By The FirstShirin Nariman, a human rights advocate and former political prisoner in Iran, joins Mike Baker on The PDB Situation Report to recount her experience inside Iran’s prison system, including the torture she endured at the hands of the regime. She also offers firsthand insight into the growing unrest and deadly protests now spreading across cities throughout Iran.
More Clips, Highlight, PDB Situation Report
More Like This
The Sick Reality of China’s Organ Harvesting Program
Mike Baker is joined by Jan Jekielek, senior editor at The Epoch Times, to discuss his forthcoming book, Killed to Order: China’s Organ Harvesting Industry and the True Nature of America’s Biggest Adversary. The conversation pulls back the curtain on allegations of state-directed organ harvesting in China, how the system operates, who the victims are believed to be, and what this practice reveals about the moral foundations of the Chinese Communist Party. It’s a disturbing look at an industry critics say could only exist under an authoritarian regime.
Thumb: Mike and Jan Jekielek. Stark hospital imagery — surgical light, operating table, gloved hand with a scalpel. Faded Chinese flag texture
Could Iranian Drone Swarms Sink a US Aircraft Carrier? A Navy Admiral Explains
Mike Baker sits down with retired Rear Admiral Mike Studeman to break down the growing threat posed by Iranian drones operating near US naval forces. With a US carrier strike group positioned on Iran’s doorstep, they walk through Tehran’s drone capabilities, the limits of swarm attacks, and the layered defenses protecting ships like the USS Abraham Lincoln. Could Iran realistically overwhelm a US aircraft carrier, or is the threat being overstated?
Thumb: Mike and Admiral Studeman. A swarm of Iranian Shaheed drones. The USS Abraham Lincoln.
The Shocking Fact That Exposes How Weak Putin’s Army Really Is
Mike Baker speaks with Seth Jones of the Center for Strategic and International Studies about a startling historical comparison that puts Russia’s war in Ukraine into sharp perspective. Jones notes that at the same point in time during World War Two, the Soviet Union had already reached Berlin—highlighting just how limited Russia’s battlefield gains have been today, and how much weaker Vladimir Putin’s modern military appears by comparison.
Why Beijing Fears the Fall of Iran’s Regime
Mike Baker speaks with Richard Goldberg of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies about why the Iranian regime is so critical to China’s ambitions in the Middle East. They break down how a collapse in Tehran would disrupt Beijing’s energy security, regional influence, and long-term strategic positioning—and why China has a strong incentive to see the current regime survive.
Can The Venezuela Model Work In Cuba?
Mike Baker is joined by Daniel Di Martino of the Manhattan Institute to examine new reporting that the White House may apply the “Venezuela model” to Cuba. The discussion looks at how pressure campaigns helped destabilize the Nicolás Maduro regime, whether similar tactics could reshape the political order in Havana, and why Cuba’s unique power structure could complicate Washington’s strategy.
Political Upheaval In Beijing Threatens Xi’s Grip On Power
Mike Baker is joined by author Gordon Chang to break down growing political turmoil inside China, as Xi Jinping intensifies his crackdown on internal rivals. From purges within the Communist Party to signs of unrest inside China’s military leadership, the conversation examines whether the current upheaval poses a real threat to Xi’s grip on power—and what it could mean for Beijing’s stability going forward.