Today, we're talking about a potential war with Iran, which is a fast-shifting situation.

We're recording this episode on Wednesday afternoon, a day before the U.S. and Iran are scheduled to hold talks in Geneva.

Ahead of the negotiation, Iranian officials are giving mixed messages, calling Trump's remarks about Iran big lies, but also saying they hope the two sides can come to an agreement through

diplomacy. U.S. Special Envoy Steve Whitkoff and the president's son-in-law, Jared Kushner,

are meeting with Iran's top negotiator, Abbas Arakchi, along with a mediator from Oman.

The backdrop of these talks, meanwhile, includes dozens of U.S. warships and military aircraft

recently moved to the region and aimed at Iran, which are possibly a tool to put pressure on Iranian leaders

to yield in negotiations, but also it's a bigger buildup than you would typically use for just

that purpose.

I'm Hannah Rosen. This is Radio Atlantic.

President Trump has given many signals lately that he's prepared to go to war with Iran.

But very little clarity about what the goal of that war would be.

My preference is to solve this problem through diplomacy.

The State of the Union this week was just a repeat of what he said before.

But one thing is certain, I will never allow the world's number one sponsor of terror,

which they are by far, to have a nuclear weapon.

Can't let that happen.

Earlier this week, there were reports that General Dan Cain, the chairman of the Joint

Chiefs of Staff, had raised concerns to the president about the scale and risks of the

operation in Iran.

Today we talked to staff writer Tom Nichols about what military leadership might be thinking right now. But first, ready?

I'm ready.

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