Iran, US Jaw-Jaw, War-War At The Same Time (S01E66)

Friday, May 8, 2026, Paris There was another exchange of fire between Iran and the US on Friday. This time Americans disabled two Iranians ships. Meanwhile Iran struck Dubai. Images emerged showing smoke rising from the city’s glitzy international airport.The UAE may have also taken part on a series of US airstrikes on Thursday targeting Tehran, Qeshm Island, and Bandar Abbas. Iran can’t reach the US aircraft carriers and bases launching those airstrikes and fighter jets. So it targets the Gulf States instead, particularly the United Arab Emirates, which Tehran sees as an extension of the US and Israel.Despite the skirmishes, both the US and Iran appear seem keen to avoid going back to the most ferocious days of the 40-day war. None of the attacks appear to have caused a much major damage or casualties. Both countries are also under quite a bit of domestic and international pressure to avoid a return to war. Negotiations continue, though there is a lot of misinformation floating around.I speak about these pressures, about the pull and push away and from a return to war, in an interview with South Era Network in today’s podcast.The war has also stripped away the illusions many have about the state of global leadership and global order. The crisis was caused by the west. Western nations coddled Israel enabled its dehumanizing of Arabs and Irans, and backed its wars. Western nations enabled Donald Trump by mostly refusing to stand up to him and giving in to his worst impulses. The war is now profoundly damaging the world. But it is being defused largely by the countries of Eurasia and the Global South. That includes Pakistan, China, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Oman, and Turkey. The UN is nowhere to be found, Europe is pathetically absent, ineffective, and preoccupied—more an unprincipled supplicant to the US and Israel than a potential arbiter of a peace deal. I spoke about these geopolitical changes and the possible ushering in of a new era on in an interview with India’s News X World.badlands is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit borzou.substack.com/subscribe