Roqe
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Conversations from, to, and about the Iranian diaspora.
Roqe is hosted by Jian Ghomeshi.
Roqe is hosted by Jian Ghomeshi.
471 Episodes
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In Episode 417 of Roqe, Jian challenges the sudden rise of Western “anti-war” rhetoric on Iran by reframing the reality on the ground. Iranians are not debating a future conflict - they are already living through one, as the Islamic Republic continues its campaign of repression, arrests, and mass killing.
The opening essay explores why many Iranians now support intervention - not lightly, not casually, but after decades of failed reform, negotiation, and restraint.
The episode then turns to a global panel discussion examining the fallout from the Global Day of Action demonstrations, Prince Reza Pahlavi’s presence at the Munich Security Conference, and the regime’s escalating crackdown inside Iran.
Panelists analyze whether the Islamic Republic can maintain power, what intervention actually means, and why Western audiences continue to misunderstand Iranian demands.
Guests:
Ali Hamedani - London
Ardeshir Zarezadeh - Toronto
Mahdi Ghodsi - Vienna
Recorded February 19, 2026.
Sponsors:
@StellarLawTO
@AvocaChocolates
This episode of Roqe takes stock of an extraordinary Global Day of Action for a Free Iran, with major demonstrations in Toronto, Los Angeles, and Munich - and coordinated rallies across the diaspora following a call initiated by Prince Reza Pahlavi.
Jian is joined by four voices who were there:
Farnoush Hamidian in Munich
Laleh Tangsiri, joining from London after attending the Munich rally
Navid Negahban in Los Angeles
Pegah Ganji in Toronto
They reflect on the scale, discipline, and political significance of the weekend - and what this moment could mean for Iranians inside Iran and around the world.
Jian opens the episode with an essay addressing Christiane Amanpour and the criticism surrounding her recent interview with Prince Reza Pahlavi - arguing the issue is not tough questions, but uneven journalism.
This episode is brought to you with the support of Avoca Chocolates
https://avocachocolates.com
Jian opens Episode 415 of Roqe – Iran Rises with a sober assessment of the United Nations, arguing that despite its language and ideals, it is structurally incapable of protecting Iranian civilians or advancing the revolution now underway.
As tens of thousands of Iranian families grieve victims of an ongoing massacre, outrage is growing over the UN’s continued engagement with representatives of the Islamic Republic. This episode asks a difficult but necessary question: where should Iranians place their energy, pressure, and hope now?
Jian is joined by:
Lisa Daftari, Iranian-American foreign policy analyst, journalist, and founder of The Foreign Desk
Shayan Samii, U.S. national security analyst and expert in strategic communications
Bahador Alast, Iranian-Canadian engineer and widely followed cultural and language commentator
The conversation explores:
Why anger toward the UN is intensifying among Iranians worldwide
Whether the UN functions as protection or symbolism during mass atrocities
The meaning of “intervention” and what actually helps people on the ground
The role of global protests in cities like Toronto, Los Angeles, and Munich
Recorded February 12, 2026.
This episode of Roqe is brought to you with the support of:
Avoca Chocolates – avocachocolates.com
Stellar Law – stellarlaw.ca
On this episode of Roqe – Iran Rises, Jian is joined by Khosro Isfahani, Research Director at the National Union for Democracy in Iran, for a clear-eyed conversation about where the Iranian revolution stands right now, what intervention actually looks like, why the United States continues to negotiate with the Islamic Republic, and what may come next under Donald Trump.
The episode then widens into a panel discussion with Picasso Moin in Istanbul and Kamyar Mahinsa in Vancouver, including Kamyar’s reflections from the demonstration in Vancouver yesterday, the resilience of Iranians inside the country, growing distractions and infighting in the diaspora, and whether unity is holding at the moment it matters most.
Jian opens Episode 414 with a moving essay - “When they arrest the doctors, the regime tells you what it is” - examining the moral meaning of a regime that punishes doctors and medical workers for helping wounded protesters.
