The New Persian Times
Season 1
Episode 8. - Younes Sadaghiani
Episode 7 - Sarah Raviani
Episode 6 - Yass Alizadeh
Episode 5- Iman Huschmand
Episode 4 - Nicole Ansari
Episode 3 - Robert Riggs
Episode 2 - Julia Elihu & Ava Lalezarzadeh
by Andy Alem
My guest for the 8th episode of the podcast is Younes Sadaghiani, a Persian-British social media influencer. A recent video went viral on his instagram which was in response to a group of islamic protesters advocating for Sharia Law in the streets ok the UK. The video garnering over 4M views and 40k followers. I reshared his video thinking he was Arabic however to my surprised he responded saying he was Persian. After combing through some of his content I felt we were aligned on some of the broader issues faced today. So naturally I invited him on my podcast to dive deeper on the complexities that is Iran. Full disclaimer, all commentary on this platform is completely on my opinion of my own and that of my guests. The sole purpose of this platform is to provide a healthy space where ideas could be articulated without judgement and with the utmost consideration of Free Speech.
My guest for the 7th episode of the podcast is Sarah Raviani. A first generation Iranian-American Human Rights Activist. She and her collaborative colleagues participated in the most significant legislative effort to emerge from the American Diaspora who were in support of the Iranian protests. The MAHSA Act. The Mahsa Amini Human rights and Security Accountability Act (MAHSA Act) is a bill was first introduced to the 117th Congress in the wake of the Woman Life Freedom protests in Iran. Its intention is to put sanctions on the leaders of the Islamic Republic of Iran. The bill was reintroduced as H.R. 589 to the House of Representatives and as S.2626 to the US Senate in the 118th congress. HR 589 was considered under suspension of rules and passed the House floor with overwhelming majority of the representatives voting for it. 410 representatives voted for the MAHSA Act (209 Republicans and 201 Democrats), Representatives Ilhan Omar, Thomas Massie, and Cori Bush voted against the bill, and 20 representatives did not vote. MAHSA Act's Senate companion bill was introduced to the Senate by Senators Marco Rubio and Alex Padilla on 7/27/2023. According to the Iran International, Senator Ben Cardin is holding up MAHSA Act from being considered for a markup session by the United States Senate Committee on Foreign Relations. This Episode was recorded on November 19th 2023 just over a month after the Hamas’s attack on Israel. Sarah and I dove deeply into the complexities that is Iran along with an overview of the MAHSA Act.
My guest for the 6th episode of the podcast is Dr. Yass Alizadeh A PHD professor of Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies and Persian Program Coordinator from New York University Dr. Alizadeh and I met each other late 2022 at a Woman Life Freedom protest in New York. Her knowledge on the geopolitical landscape that has shaped Iran to where it is today was incredibly insightful during our brief encounter. So I decided to welcome her to this new show I’ve created where we could dive deeper into the complex discussion that is Iran. In this episode we discussed topics from the 2016 US elections, the influence on Iran lobbying efforts in the United States, and much more. This conversation was recorded on February 24th, 2023. Shorty after the recording of this episode I was rushed to the hospital for an emergency surgery.
In this episode I speak with Iman Huchmand from Unite & Conquer. Iman was a DC native, raised in Germany, who currently resides in South Florida. Utilizing his experience in the entertainment industry to help bring awareness and amplify the voices of to Iranians in their struggle for freedom.
My next guest is Nicole Ansari. Her professional life began in her teens as an actor in Tatort, an iconic German Cop TV series. Ansari studied with the late legendary Uta Hagen, of HB Studios, with Susan Batson at the Actors Studio in NYC and at the Stage School of Dance and Drama in Hamburg. After two feature films for German TV, her first professional engagement was with the Repertory company Neumarkt Theater in Zurich. Following this, she joined the famed Théâtre du Soleil under the direction of Ariane Mnouchkine, in Paris and on a European tour. Her next steps led to being a guest star at the Public Theatre in Vienna in leading roles, multiple arthouse movies and TV shows, including HBO’s Deadwood. She continued on to London’s West End and Broadway, performing with her husband Brian Cox, and eventually creating a home base in New York. Ansari co-produced two feature Films; “Blumenthal”, a comedy in the New York Theatre world, starring her husband Brian Cox and the thriller “As Good As Dead” with Andy McDowell. Adding to her CV as Co-producer + director, is the short documentary “Padim at PS3” about the Arts program in a NYC public school and the web series “Messy”. Messy has garnered numerous awards on the festival circuit including Best Director and Best Dramedy at the British Web Awards; Best Web Series at the NY International Film Awards, and best Web Series at the Chicago Independent Film Awards. As a director, Nicole also worked with the Rubin Museum of Art and NY Women in Film. Ansari’s lifelong interest in the healing arts brought her to study and train with some of the great teachers of our time. She is a certified Yoga Therapist, Kundalini Yoga, Pre and Postnatal Yoga Instructor, a Life Coach, Theta healing practitioner and a feminine movement teacher. She also has an online Hemp business. Storytelling, for her, is a healing art and she has been merging her interests in helping others to live a passionate life fueled by their wild, authentic self. Nicole has created ACTORS RISING, a program for actors and speakers merging the spiritual path with the Arts.
I speak with Robert Riggs is the founder and CEO of Global Intelligence Insights LLC, an NYC-based international consulting firm, specializing in Geopolitical risk analysis and nonprofit organizational development. This talk is completely unscripted and uncensored. Just people speaking their minds about what’s happening in Iran from an Iranian-American subjective perspective. Enjoy!
I speak with Julia and Ava about their film Winter Of 79’. A suspenseful thriller about a Jewish family escaping Iran during the 1979 Revolution inspired by true events. Julia is a writer/director and Ava is a writer/actress, their collaborative efforts help translate the struggle of all Iranians under the current totalitarian regime through the medium of performing arts. This talk is completely unscripted and uncensored. Just people speaking their minds about what’s happening in Iran from an Iranian-American subjective perspective. Enjoy!
This first episode I speak with @ThatDaneshGuy who was recently banned from Instagram for exposing supporters of the Islamic Republic. His videos strike a nerve with his targets with creative content consisting of humor, Information, and education for the masses.