Back in 2022, protests in Iran were bolder than at any time since the 1979 revolution — and that time, it was teenage girls leading the way. Gen Z used their TikTok and Instagram skills to draw the world’s attention to their demand for freedom. But with almost 300 hashtags under #MahsaAmini, their movement was also being co‑opted for others’ purposes. How could anyone tell which was which?

This is a story from the archives. It originally aired on October 19, 2022. None of the dates, titles or other references from that time has been changed.

In this episode:

• Holly Dagres (@HDagres), The Atlantic Council Nonresident Senior Fellow & MENASource and IranSource Editor
• Marc Owen Jones (@MarcOwenJones), Assistant Professor of Middle East Studies, Hamad bin Khalifa University

Episode credits:

This episode was produced by Amy Walters with Negin Owliaei, Chloe K. Li, Alexandra Locke, Ruby Zaman, Ashish Malhotra and our guest host, Halla Moheiddeen.

Our sound designer is Alex Roldan. Tim St. Clair mixed this episode. Our video editors are Hisham Abu Salah and Mohannad Al-Melhem. Alexandra Locke is the Take’s executive producer. Ney Alvarez is Al Jazeera’s head of audio.

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US President Donald Trump says removing President Nicolas Maduro is about reclaiming Venezuela’s oil. But as Washington pushes for access, major oil companies are hesitating. Why is Venezuela being labeled “uninvestable,” and what does that skepticism reveal about power, instability and the future of Venezuela’s vast oil reserves?

In this episode:

• Anneke Ball (@annekeball), Journalist

Episode credits:

This episode was produced by Marcos Bartolomé and Melanie Marich, with Tamara Khandaker, and our host, Kevin Hirten. It was edited by Ney Alvarez and Noor Wazwaz.

Our sound designer is Alex Roldan. Our video editors are Hisham Abu Salah and Mohannad Al-Melhem. Alexandra Locke is the Take’s executive producer. Ney Alvarez is Al Jazeera’s head of audio.

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@AJEPodcasts on X, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube

Iran’s protests started with economic demands. Now, the Iranian government says it’s ready for war. Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump has told Iranian protesters that “help is on the way,” as Washington discusses military options. Could tension spread far beyond Iran?

In this episode:

• Negar Mortazavi (@NegarMortazavi), Center for International Policy Senior Fellow and Host of The Iran Podcast

Episode credits:

This episode was produced by Sarí el-Khalili, Chloe K. Li, and Melanie Marich with Phillip Lanos, Spencer Cline, Tamara Khandaker, Noor Wazwaz and our host, Malika Bilal. It was edited by Ney Alvarez.

Our sound designer is Alex Roldan. Our video editors are Hisham Abu Salah and Mohannad al-Melhemm. Alexandra Locke is The Take’s executive producer. Ney Alvarez is Al Jazeera’s head of audio.

Connect with us:

@AJEPodcasts on X, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube