Secrets and Spies Podcast: Espionage | Global Issues | Current Affairs

S10 Ep37: Espresso Martini | Boots in Iran, Putin's War Plans, and China in Orbit

Chris and Matt are back for Espresso Martini. Nearly a month into Operation Epic Fury, Washington appears to be laying the groundwork for potential ground operations inside Iran—but the two options on the table, seizing Kharg Island or securing Tehran's enriched uranium stockpile, are both far harder to execute than advertised. They dig into what a nuclear material extraction would actually require, and what growing strain on U.S. interceptor stockpiles and carrier availability signals about the campaign's trajectory. Then, a deep dive into the Guardian's reconstruction of how CIA and MI6 accurately predicted Russia's 2022 invasion—and why no one listened—and what that intelligence failure says about the long-term costs of credibility. Finally, the Space Force's pivot toward offensive counter-space as China's satellite constellation surpasses 1,900 orbital assets. Subscribe and share to stay ahead in the world of intelligence, global issues, and current affairs. Please share this episode using these links Audio: https://pod.fo/e/3c5a04 [https://pod.fo/e/3c5a04] YouTube: https://youtu.be/F4czmDQU8TU [https://youtu.be/F4czmDQU8TU] Support Secrets and Spies Become a “Friend of the Podcast” on Patreon for £3/$4: https://www.patreon.com/SecretsAndSpies [https://www.patreon.com/SecretsAndSpies] Buy merchandise from our Redbubble shop: https://www.redbubble.com/shop/ap/60934996 [https://www.redbubble.com/shop/ap/60934996] Buy us a coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/secretsandspies [https://buymeacoffee.com/secretsandspies] Subscribe to our YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDVB23lrHr3KFeXq4VU36dg [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDVB23lrHr3KFeXq4VU36dg] For more information about the podcast, check out our website: https://secretsandspiespodcast.com [https://secretsandspiespodcast.com] Articles discussed in today’s episode "Trump’s Next Decision: Whether to Retrieve Iran’s Nuclear Fuel, Whatever the Risk" by David E. Sanger | The New York Times: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/20/opinion/iran-nuclear-materials-war.html [https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/20/opinion/iran-nuclear-materials-war.html] "I Spent Two Decades Securing Nuclear Materials. Getting at Iran’s Would Not Be Easy." by Andrew Weber | The New York Times: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/17/us/politics/trump-iran-nuclear-fuel.html [https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/17/us/politics/trump-iran-nuclear-fuel.html] "Special Ops To Get The Uranium" by Cheryl Rofer | Lawyers, Guns & Money: https://www.lawyersgunsmoneyblog.com/2026/03/special-ops-to-get-the-uranium [https://www.lawyersgunsmoneyblog.com/2026/03/special-ops-to-get-the-uranium] "What Boots On The Ground In Iran Could Entail, According To Former CENTCOM Commander" by Howard Altman | The War Zone: https://www.twz.com/news-features/former-centcom-commander-on-what-u-s-boots-on-the-ground-in-iran-could-entail [https://www.twz.com/news-features/former-centcom-commander-on-what-u-s-boots-on-the-ground-in-iran-could-entail] "A war foretold: How the CIA and MI6 got hold of Putin’s Ukraine plans and why nobody believed them" by Shaun Walker | The Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/world/ng-interactive/2026/feb/20/a-war-foretold-cia-mi6-putin-ukraine-plans-russia [https://www.theguardian.com/world/ng-interactive/2026/feb/20/a-war-foretold-cia-mi6-putin-ukraine-plans-russia] "China’s Growing Armada Of Spy Satellites Is Pushing Space Force To Go On The Offensive" by Joseph Trevithick & Howard Altman | The War Zone: https://www.twz.com/space/chinas-growing-armada-of-spy-satellites-is-pushing-space-force-to-go-on-the-offensive [https://www.twz.com/space/chinas-growing-armada-of-spy-satellites-is-pushing-space-force-to-go-on-the-offensive] Connect with us on social media Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/secretsandspies.bsky.social [https://bsky.app/profile/secretsandspies.bsky.social] Instagram: https://instagram.com/secretsandspies [https://instagram.com/secretsandspies] Facebook: https://facebook.com/secretsandspies [https://facebook.com/secretsandspies] Spoutible: https://spoutible.com/SecretsAndSpies [https://spoutible.com/SecretsAndSpies] Follow Chris and Matt on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/chriscarrfilm.bsky.social [https://bsky.app/profile/chriscarrfilm.bsky.social] https://bsky.app/profile/mattfulton.net [https://bsky.app/profile/mattfulton.net] Secrets and Spies is produced by Films & Podcasts LTD: https://filmsandpodcasts.co.uk/ [https://filmsandpodcasts.co.uk/] Music by Andrew R. Bird US Army Photo by Sgt. 1st Class Daniel Wallace Secrets and Spies sits at the intersection of intelligence, covert action, real-world espionage, and broader geopolitics in a way that is digestible but serious. Hosted by filmmaker Chris Carr and writer Matt Fulton, each episode examines the very topics that real intelligence officers and analysts consider on a daily basis through the lens of global events and geopolitics, featuring expert insights from former spies, authors, and journalists.

