Tehran is the capital of Iran, the world’s only significant theocracy, and the largest city in West Asia, with a population of 15 million.

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Key sources and videos used:
Iran targets its children https://nyti.ms/3GV54ly
Students join protests https://bit.ly/3u9dePC
Frontline: Our Man in Tehran https://to.pbs.org/2L4U1FI
Who runs Iran https://bbc.in/3ASba1X
Tehran middle class on economy https://bit.ly/3VCqfN0
Renewable energy in Iran, A Review: https://bit.ly/3u63RzZ
The Shah by Abbas Milani https://bit.ly/3VxyEBn
Tehran (Wikipedia) https://bit.ly/3UkkRNv
Video: Persia before Khomeini (YouTube) https://bit.ly/3u4noB0
Iranian diaspora https://bit.ly/3gCuIAR
Video: History of Iran (YouTube) https://bit.ly/3VB59yE

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Chapters
0:00 Episode teaser
0:45 Geography of Iran
1:04 Tehran becomes the capital
1:31 Rise of Reza Khan
1:55 Reza Shah modernizes Iran
2:28 Shah makes enemies
2:59 Britain and the Soviets invade
3:21 CIA MI6 coup to oust Mossaddegh
3:51 Reign of Shah Pahlavi
4:01 Rise of Ayahtollah Ruhollah Khomeini
4:14 1979 Islamic Revolution
4:33 Iran's current government
5:00 Millions flee brutal government to America & Europe
5:27 Khomeini makes enemies with the US: the hostage crisis
5:45 Saddam Hussein's Iraq invades Iran
5:58 Mass immigration to Tehran
6:12 Iran's poor economy
6:34 Failed nuclear program
6:46 Huge renewable energy potential
7:04 Vulnerability to climate change: heat waves and drought
7:37 Tehran's megaprojects: metro, fast internet, sewer and water
8:02 Tabiat bridge
8:10 Youth of Tehran push for revolution
8:39 Government struggles to contain protests
8:53 Unprecedented actions by and against school children
9:05 Crossing the point of no return
9:15 What's next?

Located in west Asia, Iran has eight foreign borders and access to the ocean through the gulfs off its southern coast. Most of the country’s 87 million people live in the northwest, where it's cooler on the steppes of mountains home to the highest peak in Western Asia–Mount Damavand. In 1786, this land became the 32nd capital in the history of Persia, closer to areas in the north that had fallen under the influence of Russia and Britain.

Iran is highly vulnerable to the climate change temperature rise of 1.8 degrees C - that’s one-and-a-half times the mean global rise of 1.2 degrees. Prolonged drought that’s decimated its water supply and turned thousands of villages into ghost towns as surrounding farmland goes dry.

Several major projects have been completed in the capital. Tehran now has the largest metro system in the Middle East. Six cent ticket prices and a daily ridership of 3 million are improving its terrible traffic and air pollution. Internet speed and penetration has increased 10-fold; Tehran’s new, integrated sewer and water treatment system is 90% operational; and it’s internationally-celebrated Tabiat bridge.

The current Supreme Leader is an 83-year old in questionable health guiding a regime struggling to contain protests led by women demanding full rights that are inspiring millions to demand a functioning economy.

I profiled London last time and am exploring Buenos Aires, Argentina next.

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