The Whiplash of the U.S.-Iran Peace Talks

The New Yorker contributing writer Robin Wright joins Tyler Foggatt to discuss the state of peace talks between the U.S. and Iran. They talk about the evolving terms—and major sticking points—of a potential agreement between the two countries, including the future of Iran’s nuclear program and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. They also explore whether the war has ultimately weakened or emboldened Iran, and how Donald Trump’s approach to the conflict and negotiations fits into his broader diplomatic legacy. This week’s reading: “ The Epic Disaster of Operation Epic Fury ,” by Robin Wright “ Why Any Plausible Iran Deal Is a Humiliation for Trump ,” by Isaac Chotiner “ How Trump Created a Slush Fund for His Allies ,” by Ruth Marcus “ Is the Working Class Finally Turning on Trump? ,” by Eyal Press “ How Problematic Is Patriotism? ,” by Arthur Krystal See Tyler Foggatt in Conversation with Robby Hoffman at the Cascade Ideas Festival on June 6th The Political Scene draws on the reporting and analysis found in The New Yorker for lively conversations about the big questions in American politics. Join the magazine’s writers and editors as they put into context the latest news—about elections, the economy, the White House, the Supreme Court, and much more. New episodes are available three times a week. Tune in to The Political Scene wherever you get your podcasts . Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

You can listen to The Whiplash of the U.S.-Iran Peace Talks online on Radio and Podcast. Open the player on this page to stream the available audio.

The Whiplash of the U.S.-Iran Peace Talks is an episode from The Political Scene | The New Yorker by The New Yorker.

This episode is 29:00 long.

This episode was published on May 27, 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 The Political Scene | The New Yorker when more episodes are available from the podcast feed.