Poised and confused: the will-he-won’t-he of Iran strikes
Economist Podcasts
The Economist
4.3 • 5K Ratings
🗓️ 26 February 2026
⏱️ 25 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
As a military build-up continues in the Middle East, President Donald Trump’s messaging remains ambiguous. What could, at this stage, head off conflict? Our series on America’s 250th birthday continues with a dive into our archive on the era leading up to civil war. And a couple of recommendations for the silver and the small screen.
Guests and host:
- Gregg Carlstrom, Middle East correspondent
- Annie Crabill, senior digital editor
- Alexandra Suich Bass, Culture editor
- Jason Palmer, co-host of “The Intelligence”
Topics covered:
- Iran, nuclear deal, military build-up
- American history
- entertainment, “Dreams”, “Bridgerton”
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | The Economist |
| 0:07.0 | Hello and welcome to the intelligence from The Economist. |
| 0:13.0 | I'm your host, Jason Palmer. |
| 0:15.0 | Every weekday we provide a fresh perspective on the events shaping your world. |
| 0:27.2 | Here's what I would call a 50-cent word, |
| 0:34.4 | semi-quincentennial. It means 250th anniversary, and the American experiment is about to have one. |
| 0:39.3 | Today, our second chapter of a deep dive into the Economist's archive on the country. |
| 0:43.5 | And my goodness, |
| 0:47.4 | there is an insurmountable pile of entertainment out there vying for your free time. |
| 0:49.5 | However, to choose. |
| 0:51.2 | We are here to help. |
| 0:52.9 | Today, we've got a recommendation on one thing to watch and one thing not to bother with. |
| 1:01.7 | First up, though. |
| 1:16.6 | For weeks, America has been moving military hardware into the Middle East. By now, it's the biggest buildup in more than 20 years. |
| 1:20.6 | Donald Trump campaigned on a promise not to get entangled in foreign conflicts, |
| 1:25.6 | but with one country in particular, he's got history. |
| 1:28.3 | For decades, it had been the policy of the United States |
| 1:32.3 | never to allow Iran to obtain a nuclear weapon, |
| 1:35.3 | many decades. |
| 1:37.3 | Since they seized control of that proud nation 47 years ago, |
| 1:42.3 | the regime and its murderous proxies have spread nothing but terrorism |
| 1:46.6 | and death and hate. |
... |
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