Iran: The Latest Two weeks in: A US Marine on Iran’s plan to win
41 snips
Mar 13, 2026 Jonathan Hackett, former US Marine special-ops intelligence officer, offers tactical military perspective. Akhtar Makoii, Telegraph correspondent in Tehran, shares on-the-ground reporting. David Blair, chief foreign affairs commentator, analyzes regional strategy. They discuss Iran’s missile campaign, Strait of Hormuz disruption, covert Israeli operations, regime survival strategies, and how protests and regional actors shape the conflict.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Regime Controls Streets To Preempt Protests
- The regime is proactively suppressing protest risk by mobilising supporters and warning lethal force.
- Akhtar Makoii reports state TV calls for nightly street presence and police/IRGC threats to treat protesters as enemies.
Retrieving Iran's Enriched Uranium Is Extremely Difficult
- Securing 60% enriched uranium is technically and logistically fraught if it's under rubble from prior strikes.
- David Blair doubts commando raids could realistically recover or transport that material intact.
Military Leaders Face Moving Political Goalposts
- Jonathan Hackett recalls military leaders facing moving political goalposts that complicate strategy.
- He explains senior officers can have assets but lack fixed objectives when civilians politicians change aims midcampaign.