Iranian scholar Hamid Dabashi goes deep on empire, Iran’s revolutionary currents, and Palestine. We cover his “two nemeses” frame—global imperialism vs domestic tyranny—and why opposing one never excuses the other. He unpacks Islamism as a (once) liberation theology and its limits, the polyfocal currents inside Islam, the 1979 revolution’s three forces (nationalism, Marxism, Islamism), sanctions and the erasure of Iran’s middle class, and why airstrikes only unify Iranians behind a garrison state. We discuss Gaza (denouncing Oct 7 while naming the ongoing genocide), BDS as civil disobedience, Israel as an American outpost, and a future beyond Zionism/Islamism. Plus: Iranian cinema’s philosophy (Kiarostami, Majidi), national trauma (1953, Iran–Iraq War), and how agonistic pluralism could reframe the region.00:00 Coming Up…01:31 Before Thought - Membership Thanks02:10 Before Thought - Dabashi Intro and Three Forces of Moral Politics09:55 Origins & Polyfocal Islam: Mecca/Medina as Blueprint13:34 Three Currents of Resistance: Socialism, Nationalism, Islamism22:07 Who is a Good Muslim? A Good Jew? Religion’s Double Edge26:48 Why is Israel so Obsessed with Iran?30:57 Iran, “The One That Got Away” and the Hostage Crisis39:57 Two Nemeses: Domestic Tyranny vs Global Imperialism43:31 The Enemy of My Enemy49:25 October 7, BDS, and Moral Consistency56:49 Violence and Liberation, and The Only Viable Political Horizon59:04 Optimism About The Future01:05:42 A Celebration of Iranian Cinema and Trauma01:12:14 After Thought - More on Violence and Liberation01:14:23 After Thought - Malcolm X in Gaza and my Next GuestIranian Films mentioned:Close UpThe RunnerThe Little StrangerThe Color of ParadiseHarold Lasswell on the Garrison State: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harold_LasswellMalcolm X in Gaza and Zionist Logic Article:https://www.marxists.org/history/etol/newspape/socialist-viewpoint-us/mayjun_05/mayjun_05_21.htmBECOME A MEMBER - MONTHLY MEMBERS ONLY ZOOM/LIVESTREAM https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5NIku35U9thGG9WBJjE0sw/joinFor more from Jay visit whatjaythinks.com