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The speaker states that the United States is conducting an operation with a clear goal: to eliminate the threat posed by Iran’s short-range ballistic missiles and by Iran’s navy to naval assets. The speaker says the operation is focused on this objective and is progressing “quite successfully,” with the details of tactics and progress to be discussed by the Pentagon and the Department of War. Two reasons are given for acting now. First, the speaker asserts that if Iran came under attack by the United States, Israel, or another party, Iran would respond against the United States. According to the speaker, orders had been delegated down to field commanders, and within an hour of the initial attack on Iran’s leadership compound, the Iranian missile forces in the south and in the north were activated to launch. The speaker notes that those forces were “prepositioned.” Second, the speaker explains that the assessment was that if the United States stood and waited for Iran’s attack to come first, American casualties would be much higher. Therefore, the president made the decision to act preemptively. The speaker emphasizes that they knew there would be an Israeli action, and that action would precipitate an attack against American forces. The implication is that delaying a preemptive strike would result in greater casualties, potentially billions of dollars in losses, and more American lives at risk. The overarching message is that the preemptive operation aims to neutralize Iran’s short-range ballistic missiles and navy threats before they are used in consolidation with anticipated Israeli actions and any Iranian counterattacks against U.S. forces. The speaker frames the decision as prudent and anticipatory, intended to prevent higher casualties and to maintain safety for American personnel and assets. The speaker stops short of detailing specific tactical methods, pointing listeners to the Pentagon and the Department of War for a deeper discussion of tactics and progress.

The transcript discusses renewed U.S.-Iran hostilities, framed around President Trump’s claims of destroying Iran’s defensive and offensive capabilities and CENTCOM’s message that the Strait of Hormuz is open for transit. Professor Morandi, joining from Iran, responds by citing community notes that claim Strait of Hormuz transit remains severely restricted, and asks what propaganda is being presented and what is actually happening inside Iran. Professor Morandi explains that he added a laughing emoji to Trump’s tweet because Iran has “been around for a few thousand years” and will “survive Trump’s presidency,” and because Trump’s behavior as an openly ambitious imperialist strengthens Iranian resolve and unites Iranians to protect their land and resources. He says Iranians believe they are attacked because they support the Palestinian cause and oppose ethnosupremacism and genocide in Palestine and Lebanon, and because Trump intends to steal Iranian resources. He also asserts that Trump’s actions anger the world and increasingly ordinary Americans. He addresses statements Trump made about stealing oil from Iran into the United States, saying the current U.S. president is “a serial liar” and more openly imperialist and ruthless. Morandi claims only ships that receive Iranian permission and pay a fee transit through the Strait of Hormuz, while other departing ships are later stopped by U.S. forces and oil is taken. He describes this as stealing oil already passing through with Iranian permission rather than increasing output from the Strait. On what another set of strikes would mean, Morandi describes civilian impact across Iran, including attacks reaching thousands of kilometers via missiles and drones. He recounts a nine-year-old girl from Karaj telling him her schoolmate was murdered in an attack by an American and Israeli coalition and that the entire family was murdered. He says civilians and civilian infrastructure have been targeted throughout the country and that Iranians recognize Trump’s threats to “obliterate” or “wipe out” Iran, while Western media is described as saying nothing or being indifferent. Regarding the economic and infrastructure situation, Morandi says U.S. aims are to starve ordinary Iranians into submission, similar to efforts he cites in Cuba and Syria. He claims the economy is worse than four months or three and a half months ago, and says strikes damaged steel plants, pharmaceutical factories, hospitals, schools, petrochemical plants, and an Iranian gas field. He adds that despite a siege preventing food from entering, Iran has borders with 15 countries and many friendly neighbors, and that inflation and job loss are occurring while Iranians “persevere.” On negotiations, the transcript says Trump claimed many “deals” were on the table. Morandi states there were “two deals”: (1) after the 39-day war, Trump accepted Iran’s 10-point proposal as a framework and a ceasefire was agreed that included ending genocidal attacks on Lebanon, which he says Netanyahu later violated, and the transcript says Trump then imposed a siege on Iranian ports; (2) a still-floated agreement framework where Iran would receive part of stolen assets and the U.S. would lift sanctions on Iranian energy exports for the duration, end the war in Lebanon, stop genocide in Gaza, lift the siege on Iranian ports, normalize movement of ships through the Strait of Hormuz, and Iran would declare it will not pursue nuclear weapons. Morandi says progress stalled because Trump would not return assets, remove sanctions, or lift the siege, making Trump the “deal-breaker,” while Israeli and Zionist pressure is described as contributing. The transcript also asks about attacks on U.S. or allied infrastructure in Gulf states. Morandi says U.S. jets based in regional bases were targeted, radar installations were targeted, and a very expensive radar installation in Bahrain was destroyed. He adds that he says Iran bombed bases in Jordan, Kuwait, and Bahrain early this morning in retaliation and claims Iran’s deterrent retaliation followed U.S. attacks and broken ceasefires. Finally, the transcript reports that Trump allegedly canceled scheduled strikes after discussions were approved at the highest Iranian leadership level. A posted statement says scheduled strikes and bombings were canceled this evening, discussions and final points were approved by parties including the U.S., Israel, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, Turkey, Pakistan, Bahrain, Kuwait, Jordan, Egypt, and others, and that the naval blockade would remain in full force until the transaction is finalized and signing time and place would be announced shortly. Morandi comments that people should expect Trump to bomb if he says he is not, and that U.S. uncertainty prevents trust and makes deals difficult.

Afshin Rattansi introduces claims of renewed U.S. and Israeli bombardment of Iran amid ongoing violence in Gaza and Lebanon, including the assertion that Trump bombed southern Hormuzgan province leaving 20,000 Iranians without water. He says Israel launched a surprise attack on Iran a year earlier during negotiations, striking military and nuclear facilities and killing senior commanders, nuclear scientists, and their families. Rattansi further says Tehran responded with missile waves, whose impact is “heavily censored,” and that days later the U.S. entered the war by striking Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan with B-2 bombers and Tomahawk missiles, after which Trump declared Iran’s nuclear program “obliterated.” This year, Rattansi alleges that Washington and Tel Aviv used “so-called imminent threat” and peace negotiations as a pretext to kill Iran’s supreme leader Ali Khamenei and family members, and to kill 168 elementary schoolgirls, while Iran still retains a “massive stockpile” of enriched uranium and could produce 10–20 nuclear weapons in days. Rattansi asks Professor Ted Postol, a nuclear weapons and missile defense expert, whether the U.S. has a sustainable strategic position. Postol says the U.S. does not have such a position and argues Trump is constrained by domestic politics and pressured by an Israeli lobby with outsized influence and major financial power affecting U.S. and Congressional actions. Rattansi questions contradictions between Pentagon/CENTCOM self-defense framing and Trump rhetoric about “destroying” and even threatening to destroy Oman if it does not behave. Postol responds that the operation is not defensive, is a war of choice initiated with Israel, and from Iran’s perspective is a war of survival and existential protection against U.S. and Israeli aims to destroy Iranian civilization. He emphasizes that Iranian resistance would be driven by survival rather than U.S. internal politics. On war gaming and nuclear strike planning, Postol says military officers are servants of the Constitution, reserved about limits of military action, and that if Trump ordered nuclear weapons use, there is a real chance people would refuse due to nuclear weapons being in a special category. Asked about claims that Iran’s nuclear knowledge could be removed, Postol says knowledge cannot be erased and that even killing experts would not stop a program because societies have large numbers of capable people; he gives an analogy to Russia under Stalin, describing how reconstitution occurred after large purges. He also argues Israel lacks a chance of successfully stopping Iran via this approach. Rattansi asks why Iran would not declare it has nuclear warheads and delivery mechanisms. Postol answers that doing so would be bad for Iran and could provoke neighbors into developing nuclear weapons, reducing Iran’s security. He describes an Iranian strategy of preparing capability without crossing the line, including enriching 60% uranium hexafluoride to 90%, converting it to uranium metal, and using deep underground facilities; he states this could be achieved in weeks or months, potentially even in weeks, based on available centrifuge capability and setup. When discussing Trump’s fear of nuclear weapons, Postol says he is more comfortable with Trump being afraid of nuclear weapons and argues Iran is not the main source of nuclear instability—Israel is—asserting Israeli leadership has been pushing toward escalation despite military limits. He claims Iran’s ballistic missiles are more capable than initially seen, are hard to intercept, have larger warheads, greater accuracy, and are backed by large numbers, alongside drones and air defense misuse. On ballistic missile defense effectiveness, Postol disputes claims about Patriot performance and says air defenses have almost no capability against ballistic missiles. He also addresses regional nuclear risks: for Bushehr, he says a catastrophic meltdown could spread radioactivity depending on weather and winds, potentially reaching Dubai under some conditions. For Zaporizhzhia, he says if plants are shut down for a period of weeks, residual core energy is small enough that loss of cooling would not necessarily lead to major release; if operating, there is danger. On Dimona, he suspects the reactor is shut down; if shut down long enough, plutonium production could be lost, and severe core damage would likely not cause major radioactive release unless near and affected by wind. He warns that if Israel believed it had no choice but to attack Iran with nuclear weapons, Iran would respond differently, using underground facilities to convert 60% enriched uranium hexafluoride to nuclear weapons in potentially weeks.

