Iran War Embroils Region and Beyond

Amanpour

CNN

News

4.1 • 1K Ratings

🗓️ 7 March 2026

⏱️ 40 minutes

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Summary

As America and Israel's conflict with Iran spills out into the region and beyond, Christiane gets perspective from around the world with a range of guests. U.S. Democratic Senator, Chris Murphy, who sits on the foreign relations committee is up first with a furious response to the roll out of this war and the lack of clear objectives. Then from inside Iran, Christiane hears from human rights activist Mehdi Mahmoudian, who co-write the Oscar-nominated drama 'It Was Just an Accident' and was until recently, a political prisoner of the regime. And with the Gulf region under fire, Christiane speaks to Saudi Arabia's Prince Turki al-Faisal, the country's former director of intelligence. Plus with America's allies increasingly walking a tightrope, Christiane hears from Britain's former spymaster, John Sawers, after President Trump criticised Prime Minister Starmer's initial response. And, with many Americans hearing echoes of Iraq, a lookback at Christiane's reporting from Baghdad just after the fall of Saddam Hussein. Air date: March 7, 2026 Guests: Senator Chris Murphy Former Saudi Intelligence Chief, Prince Turki al-Faisal Former MI6 Chief, John Sawers Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	Hello everyone and welcome to the Ammanpur hour.
0:11.0	Here's where we're headed this week.
0:13.0	A week at war that's already spilled way beyond Iran's borders,
0:17.0	we get the global perspective on what's being called the U.S. and Israel conflict of
0:21.8	choice. First, U.S. Democratic Senator and Foreign Relations Committee member Chris Murphy
0:26.8	furious response to a lack of any exit strategy. This is about as incoherent, incompetent,
0:33.5	and confusing a rollout of military action overseas as I've ever seen.
0:38.3	Then, from inside Iran, I talked to democracy activist Mehdi Mahmoudian,
0:42.3	who co-wrote the Oscar-nominated drama.
0:44.3	It was just an accident, and was until recently a political prisoner of the regime.
0:49.3	And, with the Gulf under fire, Saudi Arabia's former intelligence director
0:53.3	warns of the apocalyptic
0:55.5	approach from all involved.
0:57.6	We're in for a long haul.
0:59.8	Plus, are America's allies being swept up in something they tried to avoid?
1:04.5	Britain's former spymaster John Sawyers joins me.
1:07.5	Also in the program, Warnings from History.
1:09.8	My archive from Iraq, how the last U.S.
1:12.7	effort at regime change went awry.
1:14.9	Go on Yanki!
1:16.9	We're here for your fucking feet up.
1:20.9	So back up right now!
	...

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