Economist Podcasts — "Follow the leader: Iran picks the son"

Date: March 9, 2026
Host: Rosie Blore
Featured Guests: Greg Karlstrom (Middle East Correspondent), Daniela Raz (US Correspondent), Christian Wilson (Director of Music, Keble College, Oxford), Joel Budd (Britain Social Affairs Editor), JP and Zach (Tenors, Keble College Choir)

Overview of the Episode

This episode of The Intelligence delivers fresh perspectives on three global stories:

• Iran’s selection of a new Supreme Leader amid regional war
• The Trump administration’s assault on American science
• The curious shortage of male tenors in choirs worldwide

The discussion explores political upheaval, scientific policy, and cultural trends, with deep dives, expert commentary, and evocative personal stories.

Segment 1: Iran’s Succession and the Third Gulf War

[00:42–10:46]

Main Theme

In the wake of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s death by US airstrikes, Iran’s clerics have swiftly chosen his son, Mojtaba Khamenei, as the new Supreme Leader. The podcast analyzes this unprecedented dynastic move amid ongoing military conflict and regional instability.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

• Continuity Over Change

  • The regime's selection of Mojtaba is designed to signal stability, not reform.
  • “The choice of Mojtaba Khamenei as Iran's new supreme leader is a signal of continuity rather than change.” — Greg Karlstrom [02:23]

• Who is Mojtaba Khamenei?

  • Little is publicly known; he is a private figure, worked in his father’s office, lacks strong clerical credentials, and is closely tied to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
  • “He is a reclusive figure… close to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard… But beyond that, we don't know much about his political views… His clerical credentials are rather lacking.” — Greg Karlstrom [02:57]

• Domestic Perception

  • Even regime supporters are uneasy with a hereditary succession, evoking memories of monarchy.
  • “Did we really overthrow a monarchy in 1979 just to replace it with another monarchy?” — Greg Karlstrom [04:02]

• Practical Power & Factional Struggles

  • In wartime chaos, real authority may lie with the IRGC and regime factions.
  • “He’s meant to be in charge of everything. But I think in reality, it's going to take him a while to exert his authority.” — Greg Karlstrom [05:21]

• US Response

  • Donald Trump deems Mojtaba “a lightweight,” expressing frustration at lack of a negotiable regime insider.
  • “Trump… talked about wanting to have a role himself in the selection of the Supreme Leader, as if this is the Miss Universe pageant...” — Greg Karlstrom [05:29]

• Regional War Escalation

  • A new phase of the third Gulf War: both sides increasingly attack energy infrastructure.
    • Israeli airstrikes produce “apocalyptic scenes” in Tehran (“it was basically dark… so much smoke… sunlight couldn’t pierce through.”) [06:22]
    • Iran retaliates against Gulf state oil and water facilities—“an economic war, a war on critical infrastructure.” [07:53]

• Future Outlook

  • Expect more attacks targeting essential services.
  • Oil prices surging—Goldman Sachs warning of $150/barrel.
  • Iranian President’s attempted de-escalation ignored by military hardliners.

• High-Stakes Brinkmanship

  • “Does this all come down to who blinks first?” — Rosie Blore [09:22]
  • “It’s a risky calculus for everyone involved… a regime that has been through decades of economic mismanagement… may not have as much capacity to be resilient as the regime is hoping.” — Greg Karlstrom [09:26]

Notable Quotes

• “The choice of Mojtaba Khamenei as Iran's new supreme leader is a signal of continuity rather than change.” — Greg Karlstrom [02:23]
• “Did we really overthrow a monarchy in 1979 just to replace it with another monarchy?” — Greg Karlstrom [04:02]
• “Trump… talked about wanting to have a role himself in the selection of the Supreme Leader, as if this is the Miss Universe pageant…” — Greg Karlstrom [05:29]

Segment 2: The Assault on American Science

[12:11–19:33]

Main Theme

The Trump administration’s sweeping attacks on science funding and infrastructure are causing both immediate and long-term harms to America’s role as a global leader in research and innovation.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

• Historic Funding Cuts

  • Trump’s administration proposed deep reductions—e.g., a 40% cut to NIH.
  • Some budget lines maintained by bipartisan Congressional pushback.

