What The Media Tells You About Iran Is Wrong (S01E177)

Friday, October 23, 2026, Costa del Sol, Spain

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent recently described long lines at gas stations inside Iran, while news accounts from the West said salaries for teachers and nurses weren’t being paid.

Social media influencer and documentary filmmaker Mohsen Jahori is inside Iran, living in the city of Kermanshah and traveling around the country. He says little of it is true. Yes, there are occasionally lines at gas stations, but nothing out of the ordinary, he says in an exclusive interview in this edition of badlands. And institutions like schools and hospitals are functioning as normal.

Jahori, who describes himself as a supporter of the Islamic Republic, joins host Borzou Daragahi to provide his views on what his happening inside the country. He covers a range of topics, including the mood among his fellow Iranian Kurds, and how enthusiastically Iranians will be willing to back a government that has alienated huge constituencies.

In an interview with India’s NewsX World, Borzou also discuss prospects for a new round of a ferocious warfare by Israel and the US against Iran, as well as the impact on Ukraine of the impending deal between Moscow and Washington.

Notes:

* Check out the videos on Mohsen Jahori’s TikTok page and Instagram.

* Al Jazeera reports on Iran’s new security strategy.

* Remember to check for unlocked podcast interviews on my Substack homepage.

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