Forced from Home is proud to present our first-ever episode. In just a month and half, the US/Israeli war with Iran has been felt across the Middle East, and millions of people have been forcibly displaced within their country and across borders. From Iran to Lebanon, civilians are experiencing grave harm from constant bombardment on critical civilian infrastructure, including power plants, schools, health care facilities, and historical sites. Vali Nasr is a professor of international affairs and Middle East studies at Johns Hopkins University's School of Advanced International Studies and a New York Times bestselling author on Iran. Nasr is the author, most recently, of "Iran's Grand Strategy: A Political History by Vali Nasr." We sat down to discuss the human toll of the conflict and how Iranians are experiencing the war; the risk that state collapse in Iran could spark mass regional displacement; and how the erosion of international humanitarian law is ultimately a threat to regional stability. [2:19] The outlook for the war [7:12] Iranians are experiencing a deliberate "war against the people" [12:44] "Gaza rules" and the implications for US strategic aims [17:51] Is "state collapse" plausible? [22:58] Displacement dynamics - where might Iranians seek refuge? [25:09] Iran's regional proxies and their links to humanitarian crises [31:02] Setting the record straight: the risks of destroying social fabrics [36:30] Roundup: Displacement in the news this week Mentioned in This Episode: <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2026/04/09/world/middleeast/us-israel-strikes-iran-structures-damage.html"> Iran's Schools and Hospitals in Ruins, Times Analysis Shows</a> - NYT <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/why-this-war-could-be-a-turning-point-for-the/id1526683358?i=1000759991913"> Why This War Could Be a "Turning Point" for the Global Order</a> - Gita Wirjawan <a href="https://www.refugeesinternational.org/reports-briefs/humanitarian-scorecard-six-months-in-gaza-ceasefire-is-failing/"> Humanitarian Scorecard: Six Months In, Gaza Ceasefire is Failing</a> - Refugees International <a href="https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/congo-says-it-will-receive-third-country-deportees-from-the-u-s-under-new-deal"> Congo says it will receive third-country deportees from the U.S. under new deal</a> - PBS <a href="https://www.thirdcountrydeportationwatch.org/">https://www.thirdcountrydeportationwatch.org/</a> <a href="https://www.refugeesinternational.org/actions/speak-out-on-sudan/"> Take Action: Speak Out on Sudan</a> - Refugees International If you enjoyed this episode, please leave us a review and consider a donation to support our work at https://give.refugeesinternational.org/a/forcedfromhome For more show episodes, visit https://refugeesinternational.org/forced-from-home-podcast Thoughts or s

The Human Cost of the War in Iran with Vali Nasr

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