
About this episode
Mark Leonard discusses the ongoing war in the Middle East with experts on the political climate and implications for the region.
This week, Mark Leonard is joined by Aziz Alghashian , senior non-resident fellow at the Gulf International Forum, Eran Etzion, former Israeli diplomat and deputy head of Israel’s National Security Council at the Pime Minister’s Office and Ellie Geranmayeh , deputy director of ECFR’s Middle East and North Africa programme. Over the past couple of weeks, the US and Israel have continued attacking Iranian military and energy infrastructure, Iran has appointed a new Supreme Leader in Mojtaba Khamenei, oil prices have surged and Iran is targeting tankers in the Strait of Hormuz. But amid all this activity, America’s war aims remain as unclear as ever, exacerbated by dozens of conflicting statements from President Trump and US senior officials. Together, Mark, Aziz, Eran and Ellie assess the state of the conflict in Middle East, focusing on the political climate in Iran, Israel and the Gulf states. Does Trump have a way out? Is there any path to de-escalation? For how long will the war last? And what does this mean for the Middle East—and for Europe? Bookshelf: A Kurdish Rebellion in Iran Could Be a Disaster – Ellie Geranmayeh Tomorrow is Yesterday: Life, Death, and the Pursuit…
People in this episode
Host: Mark Leonard
Guests: Aziz Alghashian, Eran Etzion, Ellie Geranmayeh
Topics covered
- Middle East conflict
- Iran
- Israel
- US foreign policy
- oil prices
- de-escalation
Keywords
- Middle East
- Iran
- Israel
- Trump
- oil prices
- conflict
- de-escalation
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Gulf International Forum, ECFR, Israel’s National Security Council
Places: Strait of Hormuz
More episodes of Mark Leonard's World in 30 Minutes
- How progress ends · June 12, 2026 · 29 min
- The age of hyperpolitics · June 5, 2026 · 32 min
- The rise of populism · May 29, 2026 · 37 min
- Iran nuclear monitor: Month by month · May 22, 2026 · 22 min
- The future of liberalism · May 15, 2026 · 41 min
- Rethinking democracy · May 8, 2026 · 37 min
Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the Mark Leonard's World in 30 Minutes podcast page.