Podcast appearances and mentions of Vali Nasr

On 13 June of this year, one month ago, Israeli forces launched aerial and drone attacks on Iran thus beginning what is now called the Twelve Day War or the Iran-Israel War. The coverage here in the West has focussed on whether the bombing has been successful, but is there a strategic goal in place that takes into account Iran's strategy? Perhaps, but my guest today is Vali Nasr who has written a new book, Iran's Grand Strategy: A Political History, which is both timely, and unusual in that it seeks to examine Iran's Islamic regime from its own point of view, and so not through our Western lens. We discuss the events that have moulded the Iran at loggerheads with Israel and the US today. Vali Nasr Links Iran's Grand Strategy: A Political History Vali Nasr - Wikipedia Aspects of History Links Latest Issue out - Annual Subscription to Aspects of History Magazine only $9.99/£9.99 Ollie on X Aspects of History on Instagram Get in touch: history@aspectsofhistory.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Moncrieff is joined by Vali Nasr, author of Iran's Grand Strategy – A Political History, to discuss Iran's long-term geopolitical ambitions, its regional influence, and how recent global shifts, from war to ceasefire, are playing into Tehran's strategy.Listen here

Moncrieff is joined by Vali Nasr, author of Iran's Grand Strategy – A Political History, to discuss Iran's long-term geopolitical ambitions, its regional influence, and how recent global shifts, from war to ceasefire, are playing into Tehran's strategy.Listen here

Direct US involvement in Israel's unprovoked attack on Iran was a dangerous decision, argues Vali Nasr, professor of international affairs and Middle East history at Johns Hopkins University. Hours before a ceasefire between the US, Israel and Iran was announced, Nasr told host Steve Clemons that “the US doesn't have a regime change option in Iran” and should be wary of humiliating Tehran, which would lead to long-term consequences. Nasr argues that the 12-Day War was meant to establish Israel's dominance as the premier Middle East power, backed by Washington, with no room for challengers. Subscribe to our channel: http://bit.ly/AJSubscribe Follow us on X : https://twitter.com/AJEnglish Find us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aljazeera Check our website: http://www.aljazeera.com/ Check out our Instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/aljazeeraenglish/ Download AJE Mobile App: https://aje.io/AJEMobile #aljazeera #aljazeeraenglish #aljazeeranewslive

US stocks almost hit record highs amid possible de-escalation in the Middle East, and Johns Hopkins University professor Vali Nasr analyses Iran's future. Plus, the US Federal Reserve chair signalled no interest cuts this summer, and US states are sending delegates to the EU for advice on green policy. Mentioned in this podcast:Israel-Iran latest: JD Vance declares era of new Trump foreign policy doctrineThe war that will remake Iran's Islamic republicIran at the precipiceJay Powell pushes back on calls for Federal Reserve rate cuts as soon as JulyRachman Review podcastUS states send delegates to EU for advice on green policyToday's FT News Briefing was produced by Sonja Hutson, Kasia Broussalian, Fiona Symon, and Marc Filippino. Additional help from Kelly Garry, and Gavin Kallmann. Our acting co-head of audio is Topher Forhecz. Our intern is Michaela Seah. The show's theme song is by Metaphor Music. Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Iran presents one of the most significant foreign policy challenges for America and the West, yet very little is known about what the country's goals really are. Vali Nasr examines Iran's political history in new ways to explain its actions and ambitions on the world stage, showing how, behind the veneer of theocracy and Islamic ideology, today's Iran is pursuing a grand strategy aimed at securing the country internally and asserting its place in the region and the world.Drawing on memoirs, oral histories, and original in-depth interviews with Iranian decision makers, Nasr brings to light facts and events in Iran's political history that have been overlooked until now. He traces the roots of Iran's strategic outlook to its experiences over the past four decades of war with Iraq in the 1980s and the subsequent American containment of Iran, invasion of Iraq in 2003, and posture toward Iran thereafter. Nasr reveals how these experiences have shaped a geopolitical outlook driven by pervasive fear of America and its plans for the Middle East.Challenging the notion that Iran's foreign policy simply reflects its revolutionary values or theocratic government, Iran's Grand Strategy: A Political History (Princeton UP, 2025) provides invaluable new insights into what Iran wants and why, explaining the country's resistance to the United States, its nuclear ambitions, and its pursuit of influence and proxies across the Middle East. Vali Nasr is the Majid Khadduri Professor of International Affairs and Middle East Studies at the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS). He served as the eighth Dean of Johns Hopkins SAIS between 2012 and 2019  and served as Senior Advisor to U.S. Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan, Ambassador Richard Holbrooke between 2009 and 2011. He has written a number of books on U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East. He has advised senior American policymakers, world leaders, and businesses, including the President, Secretary of State, senior members of the Congress, and presidential campaigns. He has written for New York Times, Foreign Affairs, Financial Times, Wall Street Journal, and The Washington Post, among others. Professor Nasr serves as the co-director of the SAIS Rethinking Iran Initiative at Johns Hopkins University, sits on the board of a number of academic institutions, has won a number of prominent grants, and holds a chair named after Henry Kissinger at the library of Congress. Sidney Michelini is a post-doctoral researcher working on Ecology, Climate, and Violence at the Peace Research Institute of Frankfurt (PRIF). Book recommendations: The World After Gaza by Pankaj Mishra The Great Transformation: China's Road from Revolution to Reform by Odd Arne Westad and Chen Jian Super Agers: An Evidence-Based Approach to Longevity Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

Iran presents one of the most significant foreign policy challenges for America and the West, yet very little is known about what the country's goals really are. Vali Nasr examines Iran's political history in new ways to explain its actions and ambitions on the world stage, showing how, behind the veneer of theocracy and Islamic ideology, today's Iran is pursuing a grand strategy aimed at securing the country internally and asserting its place in the region and the world.Drawing on memoirs, oral histories, and original in-depth interviews with Iranian decision makers, Nasr brings to light facts and events in Iran's political history that have been overlooked until now. He traces the roots of Iran's strategic outlook to its experiences over the past four decades of war with Iraq in the 1980s and the subsequent American containment of Iran, invasion of Iraq in 2003, and posture toward Iran thereafter. Nasr reveals how these experiences have shaped a geopolitical outlook driven by pervasive fear of America and its plans for the Middle East.Challenging the notion that Iran's foreign policy simply reflects its revolutionary values or theocratic government, Iran's Grand Strategy: A Political History (Princeton UP, 2025) provides invaluable new insights into what Iran wants and why, explaining the country's resistance to the United States, its nuclear ambitions, and its pursuit of influence and proxies across the Middle East. Vali Nasr is the Majid Khadduri Professor of International Affairs and Middle East Studies at the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS). He served as the eighth Dean of Johns Hopkins SAIS between 2012 and 2019  and served as Senior Advisor to U.S. Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan, Ambassador Richard Holbrooke between 2009 and 2011. He has written a number of books on U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East. He has advised senior American policymakers, world leaders, and businesses, including the President, Secretary of State, senior members of the Congress, and presidential campaigns. He has written for New York Times, Foreign Affairs, Financial Times, Wall Street Journal, and The Washington Post, among others. Professor Nasr serves as the co-director of the SAIS Rethinking Iran Initiative at Johns Hopkins University, sits on the board of a number of academic institutions, has won a number of prominent grants, and holds a chair named after Henry Kissinger at the library of Congress. Sidney Michelini is a post-doctoral researcher working on Ecology, Climate, and Violence at the Peace Research Institute of Frankfurt (PRIF). Book recommendations: The World After Gaza by Pankaj Mishra The Great Transformation: China's Road from Revolution to Reform by Odd Arne Westad and Chen Jian Super Agers: An Evidence-Based Approach to Longevity Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/history

