Iran

The country is discussed regarding its resilient missile infrastructure and the geopolitical tensions involving the U.S.

“And they, they're admitting now that the Iranians still have 70, 75% of all their missiles and launchers. All that stuff about we decimated everything they had was all just buster.”

Discussed as a nation with significant escalation dominance and defensive capabilities that make a U.S. invasion strategically unfeasible.

“Well, it can't be because listen, I'll tell you, man, um, in January of 2007, the chiefs took W. Bush down to the tank in the basement of the Pentagon, and they told him, "Look, we'll do your Iraq surge where we increase the war in Iraq, but we really don't wa…”

Discussed regarding their nuclear enrichment capabilities and their adherence to international agreements.

“And then the Iranians would say, "We're not making nukes, so don't attack us." And then the heavy implication was, "If you attack us, then we might make nukes." So they had a latent deterrent, right? A half-assed nuclear weapons deterrent. They proved that the…”

Discussed as the dominant regional power and the potential implications of them acquiring nuclear weapons.

“No. In fact, that's what we got off on, uh, on, uh, Martyr Made there a minute ago, was because on our show, he was saying right now, through their conventional power, and especially because W. Bush gave their best friends Baghdad, Iran is by far the dominant …”

Discussed as a member of the Non-Proliferation Treaty with a safeguarded civilian nuclear program.

“... that would include them being able to deliver them to the United States as well. And I think, see, it's like this. Here's how it worked, okay? The Iranians, they're members of the Non-Proliferation Treaty going way back, and they had a safeguarded civilian…”

Discussed as a nation that may pursue nuclear capabilities and is currently engaged in regional conflicts, with Horton suggesting the US should withdraw from the area.

“Well, I'll tell you that first of all, they're more likely to go ahead and try to break out and make an atom bomb now than ever before, although I'm not necessarily predicting that. I think, you know, Trump has proven by calling their bluff on their latent det…”

Discussed as a target of potential U.S. and Israeli military intervention.

“... I mean, people ask me right after Venezuela, "So what do you think this means for Iran?" And I was like, "Bad news." Right? Like, nobody thinks we're gonna go in there and kidnap the Ayatollah, but if you can put eyeballs on him, you can put a bomb on his …”

Discussed in the context of its nuclear program and the potential for regional nuclear proliferation.

“for Iran, for Iran to have a civilian nuclear program, come on, that's just cover for really a weapons program. That's just a stage in a weapons program. We know eventually they're gonna make nukes, and then they're gonna attack Israel with them." And we also …”

Described as becoming newly dominant in the region due to US policy failures.

“having to live with it for three years, the aftermath of however it works out with Iran newly dominant. And so again, Bush put Iran up two pegs in Baghdad.Obama put them up two pegs by building the caliphate and then helping them destroy it again. And then, of…”

Discussed regarding the status of its nuclear program and facilities at Natanz and Fordow.

“... assuming not that, but like assuming he was just a regular cop. Like, you can't accuse me of selling illegal laser rifles from my gun shop when I've got a cop sitting right here, and that's the deal here is they've got inspectors throughout the place. And …”

Described as having successfully targeted U.S. military bases in the region, exposing the vulnerability of American strategy.

“Hey, look, uh, one of the lessons of the war in Iran is the empire's good for nothing anyway, right? We have H-bombs that are enough to deter anyone from attacking us, but America's military empire in the Middle East is completely bankrupt, right? That whole t…”

Discussed as a regional power that gained influence following the U.S. invasion of Iraq.

“September 11th and stuff. And but he talked about this and he's like, yeah, no, that's still right. They'll do whatever the Hashemites tell them to do. Those Shiites, they just worship and revere anyone who claims to have the blood of the prophet. But if that …”

Described as part of an arc of power extending through Syria to Hezbollah.

“Smith correctly says, it's all based on the clean break doctrine, which David Wormser and Richard Perle. Oh, I neglected to mention Richard Perle and his friends on the defense policy board. But Perle and David Wormser had written up this policy paper called A…”

Discussed as the subject of potential nuclear threats and ongoing diplomatic negotiations.

“What do you predict is gonna happen with Iran?”

The only country on the 'seven countries' list that the U.S. did not invade.

