Breaking Points: Pape Says Iran Holds the Leverage in a New Nuclear Trap

Iran may be in the driver’s seat as Trump’s shifting Iran strategy, nuclear talks, and oil politics collide. In this condensed recap of the full Breaking Points episode, Krystal Ball and Saagar Enjeti speak with University of Chicago political scientist Robert Pape about why the U.S. may be falling into an escalation trap, how Iran could answer recent strikes with a limited “brushback” response, and why energy markets may matter as much as missiles. In this shorter version of the original conversation, you’ll hear Pape’s case that the new “nuclear dust” position still leaves Iran with strategic leverage, plus his argument that any serious Iran deal has to focus on restoring oil flows and bringing prices back down. A sharp breakdown of war, diplomacy, nuclear negotiation, and global geopolitics—listen now to get the key ideas in minutes.