Iran … a town hall and a board meeting

Dear Colleagues,

Predictions of the Iranian regime’s collapse go back decades. In one instance, an Egyptian scholar argued that the combination of economic deprivation and political repression spelled the end. Forag Foda was writing in 1985, a half dozen years after the Islamic Republic was established. Moderate views led to Foda’s demise.

“Iran is a house on fire heading into 2026,” writes colleague Andres Ilves in his Iran Briefing this week. Germany’s Chancellor Friedrich Merz gives the Mullahs a few more weeks, perhaps months.

What comes next? Our Arabic language audiences are craving insight. After all, Tehran under the clerics has been a source of regional instability for a very long time.

As a feature of MBN’s Iran Briefing Andres has now introduced “Protest Watch,” and in this week’s edition has five areas deserving of attention as we plunge into the new calendar year. Things are moving quickly across Iran.

With the prospect of regime collapse, concern in the Gulf grows about chaos and a security vacuum, reports Sukina Ali. Our colleague Rami is focused on Iranian proxies in Iraq and armed groups that have achieved over time a level of financial and operational independence. Mustafa Fahs sees considerable impact for Hezbollah in Lebanon if the Islamic Republic falls.

Randa is developing a profile of Reza Pahlavi, delving into Pahlavi’s current efforts to build a unified front among competing and fragmented Iranian opposition groups. President Trump’s top aide Steve Witkoff met with Pahlavi recently. There’s demand from MBN audiences for accurate and reliable news about the United States, the Washington debate, and U.S. policy.

I commend “If I Were Khamenei,” the essay by Joumana Haddad. Jounmana argues that the “spell of inevitability” has been broken not by external force, but by the disintegration of authority and legitimacy driven in large part by the extraordinary courage of Iranian women. When power  becomes a subject of parody and social detachment, she argues, the end is near, regardless of the regime’s remaining military strength.

Tomorrow’s Town Hall

There’s plenty to discuss at tomorrow’s 11 am town hall meeting. Our editorial strategy is driving company strategy. We’ll definitely touch on content. And purpose. We’re U.S.-funded and mission is central.

Please keep promoting our suite of newsletters. They’re terrific. You know the pitch. Delivered regularly to a recipient’s inbox, MBN newsletters bring sharp explainers, on-the-ground reporting, and keen insight into how events in the Middle East connect to Washington — and how Washington’s decisions echo across the region. Sign up is easy.

We’ll discuss tomorrow as well crucial nuts and bolts of our operation including updates on budget/finance, legal, HR, marketing and outreach, USAGM and Congressional relations, and relocation. We’re still leaning into savings, accountability, and improved outcomes across departments. We’re striving all the time for transparency.

These are exactly the issues we’ll address with our board tomorrow afternoon. The MBN board remains absolutely crucial to our success.

So does MBN company culture. I love the way we’ve pushed toward a more performance-driven culture. It’s exciting to see the work that’s being produced, and under such exceptionally difficult circumstances.

I want to be equally sure that we take time to nurture colleagueship and community, self-awareness and respect. We need MBN to be a place of hard work but also of appreciation, kindness, and joy.

In this spirit, I’ll share with you tomorrow five things I got wrong in 2025 along with five things MBN is guaranteed to get right this year. Pizza is on me after the Thursday town hall.

My best, Jeff