No Show This Saturday. Please check out our interview with Trevor Barnes

Hi everyone, I hope you are well. There will be no show this weekend as we need to take a breather. Our next show will be Saturday 28th March  If you haven’t caught up with our latest episode, please check out our interview with Trevor Barnes about the Bulgarian Spy Ring trial via the links below:  Audio: https://pod.fo/e/3afd42 [https://pod.fo/e/3afd42] YouTube: https://youtu.be/VWODfRZZA2o [https://youtu.be/VWODfRZZA2o] If you enjoy a show please Buy Us A Coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/secretsandspies [https://buymeacoffee.com/secretsandspies] See you next week.  Support Secrets and Spies Become a “Friend of the Podcast” on Patreon for £3/$4: https://www.patreon.com/SecretsAndSpies [https://www.patreon.com/SecretsAndSpies] Buy merchandise from our shop: https://www.redbubble.com/shop/ap/60934996 [https://www.redbubble.com/shop/ap/60934996] Buy us a coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/secretsandspies [https://buymeacoffee.com/secretsandspies] Subscribe to our YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDVB23lrHr3KFeXq4VU36dg [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDVB23lrHr3KFeXq4VU36dg] For more information about the podcast, check out our website: https://secretsandspiespodcast.com [https://secretsandspiespodcast.com/] Connect with us on social media Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/secretsandspies.bsky.social [https://bsky.app/profile/secretsandspies.bsky.social] Instagram: https://instagram.com/secretsandspies [https://instagram.com/secretsandspies] Facebook: https://facebook.com/secretsandspies [https://facebook.com/secretsandspies] Spoutible: https://spoutible.com/SecretsAndSpies [https://spoutible.com/SecretsAndSpies] Follow Chris and Matt on Bluesky:  https://bsky.app/profile/chriscarrfilm.bsky.social [https://bsky.app/profile/chriscarrfilm.bsky.social] https://bsky.app/profile/mattfulton.net [https://bsky.app/profile/mattfulton.net] Secrets and Spies is produced by Films & Podcasts LTD: https://filmsandpodcasts.co.uk/ [https://filmsandpodcasts.co.uk/] Music by Andrew R. Bird Photo by Getty, Metropolitan Police/AP Special Thank you to Mark Vaile Secrets and Spies sits at the intersection of intelligence, covert action, real-world espionage, and broader geopolitics in a way that is digestible but serious. Hosted by filmmaker Chris Carr and writer Matt Fulton, each episode examines the very topics that real intelligence officers and analysts consider on a daily basis through the lens of global events and geopolitics, featuring expert insights from former spies, authors, and journalists.