The speaker says the war with Iran is “back on” after renewed bombings. They claim the sequence began when the U.S. was trying to guide tankers and ships through the southern portion of the Strait of Hormuz, an area Iran “doesn’t want ships to use” near the Omani shoreline. The speaker states Iran has asserted control over traffic through the Strait of Hormuz and has granted safe passage through a “Northern Channel” closer to the Iranian border. They say this relates to Iran’s territorial waters out to about 11 nautical miles from shore, and that the U.S. preferred not to use the northern route because it would require paying fees to Iran. The speaker claims that as three to five tankers sailed through the southern portion, the IRGC warned them to turn around and stop, but they did not, and the ships were “struck by drones,” with some “set on fire” and “kinetically attacked.” The speaker then says the United States bombed Iran in response, citing CENTCOM, which they state reported striking 80 targets. They say CENTCOM stated U.S. forces struck Iranian air defense systems and coastal radar sites, anti-ship missile capabilities, and small boats. The speaker questions the presence of small boats, referencing a claim that Iran’s Navy had already been destroyed. Next, the speaker says Iran has begun retaliatory strikes against U.S. forces, firing anti-ship cruise missiles and drones at U.S. Navy warships in the Sea of Oman. The speaker adds that Iran is asserting it will “assert control over the Strait of Hormuz.” They cite Professor Robert Pape (University of Chicago) saying: “trump is playing with nationalist fire by striking civilian targets in iran with millions demanding revenge at the supreme leader's funeral,” and also: “Trump just handed the regime a clear trigger for major retaliation. The entire world economy is now at risk.” The speaker also references political commentary from Marjorie Taylor Greene about “bombing Iran during the ceasefire” and says the war is “not a war.” They further mention Pete Hegseth (as referenced by the speaker), and that Marco Rubio is described as saying the U.S. would not allow Iran to control the Strait of Hormuz or charge a toll. The speaker turns to energy markets, stating that oil is spiking again and that a supply shock they have warned about will “kick in in a very harsh manner,” leading to “motor oil shortages,” “diesel shortages,” and higher prices for gasoline, diesel, and “jet fuel” by less than one month, accelerating into September and October. They link the worsening energy situation to escalation in conflicts and to attacks on infrastructure, claiming Ukrainian drone attacks hit multiple Russian oil tankers. They also claim that oil refining and refined product output are suffering “both out of Russia and also out of… the Middle East,” and that this is “engineered” to create a global energy crisis. They say the Strategic Petroleum Reserve is at its lowest level since the 1980s. They also claim the U.S. revoked a sanctions waiver/license that allowed Iran to sell oil through roughly the end of August, stating: “the MOU is dead,” and that Iran’s oil will not contribute to Western supply because sanctions are back on. The speaker predicts additional choke-point escalation, asserting “closure of the Bab el-Mandeb Strait” could come next. They also mention Iran ballistic missiles striking U.S. military bases in Bahrain “apparently,” and conclude that fuel costs, food prices, fertilizer impacts, and supply-chain problems will intensify. They say fertilizer shortages for the fall planting season will lead to “increased famine in 2027,” and that “many items” could become unaffordable in the U.S. Finally, they predict U.S. economic and geopolitical consequences, including spillover into U.S. treasury markets if Japan sells treasuries to buy oil or gas, and they claim this could lead to a U.S. invasion of Iran. They state the IRGC says the U.S. will not be allowed to interfere in the Strait of Hormuz and argue that Iran will hold control until the West cannot handle energy “strangulation.”

So right now, as we speak tonight, there are two THAAD missile batteries in Israel. That's one quarter of the world's total supply of THAAD missile batteries. The THAAD missile battery is an American made, very high-tech missile battery that takes incoming missiles out of the sky. And one quarter of the world's entire supply of these is in Israel right now manned by US troops, by Americans in uniform or not. Since 10/07/2023, which is a little less than two years ago, The United States has spent at minimum $30,000,000,000 defending Israel. So anyone who says, oh, it's just a drop in the bucket. It's totally insignificant is lying or doesn't know the numbers. We are spending our time, our money, and we're taking enormous risks on behalf of a country that geopolitically is not significant at all.

Eight days remain until April 6, the date President Trump says Iran must comply or face an even more devastating next phase of the war. The timeframe has shifted by ten days, but the reality on the ground over the last 24 hours contradicts the Washington, Tel Aviv, and mainstream media narrative. Key battlefield facts cited: - The United States has burned through more than 850 Tomahawk missiles in four weeks, entering a second month of the war. - U.S. intelligence can confirm with any certainty that about one third of Iran's missile arsenal has been destroyed; officials say 10,000 targets have been hit, yet only a portion of Iran’s missiles appear eliminated. - Iran remains in the fight and has held back its most advanced weapons, reportedly planning to deploy them when the timing is right. - The Houthis in Yemen launched their first attack on Israel in this war, with timing alleged to be aimed at raising the strategic economic cost by threatening access to the Red Sea, particularly Saudi ports like Jeddah. - The presence of the Houthis expands the conflict to a regional, multi-front scenario beyond Iran and Israel, potentially spreading from the Persian Gulf to the Red Sea. - The Red Sea disruption could become an economic disaster, as roughly 12% of world trade passes through that corridor. - The Pentagon has deployed the USS Tripoli carrying about 3,500 soldiers, bringing total U.S. forces in the region to well over 50,000—the largest American posture in the Middle East in more than twenty years. - Iran attacked Prince Sultan Airbase in Saudi Arabia on Friday, injuring at least 15 troops; Iranian sources claim more than 500 Americans have been wounded or killed so far. - China is alleged to be supporting Iran by providing hardware before the war and, publicly, top Chinese chipmakers are said to be supplying technology to Iran’s military-industrial complex. Reuters reported Iran was nearing a deal with China for anti-ship cruise missiles. - The claim is that U.S. aircraft (including F-35s) were downed or disabled due to Chinese targeting; Iran has not yet deployed its most advanced hypersonic systems, according to sources. - Much of Iran’s arsenal is believed buried in underground tunnels and bunkers, making it difficult to assess losses; missiles continue to be fired despite repeated bombing. - Casualty reporting includes a recent figure from Israel’s health ministry: 142 people were brought to hospitals in the last 24 hours; Israeli casualty numbers reportedly exceed 5,000 wounded, though such figures are not consistently reflected in all media. - Oil markets react to the conflict: Brent crude closed around $112 per barrel, with the Strait of Hormuz effectively at risk and Reuters estimating roughly 11 million barrels per day of global oil supply affected. - The overall message pushes back against the notion that the war is under control or that the U.S. and its allies are winning decisively, describing the conflict as escalating and the U.S. burning through firepower faster than it can replace. Strategic framing: - The speaker argues the conflict is moving toward escalation through exhaustion rather than peace through strength. - They describe a growing regionalization of the war, with China assisting Iran and the Houthis expanding the battlefield, making a rapid, decisive victory unlikely in the near term. - NATO is criticized as being a “paper tiger” by Trump, with comments implying a reduced role for the alliance in this period. Note: A sponsor segment discussing copper and investment opportunities followed the news analysis; this portion has been omitted from this summary per guidance to exclude promotional content.

