Iranian-American scholar discusses ayatollah's funeral and country's future

NPR | By Michel Martin

Published July 6, 2026 at 3:16 AM CDT

NPR's Michel Martin speaks to Iranian-American scholar Kian Tajbakhsh about Iran's leadership and Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei's funeral.

Tags

Morning Edition

Michel Martin

Michel Martin is the weekend host of All Things Considered, where she draws on her deep reporting and interviewing experience to dig in to the week's news. Outside the studio, she has also hosted "Michel Martin: Going There," an ambitious live event series in collaboration with Member Stations.

See stories by Michel Martin

NPR News

Fast walkers in their 80s cut their risk of cognitive decline by half, study finds

Allison Aubrey

A new study of people 80 and older with exceptional gaits finds fast walkers have about a 50% lower risk of cognitive decline, showing the connection between physical health and brain health.
Democrats and Republicans pitch different visions of America on July 4th

Mara Liasson, Steve Inskeep

Both parties used the Fourth of July holiday to pitch their vision for the country.
How Trump marked the 250th anniversary of independence

Michel Martin

NPR's Michel Martin speaks to Sarah Isgur, senior editor at The Dispatch, about President Trump's celebration of the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.
Government launches Trump Accounts, offering $1,000 to eligible babies

Hosts

The federal government has launched new tax-deferred investment accounts called Trump Accounts, offering $1,000 of seed money for eligible newborns.
France is sweltering after hottest June in decades

Eleanor Beardsley

France recorded its hottest June since records began in 1947, as a deadly heat wave drove temperatures above 104 degrees Fahrenheit (40 degrees Celsius) across much of the country.