Post Reports — “Jason Rezaian, Iran and the Costs of Press Freedom”

January 31, 2026
Featured Guests:

• Jason Rezaian, Washington Post journalist, former prisoner in Iran, and director of Press Freedom Initiatives
• Yeganeh “Yegi” Salehi, journalist, Rezaian's wife and fellow former prisoner
• Ambassador Brett McGurk, former U.S. presidential envoy integral to Jason’s release
• Host: Elahe Izadi

Overview

This special episode marks the 10th anniversary of Jason Rezaian’s release from Iranian imprisonment. Hosted as a live conversation at the Washington Post, the discussion centers on the personal and collective costs of press freedom, the current situation in Iran, and the role of journalism under authoritarian regimes. Insights from Rezaian, his wife Yegi, and Ambassador Brett McGurk offer both retrospective reflection and urgent, real-time analysis as anti-government protests and violent crackdowns rock Iran in 2026.

Reflections on 10 Years Since Imprisonment

Jason Rezaian on the Anniversary

• Jason begins by expressing gratitude for the supportive audience and his personal “unrealistic optimism” despite bleak global circumstances.
• He notes deterioration in global press freedom since his release and an increase in Americans taken hostage.

  “In terms of press freedom, it's much worse than when I was detained ... it's a very bleak time. But I'm also unrealistically optimistic.” (Jason Rezaian, 01:54)

Yegi Salehi on Hope and Resilience

• Yegi credits Jason’s relentless positivity, even in prison, as key to their survival.
• Describes their post-release mission: ensuring wrongful detainment doesn’t happen to others, especially journalists.

  “From the very first moment ... we realized we can't let go of hope. It's all we had. Because giving up and giving in to repression ... was not an option.” (Yegi Salehi, 03:21)

Ambassador McGurk on the Emotional Stakes of Diplomacy

• Shares poignantly about the emotional toll and the bittersweet victories of hostage negotiations.
• Reflects on the parallels between global hostage cases then and now.

  “When you're doing hostage cases, you're failing until loved ones come home ... greeting Jason and Yeghe on the tarmac in Geneva ... was the most emotional thing I've really gone through.” (Amb. Brett McGurk, 06:29 - 07:27)

• Cites personal connections maintained over the years, even sharing toys between families, highlighting the enduring bonds forged by crisis.

Iran Today: Protests and Repression

Jason Rezaian on Losing the Window into Iran

• Jason recalls his release marked the decline of international journalism inside Iran.
• Notes current protests and massacre are happening with little direct global coverage due to communication blackouts and government repression.

  “That was ... the beginning of the end of international news coverage inside Iran. ... [Now,] there's almost no coverage from inside Iran at this point.” (Jason Rezaian, 10:12)

Yegi Salehi on Family and the Communication Blackout

• Describes first-hand the severity of Iran’s information shutdown: no internal or external calls, widespread internet cuts.
• Frames current bloodshed as consequences of a regime at its “weakest—and therefore most dangerous.”

  “These are not the kind of people that because they are weak, they're going to disappear. In fact, the opposite. They are at their weakest moment and they are willing to do anything they can. Kill as many people as it gets to make sure that they hold on to their powers.” (Yegi Salehi, 13:17)

Details on the Current Crackdown

• Estimates of casualties are imprecise; human rights organizations suggest thousands killed, but absence of reporting and government opacity obscure true numbers. (13:37)
• Suffering on the ground is described as “untolerable.”

Ambassador McGurk on Policy and International Response

• Notes designation of Iran’s IRGC as a terrorist organization by the entire EU is historic.
• Critiques both U.S. policy inertia and the regime’s unyielding violence, forecasting escalating military confrontation.

  “This system has to go ... it is impossible ... I think more likely than not is leading into a military confrontation and Iran is in its weakest position ever.” (Amb. Brett McGurk, 15:15 - 18:21)

• Cites personal stories highlighting the constant intersection of professional and personal life amid international crises.

The Uncertain Future: What Comes After the Regime?