“That, you know, and he was saying that there was no real proof that that exists, that he didn't actually read it. He was told that we were gonna go into seven countries. But, you know, I was talking to Dave about this the other day. He's like, "I, y- if y- you…”

Mentioned as a country experiencing protests and as a target of US pressure.

“Yeah, it was one of those where, much like what just happened in Iran in January, where there's a protest over some economic policy. I think in that case they had cut the gas ration or something like that, and-And it's, you know, it's a country that's divided …”

Discussed as a victim of U.S. military aggression and bombing campaigns.

“that they killed not just one but two girls' schools in their initial assault. They killed... In one building, they killed 100 and I think 73 or 74, uh, almost all little girls, and then in the other one was 20 more, and with, and with that was an experimental…”

Discussed in the context of nuclear non-proliferation and US foreign policy.

“Correct, and the reason for that is because it's illegal for America to give aid to a nuclear weapon state that refuses to sign the Non-Proliferation Treaty, and so... And they don't wanna do that. In fact, they did proliferate nuclear weapons to South Africa,…”

Described as a regime willing to endure significant economic pain and military pressure, currently controlling the Strait of Hormuz.

“Yeah, that's the part that's sort of, like, chilling about where we're at because we're in this sort of stalemate in which Trump looks like a loser. He can try to declare victory, but there'll still be the ongoing cost of us having kind of shown our might and …”

The central nation involved in the conflict and ongoing failed negotiations with the US.

“Um, anyway, rejected, um, which Iran waited 10 days to send, uh, and included demands for US reparations and permanent Iranian control over the Strait of Hormuz. Uh, Trump called that, quote, "totally unacceptable and inappropriate" before elaborating on his i…”

Discussed as having gained significant leverage through control of the Strait of Hormuz and its nuclear enrichment activities.

“... what was truly a bracing and, uh, uh, like, just dismal read on the, the situation, including laying out, like, just how few options Trump has. Because part of the reason he called off, uh, military strikes and wanted a ceasefire is because of the leverage…”

Discussed as a nation whose oil exports and weapons trade are tied to the Strait of Hormuz situation.

“I mean, I, I, first of all, I'm just skeptical that China could actually force Iran to reopen the strait and kind of go back to the before times because if you're, like, China buys 90% of Iran's oil, but still, if you're Iran, you're thinking, "Look, we got a …”

Mentioned in the context of a ceasefire and potential military action.

“... become a Friend of the Pod subscriber. Uh, no ads for any of your favorite podcasts at Crooked, and you get to support Crooked Media, and you get subscriber-only shows, and you get all of our Substack newsletters. And by the way, you can start buying a tic…”

The primary adversary in the current conflict, described as intransigent and potentially facing economic pressure regarding oil storage.

“... the people, uh, who, who got rich, uh, during COVID are getting rich now, and this is not a partisan thing. It's not an anti-Trump thing. It's just a fact of our economy. When things go poorly, like during COVID for the middle class and the working class, …”

Mentioned by Donald Trump and Lindsey Graham as a target for US intervention alongside Cuba.

“It's a failed nation. You know, all my life I've been hearing about the United States and Cuba, you know, when will the United States do it? I do believe I'll be the honor of, having the honor of taking Cuba. Think I could do anything I want with it, you wanna…”

Compared to Cuba regarding the impact of U.S. blockades and the potential for diplomatic negotiations.

“... where, you know, we're really hoping blockading the Iranian ports is gonna hurt the Iranians so much and the Iranian economy so much that they cry uncle. Um, it's sort of we're kind of trying to do the same thing to them that we've been doing to Cuba, and …”

Described as a regime seeking to pocket wins over the U.S. and currently being monitored for nuclear capabilities.

“... these three, these three regimes are just interested in pocketing wins over the United States. Uh, they're not interested in helping Donald Trump out of the mess he's in. So again, I hope he can figure it out. I hope he can end both wars. I hope he can top…”

Compared to Cuba as a different geopolitical situation and noted for its drone manufacturing.

“... up their minds about whether they're in favor of this or not. It's not the same situation as Iran. It's got a whole other different list of issues around it. Um, but don't lie to us and tell us they were about to accuse, a- a- attack us. I mean, that's [la…”

Mentioned as a previous focus of foreign policy reporting that failed to materialize into a settled war.