Iran presents one of the most significant foreign policy challenges for America and the West, yet very little is known about what the country's goals really are. Vali Nasr examines Iran's political history in new ways to explain its actions and ambitions on the world stage, showing how, behind the veneer of theocracy and Islamic ideology, today's Iran is pursuing a grand strategy aimed at securing the country internally and asserting its place in the region and the world.Drawing on memoirs, oral histories, and original in-depth interviews with Iranian decision makers, Nasr brings to light facts and events in Iran's political history that have been overlooked until now. He traces the roots of Iran's strategic outlook to its experiences over the past four decades of war with Iraq in the 1980s and the subsequent American containment of Iran, invasion of Iraq in 2003, and posture toward Iran thereafter. Nasr reveals how these experiences have shaped a geopolitical outlook driven by pervasive fear of America and its plans for the Middle East.Challenging the notion that Iran's foreign policy simply reflects its revolutionary values or theocratic government, Iran's Grand Strategy: A Political History (Princeton UP, 2025) provides invaluable new insights into what Iran wants and why, explaining the country's resistance to the United States, its nuclear ambitions, and its pursuit of influence and proxies across the Middle East. Vali Nasr is the Majid Khadduri Professor of International Affairs and Middle East Studies at the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS). He served as the eighth Dean of Johns Hopkins SAIS between 2012 and 2019  and served as Senior Advisor to U.S. Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan, Ambassador Richard Holbrooke between 2009 and 2011. He has written a number of books on U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East. He has advised senior American policymakers, world leaders, and businesses, including the President, Secretary of State, senior members of the Congress, and presidential campaigns. He has written for New York Times, Foreign Affairs, Financial Times, Wall Street Journal, and The Washington Post, among others. Professor Nasr serves as the co-director of the SAIS Rethinking Iran Initiative at Johns Hopkins University, sits on the board of a number of academic institutions, has won a number of prominent grants, and holds a chair named after Henry Kissinger at the library of Congress. Sidney Michelini is a post-doctoral researcher working on Ecology, Climate, and Violence at the Peace Research Institute of Frankfurt (PRIF). Book recommendations: The World After Gaza by Pankaj Mishra The Great Transformation: China's Road from Revolution to Reform by Odd Arne Westad and Chen Jian Super Agers: An Evidence-Based Approach to Longevity Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/middle-eastern-studies

Iran presents one of the most significant foreign policy challenges for America and the West, yet very little is known about what the country's goals really are. Vali Nasr examines Iran's political history in new ways to explain its actions and ambitions on the world stage, showing how, behind the veneer of theocracy and Islamic ideology, today's Iran is pursuing a grand strategy aimed at securing the country internally and asserting its place in the region and the world.Drawing on memoirs, oral histories, and original in-depth interviews with Iranian decision makers, Nasr brings to light facts and events in Iran's political history that have been overlooked until now. He traces the roots of Iran's strategic outlook to its experiences over the past four decades of war with Iraq in the 1980s and the subsequent American containment of Iran, invasion of Iraq in 2003, and posture toward Iran thereafter. Nasr reveals how these experiences have shaped a geopolitical outlook driven by pervasive fear of America and its plans for the Middle East.Challenging the notion that Iran's foreign policy simply reflects its revolutionary values or theocratic government, Iran's Grand Strategy: A Political History (Princeton UP, 2025) provides invaluable new insights into what Iran wants and why, explaining the country's resistance to the United States, its nuclear ambitions, and its pursuit of influence and proxies across the Middle East. Vali Nasr is the Majid Khadduri Professor of International Affairs and Middle East Studies at the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS). He served as the eighth Dean of Johns Hopkins SAIS between 2012 and 2019  and served as Senior Advisor to U.S. Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan, Ambassador Richard Holbrooke between 2009 and 2011. He has written a number of books on U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East. He has advised senior American policymakers, world leaders, and businesses, including the President, Secretary of State, senior members of the Congress, and presidential campaigns. He has written for New York Times, Foreign Affairs, Financial Times, Wall Street Journal, and The Washington Post, among others. Professor Nasr serves as the co-director of the SAIS Rethinking Iran Initiative at Johns Hopkins University, sits on the board of a number of academic institutions, has won a number of prominent grants, and holds a chair named after Henry Kissinger at the library of Congress. Sidney Michelini is a post-doctoral researcher working on Ecology, Climate, and Violence at the Peace Research Institute of Frankfurt (PRIF). Book recommendations: The World After Gaza by Pankaj Mishra The Great Transformation: China's Road from Revolution to Reform by Odd Arne Westad and Chen Jian Super Agers: An Evidence-Based Approach to Longevity

Israel's conflict with Iran has wiped out dozens of top military leaders and scientists and inflicted major damage on critical facilities, yet the regime has survived.The Iranian people have not risen up; to the contrary, they have rallied around the flag amid a surge in anti-Western sentiment. However, the regime will need to embark on serious reforms to keep the people on its side, says Iranian American academic Vali NasrSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Gideon discusses whether the fragile ceasefire between Israel and Iran can hold with Vali Nasr, Professor of Middle East Studies at Johns Hopkins University. Can anyone claim victory from the war? Where does this leave the battered regime in Tehran and its nuclear ambitions? And what will the US need to do to ensure that intense fighting doesn't break out again? Clips: Channel 4 News; BBC Free links to read more on this topic:Best summer books of 2025: PoliticsHow Donald Trump brokered a shaky Israel-Iran ceasefireGulf expat bubble punctured by missilesWhere is Iran's uranium? Search continues for 400kg stockpileIran's supreme leader faces his defining momentSubscribe to The Rachman Review wherever you get your podcasts - please listen, rate and subscribe.Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Fiona Symon. Sound design is by Simon Panayi and the executive producer is Flo Phillips.Follow Gideon on Bluesky or X @gideonrachman.bsky.social, @gideonrachmanRead a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Vox's Josh Keating and author Vali Nasr explain what bombing Iran won't accomplish. This episode was produced by Peter Balonon-Rosen and Hady Mawajdeh, edited by Miranda Kennedy, fact checked by Laura Bullard and Denise Guerra, engineered by Andrea Kristinsdottir and Patrick Boyd, and hosted by Sean Rameswaram. Further reading: Iran's Grand Strategy: A Political History by Vali Nasr. Listen to Today, Explained ad-free by becoming a Vox Member: vox.com/members. Transcript at vox.com/today-explained-podcast. Iranians protesting US attacks on nuclear sites in Iran. Photo by Getty Images. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today on the program, the US entered the conflict between Israel and Iran by striking three of its key nuclear sites. Fareed speaks with head of the International Atomic Energy Agency Rafael Grossi about the damage caused by the attack.   Then, why did President Trump decide to enter the conflict? Fareed speaks to CFR President Emeritus Richard Haas and retired Admiral James Stavridis.   Finally, how are leaders in Iran and Israel changing their strategies moving forward and will these strikes usher in a new era in the Middle East? Fareed is joined by Johns Hopkins' Vali Nasr and Columbia University's Nadav Eyal.   GUESTS: Rafael Grossi (@rafaelmgrossi), James Stavridis (@stavridisj), Richard Haass (@RichardHaass), Vali Nasr (@vali_nasr), Nadav Eyal (@Nadav_Eyal) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

For America, 1979 was one of the coldest years of the Cold War. The U.S. lost a friend. Gained a foe. And then its nightmare scenario for the Middle East began to come true. This is the history of how and why the U.S. military now has a permanent presence in the Middle East.