This episode of Roqe is brought to you with the support of Avoca Chocolates
🔗 https://avocachocolates.com
Jian opens this episode of Roqe with an essay making the case for calling this uprising the Lion and Sun Revolution.
He reflects on the Lion and Sun flag being raised in Richmond Hill, Canada, while making one thing unmistakably clear - symbols in the diaspora are never enough. The real revolution is being paid for in blood inside Iran. Still, when a people are fighting to reclaim identity beyond the rulers who define them, symbols matter.
Jian is then joined by Salar Gholami - former Iranian national team boxer and key organizer behind the historic Iranian-Canadian demonstrations in Toronto. They discuss how these massive rallies were built, how unity was maintained, what’s happening inside Iran, and what comes next as February 14th approaches.
This episode of Roqe is supported by:
Avoca Chocolates
avocachocolates.com
Stellar Law
stellarlaw.ca
Jian opens Episode 412 of Roqe – Iran Rises with a forceful opening essay on the power of unity - as Iranians around the world shatter old stereotypes of division and rally around shared symbols, identity, and purpose.
He’s then joined by Homa Sarshar, revered Iranian-American journalist, author, and cultural figure, for a wide-ranging and deeply informed conversation on why this moment feels different, the evolving role of the diaspora, the silence of Western media, and what meaningful international pressure might actually require.
Recorded February 2, 2026.
This episode is brought to you with the support of Avoca Chocolates
avocachocolates.com
2Jian opens Episode 411 of Roqe – Iran Rises with a searing essay explaining why the anger felt by Iranians around the world right now is not excessive, emotional, or misplaced - but informed, earned, and justified.
He’s then joined by Nazenin Ansari (Kayhan London / Kayhan Life) and Sadeq Bigdeli (Toronto-based lawyer and human rights advocate) for a sharp, up-to-the-minute conversation on the Huda Beauty backlash, disinformation campaigns, atrocity denial, the EU’s designation of the IRGC as a terrorist organization, legal accountability, and the possibility of international intervention.
Recorded January 29, 2026.
Jian is joined by Farzin Nadimi, senior Iran and defense analyst at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, and Shayan Samii, a U.S. national security analyst specializing in strategic communications.
The panel examines why Western intervention in Iran is no longer optional, how the regime’s escalating violence signals strategic weakness rather than strength, and what tools the United States and its allies actually have at their disposal as mass killing unfolds inside Iran.
The episode opens with a forceful in-studio essay arguing that Western media atrocity denial - driven by hesitation, ideological discomfort, and an obsession with disputing numbers - is delaying truth and enabling the continued killing of Iranian civilians.
This episode is brought to you with the support of Stellar Law
🔗 stellarlaw.ca
Jian opens Episode 409 of Roqe - Iran Rises with a direct message to members of the Iranian diaspora who have chosen silence during one of the most violent chapters in the Islamic Republic’s history - not out of ignorance or absence, but out of convenience.
The episode then turns to a panel discussion with two guests joining from opposite sides of the world:
Erfan Paydar, Iranian-American rapper and activist in Los Angeles, and
Forouq Canaani, academic and political analyst based in Munich.
Together, they examine the current state of the uprising inside Iran, the unprecedented scale of global solidarity rallies, the role of regime-linked lobbying and disinformation efforts, and how Iranians inside the country are navigating repression, fear, and hope in real time.
Roqe - Iran Rises is recorded as events continue to move rapidly on the ground, with perspectives shared as close to real time as possible.
This episode is brought to you with the support of Stellar Law
🔗 stellarlaw.ca
In this episode of Roqe – as part of the Iran Rises series - Jian reflects on a defining moment in Iran’s ongoing revolution as internet blackouts begin to crack and evidence of mass violence by the Islamic Republic regime against civilians comes into view.
In an opening essay entitled “Don’t Look Away,” Jian argues that silence, exhaustion, and narrative distortion are among the most powerful tools authoritarian regimes rely on.