“the US military base at Guantanamo Bay, US military vessels, and maybe even Key West, Florida. Yes, while they, night after night, cannot even keep the lights on or the in-ICU units in their hospitals powered, literally losing power on their ventilators of bab…”

Cited as a previous example where the administration failed to make a clear case to the public.

“I, I really just wish, you know, that the administration would do us the courtesy on Cuba of what they failed to do on Iran and make the case. W-”

Mentioned in the context of exporting drones and whether they would be willing to supply them currently.

“feels like what many in South Florida want is just a f- is just a failed state. Uh, and there are tons of guns in the United States, in Jamaica, in Haiti. It wouldn't be that diffic- in Mexico. It wouldn't be that difficult for all of a sudden Cuba to be flood…”

Mentioned as a source of an unpopular war affecting political polling.

“... of the voters. This just in, we've got a couple of polls. N- none of them is good news for the Republicans, unfortunately. But, um, here's one from, let's see, uh, pulling it up. Hmm. Brand-new New York Times poll. Dan Pfeiffer of Team Obama, biased, but s…”

Mentioned in the context of controlling the Strait of Hormuz and the potential for regime change.

“Well, I think my, just from observation and reporting, in the short term, I think China's fine with the strait being closed 'cause it embarrasses the United States. The president may say Mr. Xi is a great friend of his, but I think China loves seeing the Unite…”

The central subject of the discussion regarding nuclear enrichment, missile capabilities, and potential war.

“Let's suppose you go to see your physician, and your physician says, "Hey, Joe, God forbid, it looks like your blood sugar is very high, and I'm going to classify you as now, never mind pre-diabetic, I think you're diabetic. And if we don't manage your sugar l…”

Discussed as a regime with an eschatology that poses a nuclear proliferation threat to global peace.

“Right. Several ways to tackle this. Say the Iran war. Take Israel out of it. Do you think that the... Do you think there are multiple countries that would share in the recognition that probably a Iranian regime that has an, uh, eschatology that basically says …”

Mentioned in the context of polling statistics regarding support for war.

“Um, it's also interesting when you look at the statistics of the polling statistics of people that support the war with Iran, uh, in, in Israel versus the United States, and it's way more people support the war. And, uh, you know, obviously, I live in America,…”

Discussed as an example of a country where US foreign policy had significant, negative consequences.

“And so they got rid of him, and Libya became a failed state. Like, we have monkeyed in other countries for our own interest for a long time, with horrible consequences for the people in those countries, and I think Iran is an excellent example of that.”

Mentioned as an example of a country that could benefit from a more peaceful, modern governance model.

“... of modernity across the entire country? Like, imagine if Iraq, Iran, all these countries were run like Saudi Arabia or run like the United Arab Emirates. You would have a, a much more peaceful environment, wouldn't you?”

Mentioned by Joe Rogan in the context of US foreign policy and interventionism.

“And this is the same sentiment that people have for why we invaded Iran and-”

Discussed as a nation with a rich history currently suffering under a restrictive regime.

“nation on earth. Every, every entity fights for its own interests. But that doesn't mean that the Americans are so lacking in personal agency, are so gullible, are so easy to puppeteer that it, there must be this Zionist lobby that otherwise is pushing us into…”

Mentioned in the context of potential nuclear capabilities and regional conflict.

“W- we can use what is the existential calculus that animates each society. One society says, "We'll even help you build a better society, just please don't spend all your time screaming about eradicating every last one of us." The other society says, "Yeah, I …”

The central focus of the foreign policy crisis and the nation currently challenging the U.S. administration.

“Just what you say. I mean, I think Jack Keane is in touch with people in the administration, including up to the very top, and I, I think he also wishes-- You know, he has this sort of, I, I don't know what even to call it, the view at this point. I was gonna …”

The US is struggling to manage the situation in Iran and failing to make progress on diplomatic goals.

“I very much agree, and it's-- The Europeans are now providing the aid. Incidentally, that's one point, I don't know if we discussed this last week briefly, but Philip Bryan made this point in the conversation I had with him. Orbán's defeat was very important i…”

The subject of Trump's aggressive, potentially empty, threats regarding military action.

