Can the ceasefire hold? Fragile US–Iran truce tested ahead of talks

About this episode

The episode discusses the fragile ceasefire between the US and Iran amidst ongoing conflicts in the Middle East and the implications for global politics.

No apocalypse. Instead, an eleventh-hour ceasefire between Iran and the United States – one that is still being tested – with both sides claiming victory after five and a half weeks of war that may reshape how the world views them. Meanwhile, there is no ceasefire in Beirut, where Israel has carried out its heaviest strikes yet on the capital, hitting multiple densely populated areas. Dozens are feared dead. Will Washington tell Israel to halt its operation against Hezbollah? Then there is the Gulf. Even if the guns fall silent, it could take weeks – months, perhaps longer – to restore oil output to previous levels. And finally, there is the ratcheting up of biblical rhetoric. Faced with a regime where, for now, soldiers – not clerics – appear to hold sway, Donald Trump and his White House have issued the kind of doomsday threats more often associated with radical theocracies or rogue nuclear states. Will the world remember the threat to erase “an entire civilisation”, even if it never comes to pass? Produced by François Picard, Rebecca Gnignati, Juliette Laffont, Ilayda Habip, Charles Wente.

People in this episode

Host: François Picard

Topics covered

• US-Iran relations
• Middle East conflict
• ceasefire
• oil output
• military strikes
• political rhetoric

Keywords

• ceasefire
• Iran
• United States
• Israel
• Hezbollah
• oil output
• military strikes
• Donald Trump
• political rhetoric

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Iran, United States, Israel, Hezbollah, White House

Places: Beirut

More episodes of The Debate

• Trump's World Cup: More matches, higher prices, fewer foreigners · June 12, 2026 · 43 min
• Has France failed its children? Outrage over murder of 11-year-old Lyhanna · June 10, 2026 · 44 min
• Unbreakable Kim? China's Xi visits Russia-backed North Korean leader · June 9, 2026 · 44 min
• Who calls the shots? Trump tries to rein in Netanyahu, salvage Iran deal · June 8, 2026 · 42 min
• Cancer breakthroughs: Does a string of advances signal turning point? · June 4, 2026 · 43 min
• Can Europe own its digital destiny? EU unveils tech sovereignty roadmap · June 3, 2026 · 43 min