• Continued Instability

  • Safeguards inserted by Congress are patchy; controversial areas like renewable energy and vaccines remain exposed.
  • “The protections aren't uniform… there's still this instability and there's still cancellations at the program level.” — Daniela Raz [14:31]

• Renewable Energy Setbacks

  • “Funding for renewable energy research… was cut sharply. Solar research by something like a third. At the same time, research into coal swell by something like 260%.” — Daniela Raz [15:19]
  • Real-world consequences: terminated grants, possible lab closures (e.g., Michael McGee, University of Colorado [16:09]).

• Vaccine Science Under Siege

  • At least $1.2 billion in MRNA research funding removed.
  • Vaccine advisory committees dismissed or rendered inactive; vaccine schedule drastically reduced.
  • “The Health Department also reduced the list of recommended childhood vaccines from 13 down to 7. … The last time a disease had its vaccines removed was in the 1970s.” — Daniela Raz [16:58]

• Societal and Health Impacts

  • Rising measles outbreaks, expensive public health response.
  • Federal retreat from MRNA funding prompting industry pullback (e.g., Moderna).

• Erosion of Trust

  • “The danger now is that all of this instability and this latent politicization will make some of that mistrust almost justified. And that is probably one of the most damaging legacies.” — Daniela Raz [18:04]

Notable Quotes

• "The mood in the science community has been really anxious in the past year." — Daniela Raz [12:53]
• "In his department, there are about three other professors in that same situation. So that's a very tangible effect from what happened just last year." — Daniela Raz [16:09]
• "We know that RFK Jr. as health secretary... is doing a lot to encourage more vaccine hesitancy... That will only get worse." — Daniela Raz [18:04]

Segment 3: The Choir Tenor Shortage

[20:06–27:42]

Main Theme

A surprising and unexplained shortage of tenors is affecting choirs worldwide, prompting changes in choral tradition and raising questions about voice, masculinity, and education.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

• Tenor Rarity

  • Both amateur and professional choirs face a persistent lack of high male voices.
  • “In Germany, 8% of adults say that they sing in a group... Women choral singers outnumber men by about 2 to 1… same sex ratio in country after country.” — Joel Budd [22:16]

• The Difficulty of the Tenor Role

  • Singing tenor is musically and physically challenging.
  • "It requires a specific technique that needs to be trained, definitely." — Zach, Keble College Choir [24:17]

• Possible Explanations

  • Societal ideas of masculinity favoring lower voices
  • Biology: Men’s voices may be getting deeper as average height increases
  • Most men are baritones by default; to sing tenor requires training

• How Choirs Adapt

  • Use of older women on tenor parts is rising, though not a perfect solution
  • Hiring “ringers” or “stiffeners” (professional or semi-professional tenors for rehearsals and concerts)
  • Choosing repertoire with no tenor part

• The Role of Music Education

  • Early music education and choral experience are vital; many boys stop singing after their voices break.
  • “What we really need to focus on… is musical education at a young age, encouraging young people to sing as a means of expressing themselves.” — Christian Wilson [25:58]

• Joy and Value of Singing

  • Singing is emotionally expressive and socially valuable—“Singing allows you to express the full range of human emotions...” — Christian Wilson [27:00]

Notable Quotes

• "It's quite hard to push yourself to sing the tenor... it's easy to just kind of pigeonhole yourself quite early on." — JP, Keble College Choir [21:05]
• "The explanation I favour… is simply that singing the tenor part in a chorus is quite difficult." — Joel Budd [22:16]
• "It requires good technique, otherwise you just wear yourself out. It's not sustainable." — Zach, Keble College Choir [24:17]
• "Singing allows you to express the full range of human emotions." — Christian Wilson [27:00]

Memorable Moments & Timestamps

• “Did we really overthrow a monarchy… to replace it with another?” [04:02]
• “It was basically dark in Tehran… so much smoke… sunlight couldn’t pierce through.” [06:22]
• “Solar research cut by a third, coal up by 260%.” [15:19]
• “The Health Department reduced childhood vaccines from 13 down to 7.” [16:58]
• “Women choral singers outnumber men by about 2 to 1… same sex ratio in country after country.” [22:16]
• Musical education as a solution to the tenor shortage [25:58]

Conclusion

This richly layered episode captures a historic moment in Iran’s leadership and regional conflict, highlights how political decisions in America are reshaping scientific innovation, and offers an unexpectedly poignant look at the challenges facing choir music. Engaging interviews, sharp analysis, and memorable voices make this episode valuable both for casual listeners and those seeking in-depth understanding of world events and cultural phenomena.