“Groundhog Day here. "For Iran, the clock is ticking, and they better get moving FAST," all caps, "or there won't be anything left of them." I mean, talk about the boy who cried wolf. Trump has been bleating about ending Iranian civilization for like six weeks …”

China continues to purchase oil from Iran despite U.S. pressure.

“Yeah, totally. I mean, uh, everyone's taking it that way around the world from what I've been-- from what I can make out, what I've been reading, uh, and reading accounts of what other people are reading, uh, in Europe and, and Asia too. I mean, really very ba…”

Described as a geopolitical adversary that has become more entrenched and capable during the conflict.

“Regime change, get rid of Iran's conventional capabilities, the shield that protects their nuclear weapons, then get rid of the nuclear weapons, and then you are going to put your puppet to run Iran, and you said that was gonna make Iran great again. That's wh…”

The primary adversary in the conflict, accused of maintaining its military capabilities while the U.S. expends significant munitions.

“Well, what about our munitions? Right? We've seen reports that America expended around 70% of our munitions, and that, uh, very little of Iran's munitions have been destroyed. We- America's lost 70% of our overall munitions, like, in the world, on this war, an…”

Target of the proposed Operation Sledgehammer military invasion.

“You're watching Ben on Breaking News. I'm Ben Meiselas, and this is your breaking news. Before we went live, we learned that the Pentagon is considering a new mission, a new invasion of Iran. They're calling it Operation Sledgehammer. They believe that the cea…”

Mentioned as a target of previous military operations by the Trump administration.

“watch what's gonna happen in, you know, if this thing actually goes through. You're gonna see the sludge. It's gonna... It's so easy to predict what's going to hap- But that's his thing for everything. When it come- Starting with the beginning of this episode,…”

The subject of nuclear negotiations mentioned by Donald Trump.

“Not even a little bit. It... The only thing that matters when I'm talking about Iran, they can't have a nuclear weapon. I don't think about Americans' financial situation. I don't think about anybody. I think about one thing. We cannot let Iran have a nuclear …”

Discussed regarding the remaining missile and drone capacity of the country.

“... drone program. The president said just a week ago that Iran maybe had 18 to 19% of their missile capacity left. But there is public reporting suggesting that our intelligence agencies say that Iran still has 70% of their missile and drone capability, which…”

Mentioned as a nation that avoids meeting with Donald Trump due to his embarrassing behavior.

“know, you're... And, and it's just post after post after post like this, and the corporate news doesn't wanna de- you know, doesn't even wanna deal with it. Yeah, I mean, he's posting this about J.B. Pritzker. Hey, Donald, you're obese. I hate to break it to y…”

Discussed as a complex, embedded regime with a decentralized defense system that was miscalculated by the US president.

“The people around you. So when he was planning the war in Iran, and from the reporting that we know, people did say, "Well, you know, Mr. President, you know, the Iranians are not like the Venezuelans. It's a, it's a very embedded regime." And the Iranians had…”

Discussed in the context of a war that has backfired and Trump's lack of historical knowledge regarding the region.

“One of the problems of having a president who lies all the time is that you, you know, you just stop believing him. Even if the war was over, you wouldn't believe it because he's, his, his, his track record is not good. Um, I mean, look, I think the important …”

Identified as one of the autocratic powers challenging the liberal world order.

“There are several things going on. One of them is that in declining democracies, and in, and historically in autocracies, is you have leaders who conduct wars as a way of consolidating their base and consolidating their support. Uh, and so one of the things th…”

Applebaum uses Iran as an example of a place where one should seek real-world information rather than relying solely on social media.

“Um, and, and the making sure that we're constantly in touch with what's, what's reality on the ground, what's really happening in Ukraine, you know, what's really happening in Iran, and not living on just what's available to us on our phones, is really importa…”

Mentioned as a subject of arguments that a narcissistic leader would feel compelled to 'win'.

“So I'm, I'm winning the contest with this journalist, or I'm winning the argument about Iran, or like we're winning the war, or we're, I'm, you know, the opinion polls are all in my favor. So whatever is the situation, he has to emerge as the winner. That's hi…”

A geopolitical crisis point looming over the US-China summit talks.

“battery makers, manufacturers, car makers to h- to set up plants, uh, in a JV structure or wholly owned Chinese structure in the US. That I think has been, um, signaled quite strongly from Beijing in the last few months. And then the secondary issues I think a…”

Mentioned in the context of a crisis impacting global relations.