First: Christiane's exclusive conversation with the Iranian deputy foreign minister on how it could respond to U.S. involvement and still holding out hope for nuclear negotiations once this war is over.  Then: If regime change is also Israel's goal. Who is waiting in the wings to take over? Christiane speaks with former State Department adviser and Iran expert Vali Nasr. Also: From her archives, Christiane looks back at a moment of hope inside and outside Iran for a peaceful transition to freedom and stability. Dreams well and truly dashed in the intervening years. And: Film director Wes Anderson speaks with Christiane about his new film "The Phoenician Scheme," the inescapable signature style of all his movies, and hiring Kate Winslet's daughter. Finally: As Berlin pays tribute to the legendary artwork of wrapping the Reichstag by Christo and Jean-Claude this week, Christiane revisits her conversation with Christo and what he told her about the project and how his own history as a refugee informed his art and unstoppable drive.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Alone in the Middle East! Imperial Iran… Safavids, Qajars, and even the Pahlavis - alone in the Middle East. And then, the Ayatollahs. Again, Iran alone in the Middle East.

Watch Politics War Room & James Carville Explains on YouTube @PoliticsWarRoomOfficial James and Al castigate Trump's narcissistic military parade and contrast his authoritarian impulses with the protestors standing up for democracy.  Then, they welcome Iran expert, Professor Vali Nasr, to discuss Iranian-US relations, Israel's attacks, and the staying power of the Ayatollah's regime.  In their conversation, they explore the potential responses we might see following attacks on Iran's nuclear infrastructure, how things got to this point, and if there is any potential for a deal under Trump.  They also look at the consequences of a drawn-out war with a large, militarized country, and what it would take to finally have normalized relations. Email your questions to James and Al at politicswarroom@gmail.com or tweet them to @politicon.  Make sure to include your city– we love to hear where you're from! More from James and Al: Get text updates from Politics War Room and Politicon. Watch Politics War Room & James Carville Explains on YouTube @PoliticsWarRoomOfficial Get updates and some great behind-the-scenes content from the documentary CARVILLE: WINNING IS EVERYTHING, STUPID by following James on X @jamescarville and his new TikTok @realjamescarville James Carville & Al Hunt have launched the Politics War Room Substack Check Out Andrew Zucker's New Politicon Podcast: The Golden Age Check Out Kimberly Atkins Stohr's New Politicon Podcast: Justice By Design Get More From This Week's Guest:  Professor Vali Nasr: Foreign Affairs | Twitter | State Department | Johns Hopkins SAIS | Author Please Support Our Sponsors: Royo: Go to eatroyo.com and use our promo code PWR for 20% OFF! Trust & Will: Trust & Will can help you take control of protecting your family's future. Go to trustandwill.com/WARROOM for 20% off.  Quince: Get 365-day returns and free shipping on high-quality, stylish, and affordable clothing you'll wear for years to come when you go to quince.com/warroom Naked Wines: To get 6 bottles of wine for $39.99, head to nakedwines.com/warroom and use code WARROOM for both the code and password. 

As Israel continues to attack Iran, it says Tehran crossed the red line after striking a major hospital in southern Israel. Iran says it was targeting a nearby technology park, but Israel says it was a deliberate attack on civilians. Correspondent Fred Pleitgen is in Tehran and brings a report from outside the state television building that Israel attacked.  Also on today's show: Vali Nasr, Author, "Iran's Grand Strategy: A Political History"; Jeff Flake, Former Republican US Senator / Former US Ambassador to Turkey; Barbara Walter, Professor of International Affairs, U.C. San Diego / Author, "How Civil Wars Start and How to Stop Them"  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In episode 51 of Tahrir Podcast, Professor Vali Nasr joined to discuss his new book, Iran's Grand Strategy: A Political History (Princeton University Press, 2025).Drawing on decades of internal debates, foreign policy shifts, and national security doctrine, the book unpacks how the Islamic Republic has navigated threats and opportunities since 1979 — from the trauma of the Iran-Iraq War to proxy networks, backchannel diplomacy, and a complex posture toward the U.S. and its allies. In this episode, we explore the development of Iran's strategic worldview, the balance between vigilance and pragmatism, and the high-stakes regional escalations that now test the durability of its doctrine.Vali Nasr is the Majid Khadduri Professor of International Affairs and Middle East Studies at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS), where he served as Dean from 2012 to 2019. He is also a Nonresident Senior Fellow at the South Asia Center of the Atlantic Council. From 2009 to 2011, he served as Senior Adviser to the U.S. Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan. He has advised senior American policymakers, world leaders, and businesses, including the President, Secretary of State, senior members of Congress, and presidential campaigns.Episode on YouTube: Streaming everywhere! ⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/TahrirPodcast⁠⁠Reach out! TahrirPodcast@gmail.comSupport us on Patreon for as low as $2 per month ($20 per year)! ⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/TahrirPodcast

Later on this episode we're joined by author of 'Sapiens' and 'Nexus' - Yuval Noah Harari - to talk politics and AI. But we begin with war. The speed of the escalation between Iran, Israel, and the US has been staggering. Trump is flirting with entering a war he doesn't want, with an enemy he may not be able to control. At the heart of this conflict are questions over Iran's ability to make nuclear weapons. Netanyahu believes it's an imminent threat. Trump's own administration didn't believe this back in March. So what's actually changed? And is Iran actually nuclear ready? We discuss with Iranian analyst and former state department advisor Vali Nasr.The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

