Iran Audio Analysis: The Downfall of Ahmadinejad, The Resumption of Nuclear Talks --- Scott Lucas with the BBC and Monocle 24

I spoke with Monocle 24's The Briefing and BBC Radio 4's The World Tonight yesterday about the rush of developments from Iran --- the humiliation of President Ahmadinejad in Parliament, the arrest of his senior advisor Saeed Mortazavi, and the agreement to resume nuclear talks with the 5+1 Powers.

The BBC Radio 4 coverage begins at the 35:33 mark. My interview starts at 37:33.

The Monocle 24 interview ---- listen on The Briefing homepage or in a pop-out window --- begins at the 13:39 mark.

Take-away lines: "Ahmadinejad has effectively been removed as a political force. He is finished." ---- "This attack on Ahmadinejad was not just carried out by [Speaker of Parliament Ali] Larijani. It has the blessing of the Supreme Leader."

"We are not talking about a deal in the nuclear talks. What is significant is that, as long as the talks are alive, this keeps the military option off the table." --- "Sanctions can bring Iran to the table, but they cannot force an agreement."

"We now have to look to a different Iran, without Ahmadinejad on the scene."

Iran Audio Feature: Scott Lucas with the BBC about Attack on UK Embassy

Last night I spoke with BBC Radio 4's The World Tonight about Tuesday's events in Tehran. The interview was too brief to get out some points --- I think one development behind the pressure on Britain, the "punching bag" for Tehran's fight-back against Western pressure, is the Iranian regime's uncertainty over the recent explosions at a Revolutionary Guards base and in Isfahan on Monday --- but hopefully it offers a few pointers to what happened and what happens next.

The discussion begins at the 40:13 mark.

Explaining Iran (in Less than 5 Minutes): Scott Lucas on the BBC

Can the current political conflict in Iran be set out in less than five minutes? I attempted it this evening on the BBC's The World Tonight. 

The discussion starts at the 33:23 mark.