“In today's episode of China Decode, we're discussing the most consequential Trump-Xi meeting yet, how China's quietly absorbing Western innovation, and why Xi keeps purging China's top military leadership. That's all coming up, but first, let's do a quick chec…”

Discussed as a primary focus of Trump's foreign policy and nuclear non-proliferation goals.

“Oh, wow. That was, that was some quote. That was like an ad. Like they just... He cut an ad for them. It was-- That was astonishing, I have to say. I mean, it's what I, it's what I think he thinks. And this nuclear weapon thing, we're less safe now than we wer…”

Discussed how the conflict with the country could impact the economy.

“Well, it's a good warning for people. Anyway, there's a lot of froth happening, for sure. And, and so there, it's hard to separate the good from the bad. Anyway, we wanna hear from you. Send us your questions about business, tech, or whatever's on your mind. G…”

A thorny geopolitical issue that both leaders are expected to discuss during the summit.

“So US President Donald Trump is heading to China. This is the first visit by a sitting US president since 2017 when Trump was last president. I'm carrying a three-point scorecard going into summit in terms of rating it. Number one, will there be any indication…”

Mentioned as a geopolitical event that caused a temporary market drop shortly after the speakers invested money.

“And it went down. Iran.”

A region of conflict where President Trump seeks Chinese assistance for resolution.

“The Chinese dynamic is fascinating. In fact, I went to China many years ago when Xi Jinping had first become the leader. I traveled with the Treasury Secretary at the time. This was during the Obama administration. And to see the way the Chinese kind of put on…”

The ongoing war in Iran is cited as a primary driver for rising energy costs and inflation.

“[upbeat music] We start the show today on a topic that's on top of mind for a lot of people, how much things cost, and it turns out they're costing more. New data from the Labor Department out today showed that inflation rose 3.8% in April from a year earlier.…”

Mentioned as a source of current geopolitical pressure affecting the Trump administration's foreign policy.

“Oh, no, no. I think it's the first, because he's going over there a little bit weak because of how shit is going with Iran right now. He, he kept signaling, like, "Oh, we're gonna have this shit figured out," and now it's not.”

Mentioned in the context of ongoing geopolitical tensions and conflict.

“What's happening in Iran and some shit? Like... [laughs]”

Discussed as a foreign adversary conducting cyber operations and human intelligence activities in the United States.

“Well, most of all, they're trying to understand, so what are the Iranians doing here in the United States? That is, what are they doing in the cyber vector? What institutions are they trying to break into? What infrastructure are they trying to damage? What ar…”

A nation representing a major counterintelligence threat that requires specialized expertise to monitor.

“It's a reasonable and serious worry because the organization has been demoralized, shrunken, uh, deployed in ways that are hard to understand from the outside, moving people to immigration work or other work away from their core responsibility. When what the F…”

Mentioned as a subject of leak investigations by the administration.

“Yeah. Boy, I meant to ask you wh-when we were talking about the, um, The Atlantic stories about Patel. The FBI is now investigating the journalist of The Atlantic that wrote that story as part of a broader leak investigation. There's also a Wall Street Journal…”

Cited as an example of a nation the US cannot easily defeat, illustrating the limits of American power.

“We need China. This whole idea that we're against China or anti-China is itself a lie. That, I mean, the Steve Bannons of people will talk about how, how dangerous the CCP is, and they might be right. There's no fucking option. We have no option. We have no op…”

Used as a comparison for how the US should not treat China, and later mentioned in a hyperbolic context regarding military conflict.

“topics were indeed raised, including discussion of US trade ties, US access to the Chinese market, Beijing's investment in US industries, and its purchases of American agricultural products. Xi, however, aims to weaken the US commitment to Taiwan, a self-gover…”

The host discusses the potential for regime change in Iran as a goal of the current Israeli government.

“But we'll do something and then... And will Israel let us get out of the war? Probably not. Let's just be honest. They're not gonna let us get out of the war. They have no plans. Israel right now is like, "No, no, no, no, no, we're not... No one's, uh, no one'…”

Mentioned in the context of the limits of American power.