President Trump is calling for a "real end" to the escalating conflict between Israel and Iran. Vali Nasr, a professor of Middle East studies and international affairs at Johns Hopkins University, joins us to talk about how Trump is navigating the crisis. And, the Trump administration's immigration raids have targeted farm workers. California farmer Lisa Tate shares the impact of those raids on the farm workforce. Then, Tuesday marks 10 years since a white supremacist opened fire at Mother Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, South Carolina, killing nine parishioners. Marcus Amaker, the first poet laureate of Charleston, reflects on the past decade.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Conflict broke out between Israel and Iran on Friday, with Israel launching an attack on Iran's nuclear and military facilities and Iran responding in turn. Vali Nasr, a Middle East expert and professor at Johns Hopkins University, sits down with Ravi Agrawal to discuss. Nasr is the author, most recently, of Iran's Grand Strategy: A Political History.  FP Staff: Israel Strikes Iran Iselin Brady and Daniel Byman: How the Israel-Iran War Might End Steven A. Cook: Israel Is Going for the Death Blow on Iran Jeffrey Lewis: Nuclear Claims Are a Smoke Screen for Hopes of Toppling Iran John Haltiwanger: Iran's Military Just Lost Its ‘Brain Trust' Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today on the show, guest anchor Bianna Golodryga speaks with The New York Times' David Sanger after a weekend of strikes between Iran and Israel. They discuss this escalating conflict and what it means for the future of US-Iran nuclear negotiations.   Next, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar joins the show to tell Bianna what his country is hoping to achieve by attacking Iran's nuclear facilities.   Then, Johns Hopkins professor Vali Nasr and The New Yorker's Susan Glasser speak to Bianna about how the US will respond to the conflict between Iran and Israel, as well as the significance of President Trump's military parade.   Finally, retired Major General James ‘Spider' Marks joins to discuss the military dynamics at play between Iran and Israel and what the two countries' defense capabilities might mean for the future of the conflict.   GUESTS: David Sanger (@SangerNYT), Gideon Sa'ar (@gidonsaar), Susan Glasser (@sbg1), Vali Nasr (@vali_nasr), James "Spider" Marks (@RangerSpider) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

For a perspective on the conflict between Israel and Iran, Geoff Bennett spoke with Wendy Sherman, the lead negotiator for the nuclear agreement with Iran during the Obama administration, and Vali Nasr, author of “Iran's Grand Strategy: A Political History.” PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

For a perspective on the conflict between Israel and Iran, Geoff Bennett spoke with Wendy Sherman, the lead negotiator for the nuclear agreement with Iran during the Obama administration, and Vali Nasr, author of “Iran's Grand Strategy: A Political History.” PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

While the Trump administration was eager to jettison the Obama-era Iran nuclear deal in its first term, it now seems serious about negotiating another agreement in its second. And Iran, though wary of that seriousness and fearful of U.S. military action, appears willing to give negotiations a chance.   What are the prospects for success and the appetite for meaningful engagement with Iran? How would an agreement differ from the 2015 Iran nuclear deal? And if diplomacy fails, is American and Israeli military action against Iranian nuclear sites inevitable?  Join Aaron David Miller as he engages Suzanne Maloney, the vice president and director of the Foreign Policy program at the Brookings Institution, and Vali Nasr, the Majid Khadduri Professor of International Affairs and Middle East Studies at the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies, on these and other issues on the next Carnegie Connects. 

During his visit to the Middle East, President Trump announced the lifting of U.S. sanctions on Syria, arms sales and U.S.-Saudi business agreements. For additional perspective on this, Amna Nawaz spoke with Vali Nasr, an adviser in the State Department during the Obama administration, and Bernard Haykel, professor of Near Eastern studies at Princeton and a senior fellow at the Hudson Institute. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

During his visit to the Middle East, President Trump announced the lifting of U.S. sanctions on Syria, arms sales and U.S.-Saudi business agreements. For additional perspective on this, Amna Nawaz spoke with Vali Nasr, an adviser in the State Department during the Obama administration, and Bernard Haykel, professor of Near Eastern studies at Princeton and a senior fellow at the Hudson Institute. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

Today on the show, Fareed is joined by MAGA intellectual and founder of American Compass Oren Cass and former US Treasury Secretary Larry Summers for a debate on the merits of President Trump's tariff policy.    Then, the Wall Street Journal's Chief China Correspondent Lingling Wei joins to discuss the escalating US-China trade war and how Beijing is responding to Trump's tariffs.    Finally, following the first round of talks this week, Johns Hopkins professor Vali Nasr speaks with Fareed about the Trump administration's efforts to strike a new nuclear deal with Iran.    GUESTS: Oren Cass (@oren_cass), Larry Summers (@LHSummers), Lingling Wei (@Lingling_Wei), Vali Nasr (@vali_nasr)  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In the hours between Friday and Sunday, the White House announced exemptions on some Chinese tech products, only for the Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick to say these are just "temporary" and that the electronics will still face other levies. Greg Mankiw, a former economic adviser to President George W. Bush, and Ernie Tedeschi, who was chief economist under President Biden, join the show together to discuss.  Also on today's show: Vali Nasr, Professor, School of Advanced International Studies, Johns Hopkins University / Former U.S. State Department Advisor; David Culver, Senior US National Correspondent; Kenneth Stern, Director, Bard Center for the Study of Hate  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In a span of days, Israel resumed its bombing campaign against the people of Gaza, the US launched a war with Yemen, and President Donald Trump threatened Iran to negotiate with Washington or else face war. But despite all the aggression, is the US getting its way? Not necessarily, argues Vali Nasr, professor of international affairs and Middle East studies at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies in Washington, DC. He tells host Steve Clemons that “the US and Israel are not looking to establish a regional order that's acceptable to the region itself.” Subscribe to our channel: http://bit.ly/AJSubscribe Follow us on X : https://twitter.com/AJEnglish Find us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aljazeera Check our website: http://www.aljazeera.com/ Check out our Instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/aljazeeraenglish/ Download AJE Mobile App: https://aje.io/AJEMobile #aljazeera #aljazeeraenglish #aljazeeranewslive

