Uploaded April 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
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While the two-week ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran appears to be holding, Trump is threatening the fragile agreement by promising a total blockade on traffic through the Strait of Hormuz.
A blockade would freeze Iran’s exports of oil, as well as prevent it from accessing necessary goods like food and medicine. It’s an effort to force Iran back to the negotiating table, after the two countries were unable to come to terms following a failed marathon diplomatic session in Pakistan. A blockade would also be a war crime.
Guest: Gregg Carlstrom, Middle East correspondent for The Economist.
Want more What Next? Subscribe to Slate Plus to access ad-free listening to the whole What Next family and across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to get access wherever you listen.
Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther. Video production by Rob Gunther.
Social:
@maryharris on Bluesky
https://bsky.app/profile/maryharris.bsky.social
Note: Captions are auto-generated by YouTube.
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Host Mary Harris on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/maryharris.bsky.social
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If you love What Next, join Slate Plus at slate.com/youtubeplus?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=link&utm_content=What_Next&utm_campaign=show_description&tpcc=youtube-link-show_description-What_Next to unlock weekly bonus episodes. Plus, you’ll access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts.
While the two-week ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran appears to be holding, Trump is threatening the fragile agreement by promising a total blockade on traffic through the Strait of Hormuz.
A blockade would freeze Iran’s exports of oil, as well as prevent it from accessing necessary goods like food and medicine. It’s an effort to force Iran back to the negotiating table, after the two countries were unable to come to terms following a failed marathon diplomatic session in Pakistan. A blockade would also be a war crime.
Guest: Gregg Carlstrom, Middle East correspondent for The Economist.
Want more What Next? Subscribe to Slate Plus to access ad-free listening to the whole What Next family and across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to get access wherever you listen.
Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther. Video production by Rob Gunther.
Social:
@maryharris on Bluesky
https://bsky.app/profile/maryharris.bsky.social
Note: Captions are auto-generated by YouTube.
Learn more: slate.com/podcasts/what-next
Follow Slate on Social:
Host Mary Harris on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/maryharris.bsky.social
Slate on Twitter - twitter.com/Slate
Slate Podcasts on Twitter - twitter.com/SlatePodcasts
Slate on Facebook: facebook.com/slate
Slate on Instagram: instagram.com/slate
