About this episode
Eric and Eliot discuss the current state of affairs in Iran, the potential for a negotiated settlement, and the implications of leadership changes in both Iran and the US.
Eric and Eliot review an extended buffet of jackassery before turning to the current state of affairs in Iran. They assess the prospects for a negotiated settlement to the war, and whether we could end up in a "no war, no peace" situation. They also discuss the mutual incomprehension that leaders in both countries exhibit regarding the interests and intentions of the other, Iran's new collective leadership in the wake of Ali Khamenei's death, and the structural similarity to the situation faced by Soviet leaders after the death of Stalin. Finally, they respond to reports that the administration is considering deporting to the Democratic Republic of the Congo roughly eleven hundred Afghans in Qatar who were evacuated in 2021 amidst the US withdrawal. Shield of the Republic is a Bulwark podcast co-sponsored by the Miller Center of Public Affairs at the University of Virginia.
People in this episode
Hosts: Eric, Eliot
Topics covered
- Iran
- US foreign policy
- war negotiations
- leadership changes
- Afghan evacuees
- historical comparisons
Keywords
- Iran
- negotiated settlement
- Ali Khamenei
- Afghans
- US withdrawal
- Soviet leaders
- no war no peace
Sponsors
Miller Center of Public Affairs
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Iran, Democratic Republic of the Congo, University of Virginia
More episodes of Shield of the Republic
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- The Never-ending Iran Negotiations · June 1, 2026 · 38 min
- Trump's Regime Change Plan for Cuba · May 25, 2026 · 1h 8m
- Ending the War Will Require Force · May 18, 2026 · 1h 6m
- Trump is Destroying Our Diplomatic Corps · May 11, 2026 · 59 min
- Pete Hegseth’s Long War Disaster · May 4, 2026 · 51 min
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