The discussion centers on the scope and pattern of U.S.-led attacks during the day and how Iran may retaliate and sustain pressure. Speaker 0 says he is not tracking events “blow by blow” but indicates strikes were directed toward targets along the coastline rather than a nuclear power facility, and that Bashir was hit. Speaker 1 adds that the attacks struck the coastline with more significance than yesterday and references Axios reporting that a railway near the Turkmenistan border—connected to China’s Belt and Road—was struck. Speaker 1 says the initial impression was sabotage, but then reported that the U.S. struck it, which surprised Speaker 1. Speaker 0 frames the attacks as “finishing the job,” arguing the president is targeting Iran’s entire energy profile—production and, crucially, transportation. Speaker 0 specifically says the strikes are aimed at collapsing Iran’s ability not only to produce energy but to move it, citing Karg and saying additional attacks against Karg are likely. The Belt and Road Railway is described as keeping Iran’s energy production viable during the war by enabling shipment out, and Speaker 0 says the goal is to remove that capability. Speaker 0 then states: “Now Iran is retaliating.” Speaker 1 discusses reported air-defense and early-warning activity in Gulf locations: air defenses in Kuwait and Bahrain, and early warning alerts reportedly sent in Qatar, followed by “all clear.” Speaker 1 notes speculation that the UAE might be targeted but says there were no alerts or reports of anything in the UAE, and that explosions were heard in Kuwait and Bahrain. Speaker 0 says Qatar is “on the menu,” but not yet confirmed as a strike target. The speakers outline the U.S. target set as consistent with prior strikes since a ceasefire: targets from Bashir “all the way” down to Shabahar, Iran’s main port linking to the sea, and Abu Musa. Speaker 0 adds that beyond degrading Iran’s ability to control the Strait of Homs/coastline, the attacks also degrade Iran’s ability to defend the strait, and he worries this could be a prelude to attempts at landing. He emphasizes that the U.S. is methodically hitting what it can see, while “a boatload of stuff” cannot be seen, and he asks how Iran will retaliate both immediately and long-term, including what weapons and quantities Iran still holds in reserve. A major theme is whether the escalation pattern will broaden to additional Gulf countries. Speaker 1 asks why Iran is not responding “in kind” every time the U.S. escalates. Speaker 0 argues Iran does not have to escalate further because time is an advantage for Iran and a disadvantage for the U.S., describing the U.S. as operating on a countdown tied to oil reserves. Speaker 0 also argues Trump’s “escalate to de-escalate” approach is unstable: “a pause is not a de-escalation,” and he says the situation is continuing rather than genuinely de-escalating. The exchange turns to prior actions involving “Project Freedom.” Speaker 1 claims Trump has previously de-escalated when Iran retaliated (including the Fujairah response), while Speaker 0 disputes that those were true de-escalations, attributing outcomes to external constraints such as Saudi refusal to allow use of bases and the resulting “gap.” Speaker 0 characterizes the overall U.S. approach as being “dictated to by events” rather than controlled. Speaker 1 and Speaker 0 discuss the operational picture regarding shipping. Speaker 1 says the Strait is not closed, with discussion around “30, 40” ships and claims that Iranian-side waters are still open enough for ships to pass using Iranian traffic separation. Speaker 0 responds that the dispute is tied to Iran’s traffic separation scheme and claims U.S. efforts aim to prevent use of that scheme. Towards the end, Speaker 1 says there are multiple waves of explosions ongoing from Iran, with many interceptions and likely impacts expected near the Fifth Fleet headquarters. Speaker 0 shifts to a broader strategic argument: the Iranians allegedly do not need to do much beyond sustaining blockade-like conditions, because forcing the strait’s flow below pre-war levels is what matters. Speaker 0 argues Iran is playing an economic/survival game and that the regime’s metric is to remain in power, even while sustaining damage. Speaker 1 suggests Iran should retaliate more aggressively, but Speaker 1 and Speaker 0 both emphasize that symbolic strikes may not deter U.S. defense efforts. The speakers repeatedly suggest the key question is whether Iran believes a “red line” has been crossed, especially if the U.S. strikes Iranian energy infrastructure and transportation routes like the railway. Speaker 0 says Qatar is still “technically” on the menu but has not been struck yet, which he interprets as evidence Iran does not yet view current actions as crossing that red line. They conclude with continued concern about escalation and uncertainty about any practical off-ramp, while noting the attacks are continuing with patterns that resemble prior targeting rather than ending the memorandum.

First speaker: Let me ask you. Regardless of what he thinks, what do you think, militarily speaking, looking at all just the fundamentals, if if The United States attacks Iran in any capacity and they respond back and they hit, we'll say, Al Udeid or any of these other bases that are in the area, the the the naval area at Bahrain, what would happen? What do you think would be the result on the ground? Second speaker: American casualties and then Israel will be destroyed. That's all nearly destroyed. That's pretty much what is gonna happen. And, the issue here is, how they can, basically preserve their US Navy's assets in the area. Obviously, United States has tomahawks, and many people do not understand. United States has about two and a half thousand tomahawks in general. It's the block four and block five, which is still I mean, it's it's a long range. It's about 2,000 kilometers. But the point is for the country like, Iran, 2,000 Tomahawks are nothing. You know? And so, they can still hit some political leadership. But, the moment they begin to fly, there will be a really, really serious repercussions for the liberal and fifth column in, Iran. And after that, we might have only the hardening of the regime if you wish. Because even if they kill Khamenei, okay. So what is gonna happen? Well, he becomes a martyr. And, Iranian people, they're they're they're courageous. I mean, they will fight back.

The conversation centers on multiple competing narratives about the war and its wider regional significance, with the speakers presenting their interpretations and challenging each other’s points. - The hosts open by acknowledging competing narratives: some view the war as a necessary action against a regime seen as destabilizing and dangerous (nuclear ambitions, regional havoc); others see it as Israel removing a geopolitical threat with U.S. involvement; a third perspective argues it stemmed from miscalculations by Trump, perhaps driven by Israeli influence. The dialogue frames the war within broader questions of American, Israeli, and Iranian aims. - Speaker 1 references Joseph Kent’s resignation letter, arguing Iran was not an immediate U.S. threat and that Netanyahu and the Israeli lobby influenced Trump toward war. They assert Trump’s stated interest in Iranian oil and control of the Strait of Hormuz; they describe Trump as guided by business interests. They frame U.S. actions as part of a long-standing pattern of demonizing enemies to justify intervention, citing Trump’s “animals” comment toward Iranians and labeling this demonization as colonial practice. - Speaker 0 pushes back on Trump’s rhetoric but notes it suggested a willingness to pressure Iran for concessions. They question whether Trump could transition from ending some wars to endorsing genocidal framing, acknowledging disagreement with some of Trump’s statements but agreeing that Israeli influence and Hormuz control were important factors. They also inquire whether Trump miscalculated a prolonged conflict and ask how Iran continued to fire missiles and drones despite expectations of regime collapse, seeking clarity on Iran’s resilience. - Speaker 1 clarifies that the Iranian system is a government, not a regime, and explains that Iranian missile and drone capabilities were prepared in advance, especially after Gaza conflicts. They note Iran’s warning that an attack would trigger a regional war, and reference U.S. intelligence assessments stating Iran does not have a nuclear weapon or a program for one at present, which Trump publicly dismissed in favor of Netanyahu’s view. They recount that Iran’s leaders warned of stronger responses if attacked, and argue Iran’s counterstrikes reflected a strategic calculus to deter further aggression while acknowledging Iran’s weaker, yet still capable, position. - The discussion shifts to regional dynamics: the balance of power, the loss of Israel’s “card” of American support if Iran can close Hormuz, and the broader implications for U.S.-Israel regional leverage. Speaker 1 emphasizes the influence of the Israeli lobby in Congress, while also suggesting Mossad files could influence Trump, and notes that the war leverages Netanyahu’s stance but may not fully explain U.S. decisions. - The two then debate Gulf states’ roles: Saudi Arabia and the UAE are depicted as providing bases and support to the United States; Kuwait as a near neighbor with vulnerability to Iranian action and strategic bases for American forces. They discuss international law, noting the war’s alleged illegality without a UN Security Council authorization, and reference the unwilling-or-unable doctrine to explain Gulf state complicity. - The conversation covers Iran’s and Lebanon’s involvement: Iran’s leverage via missiles and drones, and Lebanon’s Hezbollah as a Lebanese organization with Iranian support. They discuss Hezbollah’s origins in response to Israeli aggression and their current stance—driving Lebanon into conflict for Iran’s sake, while Hezbollah asserts independence and Lebanon’s interests. They acknowledge Lebanon’s ceasefire violations on both sides and debate who bears responsibility for dragging Lebanon into war; Hezbollah’s leaders are described as navigating loyalties to Iran, Lebanon, and their people, with some insistence that Hezbollah acts as a defender of Lebanon rather than a mere proxy. - Towards the end, the speakers reflect on personal impact and future dialogue. They acknowledge the war’s wide, long-lasting consequences for Lebanon and the region, and express interest in continuing the discussion, potentially in person, to further explore these complex dynamics.

The speaker reports speaking with the President of the United States and shares breaking details about a historic air campaign. According to the speaker, Iran's nuclear ambitions are now dead. The United States obliterated Iran's Fordo nuclear facility with five to six bunker buster bombs dropped from B-2 stealth bombers. Additionally, the Natanz and Estevan nuclear sites were wiped out with 30 Tomahawk missiles launched from American submarines. The speaker states that everyone is out of harm's way for now, but American assets in the region remain at risk. They are monitoring the potential Iranian response throughout the night and expect a statement from the president.

The discussion centers on contrasting narratives about the U.S.-Israel confrontation with Iran and what is actually happening on the ground and inside Iran. - Speaker 0 relays the “fog of war,” noting Western media claims that the U.S. and Israel are delivering a rapid victory in Iran, with leadership and navy wiped out and the war ending soon, referencing statements by Secretary of War Pete Hegseth that the war “should not be protracted” and will wrap up “very soon.” Speaker 1 and Speaker 2 push back, asking whether the war could spiral into a longer conflict and what the timeline may be, noting top general Dan Cain’s warning that the objectives will take time and that President Trump also suggested the operation could take weeks. - The program then goes to Tehran with Professor Syed Mohammed Morandi, a geopolitical analyst at the University of Tehran. Morandi explains the succession process after the death of the Ayatollah: the constitution provides a council of three that runs the government until the leader is chosen by the council of experts, which should happen in the next few days. In the meantime, the president, the head of the judiciary, and a representative from the Guardian Council run the state. He notes the councilors are being arranged to meet from abroad to avoid being targeted. - On the ground in Tehran, Morandi counters the idea that a rapid regime change is possible, detailing that U.S. and Israeli strikes have targeted Tehran and civilian infrastructure, including a claim that the government ordered people to leave the city and that an elementary school was bombed, killing about 165 girls in Minab. He describes a situation where rescue teams are struck again at the scene. He asserts that the U.S. and Israel are striking civilian targets and that there is a pattern of double tapping at sites like Fair Doce Square. - Morandi disputes U.S. claims of destroyed leadership and navy: he says that ships of the Iranian navy are in port, there are thousands of small speed boats prepared for asymmetrical warfare, and the U.S. has not touched them. He argues that the underground bases and missiles/drones remain intact, and that senior commanders were not all killed—only a handful. He notes that Iran is firing missiles at Israel and striking U.S. targets in the Persian Gulf, and that oil facilities and tankers could be attacked if escalation continues. He warns of an energy crisis if oil facilities are destroyed and notes that the price of energy has risen. - Regarding public sentiment inside Iran, Morandi states that there are no celebrations; instead, people are mourning. He describes gatherings across the country under missile fire, with demonstrations in Tehran despite security concerns. He shares that slogans included “We are prepared to die. We won’t accept humiliation. Death to Trump, death to Netanyahu,” and that millions were seen on the streets via his Telegram channel, though many left the city due to danger. He characterizes Western media portrayal as propaganda and says the sentiment on the ground is in opposition to U.S. and Israeli actions. - The host suggests that the Iranian perspective views this as a prolonged confrontation, with Iran prepared to sustain resistance for years because the United States is “completely unreliable.” Morandi notes that while negotiations have repeatedly failed, Iran aims to compel the U.S. and Israeli regime to recognize that military assault has consequences, including economic and political costs. - The program later notes that U.S. and Israeli figures frame the conflict as epically swift, while Morandi’s account emphasizes Iran’s resilience and long-term resistance, highlighting the discrepancy between Western media narratives and on-the-ground Iranian realities.

