Iran, protests have been sweeping the country. This is, I guess, all been a bit neglected,

given what's happened in Venezuela, and also now Greenland, and also Colombia, Mexico,

would you go on, really. And not only protests, but Donald Trump has suggested that the US

could attack Iran, which it's already done. Of course, last year, there was war between Iran and

Israel. What's going on? Is there now going to be another war? And how likely is there things

escalating there being some sort of conflagration? It's obviously quite a high chance given

it happened only a few months ago.

There's a very better person to speak to than Tritabasi, who is executive vice president of the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft to do really crucial work on international relations,

former president of the National Iranian-American Council, but also the author of the book,

do go around and get this. Traitorious allies, the secret dealings of Israel, Iran and the U.S., which is more than obviously relevant.

Great to speak to you. How are you doing?

Good to be with you again.

Always great to speak to you.

Let's just start with the protests.

So I'm interested, you know, how, I guess, organic are they? Are they, obviously there is a massive economic crisis going on Iran, partly sanctions and all the rest of it. And so how much is it to do with, you know, the kind of the economic side, but also the regime. I'm interested, you know, I don't have any love, obviously, for the Iranian regime. We need to make that clear. But, I mean, some of the protesters seem to go very much harking back to the Shah, the Shah of Iran, that regime was overthrown. It was a very brutal regime in the 70s. It's obviously the father. What do you make of it all? So, first of all, I think these protests protests started off undoubtedly, in my view, at least in my

assessment, as completely organic as a result of the plunging of the currency, which then

prompted protests in the Iranian Bazaar, who are the ones that are directly and immediately

affected by this.

And then I think it has morphed into something else at times.

And that's understandable, mindful of the fact that you have not just a terrible,

terrible economic situation, but overall a tremendous amount of anger and unhappiness

vis-à-vis the government in Iran.

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