Drop Site News – Notes from the Ground: Reflections on a Month That Shook Iran
Date: January 22, 2026
Host: Jeremy Scahill
Guest: Kaveh Rostam Khani, Essayist and Documentary Photographer
Overview
This episode brings listeners to the heart of recent unprecedented turmoil in Iran. Host Jeremy Scahill interviews Kaveh Rostam Khani, who recently returned from Tehran, about what he directly observed during the protests, the ensuing government crackdown, and the complex interplay of domestic grievances and international meddling. The episode critically unpacks how the narrative is being shaped both inside and outside Iran, the realities on the ground during internet blackouts, and the overwhelming political, social, and economic crises facing Iranians.
Main Discussion Points & Insights
1. Setting the Stage: War of Words and Political Backdrop
- The episode opens with Jeremy noting the tense U.S.-Iran political climate and how Israel is pushing for stronger U.S. action against Iran (00:00).
- The Iranian government’s severe internet restrictions and narrative control are emphasized, setting up why first-hand accounts are so scarce and valuable.
“One of the things that's lost in all of this is hearing from people that actually were there during the events that much of the world is debating and discussing.”
— Jeremy Scahill, 01:43
2. Life on the Ground: First-Hand Observations
- Kaveh shares condolences with victims and provides recent context: massive protests began over the sudden devaluation of Iran’s currency impacting the Tehran bazaar and smaller cities (02:23, 05:03).
- Protesters were initially motivated by economic hardship. The demonstrations started peacefully but were quickly co-opted by various political factions domestically and abroad.
“The very people who have been on the street and who have not been agitators of another power... do not have a voice at the moment to express themselves because of the blackouts.”
— Kaveh Rostam Khani, 06:19
3. Protests Escalate and Political Hijacking
- Kaveh recounts how early demonstrations (especially in small towns) suddenly turned violent and appeared strikingly synchronized, leading to speculation about outside instigation (13:01, 15:27).
- Calls from exiled monarchists and figures like Donald Trump for Iranians to “rise up” preceded a noticeable shift in protest character.
“There was a clear cause with the market related protests in Tehran. But then very quickly a phalanx of media accounts of personalities abroad started to disseminate these visuals and hijack the narrative of the protests…”
— Kaveh Rostam Khani, 15:53
4. Internet Blackout: Information Vacuum and Danger
- Kaveh details the abrupt and thorough internet and telecommunications shutdown on January 7—severing not only international connectivity but also local phone/SMS (31:26).
- For days, even contacting friends or police was nearly impossible; only a rudimentary national intranet functioned.
“...If there would have been a burglary, I wouldn't have been able to call the police... It was a cat and mouse game with connections.”
— Kaveh Rostam Khani, 32:47
5. Street-Level Experience: The Night Tehran Changed
- On January 7, Kaveh witnessed a large, highly organized protest group—some members masked and dressed in black, reminiscent of militant protest tactics in Europe.
- He observed these agitators steering the crowd and shifting chant slogans, suggesting efforts to hijack genuine, grassroots anger for political ends (22:07–28:57).
“Within a group of a thousand people, there were maybe 20 people like that... and they were pushing the crowd and... hijack[ing] the legitimate cause…”
— Kaveh Rostam Khani, 26:32
6. Uncounted Dead and Narrative Warfare
- With thousands dead in just days, the death toll is deeply contested; government statistics and exile/human rights organizations present starkly different figures (36:38).
- No transparency or independent verification is available, with all sides politicizing the tragedy.
“One death is too many. But this collateral damage for imperialist aims... the royalists, the liberal opposition and all sides, also Iranian government trying to win the narrative over the numbers, but there is no transparent data accessible yet… The country has been soaked in blood.”
— Kaveh Rostam Khani, 39:31
7. Structural Crises and the Way Forward
- Kaveh describes a “dysfunctional state”: Despite vast resources, Iran faces energy and water crises, rampant nepotism, and a Kafkaesque bureaucracy serving elites rather than people (43:53).
- He calls for dialogue and civil infrastructure to address and reform these issues, warning of the dangers of internal and external actors seeking regime change without considering the people’s welfare.
“Whatever the script be I wrote in my dispatch, it might lead to a surreification of Iran. And I'm not alone with that notion… What would help is a dialogue. What would help would be to build up civil infrastructures where problems can be addressed and solved directly. And what is definitely needed is reforms regarding the nepotistic and corrupt behavior of the elite in Iran.”
— Kaveh Rostam Khani, 45:45
8. External Meddling: A History and a Warning
- Jeremy and Kaveh contextualize the role of Western intervention dating back decades, including the 1953 CIA coup and continued sanctions harming regular Iranians (47:36–49:20).
- Kaveh warns that foreign “vultures” are opportunistically seeking influence, not the betterment of Iranians.
“Superpowers’ interests do not overlap with the general public's interests and... there is not any record where they have helped an independent nation towards a better direction.”
— Kaveh Rostam Khani, 50:02
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
On Hijacked Narratives
“All these factions are trying to use all these souls who have lost their lives as collateral damage to further their causes.”
— Kaveh Rostam Khani, 40:47
On Foreign Intervention
“I just sincerely hope that Iranians, however fed up they are with the current situation, they realize that vultures will not shed tears for them as they have not during the recent launches.”
— Kaveh Rostam Khani, 51:04
On the Need for Dialogue
“A dialogue is not possible because you have the radical people supporting the regime. You have the radical people who want it gone. But there is no scenario for what comes after...”
— Kaveh Rostam Khani, 44:59
Timestamps for Key Segments
- 00:00–02:23: Introduction; political context and why first-hand accounts matter
- 05:03–12:58: First-hand observations of the early protest phase and the limited, even sympathetic, government reaction
- 13:01–20:59: Shift to more radical protests and role of exiled factions and agitators
- 22:07–29:37: Detailed account of large-scale protest organization, masked agitators, and internet blackout
- 31:26–36:38: Communication collapse: local experience during the shutdown
- 36:38–43:00: The death toll, contested narratives, and calls for transparency
- 43:53–47:36: The state's structural dysfunction and the need for civil society, not foreign intervention
- 47:36–51:36: Geopolitical history; warning against external meddling; final reflections
Conclusion
Kaveh Rostam Khani’s account paints a nuanced, sobering portrait of Iran’s current turmoil—rooted in local struggle but warped by factional manipulation and global power plays. The episode strongly emphasizes the urgent need for transparency, independent assessment, and rebuilding civil society. Both host and guest signal that neither violent regime change nor outside interference offer hope to ordinary Iranians—only sustained dialogue and reform do.