‘Peacemaker’ Trump starts a war with Iran

About this episode

The episode discusses the recent military operation against Iran and the implications of Trump's decision to escalate tensions during nuclear negotiations.

The US and Israel launched a joint military operation against Iran on Saturday, killing Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Why did Trump decide (again) to attack Iran during negotiations on a nuclear deal with the Islamic Republic? How does he sell a new war in the Middle East, with potential US casualties, to people at home? What happens next for Iran? In this special collaboration with Today in Focus , Annie Kelly speaks to the Guardian’s diplomatic editor, Patrick Wintour.

People in this episode

Host: Annie Kelly

Guest: Patrick Wintour

Topics covered

• US-Iran relations
• military operations
• political strategy
• Middle East conflict
• nuclear negotiations

Keywords

• Trump
• Iran
• military operation
• Khamenei
• nuclear deal
• Middle East
• US politics

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: The Guardian

Places: Iran, United States, Israel

More episodes of Politics Weekly America

• Is Trump about to ruin the World Cup? · June 11, 2026 · 22 min
• A Brit, a billionaire, and Spencer Pratt: California’s primary upsets · June 5, 2026 · 26 min
• Trump: the boy who cried ‘peace’ in the Middle East · May 29, 2026 · 22 min
• Stateside with Kai and Carter – Why the fight over abortion pills is only just beginning · May 25, 2026 · 43 min
• Trump’s new ‘slush fund’ for his pals · May 22, 2026 · 27 min
• Introducing Stateside with Kai and Carter: Stacey Abrams on why gutting US Voting Rights Act is ‘evil’ · May 18, 2026 · 36 min