Follow the leader: Iran picks the son

<p>After Iran appoints a <a href="https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2026/03/08/irans-defiant-regime-picks-a-new-supreme-leader?utm_campaign=a.io&amp;utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&amp;utm_source=theintelligence&amp;utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&amp;utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">new supreme leader</a>, what does the choice tell us about the resilience of the regime and how the war will progress? <a href="https://www.economist.com/science-and-technology/2026/02/04/in-america-science-sceptics-are-now-in-charge?utm_campaign=a.io&amp;utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&amp;utm_source=theintelligence&amp;utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&amp;utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Scientific research</a> in America has taken a battering in Donald Trump’s second term. And why British choirs face a shortage of <a href="https://www.economist.com/leaders/2026/02/12/how-to-solve-the-tenor-shortage?utm_campaign=a.io&amp;utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&amp;utm_source=theintelligence&amp;utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&amp;utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">tenor</a> voices.</p><br /><p>Guests and host:</p><ul><li>Gregg Carlstrom, Middle East correspondent</li><li>Daniella Raz, US correspondent</li><li>Joel Budd, Britain social affairs editor</li><li>Rosie Blau, host of “The Intelligence”</li></ul><p><br /></p><p>Topics covered:&nbsp;</p><ul><li>Iran, Mojtaba Khamenei, oil prices</li><li>Scientific research, National Science Foundation, renewable energy</li><li>Tenors, choirs, Oxford University</li></ul><p><br /></p><p><em>Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—</em><a href="https://subscribenow.economist.com/podcasts-plus" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>Subscribe to Economist Podcasts+</em></a></p><br /><p><em>For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our </em><a href="https://myaccount.economist.com/s/article/What-is-Economist-Podcasts" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>FAQs page</em></a><em> or watch </em><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gczo71bg1uY" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>our video</em></a><em> explaining how to link your account. </em></p><hr /><p style="color: grey; font-size: 0.75em;"> Hosted on Acast. See <a href="https://acast.com/privacy" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color: grey;" target="_blank">acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>