Larry Johnson, a former CIA analyst and State Department Office of Counterterrorism official, discusses Iran, the energy crisis, and U.S. policy amid the 4th of July and developments following a U.S.-Iran Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). Johnson says Trump’s stated motivation for the MOU was that the U.S. had “four weeks left of oil,” specifically concerning supply of high sulfur “sour crude” (heavy crude) from the Persian Gulf, which supplies 20% of the world’s supply. He argues the February 28 cut-off did not immediately disrupt oil because large crude carriers were already at sea, with the last ships reaching destinations around April 7–10, about 40 days later. Johnson links this timing to Trump pushing for a ceasefire with Iran and Iran agreeing, attributing the driver to the oil situation. Johnson explains that most U.S. refineries are configured for heavy crude with high sulfur content and are not set up for “sweet” light crude like West Texas Intermediate. He compares this to coffee-making differences (French press versus Keurig), emphasizing that the oil-processing pathway matters. He says the key output is “mid-distillate,” from which diesel and aviation fuel are produced, noting a barrel is not uniform and about 30% is removed to create mid-distillate. He claims that diesel/aviation-capable oil in the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) stood at about 120 days. Around March 11 or March 18, he says Secretary of Energy Wright announced drawing down the SPR at 1.4 million barrels per day, and that the 120-day window ends around July 11, aligning with Trump’s “four weeks” statement. Johnson argues that, after the oil supply disruption began on February 28, by about April 8 total supply of diesel fuel fell by 20%, removing that amount from availability. He says drawing from the SPR temporarily masked the shortfall, but a real deficit would emerge next week and cannot be replaced until restored Persian Gulf heavy crude arrives on U.S. shores, describing a tanker trip of about 42 days. He adds that markets have not yet captured the situation, expecting an impact to feel like a surprise. On whether oil is flowing now, Johnson says roughly 20% of the Gulf’s normal daily capacity is coming out, but “overwhelmingly” goes to Asia—China, India, Japan, and South Korea—rather than the United States or Europe. He argues the core shortage is not oil in general but heavy crude needed for diesel and aviation fuel. He says refiners cannot simply divert diesel versus aviation fuel “half and half,” suggesting “it’s going to get pretty dicey.” He presents potential emergency triggers: renewed U.S. combat operations against Iran (needing more aviation fuel) or a hurricane damaging refineries in the Gulf of America/Gulf of Mexico, forcing choices between diesel for trucks transporting food and aviation fuel. The discussion turns to criticism of the MOU and arguments made to defend it. Johnson says the U.S. appears to violate parts of the MOU in specific areas. He cites U.S. actions involving Lebanon, referencing Joseph Aoun as minority president and Israeli troops remaining in Lebanon, which he says violates Lebanon’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. He also focuses on paragraph five regarding the Strait of Hormuz, stating the MOU requires Iran, using its best efforts, to arrange safe passage of commercial vessels with “no charge for 60 days” only from the Persian Gulf to the Sea of Oman, and he says only Iran is named as responsible. He asserts the MOU allows Iran to charge tolls after 60 days, and that it specifies Iran’s responsibility for safe passage arrangements. Johnson says the U.S. did comply with a section he says is in the U.S. interest by removing sanctions on oil and bank processing for Iranian oil sales. He says Iran has been selling about 1.6 million barrels per day at a 20% premium versus futures reference points. He also claims that when ships attempted to transit without permission, Iran turned them back and warned of sinking if ships tried to pass without consent. On U.S. military strategy, Johnson says the U.S. is pulling out, describing the withdrawal of forces deployed to the Persian Gulf for Operation Epic Fury and shifts of B-52s and F-15s movements involving the UK. He argues the U.S. continues to “talk tough” while drawing down physical assets and reducing Crisis Action Team operations from 24/7 to Monday–Friday after the MOU. He claims the U.S. effectively stood down after major attacks on June 9–10, when Johnson says Iran struck air bases in Kuwait and Bahrain and the U.S. did not retaliate. Asked about regional consequences, Johnson says the U.S. has a weaker position than on February 28, citing closure of key capability in Bahrain (including destruction of radars and satellite communications tied to that base). He describes the loss of full capability in Bahrain and reduced substance at other major U.S. bases. He also argues Israel can no longer sustain attacks against Iran in the way it previously threatened, claiming Iran could destroy airfields and aviation/fuel capabilities, and referencing claims that Israel’s ballistic missile defense effectiveness was under 10% in the referenced timeframe. The conversation shifts briefly to reporting about Russia striking Poland to test NATO response. Johnson says he considers the situation “sounds fishy” while also acknowledging possible dynamics. He argues Poland–Ukraine tensions have widened, citing Polish involvement as foreign fighters in Ukraine and the dispute over honoring “fascist Nazis” responsible for the Volhyn massacre, arguing that Russia doesn’t need to “test NATO” because NATO escalation and deterrence rhetoric have been ongoing, and he discusses Baltic states and alleged facilitation of drone attacks. Johnson closes by urging attention to diesel and aviation fuel conditions over the next couple of weeks, saying fuel shortages could limit U.S. military options in the short term. He concludes that once into September, he does not see Trump restarting attacks on Iran before midterms, emphasizing the fuel situation as a limiting factor.

