Rephonic
Artwork for The Lion and The Sun: A Modern History of Iran

The Lion and The Sun: A Modern History of Iran

String Studios
Iran
World War I
Qajar Dynasty
Reza Khan
Islamic Revolution Of 1979
Nationalism
Monarchy
Achaemenid Empire
History
Liberty
Persia
Constitutionalism
Anglo-Persian Oil Company
Majlis
Battle Of Tehran
Persian Oil
Lion and Sun Symbols
Tehran
Nasser Al-Din Shah
British Empire

Iran’s history has been a never-ending struggle for liberty and independence. In this podcast,we tell the story of how Iran ended up where it is now and how religion, monarchy, democracy, and nationalism all played important roles in defining the lives of its people. A journey that expands 200 years and reaches through three different political systems. New episodes every other Wednesday.

PublishesTwice monthlyEpisodes26Founded2 years ago
Number of ListenersCategory
History

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for The Lion and The Sun: A Modern History of Iran

Latest Episodes

Our podcast is a Finalist in the 2025 Signal Awards in the History category!

Vote for the listener’s choice award here.

This is a special episode of The Lion and the Sun to celebrate our nomination:

As Iran crowns a new king, Reza Shah is forced i... more

YouTube

In the season two finale, Britain and the Soviet Union invade Iran in hopes of a regime change …

Follow us on Instagram, TikTok or X (Twitter).

Support this show on Patreon.

Sources for this episode.

Episode Summary

On August 25, 1941, Iran face... more

YouTube

As the Second World War breaks out, Iran declares neutrality. But Britain and the Soviet Union fear that Reza Shah’s ties with Germany could tip the balance of power in the Middle East.

Follow us on Instagram, TikTok or X (Twitter).

Support this sh... more

YouTube

Groomed for power from childhood, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi was more than a prince. He was Reza Shah’s guarantee for a successful political project.

Follow us on Instagram, TikTok or X (Twitter).

Support this show on Patreon.

Episode Summary

Mohammad... more

YouTube

Key Facts

Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

Similar Podcasts

People also subscribe to these shows.

The Ezra Klein Show
The Ezra Klein ShowNew York Times Opinion
The Daily
The DailyThe New York Times
Foreign Policy Live
Foreign Policy LiveForeign Policy

Host

Oriana
Host of the series, presenting a narrative that intertwines detailed historical accounts with personal storytelling, highlighting the complex history of Iran and its socio-political dynamics.

Reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars from 310 ratings
  • Great Educational Show

    Interesting and well done, the diction may not be perfect but I’m having no problem following the story. This is a wonderful way to learn more about a subject that would guess most Americans and Westerners generally likely know very little about.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Central Valley Ca listener
    United States2 months ago
  • Excellent show

    Just started the second season. Exceptionally interesting show. Oriana's voice and narrative skills seem to improve and become more mature with each episode.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    CSK loves history
    United States5 months ago
  • Interesting history

    It’s a great description of history, but the pronunciation is terrible. Find someone who can actually speak Farsi who can pronounce the names correctly

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    LailaSam
    United States5 months ago
  • Feels Like AI wrote a podcast

    Lacks character, reads like a mediocre book report, no use of primary sources or citations of secondary sources. If I was betting man I would bet this is written and spoken by a large language learning model. Pronunciation is awful

    Apple Podcasts
    2
    DwsJrsKnrs
    United States7 months ago
  • Annoying dialect

    I don’t take issue with the material. I take issue with the narrators ridiculous millennial dialect. It does sound like a high school book report… Learn some diction, girl!

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    The Rain in Spain…
    United States8 months ago

Listeners Say

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

While many appreciate the historical insights, some criticize the narration quality, highlighting issues with pronunciation and delivery.
Listeners praise the podcast for being informative and captivating, providing an engaging way to learn about Iranian history without the dense academic approach.
Overall, feedback reflects a desire for better production quality while recognizing the podcast as a valuable resource for understanding Iran's intricate past.

Top History Podcasts

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per EpisodeGender SkewLocation
InterestsProfessionsAge Range
Household IncomeSocial Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About This Podcast

What is This Podcast about and what kind of topics does it cover?

Insights into Iran's complex history are offered through a narrative that spans over 200 years, examining the intricate interplay between religion, monarchy, democracy, and nationalism. Each episode focuses on critical moments and figures in Iranian history, such as the Anglo-Soviet invasion, the abdication of Reza Shah, and the evolving role of women under Reza Shah's modernization efforts. The storytelling provides a thorough understanding of how these elements have shaped contemporary Iran and its ongoing struggle for liberty and independence. Notably, the host's unique blend of historical analysis and personal anecdotes facilitates an engaging approach to understanding a nation that many in the West may know little about, making it a co... more

Where can I find podcast stats for this podcast?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to this podcast and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does this podcast get?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for three million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for this podcast, including podcast download numbers and subscriber numbers, so you can make better decisions about which podcasts to sponsor or be a guest on. You will need to upgrade your account to access this premium data.

What are the audience demographics for this podcast?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for this podcast, including gender skew, age, country, political leaning, income, professions, education level, and interests. You can access these listener demographics by upgrading your account.

How many subscribers and views does this podcast have?

To see how many followers or subscribers this podcast has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to this podcast?

These podcasts share a similar audience with this podcast:

1. Throughline
2. Interesting Times with Ross Douthat
3. The Ezra Klein Show
4. The Daily
5. Foreign Policy Live

How many episodes of this podcast are there?

this podcast launched 2 years ago and published 26 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact this podcast?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for this podcast?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for this podcast from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

View all the reviews in one place instead of visiting each platform individually and use this information to decide if a show is worth pitching or not.

How do I access podcast episode transcripts for this podcast?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of this podcast. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.

Find and pitch the right podcasts

We help savvy brands, marketers and PR professionals to find the right podcasts for any topic or niche. Get the data and contacts you need to pitch podcasts at scale and turn listeners into customers.
Try it free for 7 days