Uploaded May 2026 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
Jim Hanson argues that Iran, not President Trump, is the side under real pressure as negotiations reach what he calls the “final rounds.”
Hanson says Trump is unlikely to concede on the core issues: no nuclear weapons, no ballistic missiles, and no Iranian proxy warfare. While Washington faces political pressure, he argues the Iranian regime faces something far more serious: economic pressure that could threaten its survival.
The discussion also examines what a meaningful Iran deal would require, why verification matters, and how the balance of leverage may be shifting as Tehran runs out of room to maneuver.
Subscribe for more conversations with leading analysts on the Middle East and beyond.
Jim Hanson argues that Iran, not President Trump, is the side under real pressure as negotiations reach what he calls the “final rounds.”
Hanson says Trump is unlikely to concede on the core issues: no nuclear weapons, no ballistic missiles, and no Iranian proxy warfare. While Washington faces political pressure, he argues the Iranian regime faces something far more serious: economic pressure that could threaten its survival.
The discussion also examines what a meaningful Iran deal would require, why verification matters, and how the balance of leverage may be shifting as Tehran runs out of room to maneuver.
Subscribe for more conversations with leading analysts on the Middle East and beyond.
