Sour Grapes: US, Israel Lose On Hormuz, Diplomatic Alliances (S01E124)

Friday, August 7, 2026, ChicagoTwo major developments in the Middle East this week. The US appears poised to hand over control of the Strait of Hormuz over to the Iranians, even as it whines that it doesn’t need it anyway.Meanwhile, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan inked a major security partnership, dissing the US attempt to corral the countries of the region into the pro-Israel Abraham Accords. That promoped pro-Israel shills to downplay the Mecca agreement and predict its demise.As a bonus for Arabic speakers, I was interviewed by Egypt’s Al Qahera TV about the latest developments in the Iran conflict.badlands is a listener-supported podcast. To receive new episodes 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