Clutching at shahs: Iran’s would-be revolutionary
Economist Podcasts
The Economist
4.4 • 5K Ratings
🗓️ 16 January 2026
⏱️ 27 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Reza Pahlavi, son of the shah deposed in the 1979 revolution, tells us he sees himself as the people’s choice to lead. We ask how that might work. Our correspondent reckons that, in a full accounting of buying versus renting a home, the smart choice has become clear. And our obituaries editor on Aldrich Ames, a prolific CIA double agent for Russia.
To see much more of our interview with Reza Pahlavi, and deep analysis with our editors and correspondents on how he might fit into Iran’s future, watch the latest episode in our Insider series for subscribers.
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | The Economist. |
| 0:10.0 | Hello and welcome to the intelligence from The Economist. |
| 0:13.4 | I'm your host, Jason Palmer. |
| 0:15.4 | Every weekday, we provide a fresh perspective on the events shaping your world. |
| 0:23.6 | It is, as often said, the biggest financial decision you'll ever make, |
| 0:28.6 | buying a house, or not. |
| 0:31.6 | Whether it's smarter to simply rent indefinitely has become a perennial debate, |
| 0:35.6 | and our resolute renter correspondent reckons, |
| 0:39.3 | the answer is now clear. |
| 0:42.5 | And Spycraft is often portrayed as being a principled fight for party or country or philosophy. |
| 0:49.4 | Often, it's just about the money. |
| 0:51.8 | Our obituary's editor reflects on the life of Aldrich Ames, |
| 0:55.4 | a prolific seller of CIA secrets to Russia who got a taste for betrayal. |
| 1:02.7 | But first... |
| 1:08.6 | A bit more information is trickling out of Iran thanks to Starlink satellite, but the regime |
| 1:15.7 | is now trying to choke down that internet access too. |
| 1:19.2 | The big picture is clear. |
| 1:21.7 | Executed protesters now number in the thousands. |
| 1:24.2 | Many more have been taken into custody. |
| 1:27.1 | America's cycle of blowing hot and cold warmed up considerably. |
| 1:31.1 | An aircraft carrier and its strike group set off from the South China Sea yesterday towards the Middle East. |
| 1:37.1 | Iran's rulers are more than rattled, and many protesters have called for something that, until recently, would have beggared belief. |
... |
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