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The Iran Breakdown with Mark Dubowitz

FDD
Iran
Israel
Islamic Republic Of Iran
Hezbollah
United States
Hamas
Nuclear Weapons
Middle East
12-Day War
U.s.-Israel Relations
Women Life Freedom Movement
Trump Administration
US Foreign Policy
Nuclear Program
FDD
Human Rights Violations
Terrorism
JCPOA
Iran International
Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC)

Welcome to the Iran Breakdown. Hosted by Mark Dubowitz, this miniseries from FDD is here to guide you through one of the most critical geopolitical and human rights challenges facing the world today.

The Islamic Republic of Iran has been a central player in global headlines for decades: its pursuit of nuclear weapons, funding of terror groups like Hezbollah, Hamas, the Houthis, and others; its opp... more

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Latest Episodes

The 60-day MOU between the Islamic Republic of Iran and the United States may dominate headlines, but for 90 million Iranians it changes nothing. The agreement contains no mention of the Iranian people — who only months ago faced a brutal massacre by... more

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President Trump has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Iran, opening a 60-day window to negotiate a final deal. The debate is fierce: does the US-Iran MOU go far enough? Iran's nuclear program, ballistic missiles, regional proxies, and f... more

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The clock is ticking on the Islamic Republic — but what does finishing the job actually look like? With the regime battered, broken, and the pressure campaign at a critical inflection point, the U.S. faces a defining choice: double down or negotiate ... more

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The Islamic Republic played one of the few cards it had left: the Strait of Hormuz. How did military planners prepare for this moment? Was a closure inevitable? If the U.S. and Israel had not confronted the Islamic Republic, where would we be today? ... more

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Recent Guests

Marc Thiessen
Washington Post columnist, Fox News contributor, AEI fellow
The Washington Post; American Enterprise Institute
Episode: What Does Winning In Iran Look Like? (feat. Marc Thiessen)
Bozorgmehr Sharafedin
Co-author of Stolen Revolution, Betrayal and Hope in Modern Iran
Co-author; Journalist
Episode: Stolen Revolution: Behind Iran's Protest Movements (feat. Bozorgmehr Sharafedin)
Richard Goldberg
Senior adviser, FDD; senior director for energy economics and security program
Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD)
Episode: The Iran Deal - What Trump Got, What Iran Got, and What Comes Next (feat. Richard Goldberg)
Aaron MacLean
Host of The School of War; CBS News National Security Analyst; columnist for The Free Press; Marine veteran
The School of War; CBS News; The Free Press
Episode: The Iran Ceasefire Didn't End the Battle for Hormuz (feat. Aaron MacLean)
Bernard Haykel
Professor of Near Eastern Studies at Princeton University; senior fellow at FDD; author and editor on Wahhabi movements and Middle East politics
Princeton University; Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD)
Episode: The Door Tehran Kicked Open: MBS, The Bomb, and The Battle for The Gulf (feat. Bernard Haykel)
John Spencer
Executive Director of the Urban Warfare Institute; former army officer and combat veteran
Urban Warfare Institute
Episode: No March on Tehran: The Military Logic of the Iran War (feat. John Spencer)
Jay Solomon
Investigative journalist; co-author of the Iran International/Free Press project
Iran International & Free Press
Episode: Regime Revisionism: Tehran's War Before the Iran War (feat. Jay Solomon & Negar Mojtahedi)
Negar Mojtahedi
Journalist; executive editor at Iran International
Iran International
Episode: Regime Revisionism: Tehran's War Before the Iran War (feat. Jay Solomon & Negar Mojtahedi)
Kerri Bitsoff
Former Treasury OFAC official who targeted Iran's drones, missiles, and related procurement networks
Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), U.S. Department of the Treasury
Episode: Iran's Global Game of Drones (& How To Stockpile While Sanctioned) (feat. Kerri Bitsoff)

Hosts

Mark Dubowitz
President of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD); long-time host of the Iran-focused series with policy leadership on Iran strategy and sanctions.
Jonathan Schanzer
Host, Executive Director at FDD; senior policy analyst with a focus on Middle East security and Iran policy.

Reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars from 164 ratings
  • Right to the point

    Thank you Mark. I am impressed how you n your guest are aware of Iran n it’s situation.

    We all Iranians got sick of fake news n propaganda.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Sepideh2019
    United Statesa month ago
  • Aaron MacLean is great!