Speaker 0: Nearly two weeks into this conflict, the official story is cracking, and the number of Americans wounded is slowly coming out. Yesterday, we reported based on our sources that the number of American wounded was at least one hundred and thirty seven. After our report ran, the Pentagon has now publicly acknowledged about one hundred and forty wounded. That confirms our sources on this. So why did it take a little news show like ours to report this information? Why wasn't Fox News reporting this information? The Pentagon I know it's really weird. Why is the mainstream media silent on this? The Pentagon finally comes out and actually admits to this. Speaker 1: Reuters comes out and reports this. Exclusive. As many as one hundred and fifty US troops wounded so far in Iran war. They just published this today, this morning. March 10. That's remarkable. Exclusive. Just curious how that's an exclusive when we reported it yesterday. Yesterday. Whatever. Hey, Reuters. Bite me. Anyway, this war is clearly not winding down no matter what the messaging says. President Trump is saying the war could end very soon. But Iran says talks with The United States are off the table for now. Tehran is prepared to keep striking as long as it takes. And they're vowing an eye for an eye. So what is an eye for an eye actually mean? Does it mean you hey, you killed our leader. We kill yours? Does it mean, hey, you killed all these girls who were the daughters of members of the the Iranian Navy at a girls school, do we also do that to you? Like, what is actually does that look like? Speaker 0: Does it mean we took out your water infrastructures or you took out ours? So we do that. Right. Your gas infrastructure, civilian infrastructure, that's that's a war crime. But we did it. Your oil infrastructure, we do that. Like, what exactly does that look like? Meanwhile, the Strait Of Hormuz is getting worse by the minute. US intelligence tracking Iranian mine laying threats now as Gulf energy infrastructure there is taking a major hit with about 1,900,000 barrels per day of refining capacity across Bahrain, Iraq, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and The UAE. All down. CBS now says shipping through the Strait Of Hormuz has ground to a virtual halt. Nothing getting through. That's of just a few minutes ago. And Israel's hammering Beirut's southern suburbs and Lebanon. So they've essentially invaded Lebanon. Speaker 2: And then there's the neocon political class in Washington saying the quiet part out loud. Senator Lindsey Graham is now openly talking about, you know, going back to South Carolina to tell the sons and daughters in South Carolina, you know, you gotta send your loved ones to the Middle East. That's what I'm doing here in South Carolina. I gotta tell them to go fight in the Middle East, and he's calling on other Middle East countries that have been sitting on the fence that we've supported over the years as allies. Get off the fence. Go bomb Iran. Help out with Iran. And, oh, by the way, Spain, we're pissed off at you because you don't want us using your air bases or airspace to bomb Iran. Listen. Speaker 0: To our allies step up, get our air bases out of Spain. They're not reliable. Move all those airplanes to a country that would let us use them when we're threatened by a regime like Iran. To our friends in Spain, man, you have lost your way. I don't wanna do business with you anymore. I want our air bases our air bases out of Spain into a country that will let us use them. To our Arab friends, I've tried to help you construct a new Mideast. You need to up your game here. I can't go to South Carolina and say we're fighting and you won't publicly fight. What you're doing behind the scenes, that has to stop. The double dealing of the Arab world when it comes to this stuff needs to end. I go back to South Carolina. I'm asking them to send their sons and daughters over to the Mideast. What I want you to do in The Mideast to our friends in Saudi Arabia and other places, step forward and say this is my fight too. I join America. I'm publicly involved in bringing this regime down. If you don't, you're making a great mistake, and you're gonna cut off the ability to have a better relationship with The United States. I say this as a friend. Speaker 1: Ugh. He's an odious friend. Speaker 0: Say this as a friend. Speaker 3: With friends pick up a gun and go fight yourself, you coward. Yeah. I freaking hate that. But you're calling so, like, bluntly for somebody else to go die for his stupid cause. Speaker 0: Yeah. Speaker 1: I am so curious about this. I mean, he's a liar. But how many people in South Carolina are really walking up to him and saying, who are we gonna get to fight with us? Who are we gonna get to fight Iran? Worried about this. My son can go, but who's going with him? Let's make some war playdates. Who does that? Speaker 0: Larry Johnson is a former CIA analyst, NRA gun trainer, and, he's been looking at all of this and doing some incredible writing over at his website, Sonar twenty one. Larry, thank you for joining us. Great to see you back on the show. Speaker 4: Hi, guys. Good to see you. Speaker 0: So I wanna talk about the American war wounded first because Mhmm. I know that this is, near and dear to your heart and, of course, something that you've been watching, closely. And the lies, of course, that are coming out about this. Again, I spoke to sources over the past forty eight hours that were telling us here at Redacted about 137 Americans wounded. Then the Pentagon comes out and then confirms about a hundred and forty. So right pretty much right on the nose. And does that number sound low to you? Or does that sound about right? Speaker 4: That sounds a little low. So on March 4, let's go to Germany. Stuttgart, just North West of Germany, there is a hospital called Landstuhl Regional Medical Center. Landstuhl's primary mission is to handle American war wounded. On March 4, they issued a memo telling all the pregnant women that were about to give birth that, sorry, don't come here. We're not birthing any more babies. We gotta focus on our main mission. So that was the first clue that there was there were a lot of casualties inbound. I know, without mentioning his name, somebody who was involved dealing with the combat casualties during the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, and he dealt with the personnel at Lunstul. And he called someone up and said, can't say anything, but there's a lot of casualties. Then 13 miles to the east of Landstuhl is an army base called Kaiserslautern. Kaiserslautern and the Stars and Stripes issued for that base had an appeal, a blood drive appeal. Hey. We need lots of people to show up and donate blood. So those that was on March 5. So I wrote about this March 6. So I wrote about this four days ago, that, yeah, we had a lot more casualties, and there are more coming, because Iran's not gonna stop. You know, right now, we're getting signals that the Trump administration is reaching out, trying, oh, hey, let's talk, let's talk cease fire. Iran's having none of it. They've been betrayed twice by Donald Trump and his group of clowns. Speaker 0: Right. Speaker 4: You know? And and so they're not ready to say no. No. They've got the world, by the testicles is the polite way of saying it, withholding the Strait Of Hormuz. They've shut down the movement of not only oil, liquid natural gas. They're the supplier of about 25%, 25 to 30% of the world's liquid natural gas, and, about 30%, 30 to 35% of the world's urea, which is used for fertilizer. Now, that may not I just learned that that may not be as important as I once thought it was because most of it comes out of Oman. Oman, you don't have to worry about things going through the Strait Of Hormuz. But on oil and liquid natural gas, huge. 94% of The Philippines depended upon the flow of gas, both liquid and the petroleum oil, out of the Persian Gulf. India, 80%. Japan, South Korea. So this is gonna have a major impact on certain economies in the world. Now there there I I I've said this ironically. I I think Vladimir Putin's sitting there going, maybe Donald Trump really does like me, because what he's done is he's making Russia rich again in a way I mean, they're getting, you know, they were selling they were forced to sell their oil previously under sanctions at, like, $55 a barrel. Now they're getting $88.90 dollars a barrel. Well, and they just opened it up to India. I mean, that story over the past forty eight hours, like, so they The United States has eased its restriction on Russian oil flowing to India. I mean, talk about an absolute disaster. Speaker 4: Well, yeah. And remember what had happened there is India was playing a double game too. You know, bricks India is the I in bricks, and Iran is the new I in bricks. And so what was India doing? Well, India was pretending to play along with The United States, but then going to Russia and saying, hey, Russia. Yeah. We'll buy we'll buy your oil, but we needed a discount because we're going against the sanctions, and we need to cover ourselves. So Russia said, okay. As a BRICS partner, we'll let you have for $55 barrel. So they got a discount. So now when all of a sudden the the the oil tap is turned off, including the liquid natural gas, India goes running back to Russia. Now remember, on, February 25-26, India was in Israel buttering up the rear end of BB, Net, and Yahoo, kissing rear end all they could. Oh, man. It was a love fest. We're partners with Israel. And then Israel attacks their BRICS partner. And what does India say? Nothing. Zero. They don't say a thing about the murdered girls. So now all of a sudden, the oil's turned off. It's nine days now with no oil coming out of there for India. They go running back to Russia. Hey, buddy. Let's let's get back together. And Russia says, sure. That's great. But it's gonna cost you $89 now a barrel. No more friends and family program. Gonna get market conditions. Speaker 0: We've had many journalist friends that have had their bank accounts shut down. We were literally in the middle of an interview with a great journalist from the gray zone who found out that his banking was just shut down. Literally, in the middle of an interview, he got a message that his banking was shut down. Well, Rumble Wallet prevents that, because Rumble can't even touch it. No one can touch it. Rumble Wallet lets you control your money, not a bank, not a government, not a tech company, not even Rumble can touch it. It's yours, only yours, yours to protect your future and your family. You can buy and save digital assets like Bitcoin, Tether Gold, and now the new USA USA app USAT, which is Tether's US regulated stablecoin all in one place. Tether Gold is real gold on the blockchain with ownership of physical gold bars, and USAT keeps your money steady against inflation. No banks needed. It's not only a wallet to buy and save, but it also allows you to support your favorite creators by easily tipping them if you want with the click of a button. There'll be no fees when you tip our channel or others, and we actually receive the tip instantly unlike other platforms where we have to wait for payouts. So support our show today and other creators by clicking the tip button on our Rumble channel. Speaker 1: Now I wanna ask you about president Trump responding to CBS News reports that there may be mines in the Strait Of Hormuz. That doesn't make a ton of sense. He says we have no indication that they did, but they better not. But they are picking and choosing who gets to go through, and their allies can go through. So why would they mine their allies? What do we make of this? Do we need to respond to this at all? Speaker 4: Yeah. I don't think they've done it yet. But let's recall the last time Iran mined the Persian Gulf. They didn't mine the Strait Of Hormuz. They mined farther up. It was 1987, 1988. Why did they do that? Well, in September 1980, when Jimmy Carter and Zbigniew Brzezinski were still in office, The United States encouraged a guy named Saddam Hussein, don't know if you've ever heard of him, but they encouraged Saddam Hussein to launch a war against Iran. And then Ronald Reagan comes in with Donald Rumsfeld and Cap Weinberger, and by 1983 had provided chemical weapons, or the precursors that Iraq needed to build chemical weapons, and Iraq started using chemical weapons against Iran in 1983 and continued to do it in '84, 85, 86. During that entire time, Iran never retaliated with chemical weapons. They were not going because they saw it as an act against God. They were serious about the religion. So 'eighty seven, 'eighty eight, they start dropping mines there in the Persian Gulf. Well, at that time, they didn't have all these missiles, so the United States Navy, a Navy SEAL, a good friend of mine, set up what was called the Hercules barge, and he had a Navy SEAL unit with him, and they fought off attacks by Iranian gunboats. He had some Little Bird helicopters from the one sixtieth, the special operations wing of the Air Force. And but we ended up disrupting the Iranian plan to mine The Gulf back then. Well, we couldn't do that today. We do not have that capability because Iran would blow us out of the water with drones and with missiles. You as we've seen, it's been happening over the last ten days. So United States would be in a real pickle. Speaker 1: And especially given the rhetoric of US war hawks in power for three decades. Like Yeah. Yes. They kind of had to prepare all of this time. Did we think that they weren't paying attention when we said it to the world? Speaker 4: Well, when we're writing our own press clippings and then reading them, there is a tendency to say, god, I am great. Can you see this? How good we are? And so they really believed that our air def the Patriot air defense systems and the THAAD systems would be they they could shut down the Iranian missiles and drones. And what they discovered was, nope. They didn't work. And they worked at an even lower level than the you know, Pentagon kept foul. We're shooting down 90%.

