Investigating Jared And Ivanka’s ‘Bond Villain Lair’ In Albania (S01E85)

Offside in Seattle, And In The Strait Of Hormuz (S01E97)

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit borzou.substack.com [https://borzou.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_7] Monday, June 29, 2026, Istanbul Iran was booted from the World Cup, failing to advance to the knockout round after a controversial referee call and a heartbreaking game for Iranian football fans. Meanwhile in Strait of Hormuz, Iran and the US traded strikes after Iran attacked ships that were using a path Tehran considers forbidden. Ambiguity and misunderstandings led to confusion in both cases. In the free section of today’s edition of badlands, I explain in interviews why the latest round of strikes between the US and Iran won’t spell the end of the ceasefire or the collapse of the negotiations based on the memorandum of understanding between the two countries. Then, football journalist and friend of badlands Nima Tavallaey Roodsari [https://substack.com/profile/21851019-nima-tavallaey-roodsari] offers his unwavering take on the referees’ call, and then in the section for paying subscribers, his picks for the final four in the World Cup. In today’s jam-packed podcast, I also discuss: * The economic dimensions of the conflict for the world, Iran, and the US. * The internal political dynamics in each of the countries and how do they clash * Trump’s comments on the 2020 killing of Qassem Suleimani * How does the Gulf countries see any peace deal * Why Iran cannot be excluded from Gulf security matters * Whether the World Cup can impact diplomacy Today’s edition was in part a collaboration between badlands and India’s NewsX World and Algeria’s Al24 News. please consider supporting badlands by becoming a paid subscriber or sharing it with someone who might like it.

Spoiler Alert: Many Ways Iran Deal Could Be Derailed (S01E96)

Friday, June 26, 2026, Istanbul On Thursday, Iran attacked a ship in the Strait of Hormuz, violating a provision of the memorandum of understanding it signed with Iran. Meanwhile, Israel continued its attacks on Lebanon, killing more civilians, also in violation of the memorandum which requires the US to leash Benjamin Netanyahu. So many things could go wrong in the ongoing talks with Iran, and so many players have an interest in making sure it’s derailed. In today’s edition of the badlands podcast, I speak with the Crisis Group’s Ali Vaez about the spoilers, the many actors that could undermine the the agreement between the US and Iran and prompt a return to war. They include hardliners in or close to government in Tehran, Washington, and Israel, as well as the monarchist activists Ali Vaez is one of the sharpest and most well-informed observers of the Iran crisis, serving as an interlocutor as well as an analyst. Please excuse the poor audio quality of the podcast today, which is sometimes tough to hear because of technical difficulties. The video version is captioned. badlands is a reader-supported podcast. To receive new episodes and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit borzou.substack.com/subscribe [https://borzou.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_2]

The Gulf Considers Giving Iran A Bear Hug (S01E95)

Thursday, June 25, 2026, Istanbul Even as Marco Rubio attempts to keep America’s Gulf clients in line, some of them are already finding their own way. In today’s podcast I discuss the ongoing diplomatic intrigues involving the US, Gulf countries, and an emerging power bloc consisting of regional powers determined to avoid being dragged into another war. This bloc—I argue—seems at the very least ambivalent about the US role in the region and is hostile to Israel’s expansionist agenda. I also discuss the Gulf and its role in the conflict in an interview with France 24. Please watch or listen, share and subscribe. mo’ paid subscribers means mo’ resources, mo’ interviews, and mo’ content. please consider becoming a paid subscriber This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit borzou.substack.com/subscribe [https://borzou.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_2]

Atomic Cafe: Why Trump Is So Fixated On Iran’s Nuclear Program (S01E94)

Wednesday, June 24, 2026, Istanbul Donald Trump keeps making claims about Iran’s agreement to compromise on its nuclear program that Iran keeps swatting down. To make matters worse, even war hawks and neocons in Washington keep noting that he has actually achieved little in negotiations. Making matters even worse is the possibility that Iran has abandoned any pretense of adhering to its nuclear obligations and already launched its own Manhattan Project to fast-track a nuclear weapon. In today’s podcast, I break down the nuclear issue and assess both the politics and the science behind the headlines. I also speak to India’s NewsX World about the nuclear issue. badlands is a listener-supported podcast. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit borzou.substack.com/subscribe [https://borzou.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_2]

Deconstructing The Scheme To Sabotage Iran Diplomacy (S01)

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit borzou.substack.com [https://borzou.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_7] (Photo: AI-generated image posted online to intimidate Trita Parsi).) Tuesday, June 23, 2026, Istanbul Trita Parsi has been among the most measured and well-informed experts on Iran and the Middle East in the public eye. Yet for years, he’s been targeted by nefarious and well-funded forces seeking to paint him as an asset of the Islamic Republic, where he would be arrested on national security charges. In today’s powerful and jam-packed edition of the badlands podcast, Trita, author of the excellent book Treacherous Alliance [https://www.amazon.com/Treacherous-Alliance-Secret-Dealings-Israel/dp/0300143117], joins me for an extraordinary and revealing interview. He discusses the attempt by Israeli operative Bari Weiss to spark a deportation drive against him, his confrontations with members of the Iranian-American community, and his continued access to the halls of power despite attempts to silence him. Also on today’s episode, I discuss the latest, including: * Positive signs coming from Washington and Tehran * Lindsay Graham’s attempts to gin up another round of war * The continued clashes in Lebanon, and how they could undermine the whole deal I also answer questions about the state of Donald Trump’s mental health, the ongoing discussions between the US and Iran, the impact of the oil sanctions waivers, and the growing tension in the US over support for Israel in an interview with India’s NewsX World host Asuma Kataoka. badlands is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.