NIACast

Episode 3: Pompeo wants back in the Iran deal...sort of

Mana, Assal and Jamal discuss the Trump administration's new campaign to kill the Iran deal at the UN by claiming the US. is still a participant in the agreement. Then they talk through a troubling update on Sirous Asgari, the Iranian scientist unjustly detained by ICE, who has now contracted coronavirus (16:40).

Episode 2: The curious case of Dr. Sirous Asgari

The U.S. government lost its case against Sirous Asgari. But just moments after a judge dismissed the charges against him, Dr. Asgari was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and is being held indefinitely. Now, as he fights for his freedom, he is sounding the alarm about the dangerous conditions in ICE detention facilities that put him and his fellow detainees at risk of contracting coronavirus. This week we speak with attorney Mehrnoush Yazdanyar who is working with Dr. Asgari to help secure his freedom.

(You can sign the petition to ICE here: https://www.change.org/p/ice-field-office-director-new-orleans-save-my-dad-from-ice-s-virus-ridden-detention-centers)

Episode 1: Should the U.S. lift sanctions during the coronavirus pandemic?

Mana and Jamal discuss the campaign to suspend Iran sanctions during the corona crisis (1:50) and evaluate pro-sanctions talking points from the Wall Street Journal Editorial Board (5:10). Then physician Payam Parvinchiha joins Mana and Assal (15:18) for a group chat about the societal impact of coronavirus, why the U.S. was caught unprepared, and what we can do to fight the pandemic and support our health care workers.

Yasmin Khan is Cooking Up Something Marvelous to Make Your Mouth Water

One of the many great things about Yasmin Khan is that she feeds you both knowledge and tasty treats. Yasmin is a writer, cook and campaigner who loves to share people’s stories through food. She's also a regular media commentator and runs cooking classes, pop-up supper clubs and writing retreats around the world. Prior to immersing herself in the fragrances and flavors of the Persian kitchen, Yasmin worked as a human rights campaigner, running national and international campaigns for NGOs and grassroots groups, with special focus on the Middle East. Visit her website at www.thesaffrontales.com, and check her out on Instagram: @thesaffrontales, and on Twitter: @yasmin_khan. And buy her book here! https://www.amazon.com/Saffron-Tales-Recipes-Persian-Kitchen/dp/1408868733 Yasmin and I talked about her new book, The Saffron Tales; how a project like hers opens new eyes to our cuisine, our culture, and our people; why it's important for her to give people a taste of the real Iran; and how a modern take on a classical Gilaki folk song symbolizes what she's trying to do with her own work.

Narges Bajoghli Does Research in Iran So You Don't Have To.

After listening to Narges Bajoghli speak, you might just reconsider your preconceived notions about Iran. She’s a post-doctoral research associate in international affairs at the Watson Institute at Brown University, and recently received her PhD socio-cultural anthropology from New York University. Her research focuses on pro-regime cultural producers in Iran, and is based on fieldwork conducted with Basij, Ansar-e Hezbollah, and Revolutionary Guard media producers in Iran, from 2009 to 2015. Narges is also the co-founder of the non-profit organization Iranian Alliances Across Borders (IAAB), and she’s been featured in media outlets such as the New York Times Magazine, Washington Post, PBS NewsHour, and NPR, among many others. Narges and I talked about the Iran-Iraq war playing a key role in contemporary Iranian politics; the biggest misconceptions about the IRGC and Basij; the relationship between Iran’s government and people; survivors of chemical warfare in Iran; and how a 24-year old 2Pac song speaks to a lot of what’s going on in America today. She tweets at @nargesbajoghli