Speaker 0: In a few days, America is already running out of weapons against Iran, despite spending about $1,000,000,000,000 a year on defense. The administration is meeting with top defense contractors at the White House because strikes on Iran are diminishing US stockpiles, especially long-range munitions like Tomahawk missiles. Interceptor missiles are being exhausted by Iranian attacks. This is not getting wide play in the mainstream media; there is a blackout. CNN reported that Israel told them they are not allowed to show incoming rocket attacks. Speaker 1: One go up there. We're not showing you that because we're not gonna show. The Israeli government does not allow us or want us to show where that may have come up, that interceptor. Speaker 0: The most powerful military machine in history is not calling a meeting because it's winning too hard. It’s calling a meeting because the shelves are getting bare. Axios and The Wall Street Journal report that the reality contradicts slogans of unlimited munitions. War is fought with inventory and magazine depth, not slogans. The White House is seeking more supply as munitions run low. Speaker 0: The dirty little secret is that war isn’t fought with slogans; it’s fought with inventory. The Iran fight is the worst kind of war for stockpiles because it’s strike targets and defense of everything you own at the same time. A CIA station house in Riyadh was hit; Iran could strike a CIA station, and telemetry data may have come from China or Russia. Iran doesn’t need to beat the US head-to-head in aircraft carriers to bleed us dry. Speaker 0: Aircraft carriers are relics of the post-World War II era and are vulnerable to hypersonic weapons. France is sending a carrier; it’s not about carriers but about forcing us to burn high-end interceptors faster than we can replace them. It comes down to math: a $50,000 drone versus a $4,000,000 interceptor or a naval missile defense shot. We’re bleeding resources. Speaker 0: Tomahawks are expensive long-range munitions. The Pentagon plans to buy only 72 Tomahawks in fiscal year 2025 and 57 in fiscal year 2026, while operations have consumed hundreds. Each missile is around $1,300,000. Raytheon and others are ramping Tomahawk production from roughly 60 per year to eventually 1,000 per year. How long will that take? The defense supply chain is strained. Speaker 0: The entire defensive layer is under strain: Patriot PAC-3 MSE interceptors, costing about $4,000,000 each; Lockheed is moving to more than triple capacity, roughly from 600 per year to roughly 2,000 per year. Interceptors are expensive, and ramping production cannot fix the immediate shortfall. Speaker 0: Ukraine aid is enormous in dollar terms—State Department reporting puts military assistance since 2022 at over or close to $70,000,000,000, likely higher. Ukraine has been a grinding logistics war; Iran is turning into a high-end missile and air defense consumption war. Boots on the ground are being considered as necessary; air campaigns alone cannot achieve regime change. 155-millimeter shells production is around 40,150 rounds per month as of 2024–2025, but Ukraine’s consumption is far higher. Mineral shortages also constrain production, prompting the White House to convene the defense industry. Speaker 0: The war plan may be to destroy enough of Iran’s launch capability before magazines run shallow—a brutal last-call scenario. The US is fighting on two tracks: attack and defense, using Tomahawks, B-2 bombers, and 2,000-pound bombs, along with low-cost drones around $35,000 each. The message to Middle East allies is that the US cannot fully protect them as stocks thin. Putin and China are watching, waiting to see if the US can prevent a massive Russian advance or another major theater’s strain. The White House meeting with CEOs reads like a panic flare, not victory, as munitions are consumed faster than they can be replenished. The speaker notes the high death toll on Iran’s side and asks for more transparency on American casualties, while reiterating the commitment to anti-war principles.

Speaker 0, Speaker 1, and Speaker 2 discuss the evolving confrontation between the United States and Iran and its broader economic and strategic implications. Speaker 0 highlights three predictions: (1) Trump would win, (2) he would start a war with Iran, and (3) the US would lose that war, asking if these predictions are still valid. Speaker 1 characterizes the current phase as a war of attrition between the United States and Iran, noting that Iranians have been preparing for twenty years and now possess “a pretty good strategy of how to weaken and ultimately destroy the American empire.” He asserts that Iran is waging war against the global economy by striking Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries and targeting critical energy infrastructure and waterways such as the Baghdad channel and the Hormuz Strait, and eventually water desalination plants, which are vital to Gulf nations. He emphasizes that the Gulf States are the linchpin of the American economy because they sell petrodollars, which are recycled into the American economy through investments, including in the stock market. He claims the American economy is sustained by AI investments in data centers, much of which come from the Gulf States. If the Gulf States cease oil sales and finance AI, he predicts the AI bubble in the United States would burst, collapsing the broader American economy, described as a financial “ponzi scheme.” Speaker 2 notes a concrete example: an Amazon data center was hit in the UAE. He also mentions the United States racing to complete its Iran mission before munitions run out. Speaker 1 expands on the military dynamic, arguing that the United States military is not designed for a twenty-first-century war. He attributes this to the post–World War II military-industrial complex, which was built for the Cold War and its goals of technological superiority. He explains that American military strategy relies on highly sophisticated, expensive technology—the air defense system—leading to an asymmetry in the current conflict: million-dollar missiles attempting to shoot down $50,000 drones. He suggests this gap is unsustainable in the long term and describes it as the puncturing of the aura of invincibility that has sustained American hegemony for the past twenty years.

The discussion centers on escalation between the United States and Iran after the U.S. lifted a sanctions waiver tied to the MOU on Iranian oil and petrochemicals, and after earlier talk suggested the strikes might end. Despite Iran not striking ships in the Strait of Hormuz on the day in question, the U.S. launched strikes on Iran again at multiple coastal locations, described as similar to targets previously hit, including Bushir, Bandar Kangan, Bandar Abbas, Bandar Lenge, Abu Musa Island, Kashim and Kashim Island, Sirik, Jask, Konarak, and Shabahar. The targets were said to include radar sites, missile launcher positions for anti-ship missiles, and small attack boats. Trump’s remarks were highlighted as framing the MOU as dead, while CNN reported the ceasefire had at least temporarily ceased, with U.S. officials warning the situation remained highly fluid and additional strikes were possible. Attention then shifted to whether Iran would retaliate and how it might do so. One recurring theme was that U.S. actions were violating the MOU, while Iranian enforcement of Strait of Hormuz routes was said to be in harmony with it. The debate also included a view that Iran’s biggest leverage is the Strait of Hormuz and that continuing to control traffic there could inflict more pain than attacking U.S. bases. Another counterpoint emphasized that Iran would want to both hit U.S. capabilities and maintain Strait of Hormuz pressure. Military buildup and movement were discussed using satellite imagery and reporting: U.S. Air Force aerial refueling tankers reportedly redeployed from Ben Gurion, including to Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, with references to around 47 tankers stationed at airports as of the prior day and a total of 32 departing Ben Gurion in the cited time window. The argument was that these aircraft could facilitate attacks on Iran. Additional notes included U.S. warships patrolling across the Middle East per CENTCOM and reports about aircraft movements toward Turkish airspace and potential fueling for strikes. The conversation covered disputed interpretations of what counts as retaliation and how far escalation should go. On the Iranian side, the statements discussed included that retaliatory behavior would continue and that the Strait of Hormuz was not closed. The Iranian officials’ messaging included major MOU violations by the U.S., threats of further strikes, reinstated oil sanctions, and attacks on southern Iran, alongside claims that the “era of bullying and extortion is over.” The participants also discussed Khomeini’s funeral attendance claims from Iranian sources and timing questions about burial and processions. Trump’s comments were extensively quoted as describing repeated, escalating strike logic tied to attacks on ships, including claims about hitting Iran “very hard,” a 20-to-1 ratio, and statements that the U.S. might strike without a deal. The transcript also references threats about destroying bridges, power generation, and desalination plants, and speculation about seizing the Iranian island of Kharg. At the same time, it cited Trump saying he did not think a wider war in Iran would restart and that any actions would happen “very fast” rather than long term. Another segment focused on oil market implications. The discussion linked crack spreads and futures to costs and shortages, including claims that refined product prices were rising quickly relative to spot indicators. It described an argument that refineries face much higher costs for oil coming out of the Strait of Hormuz, with “crack spreads” spiking alongside futures. The participants debated explanations including demand destruction and oversupply from prior purchasing ahead of the war. They also discussed the U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserve refilling, contrasting “sweet crude” versus “sour crude,” and argued about U.S. refinery capabilities for converting sour crude into diesel and aviation fuel. Iranian military actions and U.S. counter-strikes were described as including anti-ship missiles and drones targeting U.S. facilities in Bahrain and Kuwait, along with claims of drone shootdowns. OSINT-style references were made to U.S. strikes targeting communications towers at an IRGC Navy base in Sirik for a third time, a site north of Bandar Abbas Airport described as having been an S-200 SAM and surveillance radar location, and fire detected at coordinates inside Bandar Abbas fishing port. Trump’s treatment of the “111 missiles” claim was also discussed. In parallel, regional diplomatic and political developments were mentioned: a meeting between Trump and Al-Shara was said to include talk of unifying Syria and removing Syria from the state-sponsored terrorism list, with reports that removal had been actioned or requested. Al-Shara’s alleged commitments regarding Hezbollah were framed as a key indicator for future regional outcomes. Additional mention included Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs warning regional countries not to allow their territory to be used for U.S. strikes on Iran, and Oman condemning attacks on Bahrain and Kuwait without naming Iran. Overall, the discussion concludes with repeated emphasis that the pattern is back-and-forth without a formal peace deal, uncertainty about how far retaliation will go, and a belief that the biggest risk is miscalculation leading to disproportionate escalation. The transcript also states that if Iran’s retaliation begins, it would most likely target Bahrain and Kuwait, while noting other possible targets such as the Emirates.