S10 Ep36: Inside the Bulgarian Spy Ring Trial with Trevor Barnes

Chris speaks with intelligence historian and journalist Trevor Barnes about the Bulgarian spy ring trial at the Old Bailey, one of the most significant espionage cases in the UK since the Cold War. Barnes attended the proceedings and walks Chris through how a network of Bulgarian nationals, allegedly directed remotely by fugitive Wirecard executive Jan Marsalek from Moscow, was tasked with surveilling journalists and dissidents across Europe — including Bellingcat investigator Christo Grozev — in operations that prosecutors suggested could have enabled kidnapping or assassination. The case cracked open after a US intelligence tip-off, was jointly handled by MI5 and the Met's Counter Terrorism Command, and ultimately turned on roughly 200,000 encrypted Telegram messages. Barnes unpacks what the trial revealed about Russia's growing reliance on proxy networks and criminal cut-outs in place of traditional deep-cover officers, and what it signals for Western counter-intelligence in an era of mounting state-sponsored threats. Subscribe and share to stay ahead in the world of intelligence, global issues, and current affairs. Read Trevor’s article about the trial: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/trevorwbarnes_britain-russia-bulgarian-activity-7440003523754459136-Pscm [https://www.linkedin.com/posts/trevorwbarnes_britain-russia-bulgarian-activity-7440003523754459136-Pscm] Connect with Trevor on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/trevorwbarnes/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/trevorwbarnes/] PLEASE SHARE THIS EPISODE USING THESE LINKS Audio: https://pod.fo/e/3afd42 [https://pod.fo/e/3afd42] YouTube: https://youtu.be/VWODfRZZA2o [https://youtu.be/VWODfRZZA2o] SUPPORT SECRETS AND SPIES Become a “Friend of the Podcast” on Patreon for £3/$4: https://www.patreon.com/SecretsAndSpies [https://www.patreon.com/SecretsAndSpies] Buy merchandise from our shop: https://www.redbubble.com/shop/ap/60934996 [https://www.redbubble.com/shop/ap/60934996] Buy us a coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/secretsandspies [https://buymeacoffee.com/secretsandspies] Subscribe to our YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDVB23lrHr3KFeXq4VU36dg [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDVB23lrHr3KFeXq4VU36dg] For more information about the podcast, check out our website: https://secretsandspiespodcast.com [https://secretsandspiespodcast.com] CONNECT WITH US ON SOCIAL MEDIA Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/secretsandspies.bsky.social [https://bsky.app/profile/secretsandspies.bsky.social] Instagram: https://instagram.com/secretsandspies [https://instagram.com/secretsandspies] Facebook: https://facebook.com/secretsandspies [https://facebook.com/secretsandspies] Spoutible: https://spoutible.com/SecretsAndSpies [https://spoutible.com/SecretsAndSpies] Follow Chris and Matt on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/chriscarrfilm.bsky.social [https://bsky.app/profile/chriscarrfilm.bsky.social] https://bsky.app/profile/mattfulton.net [https://bsky.app/profile/mattfulton.net] Secrets and Spies is produced by Films & Podcasts LTD: https://filmsandpodcasts.co.uk/ [https://filmsandpodcasts.co.uk/] Music by Andrew R. Bird Photo by Getty, Metropolitan Police/AP Special Thank you to Mark Vaile Secrets and Spies sits at the intersection of intelligence, covert action, real-world espionage, and broader geopolitics in a way that is digestible but serious. Hosted by filmmaker Chris Carr and writer Matt Fulton, each episode examines the very topics that real intelligence officers and analysts consider on a daily basis through the lens of global events and geopolitics, featuring expert insights from former spies, authors, and journalists.