“insane. Truly. If the Iran war did not show you the limits of American power in this century, you are crazy. This is not the Pax Romana for us here. This is not we are a kid that used to be really cool, that had the best parties, but was in a car accident and …”

The plateau where the events involving Darius and the fake Bardiya take place.

“great plateau of Iran. And they arrive at a place called Sikyavāutish, which is up in the heights of the, the Zagros Mountains, surrounded by rich fields. Um, there are famous horses from these fields, so it's a kind of beautiful spot. And Bardiya is, or rathe…”

The Persian Empire originated in modern-day Iran.

“So to give people just a sense, just if you think about looking at the map, we are talking about an empire that started in modern-day Iran and that has swallowed up Iraq, which is where Babylon effectively was. That's right, isn't it, Tom? And Anatolia, which …”

The modern geographic location identified as the setting for the Persian court.

“A report of the capture and torching of Sardis by the Athenians and Ionians was brought to King Darius. It is said that the king's initial response to this news was to dismiss the Ionians as being of no account, since he knew full well that they had no prospec…”

The destination for the deported Milesian survivors.

“And I think their, their plan is basically to hope that [laughs] you know, the Persians will forget all about it, and they will pretend that it never happened. It's like that scene in Seinfeld where George, you know, announces that he's, um, he's leaving, and …”

The region whose flat plateau geography favored the use of Persian cavalry.

“Yes. I think it does. I th- I think they very rapidly start to realize that they've bitten off much more than they can chew. I mean, I think the burning of the Temple of Cybele is very unsettling for them because they are now anxious that they will draw down t…”

Mentioned as a location where people experienced a painful but meaningful social bond.

“... in the, in Iran. Yeah. Very painful, but also very meaningful. Connected us to each other. Felt a very strong bond with each other in that moment. That's your brain telling you that's the kinda thing that we're built for, right? Because living alone for mo…”

The speaker describes a deep conversation with an Uber driver who shared the tragic story of his son's death during a protest in Iran.

“But if you got two people that aren't talking to each other, this gets back to our earlier conversation, how I can use as somebody's behavior as a guide to their thoughts. In this case, making a mistake. I can infer you're not interested in talking to me if yo…”

Mentioned in the context of an Uber driver's background.

“brain is trying to tell you, "Get out there and connect with other people." So when you're lonely, you get spikes in cortisol in your bloodstream that compromises your cardiovascular functioning, that compromises your immune system. That's why being lonely can…”

Mentioned as a state seeking nuclear weapons in the context of the podcast promo.

“I'm Raza Jaffrey, and in the new season of The Spy Who..., we tell the story of Dr. A.Q. Khan, the spy who sold nuclear secrets to Iran. He was the scientist spy who stole nuclear technology from the Netherlands and used them to give Pakistan the bomb. But he …”

Mentioned as a state that sought nuclear weapons from Dr. A.Q. Khan.

“I'm Raza Jaffrey, and in the new season of The Spy Who, we tell the story of Dr. A.Q. Khan, the spy who sold nuclear secrets to Iran. He was the scientist spy who stole nuclear technology from the Netherlands and used them to give Pakistan a bomb. But he didn'…”

Mentioned in the context of regional tensions and the need to prevent nuclear proliferation.

“All right. Well, we have a big docket here. The Trump-Xi summit has begun. That is the number one story right now after a two-month delay because of the war in Iran. This is the first visit to China since 2017. Seventh face-to-face meeting for Trump and Presid…”

Mentioned in the context of China potentially selling arms to the country.

“So since you went there with Taiwan, should we take our arm sales off of the table, Friedberg? And should we ask China to not sell arms to Iran?”

Mentioned as a source of geopolitical crisis affecting fertilizer supply.

“Brazil's crop fails, if Australia's wheat crop fails, Australia's wheat crop goes to places like Indonesia and the Philippines. Hundreds of millions of people depend on that, that wheat crop. Hundreds of millions of people depend on the exports out of Brazil. …”

Bobby Lee jokingly references Iran in a conversation about sharing information.

“For, to Iran we are.”

Mentioned in a joking comparison regarding their wrestling strategy.

“Like we did to Iran.”

Used as a comparison for geopolitical threats that the speaker believes should be bombed.