Speaker 1 describes the damage: at least three bases in the Gulf have been devastated, including the fifth fleet headquarters; satellite imagery suggests the base in Bahrain looks like Gaza and has been “moonscape.” He says he doesn’t know about casualties because he isn’t sure if the base was evacuated, but the imagery indicates it has been flattened. He notes the base was expensive and long a hub for the U.S. Navy in the Middle East and has been “completely taken offline.” He mentions a Middle East expert who doubts a quick rebuild, suggesting that Arabs will be irate and not want the U.S. to build back in their countries after the war ends. Speaker 0 adds that the Arabs “give us billions in foreign investment” and in exchange the U.S. promised to protect them, but asks why we would defend them given the current actions. Speaker 1 states there are credible reports that whatever air defense systems were in Arab countries were sent over to Israel and left American bases and people vulnerable, implying the U.S. prioritized protecting Israeli targets over U.S. troops. He reflects that, a year or two ago, he wouldn’t have believed this, but after watching a Huckabee interview, he thinks the United States is being led by its proxy and calls it the proxy being the housekeeper while the U.S. is the homeowner. He says the U.S. is “being led around the nose… by what should be its proxy.” Speaker 0 questions the dynamic, saying, “they’re the housekeeper. We’re the homeowner,” and asks for clarity on the situation. Speaker 1 adds a personal note: a Gulf-based colleague sent a State Department warning to get out, with the message that people are “on your own” for evacuation—no flights provided. He contrasts this with the British government evacuating its people “no questions asked” until twenty-four hours ago. He concludes that the sole superpower is picking a fight with Iran’s missile city and not providing exfiltration for its people, and asserts that this indicates a decline of the empire. He mentions that the Chinese view is that their time is at hand due to what he calls national suicide with this insanity.

The conversation centers on Iran, potential U.S. action, and the wider strategic spillovers across the Middle East and beyond. The speakers discuss what prompted a delay in striking Iran, the likelihood of a broader attack, and how regional and great-power dynamics might unfold. - On why a strike against Iran was postponed, the consensus from the guest is that Netanyahu asked for more time to prepare for defending against Iranian missiles and to enable a larger attack footprint. The guest also cites public statements by U.S. figures supporting a bigger operation: Lindsey Graham emphatically said last Friday that the delay was so we can go bigger; General Jack Keane stated that military operations would target political and military leaders and destroy their military infrastructure to take the regime out. The guest emphasizes that the most likely scenario is an expanded target set and greater combat power in the region to defend bases and improve the attack’s effectiveness, rather than a symbolic strike. - Regarding whether Russia or China would become involved, the guest doubts active involvement by either country, but suggests indirect support or intelligence help could occur. The logic is that direct involvement would be costly for these powers, though they might assist Iran indirectly. - On the readiness and capability of Iran, the guest argues Iran is now far more prepared than in the twelve-day war. They note that insiders were purged after the prior conflict, defenses were strengthened, and missile production likely accelerated since June, with production areas shielded from prior attacks. Iran’s ability to respond quickly and with significant damage is viewed as higher, and the guest warns that if Iran experiences an existential threat, it could abandon restraint and retaliate in a way that makes a broader war more likely. - The discussion covers U.S. bases in the region, where the guest concedes that the U.S. air defense is not at the level of Israel’s Iron Dome and David Sling, THAAD, and other integrated systems. Some bases lack robust defense against ballistic missiles, drones, and other threats, and, while 30,000 U.S. troops remain in the area, the overall air-defense capability is described as insufficient to stop all Iranian missiles. - Would Iran strike Gulf nations directly to pressure them to push the U.S. to end the war? The guest says not likely, arguing that Iranian leadership has signaled a preference for good relations with Gulf states and that attacking Gulf bases or cities would create more enemies and complicate Iran’s strategic posture. - A decapitation strike targeting leadership is considered plausible by some but deemed risky. The guest notes Iran has continuity of government plans and could designate successors; even if leadership is removed, a power vacuum could ignite internal fighting. The possibility of an existential attack by Iran—coupled with a broader regional war—could be catastrophic and is something to avoid. - The discussion turns to Lebanon, Hezbollah, the Houthis, Hamas, and the broader spillover risk. The guest suggests that if Iran’s retaliation is strong and Hamas or Hezbollah see an opportunity, there could be escalations, including potential involvement by Turkey. However, Iran would likely avoid opening new fronts that would diffuse its capability to strike U.S. bases in the region. - The problem of Iran’s internal diversity is highlighted: Persians, Azeris, Kurds, Lurs, Arabs, Baluchs, and Turkmen, among others, complicate any post-regime-change scenario. The guest argues Iran could fragment, but emphasizes that a successful Western-backed regime change could still lead to civil strife rather than a stable replacement, warning of a “textbook failed regime change” akin to past Middle East interventions. - On NATO and Western unity, the guest asserts NATO is dead or in deep trouble, citing European leaders who doubt U.S. stability and reliability. He notes European politicians discuss building an autonomous European security architecture, implying growing European reluctance to rely on U.S. leadership for defense. - Greenland as a strategic issue: the guest argues there is no rational military need for Greenland for security, and that the notion of occupying or militarizing Greenland is driven more by Trump’s personal preferences than strategic necessity. He points out that even if Greenland were militarized, Russia and China would have little to gain, given logistical and strategic barriers. - Finally, the future trajectory: the guest predicts Iran will likely be pressed hard in a large strike but warns that the consequences could be severe, including regional destabilization, potential civil conflict inside Iran, and long-term strategic costs for the U.S. and its European partners. He suggests that as long as the U.S. overextends itself in multiple theaters (Iran, Greenland, Ukraine, Venezuela), global stability and the U.S. economic footing could be endangered. The guest closes by highlighting the uncertainty of Trump’s next moves, citing possible abrupt shifts and cognitive concerns that could influence decisions in unpredictable ways.

Iran’s asymmetric strategy exploited the fact that modern Western soldiers carry tracking beacons in their pockets. Iranian intelligence tracked personal iPhone data of US military personnel, enabling Iranian targeting of US soldiers inside their hotel rooms. To make precision strikes “completely unjammable,” Iran dismantled Western GPS reliance by integrating a multi-system hybrid navigation architecture using Russia’s Glonass and China’s Beidou. The transcript claims that the United States lost between twenty-four and thirty MQ-9 Reaper drones above Iran. With Yemeni armed forces included, it states the number rises to fifty-one downed Reaper drones. It also claims that Iranian precision salvos bypassed regional air defenses and struck over two hundred specific targets. The account says billions of dollars of physical destruction occurred across at least twenty US military facilities in eight different countries. It further states that missiles were “almost immediately” flying at five other countries after these strikes, and ends with the question: “Why is he doing it?”

Speaker 0 raises a question about the legality of striking Iran’s bridges and power plants, asking how such action would not be a war crime. He asserts that Iran killed 45,000 people in the last month, and could be as many as 60,000, including protesters, calling them “animals.” He argues that they must be stopped and that Iran must not be allowed to have a nuclear weapon, stating that “They want a nuclear weapon. They've been trying for a long time.” He claims to have stopped them “with the Obama horrible Iran nuclear deal” and says he “stopped them in a lot of different ways.”

- The discussion centers on Iran amid weekend protests and a push by some Western figures for regime change, with emphasis on misinformation and “rage bait” clips online. The hosts claim much of the trending content is old, mislabeled, from other countries, or edited to look new. - It is alleged that Iran is deliberately conducting a nationwide digital blackout to close off information from inside the country and to hinder outside eyes. Reportedly, Iran is not only shutting down ordinary Internet traffic but also attempting to disrupt satellite connections (Starlink, Iridium, Inmarsat, Thuria). The claim is that foreign partners are aiding Iran in this blackout, with China and Russia specifically named as helping jam communications, including satellite phones and Internet links. SkyFreight flights are said to bring jamming equipment into Iran. The satellite and Internet disruptions are described as part of an unusually sophisticated communications clampdown. - Starlink and other satellite services are reportedly being jammed beyond basic GPS interference, with references to Starlink, Iridium, GlobalSat, Inmarsat, and Thuria. China is singled out as a key player in the jamming equipment. There are also mentions of health risks within the radius of the jamming equipment. - On casualty figures, Iranian media is cited as reporting 500 killed and 300 injured, but the hosts’ sources disagree with both the Iranian and Western figures. The hosts’ sources claim 2,150 dead, 480 injured, and 620 missing across 11 cities in Iran as of yesterday. - The broadcast introduces Doctor Miriam Asusli (online persona: Syrian Girl) who had just returned from Iran. She describes normal conditions on the ground during her visit, including using the metro, observing advanced infrastructure, and seeing women in higher educational attainment with some freedom in dress. She challenges the notion of widespread protests and asserts that the situation in Iran did not resemble the media’s depiction; she suggests Iran’s protests are about opening the economy and breaking Western influence, extending broader claims about global liberal order, Western-backed “color revolutions,” and control of oil and markets. - The guest asserts that the protests are connected to broader geopolitical aims, including Israeli and American efforts to change regimes, and argues that sanctions in Syria and Iran are designed to create instability. She alleges Western-backed groups and foreign entities push for regime change and profit from it, including claims about the CIA and Mossad’s involvement in supporting rebels in the region, and suggests that the regime change narrative serves Western interests. - There is a discussion about sanctions and their impact, with claims that sanctions cause starvation and destabilization to push for external influence or regime change. The guest mentions the idea of Iran pursuing peaceful nuclear power as a potential stabilizing factor, while also expressing controversial views about Iran acquiring nuclear weapons as a balance against Israel’s alleged nuclear capabilities. - The conversation connects the current events to broader regional dynamics, including Syria and Iraq, and asserts that Western powers seek to exploit Iran’s turmoil for strategic gains. The hosts acknowledge that there are multiple narratives and say that their sources in the Middle East indicate preparations for conflict by the end of the month, with specific timing debates around late January (the thirtieth or thirty-first). - The program closes with the hosts noting parallel reporting from Israeli sources about potential conflict timing and thanking the guest for on-the-ground insights, expressing a desire for peace.

