Hello and welcome to another episode of the Americano podcast, a series of discussions about American politics and the Trump presidency.

I would like to remind you all that we have just launched our print edition, and I'd like to encourage you all to subscribe. You can do that

by going to www. spectator.us forward slash subscribe and there you can take advantage of our various

offers. I'm joined today by Jacob Harbin, the editor of the national interest. We're going to be

talking about Trump and Iran,

what happens next. Jacob, last week, at the end of last week, a lot of people were saying

that World War III was now imminent following the assassination of Qasim Soleimani.

There has been quite a lot of back and forth, diplomatic back and forth,

but it seems World War III hasn't quite broken out.

Where do you see things going now?

Well, Freddie, we are in the period of a phony war.

If you remember, World War II didn't break out between the British and the

French and the Germans for some period of time. So both sides are eyeing each other warily.

And today it said that the Trump administration is doubling down in its preparations.

They believe that the Iranians have been making some moves to station missiles,

and they're not sure whether it's in a defensive or an offensive posture.

But there will be Iranian payback.

That is clear.

Well, yes, I mean, there has to be.

But the Iranians have been quite keen to, if you like, PR their payback quite well.

I mean, they've made it clear that they're not going to commit terrorist actions,

whether you believe them is another question.

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