Inside Iran's Wounded Regime: Matthew Levitt on the Strikes, the Fallout & What's Next

Change Agents with Andy Stumpf

IRONCLAD

Society & Culture

4.9 • 648 Ratings

🗓️ 7 May 2026

⏱️ 36 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Matthew Levitt is the former deputy assistant secretary for intelligence and analysis at the U.S. Department of the Treasury, and is a former counterterrorism intelligence analyst at the FBI. Currently, the director of the Jeanette and Eli Reinhard Program on Counterterrorism and Intelligence. Check out Matt’s podcast: Breaking Hezbollah’s Golden Rule This podcast explores Hezbollah’s global terrorist and criminal activities through investigative reporting and expert analysis. Season 2 is available now, with Season 3 expected to release later this summer. Listen here: https://www.washingtoninstitute.org/policy-analysis/podcast-breaking-hezbollahs-golden-rule-season-2?utm_source=chatgpt.com#season-2-trailer Change Agents is an IRONCLAD Original Chapters: (00:00) Introduction (00:28) Iran as a Unique Threat to U.S. Interests (02:57) Ballistic Missiles, Nukes & The U.S. Strikes (06:42) Tactical Wins vs. Strategic Confusion (10:19) Why the West Keeps Misreading Iran (14:04) Who's Actually Running Iran Right Now (16:30) A Wounded Tiger: What Comes Next (20:16) China, Russia & Foreign Support for Iran (27:21) Could China Make a Move on Taiwan? (29:01) How to Actually Educate Yourself on the Region Sponsors: Firecracker Farm Use code IRONCLAD to get 15% off your first order at https://firecracker.farm/ Norwood Sawmills: Learn more about Norwood Sawmills and how you can start milling your own lumber at https://norwoodsawmills.com/?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=ironclad&utm_campaign=ironclad Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	Some follow the noise.
0:03.3	Bloomberg follows the money.
0:05.4	Because behind every headline is a bottom line.
0:09.3	Whether it's the funds fueling AI or crypto's trillion dollar swings,
0:13.8	there's a money side to every story.
0:16.5	And when you see the money side, you understand what others miss.
0:20.9	Get the money side of the story.
0:22.9	Subscribe now at Bloomberg.com.
0:29.1	There is a big question as to who's calling the shots and whether even Mushdaba Hamine,
0:34.5	the new Supreme Leader, son of the old supreme leader, is even alive.
0:37.8	At a minimum, seems to be severely wounded, maybe needing a prosthetic leg, maybe needing reconstructive
0:45.4	surgery on his face, but he has not been seen.
1:00.2	Welcome to change agents, an Ironclad original, presented by Firecracker Farm.
1:01.8	Our guest today is Matthew Levitt.
1:04.6	He is an expert in intelligence and counterterrorism.
1:09.2	He is the former Deputy Assistant Secretary for Intelligence and Analysis at the U.S. Department of the Treasury and is a former counterterrorism intelligence analyst at the FBI. Let's get into it.
1:18.5	Unpack for me what you're seeing in Iran. What do you think of the action so far,
1:26.5	the policy coming out of the
1:27.5	current administration? Look, I think that Iran poses in the moment, forget the arguments that go
1:37.4	back decades, which it's accurate. The 47-year argument.
1:40.1	The threats for decades. But in the moment, Iran poses a unique threat to U.S. interests in the way that undermines
1:48.7	stability in a very volatile region, we would like to see more stable so that we can pivot
	...

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