S10 Ep35: How China Steals America’s Secrets with David Shedd & Andrew Badger

David Shedd served as acting director of the Defense Intelligence Agency; Andrew Badger is a former DIA case officer now teaching state-sponsored espionage at Oxford. Together they've written The Great Heist: China's Epic Campaign to Steal America's Secrets. Matt talks with them about how the Ministry of State Security evolved from a backwater service into what they argue is the world's most powerful intelligence agency; how Beijing replaced Cold War recruitment tradecraft with guanxi-based social obligation and what the authors call "crowd-sourced espionage"; how Made in China 2025 functioned as a national collection priority list driving theft across defense, tech, and critical infrastructure; and why Volt and Salt Typhoon represent not an espionage story but pre-positioning for war—with kill switches already embedded in America's power grid and telecommunications backbone. Subscribe and share to stay ahead in the world of intelligence, global issues, and current affairs. Order The Great Heist: https://www.harpercollins.com/products/the-great-heist-david-r-sheddandrew-badger [https://www.harpercollins.com/products/the-great-heist-david-r-sheddandrew-badger] Connect with David and Andrew on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-shedd-00a32bb5 [https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-shedd-00a32bb5] https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewbadger1 [https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewbadger1] PLEASE SHARE THIS EPISODE USING THESE LINKS Audio: https://pod.fo/e/3a9846 [https://pod.fo/e/3a9846] YouTube: https://youtu.be/3jCFWGhI7_w [https://youtu.be/3jCFWGhI7_w] SUPPORT SECRETS AND SPIES Become a “Friend of the Podcast” on Patreon for £3/$4: https://www.patreon.com/SecretsAndSpies [https://www.patreon.com/SecretsAndSpies] Buy merchandise from our shop: https://www.redbubble.com/shop/ap/60934996 [https://www.redbubble.com/shop/ap/60934996] Buy us a coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/secretsandspies [https://buymeacoffee.com/secretsandspies] Subscribe to our YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDVB23lrHr3KFeXq4VU36dg [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDVB23lrHr3KFeXq4VU36dg] For more information about the podcast, check out our website: https://secretsandspiespodcast.com [https://secretsandspiespodcast.com] CONNECT WITH US ON SOCIAL MEDIA Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/secretsandspies.bsky.social [https://bsky.app/profile/secretsandspies.bsky.social] Instagram: https://instagram.com/secretsandspies [https://instagram.com/secretsandspies] Facebook: https://facebook.com/secretsandspies [https://facebook.com/secretsandspies] Spoutible: https://spoutible.com/SecretsAndSpies [https://spoutible.com/SecretsAndSpies] Follow Chris and Matt on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/chriscarrfilm.bsky.social [https://bsky.app/profile/chriscarrfilm.bsky.social] https://bsky.app/profile/mattfulton.net [https://bsky.app/profile/mattfulton.net] Secrets and Spies is produced by Films & Podcasts LTD: https://filmsandpodcasts.co.uk/ [https://filmsandpodcasts.co.uk/] Music by Andrew R. Bird Photo by Shutterstock Secrets and Spies sits at the intersection of intelligence, covert action, real-world espionage, and broader geopolitics in a way that is digestible but serious. Hosted by filmmaker Chris Carr and writer Matt Fulton, each episode examines the very topics that real intelligence officers and analysts consider on a daily basis through the lens of global events and geopolitics, featuring expert insights from former spies, authors, and journalists.

