Roqe Ep. 405 - Iran Rises - Turning a Dream Into History

On this episode of Roqe, Jian Ghomeshi continues the Iran Rises series with a live, real-time panel discussion examining the rapidly evolving protest movement inside Iran. Recorded on January 8, 2026 at 3pm ET (midnight in Iran), this conversation brings together four distinct perspectives to better understand what is unfolding, what may come next, and what truly matters beyond headlines and speculation. Guests: Picasso Moin – Iranian activist, athlete, and social media commentator (Istanbul) Mahdi Ghodsi – Economist, Vienna Institute for International Economic Studies (Austria) Sepehr Vakil – Associate Professor, Northwestern University; author of Revolutionary Engineers (Illinois) Shayan Samii – U.S. national security analyst and strategic communications expert (Virginia) Topics explored include: How protest organization and coordination may be evolving on the ground Regime power, escalation risks, and security dynamics Economic pressure points and state capacity Historical parallels with previous revolutionary movements International response, media narratives, and information warfare What variables may determine whether this moment advances or stalls The role of universities, students, and intellectual networks What genuinely helps — and what may hinder — diaspora engagement This episode also features Jian’s opening essay honoring the courage of Iranians in the streets. This edition of Roqe is brought to you with the support of: Stellar Law – Boutique litigation firm in Toronto 🌐 stellarlaw.ca Famluxy – Limited-edition handcrafted accessories and wearable art 🌐 famluxy.com Subscribe for more long-form conversations on culture, politics, identity, and the Iranian diaspora.