Ben Rhodes

He also wrote an amazing book about his experience called Prisoner.

Jason, welcome back to the show.

Great to see you, buddy.

So, you know, we scheduled this interview a while back because this week marks the 10th anniversary of your release from an Iranian prison, even prison.

We want to get to that in a minute and your reflections on that period in your life and everything since.

But first, I just have to ask you about these massive protests that we're seeing across Iran.

So we're recording this Monday night, January 12th at about 430 p.m.

Pacific time.

God knows what will happen between now and when this is released Wednesday morning, especially if Trump decides to take a military action.

But just first of all, what is your reaction to what you have seen so far out of Iran?

Yeah, as long as I've known you, you've been like a, it's not an if, but when guy in terms of this regime getting sent packing.

But I mean, how would you compare the kind of scale and the tenor of these protests to say the Women Life Freedom protests in 2022 or the Green Movement protests in 2009?

And also, are you able to be in touch with people on the ground in Iran?

I mean, it might be impossible since the internet's been cut out, but before that, maybe?

Yeah.

And so President Trump has threatened to respond or retaliate militarily if there's a major crackdown on protesters.

It seems pretty clear from reports over the weekend that at a minimum, hundreds of people have been killed by security forces.

I mean, there are these horrifying videos of the morgue stacked with bodies.

I mean, it's just awful stuff.

Yeah.