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The Ezra Klein Show

A New Middle East?

The Ezra Klein Show

New York Times Opinion

Society & Culture, Government, News

4.611K Ratings

🗓️ 25 June 2025

⏱️ 49 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

For decades, Israel has wanted American support to bomb Iranian nuclear sites. But U.S. presidents, both Republican and Democrat, have resisted — until President Trump. So, what changed? And what are the likely consequences of that decision? Aaron David Miller is a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and a longtime diplomat in the region. He joins me to discuss recent events and how the latest attacks on Iran have changed the balance of power in the Middle East. This episode contains strong language. Book Recommendations: Master of the Game by Martin Indyk The Man Who Ran Washington by Peter Baker and Susan Glasser Tomorrow Is Yesterday by Hussein Agha and Robert Malley Thoughts? Guest suggestions? Email us at [email protected]. You can find the transcript and more episodes of “The Ezra Klein Show” at nytimes.com/ezra-klein-podcast. Book recommendations from all our guests are listed at https://www.nytimes.com/article/ezra-klein-show-book-recs.html This episode of “The Ezra Klein Show” was produced by Annie Galvin. Fact-checking by Michelle Harris and Jack McCordick. Our senior engineer is Jeff Geld, with additional mixing by Aman Sahota. Our executive producer is Claire Gordon. The show’s production team also includes Marie Cascione, Rollin Hu, Elias Isquith, Marina King, Jan Kobal, Kristin Lin and Jack McCordick. Original music by Pat McCusker. Audience strategy by Kristina Samulewski and Shannon Busta. The director of New York Times Opinion Audio is Annie-Rose Strasser. Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Transcript

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0:00.0

The

0:07.0

The For decades, Israel has wanted the support of the U.S. in bombing the Iranian nuclear program.

0:37.8

And for decades, every single U.S. president has said no.

0:42.1

I have always said that all options are on the table, but the first option for the United

0:46.3

States is to solve this problem diplomatically.

0:49.0

As I said before, military action would be far less effective than this deal in preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.

0:56.3

Biden told Netanyahu the U.S. would not participate in any possible counterattack on Iran.

1:01.5

And then, last week, one, President Donald Trump said yes.

1:06.3

Breaking news. And after days of uncertainty, the United States have completed three strikes on Iranian

1:12.8

nuclear sites. Its mission accomplished for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who thanked President

1:19.7

Trump today. Your bold decision to target Iran's nuclear facilities with the awesome and

1:26.8

righteous might of the United States will change history. Iran's nuclear facilities with the awesome and righteous might of the United States

1:28.6

will change history.

1:30.6

Iran's response came in the form of a missile strike targeting Al-Udid Air Base in

1:36.3

Qatar, the largest U.S. military base in the Middle East.

1:39.8

Experts called this attack mostly symbolic.

1:42.6

Qatar did get a heads-up hours in advance.

1:45.1

Seconds ago, the president went to true social and typed this.

1:49.8

It has been fully agreed by and between Israel and Iran that there will be a complete and total ceasefire.

1:57.3

The mutual ceasefire between Israel and Iran is now officially in effect, but it appears

2:01.9

the terms might have already been violated this morning. We basically have two countries

2:07.3

that have been fighting so long and so hard that they don't know what the fuck they're doing. Do you

...

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