Last week, President Donald Trump signed a directive "restoring maximum pressure" on Iran while signaling he's open to reaching a new deal with Tehran. Vali Nasr and Elliot Abram are two former state department officials who have served Democrat and Republican Presidents, and they join Christiane to discuss this issue.  Also on today's show: actor Fernanda Torres and director Walter Salles discuss the Oscar-nominated Brazilian film "I'm Still Here"; physician and contributing writer for The New Yorker Dhruv Khullar talks about the dangers of ultra-processed food in our diets.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week we talk about tax hikes, free trade, and the madman theory of negotiation.We also discuss EVs, Canada, and economic competition.Recommended Book: How Sanctions Work by Narges Bajoghli, Vali Nasr, Djavad Salehi-Isfahani, and Ali VaezTranscriptOn January 20, 2025, the 45th President of the United States, Donald Trump, was inaugurated as the 47th President of the US following a hard-fought election that he ultimately won by only a little bit in terms of the popular vote—49.8% to 48.3%—but he won the electoral vote by a substantial margin: 312 to opponent Kamala Harris' 226.Trump is the oldest person in US history to assume the country's presidency, at 78 years old, and he's only the second US president to win a non-consecutive term, the first being Grover Cleveland back in 1893.This new Trump presidency kicked off even before he officially stepped into office, his people interviewing government officials and low-level staff with what have been called loyalty tests, to assess who's with them and who's against them, including questions about whether they think the previous election, which Trump lost to former president Biden, was rigged against Trump—a conspiracy theory that's popular with Trump and many of his supporters, but for which there's no evidence.There was also a flurry of activity in Israel and the Gaza Strip, last minute negotiations between then-president Biden's representatives gaining additional oomph when Trump's incoming representatives added their heft to the effort, resulting in a long-pursued ceasefire agreement that, as of the day I'm recording this at least, still holds, a few weeks after it went into effect; hostages are still being exchanged, fighting has almost entirely halted between Israeli forces and Hamas fighters in Gaza, and while everyone involved is still holding their breath, worried that the whole thing could fall apart as previous efforts toward a lasting ceasefire have, negotiations about the second phase of the three-phase ceasefire plan started yesterday, and everything seems to be going mostly according to plan, thus far.That said, other aspects of the second Trump presidency have been less smooth and less celebrated—outside of the president's orbit, at least.There have been a flurry of firings and forced retirements amongst long-serving public officials and employees—many seemingly the result of those aforementioned loyalty tests. This has left gaps in many fundamental agencies, and while those conducting this purge of said agencies have claimed this is part of the plan, and that those who have left or been forced to leave are part of the alleged deep state that has it in for Trump, and who worked against him and his plans during his first presidency, and that these agencies, furthermore, have long been overstaffed, and staffed with people who aren't good at their jobs—so these purges will ultimately save the government money, and things will be restructured to work better, for some value of “better,” anyway.There have been outcries about this seeming gutting of the system, especially the regulatory system, from pretty much everyone else, national and international, with some analysts and Trump opponents calling this a coup in all but name; doing away with the systems that allow for accountability of those in charge, basically, and the very structures that allow democracy to happen in the country. And even short of that, we're seeing all sorts of issues related to those empty seats, and could soon see consequences as a result of the loss of generational knowledge in these agencies about how to do things; even fairly basic things.All of which has been accompanied by a wave of revenge firings and demotions, and threats of legal action and even the jailing of Trump opponents. In some cases this has included pulling security details from anyone who's spoken out against Trump or his policies in the past, including those who face persistent threats of violence, usually from Trump supporters.On the opposite side, those who have stuck by Trump, including those who were charged with crimes related to the January 6 incursion at the US Capitol Building, have been pardoned, given promotions, and at times publicly celebrated by the new administration. Some have been given cushy jobs and promotions for the well-connected amongst his supporters; Ken Howery the partner of venture capitalist and owner of government contractor Palantir, Peter Thield, and close ally of serial CEO and enthusiastic Trump supporter Elon Musk, was recently made ambassador to Denmark, for instance.Some of these moves have caused a fair bit of chaos, including a plane colliding with a military helicopter, which may have been the result of understaffing at the FAA, alongside an executive order that froze the funding of federal programs across the country.That executive order has been blocked by judges in some areas, and the Trump administration has since announced that they've rescinded the memo announcing that shutdown, but the initial impact was substantial, including the closure of regional Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid infrastructure, and the halting of government funded research and educational programs.Lots of people had their livelihoods threatened, lots worried they wouldn't be able to afford necessary medical procedures or be able to pay their bills, and many people worried this might cause the country to lose ground against competitors in terms of scientific and technological development, while also leading to some pretty widespread negative health outcomes—the government has also pulled health data, so information about disease spread and even pandemics is now inaccessible, further amplifying that latter concern.And that's just a very abbreviated, incomplete summary of some of the actions Trump's administration has taken in its first two weeks back in office; part of a desire on their part to hit the ground rolling and get rid of elements that might stand in their way as they fundamentally change the US system of government to better match their ambitions and priorities.What I'd like to talk about today, is a specific focus of this new administration—one that was a focus of Trump's previous administration, and to a certain degree Biden's administration too: that of US protectionism, and the use of tariffs against perceived enemies; but also, in Trump's case, at least, against long-time allies, as well.—On February 2 of 2025, Trump posted about tariffs on the twitter-clone he owns, Truth Social. And I'm going to quote the post in full, here, as I think it's illustrative of what he intends to do in this regard in the coming months.“The “Tariff Lobby,” headed by the Globalist, and always wrong, Wall Street Journal, is working hard to justify Countries like Canada, Mexico, China, and too many others to name, continue the decades long RIPOFF OF AMERICA, both with regard to TRADE, CRIME, AND POISONOUS DRUGS that are allowed to so freely flow into AMERICA. THOSE DAYS ARE OVER! The USA has major deficits with Canada, Mexico, and China (and almost all countries!), owes 36 Trillion Dollars, and we're not going to be the “Stupid Country” any longer. MAKE YOUR PRODUCT IN THE USA AND THERE ARE NO TARIFFS! Why should the United States lose TRILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN SUBSIDIZING OTHER COUNTRIES, and why should these other countries pay a small fraction of the cost of what USA citizens pay for Drugs and Pharmaceuticals, as an example? THIS WILL BE THE GOLDEN AGE OF AMERICA! WILL THERE BE SOME PAIN? YES, MAYBE (AND MAYBE NOT!). BUT WE WILL MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN, AND IT WILL ALL BE WORTH THE PRICE THAT MUST BE PAID. WE ARE A COUNTRY THAT IS NOW BEING RUN WITH COMMON SENSE — AND THE RESULTS WILL BE SPECTACULAR!!!”So there are several things happening there, probably the most fundamental of which is the claim that other countries, including the US's allies, like Canada and Mexico, are taking advantage of the US when it comes to trade. This post followed Trump's signature of an executive order that applied a 25% tariff on all Canadian and Mexican imports, and a 10% tariff on all Chinese imports.A tariff is basically a tax on certain goods brought into a country from other countries.So the US might impose a tariff on Chinese cars in order to keep those cars from flooding US markets and competing with US- and European-made models. And that's what the US did under the first Trump, and then the Biden administration—it imposed a 100% border tax on electric vehicles from China, the theory being that these cars are underpriced because of how the Chinese economy works, because of how workers there are treated, and because the Chinese government subsidizes many of their industries, including the EV industry, so their cars are quite good and sold at low prices, but they got that way because they're competing unfairly, according to this argument. Chinese cars sold at their sticker price on the US market, then, might kill off US car companies, which is not something the US government wants.Thus, the price on Chinese EVs is effectively doubled on the US market, and that, on a practical level, kills that competition, giving US carmakers cover until they can up their game and compete with their foreign rivals.The usual theory behind imposing tariffs, then, if you're doing so for ostensible competitive reasons, at least, is that slapping an additional tax on such goods should allow local businesses to better compete against them, because that additional tax raises prices, and that means local offerings have a government-provided advantage. This can help level a perceptually imbalanced playing field, or it can rebalance things in favor of brands in your country.In reality, though, tariffs often, though not always, become a tax on customers, not on the companies they're meant to target.Chinese vehicles have had trouble coming to the US for other reasons