Former Defense Secretary Leon Panetta on the Iran War

Former Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta says he was surprised that the Trump administration apparently had no plan to deal with the closure of the Strait of Hormuz before launching strikes on Iran in late February. “I think that basically is a failure of planning for what would be an obvious consequence of a war in the Middle East,” Panetta told CNN’s Wolf Blitzer. With hundreds dead, millions more displaced, billions spent, and oil prices surging, many are asking: Was this war avoidable? How might it end? And will America’s traditional allies continue to rebuff President Trump’s calls for help? Panetta, who served as defense secretary and CIA director in the Obama administration, will address those questions—and what it all means for the future of the Middle East and for American politics at home. Join Commonwealth Club World Affairs for an in-depth conversation with one of America’s most seasoned national security voices. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You can listen to Former Defense Secretary Leon Panetta on the Iran War online on Radio and Podcast. Open the player on this page to stream the available audio.

Former Defense Secretary Leon Panetta on the Iran War is an episode from Commonwealth Club of California Podcast by Commonwealth Club of California.

This episode is 58:25 long.

This episode was published on May 6, 2026.

Yes. Use the heart button on the episode page to add it to your favorite episodes list.

Yes. This page shows related episodes from Commonwealth Club of California Podcast when more episodes are available from the podcast feed.