S10 Ep34: Iran After Khamenei with Phillip Smyth

Israel has killed Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The IRGC's senior leadership is decimated. The CIA is reportedly arming Kurdish opposition forces along the Iran-Iraq border. Phillip Smyth — one of the foremost experts on Iran's Shia proxy networks — joins Matt to make sense of what comes next: why Khamenei's succession is far more fraught than most analysis acknowledges; why the proliferation of "new" armed groups on the battlefield is largely a disinformation campaign run by established militias; the limits of a Kurdish covert action strategy; why a regime that survives under Khamenei’s son would look essentially identical to the one the Israelis just tried to destroy; and Smyth's warning about the apocalyptic messianic splinter groups that could emerge from the rubble of a collapsing theocracy. Subscribe and share to stay ahead in the world of intelligence, global issues, and current affairs. Follow Phillip on X/Twitter: https://x.com/PhillipSmyth [https://x.com/PhillipSmyth] Connect with Phillip on LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/phillipsmyth [http://linkedin.com/in/phillipsmyth] Phllip’s work for The Washington Institute: https://www.washingtoninstitute.org/experts/phillip-smyth [https://www.washingtoninstitute.org/experts/phillip-smyth] Phillip’s work for the Combating Terrorism Center at West Point: https://ctc.westpoint.edu/authors/phillip-smyth/ [https://ctc.westpoint.edu/authors/phillip-smyth/] Phllip’s work for The Washington Institute: https://www.washingtoninstitute.org/experts/phillip-smyth [https://www.washingtoninstitute.org/experts/phillip-smyth] Phillip’s work for the Combating Terrorism Center at West Point: https://ctc.westpoint.edu/authors/phillip-smyth/ [https://ctc.westpoint.edu/authors/phillip-smyth/] “Inside the Operation That Killed Khamenei” by Anat Peled, Milàn Czerny, Dov Lieber & Anika Arora Seth | The Wall Street Journal: https://www.wsj.com/world/middle-east/inside-the-operation-that-killed-khamenei-03eebbad [https://www.wsj.com/world/middle-east/inside-the-operation-that-killed-khamenei-03eebbad] "How the Assault on Iran Unfolded" by David M. Halbfinger and Ronen Bergman | The New York Times: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/01/world/middleeast/iran-israel-strikes.html [https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/01/world/middleeast/iran-israel-strikes.html] "Trump Weighs Backing Militias to Dislodge Iran’s Regime" by Alexander War & Vera Bergenruen | The Wall Street Journal: https://www.wsj.com/world/middle-east/iran-leadership-succession-b5c4118e [https://www.wsj.com/world/middle-east/iran-leadership-succession-b5c4118e] "Pro-American Kurdish Forces Are Preparing Possible Iran Incursion" by Erika Solomon, Julian E. Barnes, Christiaan Triebert, Parin Behrooz & Farnaz Fassihi | The New York Times: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/04/us/politics/kurds-trump-iran-war.html [https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/04/us/politics/kurds-trump-iran-war.html] PLEASE SHARE THIS EPISODE USING THESE LINKS Audio: link: https://pod.fo/e/39ff0f [https://pod.fo/e/39ff0f] YouTube: https://youtu.be/j8crrYkaY4E [https://youtu.be/j8crrYkaY4E] SUPPORT SECRETS AND SPIES Become a “Friend of the Podcast” on Patreon for £3/$4: https://www.patreon.com/SecretsAndSpies [https://www.patreon.com/SecretsAndSpies] Buy merchandise from our shop: https://www.redbubble.com/shop/ap/60934996 [https://www.redbubble.com/shop/ap/60934996] Buy us a coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/secretsandspies [https://buymeacoffee.com/secretsandspies] Subscribe to our YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDVB23lrHr3KFeXq4VU36dg [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDVB23lrHr3KFeXq4VU36dg] For more information about the podcast, check out our website: https://secretsandspiespodcast.com [https://secretsandspiespodcast.com] CONNECT WITH US ON SOCIAL MEDIA Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/secretsandspies.bsky.social [https://bsky.app/profile/secretsandspies.bsky.social] Instagram: https://instagram.com/secretsandspies [https://instagram.com/secretsandspies] Facebook: https://facebook.com/secretsandspies [https://facebook.com/secretsandspies] Spoutible: https://spoutible.com/SecretsAndSpies [https://spoutible.com/SecretsAndSpies] Follow Chris and Matt on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/chriscarrfilm.bsky.social [https://bsky.app/profile/chriscarrfilm.bsky.social] https://bsky.app/profile/mattfulton.net [https://bsky.app/profile/mattfulton.net] Secrets and Spies is produced by Films & Podcasts LTD: https://filmsandpodcasts.co.uk/ [https://filmsandpodcasts.co.uk/] Music by Andrew R. Bird Photo by Atta Kenare/AFP Secrets and Spies sits at the intersection of intelligence, covert action, real-world espionage, and broader geopolitics in a way that is digestible but serious. Hosted by filmmaker Chris Carr and writer Matt Fulton, each episode examines the very topics that real intelligence officers and analysts consider on a daily basis through the lens of global events and geopolitics, featuring expert insights from former spies, authors, and journalists.