DW—This discussion between Nima and Professor Richard Wolff centers on the ongoing conflict between the United States and Iran, highlighting its military, economic, and geopolitical dimensions. The closure of the Strait of Hormuz and recent Yemeni blockade of Saudi Arabia have significantly disrupted global oil routes, intensifying the conflict. The U.S. has pursued an aggressive campaign combining military actions and economic sanctions against Iran, but Professor Wolff emphasizes the failure of these tactics to achieve decisive results. Iran continues its missile and drone attacks on U.S. bases and allies across the Middle East, reflecting resilience and capabilities equal to American forces.

Wolff situates this conflict within a broader narrative of the decline of the American empire, comparing it to past U.S. military failures in Vietnam, Afghanistan, and Iraq. Unlike those confined wars, the Iran conflict has global economic repercussions, affecting allies and the U.S. domestic economy, especially through skyrocketing oil prices and inflation. Sanctions, instead of crippling Iran, have been largely evadable due to support from key allies Russia and China. This alliance represents a counterbalance to U.S. hegemony, further bolstered by China’s economic rise, which continues despite American attempts at containment.

DW—Nima and Patrick Henningsen discuss in-depth the current events precipitated by US/Israeli attacks in the Middle East.
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Main points can be summed up thusly:

Oil prices recently surpassed $100 per barrel, driven by escalating conflicts in the Persian Gulf and Red Sea regions.
The Strait of Hormuz is a critical chokepoint experiencing military pressure, including US strikes on southern Iran.
The Bab-el-Mandeb Strait near Yemen is under siege by Houthi forces, disrupting maritime trade routes and increasing oil market volatility.
Kuwait’s eastern border with Iraq was attacked by Iranian UAVs, signaling the widening scope of regional hostilities.
US-Iran Relations and the Strait of Hormuz

The US accuses Iran of aggressive actions, including attacks on tankers and disruption of shipping lanes.
The US strategy focuses on degrading Iran’s ability to control the Strait of Hormuz through targeted strikes on radar and military infrastructure.
Despite claims of peace talks, the US continues military operations and requests a 60-day congressional rollover to sustain military engagement.
The US appears to use political theater and media manipulation to justify its actions and maintain public support, especially ahead of midterm elections.
The US violates multiple clauses of the 2015 Iran nuclear deal (Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action) by undermining Iran’s legitimate control of the straits and freezing Iranian assets.

CRI—L’ennemi saoudien criminel poursuit depuis près de douze ans son siège injuste et oppressif contre notre cher peuple, comprenant le pillage des ressources et un blocus global des ports et des aéroports, par voie terrestre, maritime et aérienne, ce qui a aggravé les souffrances de notre cher peuple jusqu’à un niveau insupportable, sans aucun droit ni justification. Cela ne saurait être accepté ni toléré, car cela ne repose sur aucun fondement juridique ni humanitaire, et n’a aucune légitimité. C’est un siège nul et agressif, dont les conséquences sont catastrophiques en fait de souffrances de notre cher peuple yéménite, s’ajoutant à l’agression initiale contre notre pays par le ciblage de l’aéroport international de Sanaa, dans une agression injuste et perfide. Notre peuple ne saurait subir ce siège injuste et ces attaques sans prendre position. Notre grand peuple est un peuple fidèle et combattant, un peuple de foi et de sagesse, porteur d’une cause juste, et il a pleinement le droit de faire face à ce siège injuste et à cette agression par tous les moyens disponibles.

GER—The US war against Iran is expanding into a larger regional conflict. After Trump sabotaged a diplomatic agreement, Tehran closed the Strait of Hormuz. Now Yemen’s Ansar Allah (known commonly as the Houthis) has declared a naval blockade of Saudi Arabia, shutting down oil exports in the Red Sea. Ben Norton explains how this escalation could cause a severe crisis in the global energy market.

AL-BUKHAITI—In 2022, an agreement had been concluded between Yemen and Saudi Arabia, stipulating the Saudi withdrawal from Yemeni territory, the end of the aggression and the lifting of the siege, as well as the payment of Yemeni civil servants’ salaries by the Saudi National Bank, with oil and gas revenues being paid into that bank. Unfortunately, Saudi Arabia did not honor or implement this agreement, and kept stalling for more than a year. While we were preparing, in 2023, to break this siege and put an end to this aggression by force, the Al-Aqsa Flood operation took place and the crimes of genocide in Gaza began. We therefore judged that priority demanded putting an end to the crimes of genocide in Gaza. We thus froze the confrontation with Saudi Arabia and the countries of the aggression in order to devote ourselves to the Zionist entity, as well as to America and Britain who stood alongside it

DW—In this in-depth discussion, Professor Marandi provides a comprehensive analysis of the ongoing conflict involving Yemen, Saudi Arabia, Iran, and the broader geopolitical tensions linked to the United States and its allies. The conversation explores the roots of the Yemeni war, the escalation of recent hostilities including attacks on Saudi oil infrastructure, and the broader regional and global strategic implications. The professor highlights the origins of the Yemeni genocide, the involvement of Western powers, and the resistance’s evolving military capabilities, especially the use of missiles and drones. The interview also addresses the wider conflict dynamics involving Iran’s missile precision, U.S. and allied military vulnerabilities, the potential for further escalation including a ground invasion, and the economic ramifications of the conflict, particularly regarding energy markets.