It's the Brian Lear Show.

I'm producer Amina Serna, filling in for Brian today, who is taking care of a family member.

Now we turn to Iran, where mass protests against the country's regime have turned deadly.

At least 2,500 protesters have been killed in a brutal crackdown by Iran's government.

That death toll from a widely cited report by the U.S.-based human rights activists' news agency.

The head of Iran's judiciary is saying that

protesters, excuse me, detained by the security forces could face quick trials and executions.

Yesterday, President Donald Trump-Waiden, he urged protesters to continue on his social media platform,

Truth Social, adding that he

canceled all meetings with Iranian officials until the killings of protesters stop, and that,

quote, help is on its way. Joining us now to explain the political upheaval and why the U.S.

might get involved is Robin Wright, contributing writer and columnist

for The New Yorker, and author of several books on Iran. Her latest for the New Yorker is titled

Iran's regime is unsustainable. Robin, welcome back to WNYC. Great to be with you, Almena.

Listeners, those of you with ties to Iran, help us tell this story.

What, if anything, are you hearing and seeing from friends and family about the current wave of protests?

212-433 WNYC, that's 212-433-9692. Or anyone else with questions or comments on Iran's protests,

President Trump's remarks on U.S. intervention or potential intervention there, or anything else.

212-433 W-NYC, that's 212-433-9692, and as always you can text that number.

Robin, you've spent a lot of time and written a lot of books on Iran.

So let's start with the reality for Iranians on the ground.

You write that the current protests erupted on December 28th after merchants in Tehran's lofty Grand Bazaar shuttered their shops as the value of the

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