NatSec Matters

In this special episode, Michael zeroes in on the potential for a collapse in global energy security amid the U.S.-Israel war with Iran. First, he speaks with Clay Seigle, a senior energy security fellow at CSIS, about the economic impact of the dangerous choke point at the Straits of Hormuz, where a paralyzed trade is threatening to send global oil prices soaring. Clay also analyzes the strategic implications of U.S. strikes on military infrastructure at Iran's key oil depot on Kharg Island. Then, Rear Admiral (Ret.) Mark Montgomery, Senior Fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD), breaks down the high-stakes naval mechanics of reopening the Straits and why the U.S. must reset Iran's nuclear and ballistic capabilities by "five or seven years" to ensure long-term regional stability.

Michael speaks with Michael Doran, Director of the Hudson Institute's Center for Peace and Security in the Middle East and a former senior director in the National Security Council, about the outlook for U.S.-Israeli attacks on Iran. Mr. Doran explains the internal power dynamics within the Iranian regime and why they matter to potential negotiations to de-escalate or end the conflict. He also explores the likely diverging interests of Israeli and American leaders, why understanding the influence of Iranian ethnic groups is vital to charting possible outcomes, and why he believes a citizen-led uprising to topple the government is unlikely.

Michael discusses the rapidly developing conflict in the Middle East with General Joseph Votel, former commander of CENTCOM and U.S. Special Operations Command. General Votel analyzes the strategic implications of Iran blocking the Strait of Hormuz and the challenges of a potential special operations raid to recover highly enriched uranium in the country. He also examines the shifting power dynamics within the Iranian regime, including how the new Supreme Leader's lack of religious credentials may lead to increased influence from the powerful Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

Michael Allen discusses Iran's new Supreme Leader with Jeffrey Feltman, a visiting fellow at the Brookings Institution and former UN Under-Secretary-General. Feltman examines the sudden rise of Mojtaba Khamenei following the death of his father, Ali Khamenei, and discusses the regime's internal cohesion despite widespread domestic opposition. He also explains Israeli military targeting strategies, the risk of a "race for the bomb," and the potential for significant regional escalation.

In an exclusive conversation, Michael talks to former National Security Council Director for Iran Richard Nephew about the joint U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran and the regime's response. Richard, a fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, explores how a collapse of the Islamic Republic could unfold and the last-ditch retaliation measures the regime could take against its Middle East neighbors and U.S. forces in the region. He also evaluates leadership succession possibilities and growing concerns regarding nuclear proliferation.