Today

From bad to awful: Trump’s four options in Iran

As the war in Iran progresses, none of the options available to Donald Trump looks good. We examine each of them. Thailand’s Buddhist monks are implicated in lots of lawless and dodgy behaviour—but clearing out the bad apples is more complicated than it seems. And gene-editing co ... Show More

22m 59s

Mar 20

Who will deal the final blow? Israel, Lebanon and Hizbullah

As attention has focused on war in Iran, Israel sees an opportunity to crush a weakened Hizbullah in Lebanon. Our correspondent says it would be far better for the Lebanese state to do so. As south-east Asia is modernising, Islam is counterintuitively gaining greater primacy in c ... Show More

25m 2s

Mar 19

An act of self-harm: Trump’s latest war might be his undoing

A rash entry into a war of choice exposes President Donald Trump in a number of ways—and he may prove more dangerous as he becomes weaker. Turkey’s foreign entanglements mask the democratic backsliding at home; that is bad news for an opposition figure whose trial just began. And ... Show More

24m 43s

Jun 2025

No good options: how Iran will respond

After America’s strikes intended to destroy Iran’s nuclear programme, one question is whether they succeeded. Another is how Iran will respond; all of its options are bad ones. In the West people have been shedding religion for decades, but that secularist shift now seems to be s ... Show More

22m 29s

Jun 2025

Confused unity: the mood in Iran

A sudden war made Iran’s leaders look unprepared. And many Iranians loathe the regime. But there are no signs yet that internal dissent will shape the conflict. Shortly after Nayib Bukele became El Salvador’s president, he was labelled as the world’s first millennial dictator; no ... Show More

23m 28s

Jun 2025

Truce and consequences: a fragile ceasefire in Iran

Iran’s strikes both before and apparently after a ceasefire began seem to threaten peace. If it holds, what will that mean for Iran’s ambitions, and for the wider region? A meeting of NATO-country leaders seems precision-engineered to appease the alliance’s most fickle member. An ... Show More

24m 44s

Jun 2025

Iran’s options, uranium stockpiles and Trump on regime change

Iran considers its options after U.S. strikes on three Iranian nuclear sites over the weekend. President Donald Trump raises the possibility of regime change in Tehran. Plus, the fate of Iran’s stockpile of near weapons-grade uranium is unclear. Recommended read: Tesla rolls out ... Show More

13m 6s

Jun 2025

The future of Iran

For decades, Iran was able to project power across the Middle East using its network of proxies. That meant any strikes against it could threaten to trigger a formidable response. But Israel's recent attacks have exposed just how vulnerable Tehran is. In this special episode of R ... Show More

22m 39s

Aug 2025

The United States vs. Iran

Fareed Zakaria hosts a detailed special tracing the historical conflict between the United States and Iran, starting with a dramatization of a B-2 bomber strike on Iran's nuclear facilities. The narrative revisits the pivotal 1979 Iranian hostage crisis, emphasizing its roots in ... Show More

48m 6s

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

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

Apr 2025

The Rachman Review: Iran’s nuclear talks could reshape the Middle East

<p>Swamp Notes is taking this weekend off so instead we wanted to share the latest episode from our fellow FT podcast, The Rachman Review.</p><br><p>Nuclear talks between the US and Iran began last weekend in Oman, and are set to continue in the coming weeks. President Trump has ... Show More

23m 54s