logo
episode-header-image
Jun 2025
22m 29s

No good options: how Iran will respond

The Economist
About this episode
tail spinning
Up next
Aug 28
Bots on the ground: China leads humanoid race
Our correspondent goes inside a Chinese robot facility to see thousands of droids being taught to complete useful tasks. Is it worth the time and money? How Meta’s $17bn settlement at its blockbuster trial could change teen social-media use. And 75 years of the Paris bookshop Sha ... Show More
24m 48s
Aug 27
Big shot: does a cancer vaccine work?
Personalised vaccines could offer a breakthrough in the fight against cancer. Our correspondent analyses the latest trial. Canada’s oil market is flourishing, despite the trade war. And, why we will always love Dolly Parton.Guests and host:Natasha Loder, health editorSarah Lawryn ... Show More
22m 5s
Aug 26
Slip the surly bonds? Scott Bessent goes on a yield trip
Amid record-tickling yields, the bond markets are now trying to make sense of what Scott Bessent, America’s Treasury secretary, has announced—a move that might put him on a collision course with the Federal Reserve. We ask why it is so easy for hackers to infiltrate America’s wat ... Show More
22m 36s
Recommended Episodes
Jun 2025
No good options: how Iran will respond
<p>After America’s strikes intended to destroy Iran’s nuclear programme, one question is <a href="https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2025/06/22/trumps-iran-attack-was-ferocious-but-has-it-actually-worked" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">whether they succee ... Show More
22m 29s
Jun 2025
Truce and consequences: a fragile ceasefire in Iran
<p>Iran’s strikes both before and apparently after a ceasefire began seem to threaten peace. If it holds, <a href="https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2025/06/24/trump-says-the-war-is-over-how-14-bombs-may-change-the-middle-east?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.pod ... Show More
24m 44s
Apr 2024
The Intelligence: Iran and Israel’s new era?
<p>A missile has reportedly struck a site in the Islamic Republic. If this is retaliation for Iran’s most recent attacks, then it is a muted response. But is there still a risk of escalation? As <a href="https://www.economist.com/asia/2024/04/16/gandhi-v-modi-crunch-time-for-cong ... Show More
27m 7s
Sep 2025
Under Pressure: Will Snapback Sanctions Bring Iran Back to the Table?
With Iran's nuclear program devastated, the reimposition of UN sanctions looming, and Tehran grappling with the fallout of the 12-Day War, is the time ripe for Iran to return to the negotiating table? MEI Distinguished Diplomatic Fellow Alan Eyre — former senior US diplomat and m ... Show More
32m 1s
Jun 2025
Special Edition: Striking Iran – Risky Move or Strategic Win?
The recent U.S. airstrike on Iranian soil — a rare and targeted move — has sparked debate about its effectiveness and the risks of deeper military entanglement in the Middle East. Today we break down what led to the strike, what damage was done, and how Iran may respond. We also ... Show More
23m 14s
Jun 2025
Was US Iran Mission Successful?
This morning we explore the aftermath of the US strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities. The big question: Did they accomplish the goal of dismantling Iran's nuclear program? President Trump and his allies say yes. They're now warning Iran not to attack US forces. Learn more about y ... Show More
46m 41s
Mar 2025
Is Iran on a collision course with the West?
Iran's Supreme Leader warns of a forceful response if the US or its allies bomb his country. That follows a threat made by US President Donald Trump if there's no deal on Tehran's nuclear programme. So, how dangerous is this stand-off? And can a solution be found?  In this episod ... Show More
24m 21s
Oct 2025
Iran is Down, Not Out
In this episode of MEnbar, Marc Owen Jones speaks with Sanam Vakil, Director of the Middle East and Africa Programme in Chatham House, about the Twelve Day War between Israel and Iran and its impacts on Iran’s nuclear program. Vakil discusses the implications of these attacks on ... Show More
33m 52s
Jun 2024
Iran After Raisi: Nuclear Program
Will Iran change its nuclear strategy after the death of its president Ebrahim Raisi? Negar Mortazavi speaks to Kelsey Davenport of the Arms Control Association and Sina Azodi of George Washington University. 
27m 56s