California’s Iranian Diaspora Despairs Over Brutal Crackdown

KQED's Forum

KQED

News Commentary, News, Politics

4.2 • 727 Ratings

🗓️ 19 January 2026

⏱️ 54 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

At least 2,600 protesters have been killed in Iran’s brutal crackdown on anti-government protests, according to the Human Rights Activists News Agency. Those protests now appear to have abated after nearly two weeks, but many outside Iran are still struggling to get information about loved ones because of the Islamic Republic’s communication blackout. Meanwhile, as President Trump gives mixed signals on intervention, the U.S. imposed additional sanctions on Thursday. We’ll hear from Iranians in California about how they’re processing the latest news, and from you: How do you want the U.S. to respond? Guests: Robin Wright, contributing writer, The New Yorker - her most recent piece for the magazine is "Iran’s Regime Is Unsustainable"; Wright is also the author of "Dreams and Shadows: The Future of the Middle East" among other books Hoda Katebi, labor attorney, Iranian-American writer and community organizer Sahar Razavi, associate professor, Department of Political Science; director, Iranian and Middle Eastern Studies Center, California State University, Sacramento Shani Moslehi, founder and chief executive officer, Orange County Iranian American Chamber of Commerce (OCIACC) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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0:56.0	Thousands gathered in Los Angeles yesterday in support of protesters in Iran,
1:01.0	whom the nation's supreme leader over the weekend acknowledged have been killed by the thousands,
1:05.0	though blamed the U.S. for the protests and deaths.
1:08.0	Activists report more than 3,900 killed. With fears, those numbers will rise
1:12.4	once the communication blackout lifts. Some Iranians told the Washington Post and other U.S.
1:17.3	outlets they're feeling betrayed by President Trump, who spurred on protesters and help was on
	...

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