.com/subscribe [https://borzou.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_2]

Offside in Seattle, And In The Strait Of Hormuz (S01E97)

Monday, June 29, 2026, Istanbul Iran was booted from the World Cup, failing to advance to the knockout round after a controversial referee call and a heartbreaking game for Iranian football fans. Meanwhile in Strait of Hormuz, Iran and the US traded strikes after Iran attacked ships that were using a path Tehran considers forbidden. Ambiguity and misunderstandings led to confusion in both cases. In the free section of today’s edition of badlands, I explain in interviews why the latest round of strikes between the US and Iran won’t spell the end of the ceasefire or the collapse of the negotiations based on the memorandum of understanding between the two countries. Then, football journalist and friend of badlands Nima Tavallaey Roodsari [https://substack.com/profile/21851019-nima-tavallaey-roodsari] offers his unwavering take on the referees’ call, and then in the section for paying subscribers, his picks for the final four in the World Cup. In today’s jam-packed podcast, I also discuss: * The economic dimensions of the conflict for the world, Iran, and the US. * The internal political dynamics in each of the countries and how do they clash * Trump’s comments on the 2020 killing of Qassem Suleimani * How does the Gulf countries see any peace deal * Why Iran cannot be excluded from Gulf security matters * Whether the World Cup can impact diplomacy Today’s edition was in part a collaboration between badlands and India’s NewsX World and Algeria’s Al24 News. please consider supporting badlands by becoming a paid subscriber or sharing it with someone who might like it. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit borzou.substack.com/subscribe [https://borzou.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_2]