beyond price, including a change in safety standards that would be regulatorily required, and a slew of advantages provided to US companies beyond the hobbling tariffs enforced on their foreign competition. But other goods come into the US market from all over the place, and when there's a tariff of say 10 or 25%, that tax is generally just tacked on to the sticker price on the US market, and US consumers thus pay more for something they might have otherwise bought more cheaply, sans tariffs.This creates an effective tax within various industries in the US economy, and it generally has an inflationary effect, as a consequence; things become more expensive, so the money people earn doesn't go as far.So the new Trump administration announced a new 10% tariff on all Chinese goods, and 25% tariffs on goods from Canada and Mexico, though energy products like oil from Canada will only face a 10% tariff.China has already lobbed a bunch of counter-tariffs at the US over the past few administrations, and it suggested it would add more to the tally in response to this new flat tariff, and now Canada and Mexico are rattling the same sabers, saying they won't stand by while their neighbor, with the world's biggest economy, elbows them out, causing possibly substantial damage to their local businesses that export goods to the US.The Canadian government has said it will apply 25% tariffs on $155 billion of American goods, including things like orange juice and appliances, those tariffs phased in over the next three weeks. And the Mexican government has said they'll do similar things, without giving specific details, as of yet.That means US manufacturers, companies that make stuff that ends up being sold in Canada and Mexico, could soon see comparable tariffs on their goods sold in those markets. That, in turn, could lead to significant economic consequences for such companies, but also everyday people living in all the affected countries, because of that inflationary effect—that effective tax on all of these goods.So even without those counter-tariffs, these new tariffs from the Trump administration against Canada, Mexico, and China to are expected to cause some real damage to the US economy, and to normal Americans. The Tax Foundation has estimated that they'll shrink US economic output by .4% and increase taxes by $1.2 trillion between 2025 and 2034, which on a micro-scale represents an average household tax increase of about $830 in 2025, alone; an extra $830 out of pocket per household on average because of these punishments that are ostensibly aimed at other countries, to try to get them to do things Trump wants them to do.Most of that $1.2 trillion tax increase is just from the Mexico and Canada tariffs: $958 billion of it, in fact. And during his first term in office, Trump's tariffs imposed about $80 billion worth of new taxes on American households in a single year, from 2018 to 2019—which isn't the same as just hiking taxes, but it amounts to the same outcome; and when compared to straight-up tax hikes, this represents one of the largest tax increases in several decades.Biden kept most of Trump's tariffs from his first administration in place when he stepped into office, and Biden added some of his own, too: especially on strategically vital tech components like computer chips, and next-step product categories like electric vehicles. And the net-impact of these tariffs on the US economy is generally considered to be mostly negative, in terms of practical tax hikes and its inflationary impact, but also in terms of reduced economic activity and employment.Trade wars can sound pretty tough and often serve as nationalistic red meat when reported upon, but most economists consider them to be the legislative equivalent of shooting oneself in the foot; completely open, free trade comes with downsides, as well, including the potential for a nation like China to dump products at low prices in foreign markets, putting local manufacturers out of business, then raising their prices once they've soaked up all the oxygen.But trade conflicts often result in a lot of downsides for everyday, tax-paying citizens, have long-term negative effects on businesses, and can also stoke inflation, causing secondary and tertiary negative effects that are hard to tamp down, later.Knowing this, many analysts have speculated that Trump might be using these tariffs as a sort of shot across the bow, wanting to renegotiate all sorts of agreements with enemies and allies, alike, and using the madman theory of negotiation, trying to convince those on the other side of the eventual negotiation that he's not in his right mind and is willing to burn it all down, wounding himself and his country in order to take out those who he feels have wronged him, if he doesn't get what he wants.There's a chance this could work for him, and his many threats and implied threats have already led to a whole lot of cowtowing and cancelled lawsuits against him and his people, even from folks and entities that have previously been staunchly against Trump and everything he stands for.There's also a good chance that these other governments will see whatever it is he's demanding from them as a small price to pay to get back to something approaching normal relations with the US, and normal dealings with the US's economy.His demands so far, though, have mostly revolved around seeming specters; he's alleging insufficient efforts aimed at drug imports into the US, and that both Mexico and Canada are enabling all manners of money laundering and transnational crimes; allegations that both countries deny, but which probably aren't the point to begin with. These accusations are generally being seen as a means of forcing these tariffs through without the usual process, which would take a while and present the opportunity for government systems to derail or weaken them, which happened to some of the tariffs Trump wanted to hurl at other governments during his first administration.So those seeming rationales might be primarily justifications to force these tariffs through, and it could be that the tariffs are meant to be negotiating leverage first and foremost, going away as soon as he gets what he wants—whatever that actually is.That said, it's also been speculated that a manman-theory-style false threat that's seen to be a false threat—hardcore, arguably nonsensical tariffs against allies, for instance—may not serve their purpose, because everyone knows they're false. That may mean those on the other end of them, if they hold their ground and are willing to suffer a little, could make it out the other side without giving too much away, the US suffering more, and thus, the president eventually giving up, coming up with justification for shifting to a new strategy but mostly just trying to lower inflation levels he raised, and bring life back to a stock market that he collapsed.Either way, it looks like there's a pretty good chance a lot of established norms and folkways will be trampled over the next few years, possibly with good reason, if you support the ends of this administration, at least, though by some indications maybe because of a fundamental misunderstanding of how economics works at this scale, or maybe for different reasons entirely: part of that larger plan to disrupt and demolish aspects of the US system of governance, making way for replacements that are more to the current administration's liking.Note: after recording this episode, but before it went live, the Chinese tariffs went into effect, but the tariffs against Mexico and Canada (and those countries' counter-tariffs) were paused. More information: https://www.nytimes.com/live/2025/02/04/us/trump-tariffs-news#here-are-the-latest-developmentsShow Noteshttps://www.npr.org/2024/05/06/1248065838/cheap-chinese-evs-us-buy-byd-electric-vehicleshttps://ustr.gov/usmcahttps://www.axios.com/2025/02/01/trump-cfpb-rohit-chopra-firedhttps://www.axios.com/2025/02/02/trump-netanyahu-gaza-ceasefire-hostage-dealhttps://taxfoundation.org/research/all/federal/trump-tariffs-trade-war/https://taxfoundation.org/blog/trump-tariffs-impact-economy/https://www.axios.com/2025/01/03/biden-blocks-us-steel-nippon-japanhttps://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/113934450227067577https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2025/01/02/biden-blocks-nippon-us-steel-deal/https://www.axios.com/2025/01/03/nippon-steel-us-steel-sue-bidenhttps://restofworld.org/2024/china-tech-tariffs-which-countries-will-impose/https://www.nytimes.com/live/2025/02/02/us/trump-tariffshttps://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/02/business/trump-tariffs-china.htmlhttps://apnews.com/article/trump-tariffs-trade-china-mexico-canada-inflation-753a09d56cd318f2eb1d2efe3c43b7d4https://www.reuters.com/business/trump-stretches-trade-law-boundaries-with-canada-mexico-china-tariffs-2025-02-02/https://www.theverge.com/news/600334/trump-us-tariffs-imported-semiconductors-chipshttps://www.uschamber.com/international/u-s-chamber-tariffs-are-not-the-answerhttps://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c627nx42xelohttps://www.axios.com/2025/02/01/trump-canada-mexico-tariffshttps://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-02-02/mexico-pledges-retaliatory-tariffs-against-us-while-calling-for-cooperation?embedded-checkout=truehttps://www.cbsnews.com/news/what-are-tariffs-trump-canada-mexico-what-to-know/https://www.wsj.com/opinion/donald-trump-tariffs-25-percent-mexico-canada-trade-economy-84476fb2https://english.elpais.com/international/2025-02-02/from-cartels-to-terrorists-trump-imposes-a-new-paradigm-on-mexico-in-the-war-on-drugs.htmlhttps://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2025/feb/02/canada-mexico-china-donald-trump-trade-tariffs-us-politics-livehttps://budgetlab.yale.edu/research/economic-and-fiscal-effects-trump-administrations-proposed-tarrifshttps://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/31/us/trump-freeze-blocked.htmlhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2024_United_States_presidential_electionhttps://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hamas-war-news-ceasefire-hostages-02-01-2025-bb560151db1437d0b35ac1d568457a46https://www.axios.com/2025/02/01/trump-moves-missed-plane-crash-deihttps://apnews.com/article/trump-tariffs-dei-federal-workers-plane-crash-733303f2c808834f4cc4b30dfaf308a7https://apnews.com/article/trump-federal-grants-pause-freeze-e5f512ae6f1212f621d5fa9bbec95e08 This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit letsknowthings.substack.com/subscribe

