Who’s Calling the Shots in Iran? With Suzanne Maloney and Raz Zimmt episode artwork

EPISODE · Apr 13, 2026 · 39 MIN

Who’s Calling the Shots in Iran? With Suzanne Maloney and Raz Zimmt

from Decision Points

After nearly six weeks of war, the U.S. and Iran agreed on April 8 to a fragile two-week ceasefire. But Vice President JD Vance left Pakistan Sunday after 21 hours of high-level talks with the Iranians without making progress toward a deal to end the war. President Trump then threatened to blockade the Strait of Hormuz, the key oil-shipping route that Iran has throttled. However uncertain the road ahead may be, one thing is increasingly clear: in a postwar Iran, the hard-line Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps looks set to further dominate the regime’s complex policymaking structure. Host David Makovsky sits down with two leading Iran experts, Suzanne Maloney and Raz Zimmt, to explore how decisions may be made in Tehran during the ceasefire and beyond. Dr. Suzanne Maloney is vice president and director of the Foreign Policy program at the Brookings Institution in Washington and a former member of the State Department's Policy Planning staff.Dr. Raz Zimmt is the director of the Iran and the Shiite axis research program at the Institute for National Security Studies in Tel Aviv, Israel. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After nearly six weeks of war, the U.S. and Iran agreed on April 8 to a fragile two-week ceasefire. But Vice President JD Vance left Pakistan Sunday after 21 hours of high-level talks with the Iranians without making progress toward a deal to end the war. President Trump then threatened to blockade the Strait of Hormuz, the key oil-shipping route that Iran has throttled. However uncertain the road ahead may be, one thing is increasingly clear: in a postwar Iran, the hard-line Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps looks set to further dominate the regime’s complex policymaking structure. Host David Makovsky sits down with two leading Iran experts, Suzanne Maloney and Raz Zimmt, to explore how decisions may be made in Tehran during the ceasefire and beyond. Dr. Suzanne Maloney is vice president and director of the Foreign Policy program at the Brookings Institution in Washington and a former member of the State Department's Policy Planning staff.Dr. Raz Zimmt is the director of the Iran and the Shiite axis research program at the Institute for National Security Studies in Tel Aviv, Israel. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

NOW PLAYING

Who’s Calling the Shots in Iran? With Suzanne Maloney and Raz Zimmt

0:00 39:30

No transcript for this episode yet

We transcribe on demand. Request one and we'll notify you when it's ready — usually under 10 minutes.

Focus on Nutrition and Nutrition Science ReachMD Ever-increasing evidence points to the importance of nutrition in preventing and managing disease. Through a thorough examination of metabolic and physiological responses of the body to diet and nutrition, we seek to highlight current topics, research and best practices in this field. THINK BIGGER, THINK BETTER Paul Gibbons THINK BIGGER, THINK BETTER presents the 21st century’s leading entrepreneurs, scientists, philosophers, public intellectuals, and business and political leaders as they discuss the most important issues of today. Join your host Paul Gibbons and his guests as they explore themes such as: progress and technology, reason and emotions, ethics and business leadership, science and health, media and society, politics and education, pseudoscience and marketing hype, neuroscience and decision making. To support us on Patreon, go to patreon.com/paulgibbons Main Points Podcast Chris Harrison Whether you’re a lifelong resident, a newcomer, or just curious about what makes Decatur special, this podcast is for you. Tune in, get inspired, and become a part of the conversation as we elevate, educate, and celebrate all things Decatur, IL! Inflection Point Blockworks Inflection Point is a weekly podcast for institutional professionals navigating crypto’s transition from a retail-driven market to a core component of global finance. Hosted by Blockworks Research Analyst Marc Arjoon alongside Matt Hougan (CIO, Bitwise), David Lawant (Head of Research, Anchorage), and Michael Marcantonio (Head of DeFi, Galaxy), the show delivers top-down, institution-led analysis of ETF flows, policy, market structure, and macro. We cut through the noise to focus on the true inflection points shaping crypto’s institutional future.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is this episode of Decision Points?

This episode is 39 minutes long.

When was this Decision Points episode published?

This episode was published on April 13, 2026.

What is this episode about?

After nearly six weeks of war, the U.S. and Iran agreed on April 8 to a fragile two-week ceasefire. But Vice President JD Vance left Pakistan Sunday after 21 hours of high-level talks with the Iranians without making progress toward a deal to end...

Can I download this Decision Points episode?

Yes, you can download this episode by clicking the download button on the episode player, or subscribe to the podcast in your preferred podcast app for automatic downloads.
URL copied to clipboard!