Iran on the Brink

Iran is experiencing expansive protests after economic grievances snowballed over the past two weeks into a broader challenge to the country’s authoritarian clerical rulers. In recent days, a full picture of the government’s crackdown on demonstrators has emerged, garnering global condemnation and threats of action from President Trump. Farnaz Fassihi, who has been covering the story, explains what is driving the protesters and why the regime may be facing one of its gravest challenges in decades. Guest: Farnaz Fassihi, the United Nations bureau chief for The New York Times. Background reading:  Accounts of a brutal crackdown are emerging from Iran despite communications restrictions.Here’s what to know about the protests in Iran.Photo: Getty Images/Getty Images For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.  Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app.