Podcast: America vs itself: Political scientist Francis Fukuyama on the state of democracy

Iran’s government emerged from the war with a powerful new story to tell: it withstood attacks from the United States and Israel, kept its grip on power, and gained fresh leverage in the region. But that is not how the conflict looks from inside the country.

For ordinary Iranians, the conflict has brought more fear, deeper economic pain, and little sign that the political change many hoped for is any closer. The protest movement that shook the country has been pushed underground by a brutal crackdown, while the government uses internet restrictions to make it harder for people to organize, communicate, and show the world what is happening.

On the latest episode of the GZERO World podcast, Ian Bremmer speaks with New York Times Iran correspondent Yeganeh Torbati about life inside Iran during the war. They discuss why Tehran feels more emboldened, how ordinary people are navigating repression and a worsening economy, why some Iranians feel betrayed by Donald Trump’s promises of support, and whether the frustrations that drove millions into the streets could eventually erupt again.