The "Tavern Style" Edition

The "Tavern Style" Edition

From Rational Security by The Lawfare Institute

April 30, 2026 · 1h 24m

About this episode

The episode discusses major national security news, including the ongoing Iran conflict and King Charles's state visit to the U.S.

This week, Scott sat down with his Lawfare colleagues Executive Editor Natalie Orpett and Contributing Editors Ariane Tabatabai and Joel Braunold, to talk through the week’s big national security news stories, including: “The Art of the Heel.” As it approaches the 60-day mark, the war of Iran appears to have entered the “war of attrition” stage. The Strait of Hormuz remains closed by both Iran and the United States, as each side waits to see if the other will capitulate first. President Trump recently called off peace talks in Islamabad, in part because of purported internal disarray on the part of Iran—a perhaps unsurprising consequence of a two-month campaign of regime change. Meanwhile, the White House appears to have successfully pushed for and and then extended a ceasefire in the related theater of Lebanon, but it is already under strain from ongoing Israeli strikes and Hezbollah’s ensuing refusal to disarm. What should we make of this new equilibrium? And does it suggest that there is any way out of the current morass in the near future? “Royally Falked.” King Charles is in the United States this week for the first state visit by a British monarch since Queen Elizabeth in…

People in this episode

Host: Scott

Guests: Natalie Orpett, Ariane Tabatabai, Joel Braunold

Topics covered

  • national security
  • Iran conflict
  • U.S.-UK relations
  • Middle East tensions
  • King Charles state visit
  • Trump administration

Keywords

  • Iran war
  • Strait of Hormuz
  • U.S. recognition
  • King Charles visit
  • Trump administration
  • NATO allies
  • ceasefire
  • regime change

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Lawfare Institute, Pentagon, NATO

Places: Iran, United States, Islamabad, Lebanon, Israel

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