The Iran War: British Uncertainty vs. French Resolve

4 snips

Mar 5, 2026

Guest

Wassim Nasr

Guest

Tom Tugendhat

Wassim Nasr, French journalist on Middle East policy and intelligence. Tom Tugendhat, former UK Security Minister and Foreign Affairs chair with military experience. They debate Britain’s hesitant, legalistic reaction to the Iran war and France’s push for strategic independence. Conversations cover military readiness, the IRGC debate, European deterrence, France’s Gulf ties, intelligence cooperation, and regional flashpoints.

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ANECDOTE

Patrol Near Iran Revealed IRGC Activity And Minefields

Tom Tugendhat recounts 2003 patrols near the Iran border where suspected IRGC agents pushed Iraqi Shia refugees back into Iraq.
He describes crossing a huge unmarked minefield and encountering a suspicious 'Thursday market' pickup at the crossing.

INSIGHT

UK Legal Limits Make IRGC Proscription Tricky

UK law treats terrorism as non-state actor crime, complicating proscribing the state-linked IRGC.
Tugendhat argues UK restrictions under the National Security Act are legally stronger than some US/EU labels but lack the political message of 'proscription'.

INSIGHT

UK Conventional Forces Are Dangerously Hollow

Britain's conventional military capability is hollow: few ships deployed and conventional spend near 1.5% when nuclear costs are excluded.
Tugendhat traces decline to post-Cold War 'peace dividend', flatlining economy and long-term cuts.

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In this Conflicted Conversation, Thomas speaks to two friends of the show about how Europe is responding to the war with Iran. In the first half, the Rt Hon Tom Tugendhat MP — former chair of the UK Foreign Affairs Select Committee and former UK Security Minister — discusses Britain’s confused response to the conflict, and in the second half, French journalist Wassim Nasr explains France’s position.

Sir Tom and Wassim explain:

The UK government’s uncertain response to the Iran war
What politicians mean when they talk about the ‘legal basis’ for military action
The lessons of the Iraq War and whether they are being misunderstood
Iran’s role in the insurgency against Western forces in Iraq
The debate over designating the IRGC as a terrorist organization in the UK
The state of the British military after decades of defence cuts
The strategic controversy surrounding Diego Garcia and the Chagos Islands
France’s historic Arab Policy and its effort to maintain strategic independence in the Middle East
France’s military agreements with the UAE, Qatar, and Kuwait
The E3 framework (France, Germany, UK) and its role in negotiations with Iran
Macron’s attempt to expand France’s nuclear deterrent to cover Europe
The evolving situation in Lebanon and Hezbollah’s weakening position
Intelligence cooperation between France, Israel, and regional partners
Whether Europe is entering a new era of strategic independence

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Conflicted is a Message Heard production.

Executive Producers: Jake Warren & Max Warren.

This episode was produced and edited by Thomas Small.

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