Iran has been in the news a hell of a lot in 2025.

Of course, it's been in the background in terms of the Middle East for decades. When it comes

to Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Israel, Palestine, Iran has been a factor.

But in the 12-day conflict it had with Israel just a few months ago, it very much took global

center stage. And people started asking all kinds of questions. Like, what does Tehran really

want? Why does a country, with no real military or economic base find

itself enmeshed in so many conflicts overseas? Does it really support the cause of Palestinian

liberation? And why would they want nukes? With me to discuss all of that is the author

of this fantastic book. Iran's grand strategy,

a political history. That's by Vallainast. He's a professor at Johns Hopkins University.

I think this is the single best volume if you want to understand what animates Iran, particularly

when it comes to foreign policy. Valinas, welcome to downstream.

Thank you for inviting me.

Good to be with you.

We're talking today about Iran.

People can probably guess from your name that you're Iranian.

Just offer a little bit of a CV about who you are,

what books you've written, why you are on authority on Iran, all things Iranian.

So I was trained as a political scientist in the United States.

I worked a lot on Middle East, on issue of Islam and politics, also worked on Pakistan

under Islam and politics.

But I've also always been very focused on Iran largely because the revolution was, first

...