“It has to be blown to smithereens in the middle of the sea. Sorry. I, I don't want, I don't want it. I don't want it to be the case, but I'm not comfortable. This is what scares me. People, "Iran. What if Iran gets a nuke?" What the fuck is it? Bomb them. We d…”

Mentioned as a geopolitical concern alongside other global issues.

“I- we got too many fucking problems. We got AI, we got, we got Iran, we got all this shit going on, we got aliens, we got the price of oil, and then you think you're gonna bring a hantavirus? No. "We're not just a story."”

Mentioned as a topic that elderly users obsessively argue about on social media.

“And that's how people get old now. They get old on the internet, and they spend their golden years, the last years on this planet where they still have moving legs and they can still walk, they spend it shut in their home on Facebook talking about Iran. That's…”

Referenced as the site of a conflict involving Trump that has caused global economic turmoil.

“We've been saying it for y- so that, but that was my argument with him, right? I just said, "Look, you know, Trump's war in Iran is a shock, right? In... To, you know, energy prices, um, it's absolutely thrown the whole of the Middle East into turmoil."”

Involved in a diplomatic dispute regarding a peace proposal and ceasefire.

“[upbeat music] Here's what else you need to know today. On Monday, President Trump mocked Iran's response to his latest peace proposal as unserious and said it had imperiled the ceasefire between the two countries.”

Mentioned in the context of Pete Hegseth's public statements regarding war.

“You think about Pete Hegseth, Secretary of War, who is invoking Christianity in speaking publicly about the war on Iran.”

Mentioned as the subject of a quiz question regarding the cost of war.

“Iran.”

Sean Stone traveled to Iran to investigate beliefs regarding jinns and the nature of reality.

“Well, I mean, I know the person I went with did, but, like, some of the other guys that I know, I don't think they, anything changed in their life because-Yeah, I mean, we all have different paths, right? We all d-- Like, you know, my, my path was frankly init…”

Sean Stone visited Iran to meet with individuals who claim to communicate with the spiritual realm.

“They are the beings in... So I went to Iran. The first time was curiosity, but I s- went to go meet with some of these guys that communicate to them, to the other side. And, uh, and I would talk to them about, you know, what's going on in the world, and they w…”

Discussed in the context of a new, potentially global war.

“Yeah. So that's a different way of looking at the world. So, um, and probably a better one. But given that worldview, you see now the unresolved war in Ukraine, this new war in Iran, which seems like it is already a global war. Who knows?”

Mentioned as a point of geopolitical tension involving the United States.

“[instrumental music] This episode is brought to you by The Times and by The Sunday Times. Now, if there is one thing that history, and indeed Bob Dylan teaches us, it is that the times they are always a-changing. And Dominic, I guess we're living in changing t…”

The Adani Group settled an investigation regarding violations of sanctions against this country.

“In other news out of the Justice Department, federal prosecutors are dropping their criminal fraud case against Indian billionaire Gautam Adani. It's the latest effort by the Trump administration to abandon cases brought by the prior administration as its enfo…”

Lyman Stone cites Iran as an example where restricting female access to higher education did not prevent the birth rate from plummeting.

“Yeah, but when Iran started curtailing female access to higher education, their birth rate continued to plummet. Like, it doesn't fix it.”

Mentioned by Stephen Dubner as a hypothetical news topic to contrast with the popularity of games.

“But how wonderful is too wonderful? I went back to Alex Hardiman with a fairly obnoxious question. If tomorrow The New York Times stopped reporting on, let's say, the Iran war and the White House and global economics, I'm sure it would cause a lot of trouble f…”

Equities have been volatile and responsive to headlines regarding the conflict in Iran.

“[upbeat music] This is a tough time to be managing a portfolio. While equities have been volatile and highly responsive to headlines about the conflict in Iran, the assets that allocators traditionally use for diversification and hedging have really not been d…”

Discussed in relation to its ability to withstand a US blockade of the Hormuz Strait.

“There you go. All right. [cheering] Rox, you are up next. Fill in the blank. On Thursday, intelligence officials said that Iran could withstand a US blockade of the blank for months.”

Mentioned in the context of American foreign policy failures.

“to see a broader picture of what the things they're doing are contributing to. And he's saying that this skill is a big part of what we want when someone goes off to school and gets an education. In other words, we want what morality looks like much more under…”