Jian is then joined by Iranian-American former U.S. senior official and global business leader Bijan Kian for an in-depth conversation about:
What the regime’s actions reveal about its survival strategy
Whether recent massacres mark a point of no return
The international community’s response – and its limits
The role of disinformation and soft-pedalled narratives
What sustained attention and support can actually achieve
This episode was recorded on January 19, 2026, as events inside Iran continued to evolve
This edition of Roqe is supported by Stellar Law – a Toronto-based boutique litigation firm known for disciplined strategy and rigorous advocacy.
What is happening in Iran can no longer be described as a “regime crackdown.”
It is a military occupation of civilians by their own state.
In this urgent new episode of Roqe, Jian opens with a forceful essay addressing the scale of violence, mass arrests, and civilian deaths unfolding inside Iran - and the growing silence from Western governments and media.
This edition features a wide-ranging panel discussion with:
Dr. Siamak Aram (Washington DC) – Academic and community organizer focused on Iranian civic mobilization
Shayan Samii (Virginia) – U.S. national security analyst specializing in the Near East and strategic communications
Later, Jian speaks with Gazelle Sharmahd (Los Angeles), a German-American freedom advocate and the daughter of Jimmy Sharmahd, who was kidnapped and killed by the Islamic Republic in 2024.
Recorded on January 15, 2026, this episode asks a painful question many Iranians are now voicing openly: Are we alone again?
This edition of Roqe is brought to you with the support of:
Stellar Law – stellarlaw.ca (http://stellarlaw.ca/)
Famluxy – famluxy.com (http://famluxy.com/)
As protests escalate inside Iran and internet access is increasingly restricted, the urgency of this moment continues to sharpen.
On this edition of Roqe (Episode 406) - the third installment of the ongoing Iran Rises series - Jian leads a timely panel discussion examining the rapidly unfolding situation inside Iran, the regime’s escalating crackdown, the information blackout, and what meaningful international pressure could realistically look like.
This episode was recorded on January 12th, 2026 at 3pm ET, as events were moving quickly on the ground.
🎙️ Guests:
Ari Aramesh - Iranian-American lawyer and political commentator (Washington DC)
Dr. Kayvan Mirhadi (Dr. Kay) - Chief of Internal Medicine and trusted medical voice to Iranians worldwide (New York)
Lisa Daftari - Foreign policy journalist, Founder & Editor-in-Chief of The Foreign Desk (Los Angeles)
🧭 Topics include:
Shifting dynamics of the protests inside Iran
Global media and policy reactions
Internet shutdowns and information warfare
Human and medical realities on the ground
Possible paths forward and the limits of external intervention
🤝 Sponsors:
Stellar Law - stellarlaw.ca
iWelcome - iwelcome.ca
Jian continues the Iran Rises series with a timely panel discussion examining the unfolding protest movement inside Iran.
Recorded on January 8, 2026, this episode brings together four perspectives - street-level insight, security analysis, economic context, and historical framing - to better understand what is happening now and what may come next.
Guests:
Picasso Moin – Iranian activist and commentator (Istanbul)
Mahdi Ghodsi – Economist, Vienna Institute for International Economic Studies
Sepehr Vakil – Associate Professor, Northwestern University; author of Revolutionary Engineers
Shayan Samii – U.S. national security analyst and strategic communications expert
The conversation explores protest organization, regime power dynamics, economic pressure points, historical parallels, international response, and what may determine whether this moment advances or stalls.
The episode opens with Jian’s essay honoring the bravery of Iranians in the streets.
This edition of Roqe is brought to you with the support of:
Stellar Law – stellarlaw.ca
Famluxy – famluxy.com
As mass protests continue across Iran, Roqe launches IRAN RISES, a new twice-weekly series dedicated to understanding an uprising that is not simply about economic unrest – but about legitimacy, power, and regime change.
This episode opens with Jian's short essay arguing that what is unfolding in Iran is a new revolution. What follows is a focused panel discussion examining the current phase of the uprising, insights coming directly from inside the country, the Islamic Republic’s posture, and what the near future may realistically look like.
