The Unprecedented Journey of Catherine Shakdam

Her narrative is particularly compelling because of the sheer level of access she managed to secure. Shakdam has spoken at length about her meetings with figures like Ebrahim Raisi and her interactions with the highest levels of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps. She describes a world of intense surveillance, ideological rigidity, and a profound distrust of outside influences. By documenting these encounters, she provided a rare window into the psychological and political landscape of the Tehran leadership, challenging the preconceived notions held by many Western observers who had only seen the regime through a distant lens.