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In a recent segment for Al Jazeera’s The Listening Post, Alireza Doostdar, Associate Professor of Islamic Studies and the Anthropology of Religion, contextualizes escalating tensions around the war on Iran within a broader geopolitical frame.

Doostdar argues that the conflict reflects not strength but fragility in U.S. global power, describing the war as “a symptom of American imperial decline” rooted in an increasing reliance on force. He suggests that Iran’s capacity to endure prolonged sanctions and military pressure signals a shifting global order—one that could “have the long-term effect of really damaging the American ability to project its power globally.”

Additionally, on April 9, at a Jadaliyya panel titled “Media Wars: The War on Iran, Lebanon, and Palestine,” Doostdar examined how the conflict is represented across global media ecosystems. He highlighted a “vast chasm” between mainstream and social media, arguing that Western outlets often function as “stenographers of empire,” while digital and open-source platforms increasingly challenge dominant narratives.

Watch the full episode of The Listening Post on Al Jazeera, and view the full panel on Jadaliyya’s YouTube channel.