Panel:
Nazanin Ansari – Iranian journalist, editor (London)
Kamyar Mahinsa – Police officer, analyst (Vancouver)
Ali Fathollah-Nejad – Political scientist, Iran expert (Berlin)
This edition of Roqe is brought to you with the support of:
Stellar Law – a Toronto-based boutique litigation firm
Visit stellarlaw.ca
iWelcome – premium Iranian-Canadian tour, travel, and limo services
Visit iwelcome.ca
Hosted by Jian Ghomeshi.
Meezoon basheen.
In this special New Year’s Day episode of Roqe, Jian convenes eight prominent Iranian voices from around the world to reflect on the year that was and the year ahead.
The episode opens with a freshly recorded opening essay responding to the most recent protests inside Iran and the ongoing mischaracterization of Iranian uprisings by parts of the Western media. The interviews themselves were recorded shortly before the latest events, but the themes explored remain strikingly current.
Each guest is asked four shared questions:
How they characterize the past year for Iranians
Their hopes for Iranians in 2026
Their fears for the year ahead
And their personal resolutions
Guests featured on this episode:
Andy Madadian (Los Angeles)
Elina Shirazi (Washington DC)
Dr. Ali Fathollah-Nejad (Berlin)
Bijan Kian (California)
Nazenin Ansari (London)
Tehran Von Ghasri (Los Angeles)
Shahrzad “Sherry” Kazemi (Vancouver)
Pegah Ganji (Toronto)
Together, they offer a global portrait of a people navigating protest, trauma, hope, and the enduring belief that meaningful change is still possible.
Nothing says Christmas quite like talking about Iranians and drinking.
On this Christmas Day edition of Roqe, we revisit one of our most compelling conversations - an exploration of alcohol’s long, complicated, and often contradictory place in Iranian and Islamic history.
While alcohol is officially forbidden under Islam, it has played a persistent and sometimes conspicuous role across centuries of Persian culture - from ancient wine traditions and mystical poetry, to royal courts, revolutions, and the underground drinking culture of modern Iran.
Our guest is Dr. Rudi Matthee, professor of Middle Eastern history at the University of Delaware and a leading authority on early modern Iran. His new book, Angels Tapping at the Wine Shop's Door, examines the hidden, contested, and enduring history of alcohol across the Islamic world.
This wide-ranging conversation looks at:
The religious prohibition of alcohol and its interpretations
Iran’s ancient wine culture
Alcohol in Persian poetry, art, and mysticism
Drinking at royal courts and repeated attempts at prohibition
Alcohol before and after the 1979 Revolution
Smuggling, homemade wine, and modern contradictions
Whether the Islamic world’s relationship with alcohol is still evolving
A conversation about pleasure and prohibition.
Faith and culture.
Public rules and private lives.
This episode of Roqe is supported by Stellar Law and iWelcome.
In Episode 401, Jian welcomes automotive content creator Vahid Amirimoghaddam into the Roqe Studio. Vahid is the force behind the Instagram page “Cars I Have Driven,” with more than 400,000 followers watching the cars he gets behind the wheel of. Jian speaks with him about his rise on social media, what drives his fascination with cars, how Iranians express identity and status through vehicles, and how car culture is evolving — from luxury flexing to EV adoption.
This episode also features:
• An update on Roqe Live 6, set for Feb. 19, 2026 at RHCPA in Toronto
This edition of Roqe is brought to you with the support of Stellar Law (@stellarlaw.ca on Instagram).
Follow @roqemedia and @JianGhomeshi on Instagram and subscribe for new episodes.
On Episode 400 of Roqe, Jian reunites members of the original team - Groovy Shaya, Captain Reza and Smart Pegah - for a special roundtable reflecting on the five and a half years since the show launched in April 2020.
The conversation explores how Roqe evolved from a pandemic-era experiment into a global program streamed over 45 million times; how Toronto has become the epicentre of a rapidly growing Iranian diaspora; and how events such as the Mahsa Amini uprising, mass executions in Iran, worsening economic and environmental crises and the Iran-Israel conflict have reshaped the tone and urgency of diaspora media.
