Spoils Of War: Why Iran Won’t Give Up The Strait of Hormuz (S01E120)

Monday, August 3, 2026, ChicagoDonald Trump backed off again from his latest threat to launch a major campaign against Iran, citing a fresh breakthrough in talks between Iran and Oman over re-establishing traffic through the Strait of Hormuz.In the latest episode of badlands, I discuss why Iran feels entitled to keep control of the Strait of Hormuz, which it sees as its spoils in a war that was unjustly launched against it.I also address the neocon argument that Iran has been at war agaisnt the US have been at war for “47 years.”In an interview with Fahd Hassan of Pakistan’s Express 24/7 News I discuss why the war seems to keep going through constant cycles of escalation and diplomacy.I also the role of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and the latest security and diplomatic developments with India’s NewsX World.Finally, in an interview with NPR’s Here & Now, I discuss the prospects for a peace deal in Gaza.badlands is a listner-supported podcast. To receive the latest episodes as quickly as possible and to support this 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