Key Topics

• The Iran ceasefire and US naval blockade: what's holding and what isn't
• US-Iran negotiations in Pakistan: prospects for a deal and the limits of unilateral diplomacy
• Europe's divided response: the Paris talks between Macron and Starmer and the question of inserting Europeans into the negotiations
• The Strait of Hormuz as Iran's ultimate leverage — and what "open" really means for trapped mariners
• Viktor Orbán's stunning defeat in Hungary: the economy, corruption, and the cohesion funds that sealed his fate
• Peter Magyar and TISA: how new is Hungary's new direction, and what does it mean for the EU and Ukraine?
• Orbán's fall as a setback for Putin, Trump, and the global far-right populist network
• Trump's feud with Pope Leo XIV: the politics of attacking the leader of 1.4 billion Catholics
• Hispanic and Catholic voters: the political costs of the President vs. Pope standoff
• The limits of populism: from Budapest to Washington, is the far right losing its popular touch?

Links

• Christina Ruffini — https://www.bloomberg.com/authors/AX7AZxLijDQ/christina-ruffini
• Karin Axelsson — https://politiken.dk/person/7961_Karin_Axelsson
• Jamie Dettmer — politico.eu/author/jamie-dettmer
• Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs — belfercenter.org
• World Review with Ivo Daalder — belfercenter.org/world-review-ivo-daalder

Key Topics

• The fragile Iran ceasefire: achievements and uncertainties
• US presidential objectives and their evolution during the Iran conflict
• NATO's membership challenges amid US skepticism and strategic disagreements
• The influence of domestic politics on international alliances
• The strategic implications of the Strait of Hormuz closure
• The future of transatlantic relations and alliance cohesion
• Pakistan’s mediating role and regional power shifts
• The impact of US military actions on Middle Eastern geopolitics
• Broader implications for global stability post-Ukraine and Afghanistan

Links

David Luhnow - wsj.com/news/author/david-luhnow

Michael Birnbaum - washingtonpost.com/people/michael-birnbaum

Catherine Philp - thetimes.com/profile/catherine-philp

Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs - belfercenter.org/

World Review with Ivo Daalder - belfercenter.org/world-review-ivo-daalder

Key Topics

The real implications of the Strait of Hormuz closing—how it’s causing energy shocks, economic disruptions, and geopolitical shifts.

Why Israel’s military campaign, despite overwhelming strength, might be eroding its long-term security stability.

The calculus shaping Gulf leaders’ fears and hopes amid rising regional tensions.

Inside the secret strategies and political dilemmas that threaten to turn localized conflicts into larger regional or even global crises.

Hosted by Harvard’s Belfer Center, this episode offers powerful insights into international security, regional politics, and the broader implications for global stability.

Links

Bobby Ghosh - bobbyghosh.substack.com

Gideon Rachman - ft.com/gideon-rachman

Isabel Coles - observer.co.uk/contributor/isabel-coles

Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs - belfercenter.org/

World Review with Ivo Daalder - belfercenter.org/world-review-ivo-daalder