Jason Rezaian on Post-Regime Fears and Opportunities

• Warns against complacency—regime’s coming end isn’t a guarantee of positive change.
• Highlights the lack of credible internal leadership among would-be exiled claimants to Iran’s future.

  “There are any number of people vying to be a future leader of Iran, but none of them are actually inside of Iran. ... It's also not a guarantee that whatever comes next is going to be an improvement.” (Jason Rezaian, 21:13)

Yegi Salehi on Avoiding Division and Bloodshed

• Emphasizes the importance of unity and preventing the country from fracturing along ethnic lines.
• Expresses concern about the potential for civil war and urges the diaspora to play a constructive role in future transitions.

  “The unity of the country ... make sure Iran does not get divided ... the disagreements for the future does not let to fights between the people inside to divide the country any more than this.” (Yegi Salehi, 25:10)

Ambassador McGurk on Long-term Support and Deterrence

• Urges the U.S. and international partners to focus on sustained support—especially communication tools—to empower Iranian civil society.
• Draws parallels to U.S. deterrence measures in Syria as a possible model.

  “This is the start of a campaign ... using all instruments of our power to support the Iranian people ... the system is going to hold on by brute force.” (Amb. Brett McGurk, 26:26)

Journalism and Press Freedom Under Siege

The Challenges of Reporting from Iran

• Rezaian and Yegi outline practical barriers: almost no journalist visas, shrinking international coverage.
• Jason lauds innovative efforts at the Washington Post, especially visual forensics that verify amateur footage via remote analysis.

  “We’re at a huge disadvantage in understanding the realities of some of the most consequential locations in the world right now.” (Jason Rezaian, 31:27)

On Launching the Press Freedom Desk at the Post

• Rezaian shares the rationale for his new initiative: arming those still inside closed societies with tools and support to tell verified stories, even when foreign journalists are banned.

  “The impetus behind the Press Freedom Desk is to really figure out ways that we can arm people from these closed societies ... because we're not in a position not to understand what's going on.” (Jason Rezaian, 33:04)

Notable Moments and Quotes

• Jason Rezaian on optimism:

  “Unrealistic optimism has served me well.” (01:54)

• Yegi Salehi on survival:

  “He never lost hope. And he was the one that sitting behind bars was giving me hope.” (03:21)

• Ambassador McGurk on success and failure in hostage cases:

  “You're failing until loved ones come home.” (06:29)

• Ambassador McGurk on regime stability:

  “We have all the guns. ... That is how they rule. It is not going to simply come apart. The system is going to hold on by brute force.” (27:40)

• Yegi on the cost of bloodshed:

  “The suffering is untolerable.” (14:34)

A Story of Food and Human Connection

The Meaning of Azerbaijani Baklava (35:11 – 37:27)

• Jason recounts sharing a cell with an Azerbaijani man, their shared humanity expressed through food, and the happy ending of their families connecting years later in D.C. via the Shabbat Bakery.
• The episode closes on the importance of joy and simple pleasures as essential to resilience.

  “We would invite them to all of our holidays ... and they would always bring these spectacular baked goods, the baklava, the honey cake.” (Jason Rezaian, 35:11)

Timestamps: Key Segments

• Opening & context: 00:02 – 01:54
• Reflections on the anniversary: 01:54 – 05:47
• Ambassador’s role in release: 05:53 – 09:17
• Current protests and regime crackdown: 10:12 – 14:34
• International policy response: 15:15 – 19:54
• Debate on Iran’s future: 21:13 – 26:26
• Using power and deterrence: 26:26 – 29:09
• Press freedom and journalism challenges: 29:09 – 33:04
• Press Freedom Desk explained: 33:04 – 34:11
• Baklava & the power of food: 35:11 – 37:27

Tone and Takeaways

The episode balances sober, urgent realism with persistent hope. Despite the seriousness—an anniversary of wrongful imprisonment, a nation in turmoil, the world’s shrinking space for free press—there’s warmth, humor, and a commitment to connection. For listeners, it’s a powerful reminder of the costs of (and necessity for) press freedom, the enduring importance of solidarity, and the human stories beneath the headlines.