The Art Of The Steal

Tuesday, May 12, 2026, IstanbulDiplomacy over Iran remains at an impasse, as Donald Trump heads to Beijing for his big meeting with Xi Jinping without a deal, a victory, or even an open Strait of Hormuz. Trump also reveals that he US tried to arm Iran’s opposition by handing weapons Kurds, despite his own skepticism, but that they stole the weapons instead.In today’s podcast I also discuss the freeing of Iranian human rights activist and women’s rights advocate Narges Mohammadi from Tehran’s Evin Prison, the topic of an interview with Austria’s Channel 4 radio. In a discussion with India’s NewsX, I grapple with the diplomatic complexity of Turkey’s relations with Qatar, two allies whose relationship has been put to the test by the Iran war. 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