The LRB Podcast What next in Iran?
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Mar 11, 2026 
Esfandyar Batmanghelidj, founder focused on economic diplomacy in West Asia, and Robert Malley, veteran Middle East analyst and former JCPOA negotiator, discuss US and Israeli strategies toward Iran. They examine the logic behind recent strikes, Iran’s resilience and internal power centers, possible endgames for the conflict, and how sanctions and institutions shape long-term dynamics.
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Decades Of Policy Paved The Way For War
- Robert Malley argues Trump's attack is the culmination of decades of bipartisan U.S. policy that demonized Iran and left force as the remaining option.
- Longstanding sanctions, threat inflation, and diplomatic marginalization made a military solution plausible to a president willing to act rashly.
Israel And U.S. Share A Tactic Not A Vision
- Malley says Israel and the U.S. are currently aligned tactically but not strategically, with Israel seeking a deeply weakened, fragmented Iran.
- He warns Trump may call an early end, leaving Israel dissatisfied, because U.S. interests oppose prolonged regional chaos.
Mowing The Lawn Scaled Up Becomes Burning The Lawn
- Malley frames the campaign as an Israeli 'burn the lawn' regionalization of the Gaza strategy, aiming to degrade threats through periodic devastating strikes.
- He cautions the U.S.'s superior firepower makes this far more dangerous under Trump, who may escalate beyond Israeli precedents.