Amanpour Former NSA Official Gary Sick on Iran War
Apr 3, 2026
McKay Coppins, Atlantic writer who lived a year as a sports bettor, Adrien Brody, Academy Award-winning actor starring in The Fear of 13, and Gary Sick, former National Security Council Iran aide, join the conversation. They discuss U.S.-Iran historical tensions and diplomacy. They also cover the rise and psychology of legalized sports betting and a stage retelling of a wrongful conviction story.
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Engage Directly Rather Than Try To Destroy Iran
- Engage diplomatically and recognize the other side to open space for negotiation rather than seeking to purge them.
- Gary Sick praises Obama's direct negotiations and the JCPOA process as the right long-term approach despite domestic political costs.
Hostage Trauma Skews US Policy Toward Iran
- The Iran hostage crisis has an outsized effect on American perceptions, making rational policy harder.
- Sick says the hostage episode entered the American psyche and explains why it prevents cooler strategic dealings similar to postwar rapprochements.
Adrien Brody Reignited By Nick Yarris's Story
- Adrien Brody returned to theater for Fear of 13 because the script and Nick Yarris's story pulled him back from apprehension.
- He describes being moved nightly by audience reactions and finding the role exhausting but exhilarating on Broadway.