Historic Protests Shake the Islamic Republic as Warnings of Massacres Rock Iran
The Ben Ferguson Podcast
iHeartPodcasts
4.8 • 5.4K Ratings
🗓️ 12 January 2026
⏱️ 26 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
1. U.S. Strategic Interest in Greenland
- The U.S. views Greenland as a critical strategic territory for monitoring adversaries and controlling global shipping lanes.
- President Trump expressed strong interest in acquiring Greenland to enhance national security.
2. Iran’s Current Situation
- Historic Protests: Widespread anti-regime demonstrations in over 100 cities, sparked by economic collapse (currency crash, inflation, bazaar closures).
- Internet Blackout: Iranian authorities shut down internet and phone lines to suppress coordination and information flow; Starlink terminals are helping bypass this.
- Violent Crackdown: Over 500 protesters reportedly killed; hospitals overwhelmed; deliberate targeting of protesters (e.g., shooting in eyes).
- Economic Strain: Oil price drops and U.S. energy independence policies have severely weakened Iran’s economy.
- Leadership Vulnerability: Speculation about Ayatollah’s possible escape plan (Russian jets on standby).
3. U.S. and Israeli Actions
- Past Operations: U.S. killed Qasem Soleimani in 2020; Israel eliminated key Iranian military leaders and disrupted nuclear sites.
- Current Stance: President Trump threatens military action if massacres continue; Israel urges EU to label Iran’s Revolutionary Guard as a terrorist group.
- Military Debate: U.S. politicians divided:
- Lindsey Graham: Advocates killing Iranian leadership.
- Tim Kaine: Warns against military intervention, citing historical mistakes and risk of regime propaganda.
4. Broader Geopolitical Context
- Iran’s allies (Russia, China) attempt to keep the regime afloat.
- Protests have evolved from economic grievances to a full anti-regime movement.
- U.S. and Israel share intelligence; Israel may act where the U.S. refrains.
5. Humanitarian Crisis
- Reports of massacres, arrests, and shortages of blood supplies.
- International human rights groups call for urgent global action.
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | This is an I-Heart podcast. |
| 0:02.3 | Guaranteed Human. |
| 0:04.1 | We have got a lot to talk about on today's show, including the latest coming out of Iran. |
| 0:10.6 | And we're going to deal with that in just a moment. |
| 0:13.2 | But what I also want to put your attention towards, pointed towards, I should say, is this. |
| 0:19.6 | Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, is now preparing we're being told to meet with officials |
| 0:25.0 | from Denmark and Greenland. |
| 0:28.2 | President Trump is dead serious about bringing Greenland into the United States. |
| 0:33.7 | Russia and China are swarming the Arctic, and key global shipping lanes run right past Greenland. |
| 0:42.0 | And we know that this is an important choke point for international shipping. |
| 0:47.7 | And in fact, it's one of the most important choke points on planet Earth. |
| 0:52.0 | Rubio did not hold back when he said, quote, if we own Greenland, we could put |
| 0:57.5 | whatever we want there. If Greenland were U.S. territory, monitoring our adversaries would be far |
| 1:03.5 | easier, especially in this area of the world. These routes are how global commerce moves. The message could not be clear coming from the world. These routes are how global commerce moves. |
| 1:12.4 | The message could not be clear coming from the White House. |
| 1:16.2 | Greenland is a strategic territory that deals specifically with national security. |
| 1:21.2 | And it's also very clear that President Trump wants it under the American flag. |
| 1:27.4 | I'm going to have more on this coming up. |
| 1:29.3 | But now let's move to the other big issue, and that's exactly what's happening right now in Iran. |
| 1:35.0 | What we know now in Iran is things are moving quickly. |
| 1:38.4 | We also know that they are under an internet blackout. |
| 1:41.0 | Thank goodness Starlink has been put up because of the leadership of Elon Musk. |
... |
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