The Monocle Daily Is the end game near between the US and Iran?
17 snips
Mar 23, 2026 Yossi Mekelberg, Middle East security expert at Chatham House, and Julie Norman, UCL politics scholar, discuss Iran-US tensions, back-channel talks and missile campaigns. They examine risks to the Strait of Hormuz, military options like Har Island, divergent US and Israeli aims, and the escalating violence and settler attacks in Gaza and the West Bank.
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Flight Cancellations Left A Planned Israel Visit In Limbo
- Yossi Mekkelberg planned to visit Tel Aviv but British Airways cancelled flights, leaving a refund option and expensive rerouting via Athens.
- He joked being stranded in Greece isn't the worst outcome, illustrating travel disruptions amid the conflict.
Behind The Scenes Talks Between The US And Iran
- Backchannel talks between the US and Iran are plausible even amid conflict.
- Julie Norman notes Turkey, Pakistan and Egypt have been shuttling intermediaries while public denials from Iran coexist with behind-the-scenes contact.
US Strategy Seems Built Around A Best Case Without Plan B
- The US appears reactive and improvisational in its Iran strategy, lacking clear contingency plans.
- Yossi Mekkelberg argues Washington planned a best-case scenario but seems without a plan B after four weeks of war.