The Iran Brief: US Blockade as a Leverage

The Iran Brief: US Blockade as a Leverage

May 6, 2026 · 23 min · Season 1 · Episode 1851

About this episode

The episode discusses the impact of the US naval blockade on Iran and its implications for US-Iran negotiations.

Six weeks of US-Israel strikes on Iran destroyed infrastructure, eliminated leadership, and degraded Iran's missile arsenal. Yet when peace talks in Islamabad collapsed in April, the US still lacked the leverage to bring Iran to the table on its terms. Enter the naval blockade of Iranian ports. In this episode, host Kavya Rai speaks with Abhishek Kadiyala, Research Analyst at the Takshashila Institution's Geostrategy Programme, about why the Strait of Hormuz has become Trump's most powerful card against Iran, how the blockade is reshaping the economics of the conflict, and whether maximum pressure can actually deliver a deal. Are you passionate about shaping India's future? Keen to find solutions for India's most pressing challenges? Look no further than Takshashila's Post Graduate Programme in Public Policy. This 48-weekend programme will equip you with the knowledge, skills, and network needed to pivot to a meaningful career in public policy. Apply at school.takshashila.org.in/pgp by June 1st . The programme begins by June 20th . Hope to see you there! All Things Policy is a daily podcast on public policy brought to you by the Takshashila Institution…

People in this episode

Host: Kavya Rai

Guest: Abhishek Kadiyala

Topics covered

Keywords

Sponsors

Takshashila Institution

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Takshashila Institution

Places: Iran, US, Israel, Strait of Hormuz, Islamabad

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