Iran is badly weakened by Israel's pummeling of its Shiite allies in the Levant. Yet, unlike during Trump's first presidential term, Gulf powerhouse Saudi Arabia has been mending relations with the Islamic Republic. Vali Nasr, a leading expert on Iran, says there is room for cautious optimism for nuclear talks to resume.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

I det nya Syrien har gamla vänner blivit fiender och tvärtom. Lyssna på alla avsnitt i Sveriges Radio Play. På ett lyxhotell i Damaskus flockas diplomater från hela världen. Turkisk säkerhetstjänst med pistoler i byxlinningen trängs med investerare som hoppas vara med och bygga upp det nya Syrien. Vilka vill ha en del av kakan och vad ska dom göra med den?Frilansjournalisten Lina Malers intervjuar utländska intressenter, och Damaskusbor om Syriens nya relation till omvärlden.Ett land som länge stöttat grupperingen HTS som nu styr i Syrien är Turkiet. Det finns flera skäl till det turkiska intresset för Syrien - kurdfrågan är ett, ett annat är det stora antalet syriska flyktingar i landet. Vad ska hända med dem nu? Konflikts Esfar Ahmad besöker Istanbulkvarteret ”Lilla Syrien” och hör om drömmar om hemlandet, men också irritation från turkiska invånare som tycker att det är dags för gästerna att åka hem.Medverkande: Aron Lund, analytiker vid Totalförsvarets Forskningsinstitut, Burak Sekir Seker, tidigare turkisk marinofficer som idag är forskare med fokus på geopolitik vid Hacı Bayram Veli University i Ankara i Turkiet, Chuck Freilich, israelisk säkerhetsexpert i Tel Aviv, Vali Nasr, professor i Mellanösternstudier vid Johns Hopkins University i Washington DC med fokus på Iran, Qutaiba Idlbi, Syrienansvarig på tankesmedjan Atlantic Council i USA.Programledare: Kajsa Boglindkajsa.boglind@sr.seProducent: Ulrika Bergqvistulrika.bergqvist@sr.seTekniker: Fabian Begnert, Jacob Gustafsson och Johanna Carell.

The imposition of economic sanctions has become Washington's preferred method of expressing disapproval over the conduct of other states. But how effective are sanctions in changing behavior or achieving desired outcomes? This week on Departures with Robert Amsterdam, we are pleased to feature the brilliant former diplomat Vali Nasr, the Majid Khadduri Professor of Middle East Studies and International Affairs at Johns Hopkins University's School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) in Washington, DC. Professor Nasr is a co-author, along with Narges Vajoghli, Djavad Salehi-Isfahani, and Ali Velez, of the book How Sanctions Work: Iran and the Impact of Economic Warfare. In this insightful conversation, Nasr explores why Iran serves as a pivotal case study for understanding the role of sanctions in foreign policy, their limitations, and why they often fail to deliver the intended results. He also shares his expert perspectives on several critical geopolitical developments, including Israel's Gaza offensive, the fall of the Assad regime, and the internal dynamics within the Islamic Republic.

Today, the global order is facing challenges from shifting power and ongoing conflicts around the world. In this moment of rapid change, our latest town hall sought to examine the competing values and principles that underpin our societies—and uncover fundamental truths about which philosophical building blocks are most essential to building a better, more equitable and peaceful world. Expert guests Victor Gao, Hina Khar and Vali Nasr, together with an onstage audience of students and recent graduates, joined us to explore this urgent question: which principles should shape our future? This Doha Debates town hall was moderated by journalist Femi Oke and produced in partnership with Doha Forum. It was filmed in Doha, Qatar on December 6, 2024.

This event, organised by the LSE Middle East Centre and the Department of International Relations, LSE was a discussion around the book 'How Sanctions Work: Iran and the Impact of Economic Warfare' by Narges Bajoghli, Vali Nasr, Djavad Salehi-Isfahani and Ali Vaez published by Stanford University Press. Sanctions have enormous consequences. Especially when imposed by a country with the economic influence of the United States, sanctions induce clear shockwaves in both the economy and political culture of the targeted state, and in the everyday lives of citizens. But do economic sanctions induce the behavioural changes intended? Do sanctions work in the way they should? Meet the speakers Narges Bajoghli is Assistant Professor of Middle East Studies at the Johns Hopkins-SAIS, is an award-winning anthropologist, scholar, and filmmaker. Vali Nasr is the Majid Khadduri Professor of International Affairs and Middle East Studies at Johns Hopkins-SAIS, and a Non-Resident Senior Fellow at the Atlantic Council's South Asia Center. Sanam Vakil is the director of the Middle East and North Africa Programme at Chatham House. She was previously the Programme's deputy director and senior research fellow, and led project work on Iran and Gulf Arab dynamics. Steffen Hertog is Associate Professor in Comparative Politics at the London School of Economics. He was previously Kuwait Professor at Sciences Po in Paris, lecturer in Middle East political economy at Durham University and a post-doc at Princeton University.

►Where do pollsters get their participants? ►Do election polling methods and target audiences change as we get closer to Election Day? ►Do Americans vote for candidates who match their values and positions? Or do we vote for candidates with the best campaigns? ►Are there tried-and-true election polling methods? ►Do polls influence election outcomes? ►How frequently have polls completely botched their predictions? ►What is my guest's prediction for this election? *****

Today on the show, Fareed is joined by the New Yorker's Robin Wright and Johns Hopkins professor Vali Nasr to break down the latest escalations in the Middle East following the killings of three Hamas and Hezbollah leaders. Will tensions between Israel and Iran lead to a full-scale regional war? Can the US do anything to de-escalate the situation?    Then, last week saw the largest prisoner swap between Russia and the West since the Cold War. Bill Browder, formerly the largest foreign investor in Russia, speaks with Fareed about the negotiations that freed US journalist Evan Gershkovich and 23 other prisoners.    Finally, co-founder of the Venezuelan opposition party Voluntad Popular Leopoldo López joins Fareed to discuss the fallout from his country's presidential elections, and why the US and counties around the world are calling the results into question.    GUESTS: Robin Wright (@wrightr), Vali Nasr (@vali_nasr), Bill Browder (@Billbrowder), Leopoldo López (@leopoldolopez)    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

For months, Iran and Israel have seemed to be on the brink of outright war. Although tensions are lower than in April—when the countries exchanged direct attacks—they remain dangerously high. Vali Nasr has tracked these dynamics since long before October 7. He is the Majid Khadduri professor of international affairs and Middle East studies at the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies and a nonresident senior fellow at the Atlantic Council's South Asia Center. He served as the eighth dean of Johns Hopkins SAIS between 2012 and 2019. During the Obama administration, he served as senior adviser to the legendary diplomat Richard Holbrooke. He warns that as long as war rages in Gaza, the Middle East will remain on the verge of exploding. Yet it is not enough for Washington to focus just on ending that war. It must also put in place a regional order that can free the Middle East from these cycles of violence. You can find transcripts and more episodes of The Foreign Affairs Interview at https://www.foreignaffairs.com/podcasts/foreign-affairs-interview.

