About this episode
**Recorded on Tuesday, 24 February 2026, before the start of the war on 28 February 2026 **Is the Iranian regime facing a point of no return? Following the largest domestic uprising since 1979—which saw five million people take to the streets—and a brutal state crackdown resulting in an estimated 36,500 civilian deaths, the Islamic Republic finds itself in a desperate "survival mode". Despite recent US aerial bombardments of its nuclear facilities during Operation Midnight Hammer, the regime has made a startling pivot back to the negotiating table in Geneva.In this episode, we sit down with Professor Anoush Ehteshami, the Nasser al-Mohammad al-Sabah Chair in International Relations at Durham University and a world-renowned expert on Persian Gulf geopolitics. Prof. Ehteshami dissects the "narrow landing zone" for a new nuclear deal with the Trump administration, the devastating impact of a plummeting Rial, and the looming shadow of succession as the 86-year-old Supreme Leader faces internal power struggles and allegations of systemic corruption. Join us for a close look at the complex interstate relationships of the Middle East and the domestic fractures threatening to unseat one of the region's most enduring powers.To learn more about Durham's revised MA Politics and International Relations of the Middle East, see https://www.durham.ac.uk/departments/academic/school-government-international-affairs/postgraduate-study/taught-courses/ma-politics-and-international-relations-of-the-middle-east/To learn more about Prof. Ehteshami research visit his website: https://www.durham.ac.uk/staff/a-ehteshami/The BRI Dialogues can be accessed on Youtube at https://www.youtube.com/@bridialogues1185Earlier Politics in the Rearview Mirror episodes related to this one are:- Season 5, Episode 1: From the Bazaar to the Barricades: What Makes the Current Protest in Iran Different (with Dr. Kouhi-Esfahani) - https://open.spotify.com/episode/3rppWheYmghvkHqVHYcHkn- Season 3, Episode 8: Israel Strikes Iran: Why Now, What Comes Next, and Consequences (with Prof. Ehteshami) - https://open.spotify.com/episode/4waVMjEW1i1iMd4tVIR8L8Music: The Good News by SHANTI from https://tunetank.com/track/263-the-good-news/
