Intelligence Squared

Scott Anderson is a veteran foreign reporter and war correspondent, and a contributing writer for The New York Times. Over his career he has reported from Bosnia, Libya, Palestine and across the Middle East. In this episode, he spoke to host Hannah Lucinda Smith about his new book, King of Kings, a gripping account of the fall of the Shah of Iran, the 1979 Iranian Revolution and the rise of the Islamic Republic. Together, they explore the flaws that led to the Shah’s downfall, and why Western powers fundamentally misunderstood what was happening in the country in the months before the revolution. They also examine how these events shaped Iran and the Middle East today, and the political future of a country whose power has been diminished in the region, but whose population is again rallying around the flag in response to external aggression. --- If you'd like to become a Member and get access to all our full ad free conversations, plus all of our Members-only content, just visit intelligencesquared.com/membership to find out more. For £4.99 per month you'll also receive: - Full-length and ad-free Intelligence Squared episodes, wherever you get your podcasts - Bonus Intelligence Squared podcasts, curated feeds and members exclusive series - 15% discount on livestreams and in-person tickets for all Intelligence Squared events  ...  Or Subscribe on Apple for £4.99: - Full-length and ad-free Intelligence Squared podcasts - Bonus Intelligence Squared podcasts, curated feeds and members exclusive series … Already a subscriber? Thank you for supporting our mission to foster honest debate and compelling conversations! Visit intelligencesquared.com to explore all your benefits including ad-free podcasts, exclusive bonus content and early access. … Subscribe to our newsletter here to hear about our latest events, discounts and much more. https://www.intelligencesquared.com/newsletter-signup/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Lloyd Blankfein, former Goldman Sachs CEO who guided the bank through the 2008 crisis and wrote Streetwise. He discusses his rise from Brooklyn to the top of finance. He recalls leadership under pressure, how crises reveal true performers, the firm’s culture and public relations missteps. He also reflects on health, priorities and life after running a global bank.

Christiane Amanpour, CNN’s chief international anchor famed for frontline reporting, offers sharp takes on Trump’s Iran signals and geopolitical maneuvering. She discusses journalists’ blocked access to Gaza, the fracturing of institutions and rising information polarization. Short, incisive scenes explore new coalitions, trade tensions and what journalism must be in a risky, interconnected 2026.

Christiane Amanpour, CNN’s chief international anchor and veteran frontline reporter, reflects on 2026’s biggest geopolitical tensions. She discusses Trump’s political maneuvers and risks to democratic norms. She explores widening transatlantic strains, escalating conflicts from the Gulf to Ukraine, and what journalism must become amid AI and social-media upheaval.

Fatima Bhutto, Pakistani author and journalist best known for Songs of Blood and Sword, discusses her memoir The Hour of the Wolf and the life-changing bond with her Jack Russell, Coco. She talks about grief, surviving a coercive relationship, and how Coco’s companionship helped her heal. The conversation touches on shame, solidarity with other women, and lessons from caregiving and animal companionship.

Nicolas Niarchos, investigative journalist and author of The Elements of Power, explores the geopolitics of battery metals. He traces cobalt from Congo to China, exposes colonial legacies in mining, and probes nickel, phosphate, and supply-chain accountability. Short, urgent conversations about green tech, human costs, and the scramble for resources.

Jon Lee Anderson, longtime New Yorker foreign correspondent famous for on-the-ground reporting in Afghanistan. He shares personal, often dangerous anecdotes from Kabul. He reflects on Western identity in the field, the limits of embedded reporting, the American footprint and withdrawal, Taliban governance and insurgent threats, and Afghanistan’s uncertain geopolitical future.

Jon Lee Anderson, a New Yorker staff writer and veteran foreign correspondent, reflects on decades reporting from Afghanistan. He discusses why conflict has defined the country, shifting local loyalties, the rise of new power brokers, and how early American hubris and tactics expanded the mission. Stories range from commanders who survived by deal-making to Kabul’s chaotic governance.

Frank Everett, Sotheby’s Vice Chairman and period-jewel specialist with a popular video series, walks through Jackie Kennedy Onassis’s faux pearl necklace and why provenance can outshine materials. He recounts the necklace’s design, famous photos of Jackie wearing it, the dramatic 1996 sale, and how costume jewelry can enter major collections.

Aleks Krotoski, award-winning broadcaster and academic who wrote The Immortalists, explores Silicon Valley’s quest to defeat aging. She examines tech moguls’ biohacking regimens, blood-plasma and drug experiments, and the rise of transhumanist and longtermist movements. Conversations probe the cultural, social and ethical stakes of treating death as a solvable technical problem.