Speaker 0 begins by noting a new escalation in the war: after the president's Easter-weekend speech, the United States struck a massive bridge in Tehran, described as part of Tehran’s pride because it would cut about an hour from Iranians’ commutes. Trump posts, “the biggest bridge in Iran comes tumbling down, never to be used again,” and says, “Make a deal before it’s too late.” He warns that nothing is left of what could still become a great country. Speaker 1 responds with skepticism about the administration, mocking the idea of “the Nord Stream pipeline” being blown up as a lie by the prior administration. Speaker 0 notes that Trump boasted about the bridge strike on Truth Social and questions the strategic value of targeting civilian infrastructure, comparing it to striking the Golden Gate Bridge and asking whether that would be labeled a war crime. Iranian retaliation follows: a strike at the center of Tehran (clarified as Tel Aviv in error in the transcript) with a ballistic missile, causing a neighborhood to burn, as shown on Fox News and circulating on social media. Reports also emerge that an Amazon data center was struck in Bahrain, Oracle in the UAE, and that Iran had claimed it would strike Microsoft, Google, Amazon and other large American companies. The United States is not protecting them. Speaker 2 engages Colonel Daniel Davis, host of The Deep Dive with Dan Davis, to assess the latest moves alongside the president’s speech. Speaker 2 argues that the president’s remarks about “bomb you back into the stone age” indicate punishing the civilian population, not just military targets, which could unite Iranians against the United States and Israel. The bridge strike appears to align with that stance, making a regional outcome that contradicts any stated aims. He calls it nearly a war crime, since civilian infrastructure has no military utility in this context. He suggests the action undermines any potential peace path and could prompt stronger resistance within Iran. He warns that, politically, Trump could face war-crimes scrutiny, especially under a Democratic-controlled House, and that it damages the United States’ reputation by appearing to disregard the rule of law and morality. Speaker 1 asks whether such tactics are ever effective, noting a lack of evidence that inflicting civilian suffering yields political concession. Speaker 0 and Speaker 2 reference historical examples (Nazis, British during the Battle of Britain, Hiroshima-era considerations) to suggest such tactics have not succeeded in breaking civilian resolve, arguing this approach would harden Iranian resistance. Speaker 2 cites broader historical or regional patterns: torture or collective punishment has failed against Germans, Japanese, Palestinians in Gaza, Hezbollah in Lebanon, and Iran in the Iran-Iraq War. He contends the appeal of using such power is seductive but dangerous, likening it to “war porn.” He notes that the number of Iranian fatalities floated by Trump has fluctuated (3,000, 10,000, 30,000, then 45,000), describing them as not credible, yet the administration seems unconcerned with accuracy. Speaker 3 adds that the rhetoric justifies escalating violence with humanitarian consequences, including potential energy-system disruption. Speaker 0 asks about the discrepancy between Trump’s claim of decimating Iran and subsequent attacks on multiple targets in the Gulf and the firepower Iran still holds, including underground facilities and missile capabilities. Speaker 2 explains that Iran can absorb punishment and still strike back, suggesting that the Strait of Hormuz cannot be opened by force and that escalation could involve considerations of a larger false-flag scenario. He mentions a warning about a potential nine-eleven-level attack and potential media complicity, implying fears of a false-flag operation blamed on Iran. Speaker 0 notes the possibility of Israeli involvement undermining negotiations and cites JD Vance’s planned meeting with Iranian Foreign Minister Kamal Kharazi, noting Kharazi’s injury and his wife’s death, implying an assassination attempt. Speaker 2 critiques U.S. reliance on allies, arguing that Israel’s actions threaten U.S. interests and that the White House should constrain Israel. He asserts there is no military solution to the conflict, warns of long-term costs to the United States and its European and Asian relations, and predicts economic consequences if the conflict continues. Speaker 1 remarks that Iranian leaders’ letter to the American people shows civilian intent not to surrender, while Speaker 0 and Speaker 2 emphasize the risk of ongoing conflict, with Colonel Davis concluding that there is no feasible open-strand resolution. The discussion ends with thanks to Colonel Davis for his analysis.

The transcript claims that since the United States was founded, it has started wars with other nations once every ten years, while Iran “hasn’t started any,” and it links modern foreign interest in Iran to early 1900s oil interests. It states that the Anglo-Persian oil company led to British dependence on Iranian oil, followed by “a century of betrayals, strategic deception, and psychological operations,” including Britain overthrowing the Iranian government in 1921. It further claims that during World War II, Britain and the USSR invaded Iran to steal oil, and in 1953 Britain and the USA overthrew the Iranian government. The transcript then asserts that after 9/11, Osama bin Laden and Al Qaeda were blamed, that Western intelligence assets were involved, and that foreign Zionists began a mass-murder campaign in the region with a death count “in the millions.” It also claims that when Zionist forces occupied Iraq, Iranians “knew they were coming” and prepared. It says that less than 48 hours before a US-Israel attack on Iran on February 28, the United States had concluded “the most productive round of nuclear negotiations in years” and agreed to meet again in four days. It states that an independent mediator said a peace deal was within reach, claiming Iran agreed it would never have enough nuclear material to create a bomb and offered full IAEA access to nuclear sites. It also says Iran offered to down blend highly enriched uranium to the lowest possible level and convert it into irreversible fuel, with technical talks scheduled in Vienna and a fourth round of political negotiations within the week. The transcript claims that 48 hours later, Trump and Israel launched an attack on Iran, including strikes targeting the nation’s leader and “178 Iranian school girls,” allegedly murdered with a double strike of Tomahawk missiles. It alleges that the “army, navy, and air force” were decoys to waste munitions and that Iran’s “real military is underground,” including “a massive city of tunnels” beneath the country with missile stockpiles and launch sites. It describes custom weapon systems and technologies, including swarms of thousands of drones, missiles with no fins to reduce radar lock, missiles steering away from predicted flight paths, missiles deploying multiple warheads to evade interceptors, and hypersonic missiles. It claims that on March 21, Iran launched a strike against Israel’s nuclear facilities at Damona and hit the target, presenting it as a message that Iran can “target Israel’s nukes at will.” It also claims Iran’s actions are transparent, announcing actions and targets and following through, contrasting this with US-Israeli “deception, and terror.” It states Iran’s real navy is underground with thousands of unmanned surface vehicles operating as swarms to attack ships in the Gulf, and claims Iran has planned and effectively “nationalized the Strait Of Hormuz,” citing planning since 2003. The transcript concludes by asserting Iran has munitions for years, is continuing to produce more underground, and can “tank the world economy” if needed, while claiming the US and Israel are already running out.

Speaker 0 said that people in the Missile Defense Agency, including the now deceased doctor Peter Pry and his colleague David Pine, had long claimed—about for a decade—that Iranian electromagnetic pulse (EMP) weapons were placed on satellites in orbit. Speaker 0 added that Space Force has been tracking such suspected EMP activity for years and that the situation might involve preemptive shootdowns of these suspected EMP bomb satellites as part of escalation against Iran. Speaker 1 said EMP attacks on U.S. infrastructure are a major concern, stating that “it wouldn't take much for entire electric grid to be wiped out.” Speaker 0 then stated that one EMP detonated 50 miles above the Continental United States would knock out 90 to 95% of the electric grid, that there is no restoring it for a minimum of two years, and that the grid would not come back online within two years because the physical gear needed to restore it comes from China. The discussion then shifted to missing scientists and technology origins. Speaker 1 said it was fascinating that there is “massive overlap” between U.S. and Chinese scientists who have gone missing, and he said that he and Speaker 0 could disagree on where the technology came from. Speaker 1 described a claim he had heard from special forces and involvement in a secret space program: the technology was accidentally discovered through crash retrieval from UAPs “long time ago.” Speaker 0 said he did not have special knowledge and expressed a belief that extraordinary people and technologies have historically come from hidden or inherited research, referencing Tesla and claiming Nazis developed advanced systems at Peenemünde that were inherited. Speaker 0 suggested that “the alien thing might be a cover story,” while stating he does not have anyone on the inside who could tell him one way or the other and describing it as his opinion. Speaker 1 said the cover story idea includes the pattern that people assume anything seen in the sky is an alien craft, but that it is often U.S. military technology. He also asserted that “the Nazi technology came from these crash retrieval programs in Russia, China.” Speaker 1 then asked a UFO-related question, saying they have seen six scientists go missing, including military personnel working in plasma physics, advanced heat-resistant materials, magnetism, doctors, and the director of MIT’s plasma science fusion center. He said he had sources from special forces that this plasma technology was found accidentally after a downed UAP. He also referenced Brendan Weichert’s earlier reporting that the issue is “not about aliens,” and stated that China and the United States are “playing this very dangerous game” by missing each other’s scientists.