9 July 2025
Can Trump get Iran back to the table?
Connor Echols discusses the latest on the US-Iran crisis with Alan Eyre, a distinguished fellow at the Middle East Institute and a former core member of the US team that negotiated the 2015 Iran deal.
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In this video:
- Are US-Iran talks dead?
- Do normal Iranians care about the nuclear program?
- Understanding Iran’s enrichment red line
- Assessing the damage to Iran’s nuclear facilities
- Iran’s decision to kick out inspectors
- Could Iran build a bomb in secret?
- Trump’s “desultory” approach to talks with Iran
- Alan’s experience negotiating with the Iranians
- How Obama managed to get a deal
- Iran’s focus on projecting strength
- Does Iran really want a bomb?
- Iran’s dim view of international law
Why Nations Go to War
Robert Wright speaks to Alex Jordan and Courtney Rawlings, hosts of the Quincy Institute’s new Always at War podcast, about the structural and psychological causes of international conflict—and of US military interventions in particular.
Bibi’s War, America’s Problem?
Robert Wright and Connor Echols discuss whether the US will be dragged into Israel’s conflict with Iran.
Why Bibi Always Needs More War
Robert Wright and Oscar-winning documentarian Alex Gibney discuss Alex’s new film The Bibi Files, Netanyahu’s corruption trial, and the mysteries of Elon Musk.
Why the Iran attacks undermine US-China trade talks
Jake Werner of The Quincy Institute and Connor Echols discuss the latest developments in the US-China trade war.
OpenAI and the AI Arms Race
Robert Wright and Steven Adler—former safety researcher at OpenAI—discuss what it was like at the firm as Chat-GPT emerged, whether the chip war on China is smart, Dario Amodei’s grand geopolitical strategy, and more.
An Anti-Blob Debate on Iran, Gaza, and China
Andrew Day and Curt Mills of the American Conservative join Robert Wright to discuss the latest Iran nuclear deal developments, Trump’s Israel-Gaza approach, US-China through a Buchananite lens, and more.
Trump’s Venezuela dilemma
Francisco Rodriguez joins Connor Echols to discuss how a return to “maximum pressure” on Venezuela could backfire on Trump and drive more immigration to the US.
Elon Exits Trump 2.0
Robert Wright and psychologist Paul Bloom discuss the Musk-Trump breakup. Plus: A worthwhile Canadian pop-quiz, Trump’s corruption and anti-college crusade, whether AI doomers are walking their talk, and more.
Nonzero (The Wright Show)
How power really works in DC
Connor Echols talks to best-selling author Barry Eisler about his new novel, The System.
Nonzero (The Wright Show)
The Truth about Sam Altman
Robert Wright and Timothy B. Lee, author of the Understanding AI newsletter, discuss what two new biographies reveal about the OpenAI CEO.
Nonzero (The Wright Show)
Elon’s Abject Surrender
Robert Wright and psychologist Paul Bloom discuss the roots of the Trump-Musk blowup, why Elon caved, and whether he can recover from the fallout.
Nonzero (The Wright Show)
Should Trump give up on Ukraine?
Jennifer Kavanagh tells Connor Echols why it may be time for the US to walk away from Ukraine peace talks.
Nonzero (The Wright Show)
Trump’s Attack on Independent Thought
Harvard political scientist Stephen Walt and Robert Wright discuss the Trump administration’s efforts to suppress critical thought at Harvard and elsewhere.
Nonzero (The Wright Show)
How to Not Lose Control of AI