The team also discusses the rise of Iranian digital creators, shifting audience expectations and standout moments from 400 episodes of Roqe.
Plus: Jian speaks about the upcoming Roqe Live 6.
Meezoon basheen.
Episode 399 of Roqe features the return of Dr. Kayvan Mirhadi – “Dr. Kay” – the Chief of Internal Medicine at Clifton Springs Hospital in New York and one of the most trusted medical voices for Iranians around the world. He first gained widespread recognition during COVID-19 and again during the Mahsa Amini protests, when his clear guidance and steady presence became a lifeline for millions.
In this special feature, Jian Ghomeshi puts 12 (although it ends up being more like 8!) of the most common and most sensitive audience questions to him – from Plan B to herpes panic, from anal sex myths to antibiotics, stress, fasting diets, Vitamin D, and more. A candid, informative, surprisingly funny conversation that cuts through fear, misinformation, stigma, and confusion.
Also in this episode:
A reveal of the first lineup for Roqe Live 6, happening February 19, 2026 at the Richmond Hill Centre for the Performing Arts. Tickets go on sale next Wednesday, Dec 10th at 9am ET, with early-bird pricing for the first 24 hours.
This edition of Roqe is created with support from Quasar Homes.
Follow for more interviews, essays, and conversations from across the Iranian diaspora.
Instagram: @roqemedia @JianGhomeshi
Meezoon basheen.
On this week's edition, Jian offers a clear and comprehensive primer on the environmental crisis now affecting Iran - a polycrisis that touches the country's air, water, energy grid, and public health.
Jian outlines recent AQI levels in major cities, groundwater depletion, the shrinkage of rivers and wetlands, dust storms, land subsidence, and the impact of Iran's inefficient energy sector on daily life.
Two experts then join in the Roqe Studio:
• Roozbeh Eskandari - Environmental researcher focused on water systems, wetlands, and Iran's deepening water bankruptcy.
• Farid Safari - Engineer and energy analyst examining the country's fragile power grid, gas shortages, and outdated energy infrastructure.
An informative and accessible conversation for listeners around the world.
This episode is created with the support of Quasar Homes.
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Today is January 8th, 2026 and I really want this guy, Mohammad Amini, to listen to himself and also what people are chanting in streets of Iran. If something has never happened anywhere around the world, it doesn't mean it's not going to happen in Iran. Today people in Iran unanimously want one thing and you know what it is.
thanks jian, This topic was great. I enjoyed a lot
The true voice of Iran ❤️
incredible interview, story, magical voice and Jian speaking Persian
مگه اد شیرن اهنگ عزیزم و با گوگوش نخونده؟ اندی توش نبود
آنوشا❤️
hi, tanks for all your great podcasts in advance , can I recommend you limit them little than half of an hour?
First time I got to know the Coldplay was 2010 at Apple town hall event with Steve Jobs introduced them as a new found music band … how cool was that ???
kashani is a great man.
ajaab
A beautiful guru from Persia, blessing to you💕
Great episode! Thanks. Is there anyway to introduce a person to you? I also sent messages on Instagram.
you guys are great 👍
Many thanks for preparing these amazing episodes. I hope he could defeat his late cancer detection.
Hello Jian, I am a new Roqe subscriber, your podcast is great specially sheding light on social matters of Irainian. Please invite Dr.saeid Ghavami, an Irainian professor at University of Manitoba who did research with his team on schoolgirl mass poisoning and global action of Woman Life Freedom. Thank you.
Hello Jian, I am a new Roqe subscriber, your podcast is great specially sheding light on social matters of Irainian. Please invite Dr.saeid Ghavami, an Irainian professor at University of Manitoba who did research with his team on schoolgirl mass poisoning and global action of Woman Life Freedom. Thank you.
I'd like to express my gratitude to @roqemedia for conducting such an amazing interview. I truly enjoyed it and had a great time. Thank you indeed
Me too, I'm a fan of eye😁👀🐑
مرسی بابت برنامه خیلی خوبتون. همیشه سبز باشین و برقرار
15 u've got chubby 😅😅