Who Is Really Running Iran Now? (w/ Karim Sadjadpour)

Eight months into the US-Iran war, the Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) have taken control of Iran, the Strait of Hormuz remains a flashpoint, and Trump faces a decision — before and after the midterms: escalate or negotiate?

Carnegie Endowment senior fellow Karim Sadjadpour — a leading Western expert on Iranian politics — joins Kate McCann and former MI6 Chief Sir Richard Dearlove to explain the war from inside Tehran: why the clerics have been replaced by military hardliners, what Mojtaba Khamenei's personal losses mean for any peace deal, how Netanyahu pushed Trump into the conflict, and the one domestic decision that could be Iran's Gorbachev moment. They also discuss the legacy of Ayatollah Khamenei, Iran's nuclear program, and whether US sanctions can force a deal.

In this episode:

(00:00) Iran's Gangster Regime and Revenge

(00:52) US-Iran War Eight Months In

(02:49) Trump's Military Decision on Iran

(04:43) Who Really Runs Iran Now

(07:13) Trump's Legacy and Regime Change

(14:55) Four Key Contention Points With Iran

(16:20) Hardliners vs Pragmatists in Iran

(19:04) How Netanyahu Pushed Trump to War

(22:38) Axis of Resistance and the Houthis

(27:53) Strait of Hormuz Crisis Explained

(32:36) Finding a Solution to Iran Conflict

(40:27) Gulf States React to Iran Conflict

(46:40) The One Decision: Mandatory Hijab

Hosted by Sir Richard Dearlove (former MI6 Chief) and guest co-host  Kate McCann (Political Editor at Times Radio).

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