What If the US and Iran Are Both Losing?

What If the US and Iran Are Both Losing?

From What Next | Daily News and Analysis by Slate Podcasts

April 14, 2026 · 28 min

About this episode

The episode discusses the deteriorating negotiations between the US and Iran and the ongoing talks between Israel and Lebanon regarding Hezbollah.

The U.S. and Iran began (and ended) negotiations under a shaky ceasefire, and are now at the stage where America is threatening to also blockade the Strait of Hormuz. Meanwhile, Israel and Lebanon have begun negotiating over Hezbollah, with conspicuously no ceasefire in place.  Guest:  Gregg Carlstrom, Middle East correspondent for The Economist. Want more What Next? Subscribe to Slate Plus to access ad-free listening to the whole What Next family and across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to get access wherever you listen. Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

People in this episode

Hosts: Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, Rob Gunther

Guest: Gregg Carlstrom

Topics covered

  • US-Iran relations
  • Middle East negotiations
  • Hezbollah
  • ceasefire

Keywords

  • blockade
  • Strait of Hormuz
  • Middle East correspondent
  • The Economist

Mentioned in this episode

Products: Slate Plus

Books & works: What Next

Places: US, Iran, U.S., America, the Strait of Hormuz, Israel, Lebanon, Middle East

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