    Awesome Episode with Aaron MacLean. Great to hear him answering questions and his thoughts on the war. He is such a jewel and someone that really gives hope for America and her allies.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    ErBG2
    United Statesa month ago
  • Great for following events in Iran

    This is excellent and insightful analysis that cuts through the political commentariat noise.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    DRockAg04
    United States2 months ago
  • Bernard Haykel episode

    Super insightful as to the inner workings of Saudi Arabia and the thought processes of MBS. Highly recommend for Saudi followers.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    OBSCOM
    United States2 months ago
  • Biased Podcast

    I wanted to learn more about the situation in the Middle East. I wanted facts and analytical thinking. Even though this podcast is heavily right leaning I gave it a shot. When ‘Trump Derangement Syndrome’ was brought up seriously I decided to unfollow.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    wtaww
    United States2 months ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Some reviews suggest a strong, provocative stance that may feel biased to some listeners.
The format consistently delivers high-profile expert guests and in-depth discussions.
Insightful analyses that cut through noise on Hormuz and Iran policy.
Guests bring deep expertise across policy, media, and security.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

The Iran Deal - What Trump Got, What Iran Got, and What Comes Next (feat. Richard Goldberg)
Q: What is exactly in this deal?
Rich explains that, based on background briefings, the initial phase aims to open the Strait of Hormuz with conditions like no military threat, the removal of mines, and a controlled oil flow, while keeping the broader sanctions framework and a potential escrow-like mechanism to manage funds; the exact language is still under wraps but the framework centers on phased concessions and verifiable steps.
War of the Words in Iran (feat. Ali Ansari)
Q: What role do ordinary Iranians play in this narrative, and how do external audiences misread them?
Most Iranians are not fully aligned with the regime's revolutionary messaging and many are focused on practical needs; outsiders often rely on accessible, dramatic political signals rather than engaging with the everyday realities and sentiments of Iranians on the ground.
War of the Words in Iran (feat. Ali Ansari)
Q: Give us a sense of how narratives shape the regime's legitimacy and what that means for the West.
Narratives are used to frame the regime as a defiant, morally righteous actor, but they increasingly diverge from reality, especially as economic and social grievances grow; the West often focuses on security metrics and misses the deeper change happening among Iranians who seek normal life and accountability.
Iran's Global Game of Drones (& How To Stockpile While Sanctioned) (feat. Kerri Bitsoff)
Q: So Kerri, what did you bring to the fight? What were you specifically responsible for when it came to Iran's drone and missile program?
Bitsoff explains she worked on degrading procurement networks, focusing on disrupting the parts and components Iran needed, and used sanctions to raise costs and delay or degrade production.
From Tehran to Taipei: How the Iran War Reshapes China’s Taiwan Calculus (feat. Matt Pottinger)
Q: What should Taiwan learn from Ukraine and Israel regarding defense and resilience?
Taiwan should emulate the Ukraine-Israel model of resilience and asymmetric capabilities, develop a robust reserve system, and seek non-American partnerships for drone warfare and air defense to deter amphibious invasion.

Audience Metrics

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Frequently Asked Questions About The Iran Breakdown

What is The Iran Breakdown about and what kind of topics does it cover?

The program centers on high-stakes geopolitics surrounding Iran, its nuclear ambitions, sanctions pressure, and regional power dynamics. Across episodes, listeners get strategic analyses of Hormuz, sanctions enforcement, information warfare, and the evolving U.S.-Israel-Saudi posture, with historians, former officials, and policy scholars offering historical context and scenario planning. Notably, the show often blends rigorous policy critique with actionable implications for policymakers, industry stakeholders, and journalists covering the region, making it a dense, fact-focused resource for understanding how coercive diplomacy, military posture, and economic pressure interact in the Iran issue. A distinctive throughline is the examination... more

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Which podcasts are similar to The Iran Breakdown?

These podcasts share a similar audience with The Iran Breakdown:

1. FDD Morning Brief
2. Epic Fury: The US-Iran War Podcast
3. School of War
4. Call Me Back - with Dan Senor
5. Ask Haviv Anything

How many episodes of The Iran Breakdown are there?

The Iran Breakdown launched a year ago and published 60 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on The Iran Breakdown?

Recent guests on The Iran Breakdown include:

1. Marc Thiessen
2. Bozorgmehr Sharafedin
3. Richard Goldberg
4. Aaron MacLean
5. Bernard Haykel
6. John Spencer
7. Jay Solomon
8. Negar Mojtahedi

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