Nearly three months after the Iran war began, there is a ceasefire, but no settlement. The Strait of Hormuz remains a global pressure point, Iran’s nuclear programme is unresolved, and Donald Trump is still demanding progress.


But the biggest question may be inside Tehran. After war, assassinations and stalled diplomacy, power appears to be shifting away from the clerics and towards the Revolutionary Guards. Has the West weakened the Islamic Republic or helped make it harder to deal with?


Patrick and Tom speak to Iran analyst Alex Vatanka about the rise of the IRGC, the myth of division inside Tehran, and what comes next.


Hosts: General Sir Patrick Sanders and Tom Newton Dunn

Guest: Alex Vatanka, Senior Fellow at the Middle East Institute

Producer: Shabnam Grewal

Executive producer: Fiona Leach, Priyanka Deladia

Image: Getty


Who holds the upper hand in the Iran war? Get in touch: generalandjournalist@thetimes.co.uk

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