Midnight Hammer, Protests and The Geneva Talks: US-Iranian Diplomacy Under the Shadow of War

<p>**Recorded on Tuesday, 24 February 2026, before the start of the war on 28 February 2026 **</p><p><br></p><p>Is the Iranian regime facing a point of no return? Following the largest domestic uprising since 1979—which saw five million people take to the streets—and a brutal state crackdown resulting in an estimated 36,500 civilian deaths, the Islamic Republic finds itself in a desperate &quot;survival mode&quot;. Despite recent US aerial bombardments of its nuclear facilities during Operation Midnight Hammer, the regime has made a startling pivot back to the negotiating table in Geneva.</p><p>In this episode, we sit down with Professor Anoush Ehteshami, the Nasser al-Mohammad al-Sabah Chair in International Relations at Durham University and a world-renowned expert on Persian Gulf geopolitics. Prof. Ehteshami dissects the &quot;narrow landing zone&quot; for a new nuclear deal with the Trump administration, the devastating impact of a plummeting Rial, and the looming shadow of succession as the 86-year-old Supreme Leader faces internal power struggles and allegations of systemic corruption. Join us for a close look at the complex interstate relationships of the Middle East and the domestic fractures threatening to unseat one of the region&#39;s most enduring powers.</p><p><br></p><p>To learn more about Durham&#39;s revised MA Politics and International Relations of the Middle East, see https://www.durham.ac.uk/departments/academic/school-government-international-affairs/postgraduate-study/taught-courses/ma-politics-and-international-relations-of-the-middle-east/</p><p><br></p><p>To learn more about Prof. Ehteshami research visit his website: https://www.durham.ac.uk/staff/a-ehteshami/</p><p><br></p><p>The BRI Dialogues can be accessed on Youtube at https://www.youtube.com/@bridialogues1185</p><p><br></p><p>Earlier Politics in the Rearview Mirror episodes related to this one are:</p><p>- Season 5, Episode 1: From the Bazaar to the Barricades: What Makes the Current Protest in Iran Different (with Dr. Kouhi-Esfahani) - https://open.spotify.com/episode/3rppWheYmghvkHqVHYcHkn</p><p>- Season 3, Episode 8: Israel Strikes Iran: Why Now, What Comes Next, and Consequences (with Prof. Ehteshami) - https://open.spotify.com/episode/4waVMjEW1i1iMd4tVIR8L8</p><p><br></p><p>Music: The Good News by SHANTI from https://tunetank.com/track/263-the-good-news/</p>