Iran’s Tenacious Regime and the Future of the Gulf
About this episode
The episode discusses the impact of recent military actions against Iran and the future of its regime and the Gulf region.
For about two weeks, U.S. and Israeli forces have bombarded Iran. They have targeted Iranian military and nuclear sites. They have slain Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and other top Iranian officials. They have even sunk an Iranian vessel deep in the Indian Ocean. Iran has responded by hurling missiles and drones at targets in the Gulf, Israel, and elsewhere in what has become a surprisingly broad and sustained retaliation. U.S. President Donald Trump has promised Iranians some kind of regime change, but that will not be so simple. Iran has declared Khamenei’s son Mojtaba to be his successor, a move that seems to double down on the old order. In this two-part episode, Senior Editor Daniel Block spoke with leading experts on the course of the war, the future of the Iranian regime, and the upheaval and uncertainty in the wider region. First, Afshon Ostovar, an associate professor of national security affairs at the Naval Postgraduate School, explored how the Islamic Republic has been reshaped by the attacks—and what it would take to truly dismantle the regime. Then, Sanam Vakil, the director of the Middle East and North Africa program at Chatham House, discussed the widening remit of…
People in this episode
Host: Daniel Block
Guests: Afshon Ostovar, Sanam Vakil
Topics covered
- Iran
- Gulf region
- military conflict
- regime change
- Middle East
- national security
Keywords
- Iran
- military
- regime change
- Gulf
- Khamenei
- Middle East
- conflict
- national security
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Naval Postgraduate School, Chatham House
Places: Iran, Gulf, Israel, United States
More episodes of The Foreign Affairs Interview
- Is America Losing the High Ground?
- How the Iran War Is Shaping a Post-American World
- Will the Cease-Fire With Iran Hold?
- America in a World of Upheaval
- Are Europe and the United States Finally Heading For Divorce?
- How Strong Are Iran’s Strongmen?
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