Survivors, not statistics: We start with the persistent and pernicious violence against women, and the lack of action and accountability to protect them. This week two more women accused rapper Sean "Diddy" Combs of sexual assault. This comes after CNN obtained sickening video of Combs attacking his girlfriend Cassie Ventura in 2016. Christiane speaks with a transatlantic panel of women: attorney Gloria Allred, along with Lejla Dauti and April Hernandez Castillo, who are both survivors and advocates.  Then, how journalists “operate in a disinformation ecosystem” is a “defining issue,” as the world heads into a wave of critical elections, says Columbia Journalism School Dean Jelani Cobb.  Meantime, Former US State Department Senior Advisor and historian Vali Nasr discusses the succession crisis in Iran after the sudden death of its president. “Moving towards the middle gives more room for the US to engage Iran,” he says.  From the Amanpour Archive this week: When ex-Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic became the first sitting head of state to be tried by an international criminal tribunal.   And, in our Letter from London, the best-selling Israeli author and historian Yuval Noah Harari asks whether the Middle East can ever escape the "Israeli-Palestinian trap."    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Recent weeks have seen a series of strikes between Israel and Iran. Israel's attack on an Iranian embassy building in Damascus, killing seven, followed by Iranian barrage of missile and drone strikes on Israel, killing no one, and then followed by Israeli strikes on Iran in Isfahan all of this occurring, of course, with the continuing unfolding genocide against Palestinians in Gaza and intensifying violence in the West Bank. As these strikes between Israel and Iran ignited fears of a regional conflagration, we are joined on the show by prominent Iran scholar and anthropologist Narges Bajoghli, whose most recent co-authored book is an in-depth study of the impact and perverse effects of sanctions on Iran, as well as by eminent scholar of international law John Quigley.We discuss recent events from the perspective of international law and dissect dangerously pervasive myths, assumptions and racist tropes informing policy with respect to Iran.Narges Bajoghli is Assistant Professor at the Johns Hopkins University, School of Advanced International Studies. She is an award-winning anthropologist, writer, and professor. Trained as a political anthropologist, media anthropologist, and documentary filmmaker, Narges' research is at the intersections of media, power, and resistance. She is the author of several books, including the award-winning book Iran Reframed: Anxieties of Power in the Islamic Republic (Stanford University Press 2019; winner 2020 Margaret Mead Award; 2020 Choice Award for Outstanding Academic Title; 2021 Silver Medal in Independent Publisher Book Awards for Current Events);  ​How Sanctions Work: Iran and the Impact of Economic Warfare (with Vali Nasr, Djavad Salehi-Esfahani, and Ali Vaez, Stanford University Press 2024); and a graphic novella, Sanctioned Lives (2024). Before joining the Ohio State faculty in 1969, Professor John B. Quigley was a research scholar at Moscow State University, and a research associate in comparative law at Harvard Law School. Professor Quigley teaches International Law and Comparative Law. In 1982-83 he was a visiting professor at the University of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.Professor Quigley is active in international human rights work. His numerous publications include books and articles on human rights, the United Nations, war and peace, east European law, African law, and the Arab-Israeli conflict. In 1995 he was recipient of The Ohio State University Distinguished Scholar Award. He formerly held the title of President's Club Professor of Law.

For decades, Israel and Iran have fought one another in the shadows and through proxies. That all changed this past weekend with Iran's direct attack on Israel. Israeli leaders said they will retaliate but world leaders are urging restraint. Nick Schifrin has two views on the options for Israel and Iran and risks with Eric Edelman and Vali Nasr. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

Today on the show, CNN's chief international correspondent Clarissa Ward joins from Tel Aviv to break down the calculations taking place within Netanyahu's government about how and if to respond.  Then, Fareed speaks with The New York Times' David Sanger and Vali Nasr, former senior adviser at the US Department of State, about the potential for further escalation following Iran's attack. They also talk about what this most recent development means for the Biden administration's influence on Israel's policy in Gaza.  Then, US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen tells Fareed about her recent trip to China, where she emphasized that while the US is not seeking to decouple from Beijing, they are also pressuring China to roll back what she calls “unfair” trade policy.  Finally, US Ambassador to Japan Rahm Emanuel joins to discuss Prime Minister Kishida's state visit to Washington, and Japan's increasingly crucial position in the region.  GUESTS: Clarissa Ward (@clarissaward), David Sanger (@SangerNYT), Vali Nasr (@vali_nasr), Janet Yellen (@SecYellen), Rahm Emanuel (@RahmEmanuel) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week on the show Fareed speaks to Vali Nasr, professor of Middle East Studies and International Affairs at Johns Hopkins University and Mina Al-Oraibi, editor-in-chief of The National, to discuss whether the U.S retaliatory attacks on pro-Iranian militia targets in Iraq and Syria are the start of America's entry into a broader war. Then, as Republicans continue to hold up aid to Ukraine, Fareed asks David Frum, staff writer at The Atlantic, why he considers this the GOP's great betrayal. Next, Financial Times chief economics commentator Martin Wolf tells Fareed why he believes China's economic miracle has ended and what the future holds. Finally, Fareed sits down with Shannon O'Neil, senior fellow for Latin America studies at the Council on Foreign Relations, to discuss Javier Milei's ascension to Argentina's presidency and his wild ideas to repair his country's economy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ali Velshi is joined by Sen. Tim Kaine, former U.S. Ambassador Ryan Crocker, former U.S. State Dept. senior adviser Vali Nasr, Senior Fellow at American University of Beirut Rami Khouri, Director of Research at The Soufan Group Colin Clarke, Huff Post's Akbar Ahmed, NBC's Dan De Luce, NBC's Antonia Hylton, NBC's Trymaine Lee, NBC's Keir Simmons, President & CEO of “Visit Philadelphia” Angela Val

A drone strike by an Iran-backed militant group, which resulted in the deaths of three U.S. service members, threatens to push the Middle East into a wider regional conflict. Iran has distanced itself from the attack, while President Biden has said that the U.S. will respond. Middle East experts Vali Nasr and Sanam Vakil join Ravi Agrawal to discuss what Tehran might be thinking at this moment. Nasr is a professor at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies and Vakil is the director of Chatham House's Middle East and North Africa program. Suggested reading: Jack Detsch: 3 Options for How Biden Could Respond to Iran Adam Weinstein and Steven Simon: U.S. Troops Are Dangerously Vulnerable in the Middle East Ravi Agrawal: Ian Bremmer: Attack on U.S. Troops a ‘Red Line' for Biden Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices