The US has moved critical missile defenses and troops from East Asia to the Middle East. With America’s resources stretched thin, is this the ultimate strategic opportunity for China? Former UK Defence Secretary Sir Ben Wallace and Times Radio political editor Kate McCann sit down with former advisor to President Obama and Georgetown University Director of Asia Studies Evan Medeiros to explore what he calls China’s strategy of “calculated neutrality” – protecting Beijing’s economic interests while avoiding direct conflict with the United States. First, for In Brief, Sir Ben and Kate discuss the US’s thinking behind blocking the Strait of Hormuz, Lord George Robertson’s scathing critique of UK foreign policy, and whether Hungary Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s defeat signals the beginning of the end of “strong man” populist politics. Later, Medeiros examines China’s balancing of its economic interests in both Iran and the Gulf countries, China’s Iranian oil “loophole” via the UAE, and if the Iran war is deepening fractures in Western alliances, potentially upending the global rules-based order.

In this episode:

02:05 – US blockade of the Strait of Hormuz

04:59 – Frustration amongst Gulf states

06:45 – UK Role, and Lord George Robertson’s warning to the UK

12:16 – Does Orban’s defeat signal the end of “strong man” politics?

15:39 – Evan Medeiros introduction

17:04 – Defining China’s “calculated neutrality”

18:28 – Is China above the fray of war?

19:32 – Balancing leverage with Iran and the Gulf states

24:03 – Is Beijing arming Iran?

27:45 – China’s Iranian oil loophole

28:54 – China: Displacing vs. replacing the US

32:25 – Why China avoids regional wars

36:54 – One Decision: China’s vision for a post-American world order

42:08 – Sir Ben and Kate discussion

Hosted by Sir Ben Wallace (former UK Defence Secretary) and Kate McCann (Political Editor at Times Radio).

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Russia may be issuing verbal condemnations from the sidelines of the conflict in Iran, but behind the scenes, it’s leveraging its relationship with Iran to give the US a “taste of its own medicine.” Former MI6 Chief Sir Richard Dearlove and Times Radio political editor Kate McCann sit down with Alexander Gabuev, director of the Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center, to discuss Russia’s calculated role in the escalating war in Iran. Gabuev explains why the US being preoccupied in fighting another Middle Eastern conflict is a “gift” to Putin, including how temporary sanctions relief and the continued closure of the Strait of Hormuz boosts Russian oil revenues. Together, they also analyze the impact of the war on Ukraine’s security and energy infrastructure, as well as how continued economic strain and repression in Russia may limit its involvement in the conflict.

In this episode:

• 01:35 – Why the Iran War helps Russia

• 04:17 – Oil shock and Russian windfall

• 16:48 – The Iran-Russia alliance

• 23:11 – Limits of Kremlin support

• 28:24 – Iran War knock-on effects for Ukraine

• 32:58 – Ukraine’s Gulf alliance strategy

• 38:05 – Russian public mood and repression

• 42:47 – One Decision: What’s Trump’s next move?

• 44:00 – Sir Richard and Kate discussion

Hosted by Sir Richard Dearlove (former MI6 Chief) and Kate McCann (Political Editor at Times Radio).

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After Iran shot down two US warplanes, President Trump shot back with a scathing ultimatum. But are Trump’s words pushing the world towards a point of no return? Former MI6 Chief Sir Richard Dearlove and international journalist Rosanna Lockwood examine a weekend of high-stakes escalation in the Middle East. They discuss the thinking and implications behind President Trump’s explosive online rhetoric, as well as the global fallout of the war on energy markets in Asia and Oceania. Plus, they preview Hungary’s upcoming election, where Prime Minister Viktor Orbán faces a significant challenge by Péter Magyar in an election that could remove a major "thorn in the side" of the European Union and unlock billions in aid for Ukraine.

In this episode:

• 00:22 – The war in Iran drags on

• 01:56 – IRGC assassinations and the strategy of regime implosion

• 06:15 – Trump’s ever-changing deadlines for Iran

• 07:37 – The rescue of the American weapons specialist

• 10:07 – The Truth Social ultimatum

• 11:04 – A US ground invasion scenario

• 13:23 – The global energy squeeze

• 15:53 – Hungary’s pivotal election

• 20:37 – Show announcement

Hosted by Sir Richard Dearlove (former MI6 Chief) and Rosanna Lockwood (International Journalist).

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This isn’t just another Middle Eastern conflict—it’s a fundamental restructuring of global power. Sir Richard Dearlove and guest co-host Baroness Ayesha Hazarika with Fareed Zakaria, veteran journalist, author, and host of CNN’s Fareed Zakaria GPS. Together, they examine Israel’s war strategy, and whether or not the war aims of President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu are misaligned. They also discuss the entry of the Houthis into the conflict on Iran’s behalf, as well as why the war in Iran could prove far more consequential to daily life across the globe than the Iraq War ever was. 

In this episode:

• 01:43 – Israel’s Campaign in Lebanon

• 08:06 – Does Israel’s “Buffer Zone” Have an Ulterior Motive? 

• 11:29 – Do Netanyahu and Trump Have Different War Aims? 

• 15:10 – Will America Put Boots on the Ground in Iran?

• 17:14 – End of a Strategic Conflict, or a Massive Gamble?

• 22:22 – The Houthi Strategy 

• 28:35 – Why Russia Wins and Europe Loses

• 32:20 – Geopolitics in a Post-Trump World

• 36:28 – Can the UK Still Rely on the US?

• 41:47 – Why the Iran War Hurts Ukraine

• 46:24 – What’s Trump’s Next Move?

• 48:40 – Sir Richard and Baroness Hazarika Discussion  

Hosted by Sir Richard Dearlove (former MI6 Chief) and Baroness Ayesha Hazarika (Member of House of Lords).

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Everyone is calling it another Iraq. Sir Richard Dearlove disagrees. In this episode of One Decision In Brief, the former MI6 chief makes the case that what's unfolding in Iran may be something different: the final chapter of a decades-long conflict, with a window for the United States to actually close it.

Sir Richard and guest co-host Baroness Ayesha Hazarika break down the military logic — why Kharg Island is the likely first target, what securing the Strait of Hormuz would actually take, and whether a ground operation could stay limited. They also assess Iran's internal fractures, Russia's quiet role, China's conspicuous absence, and what the Gulf States really want from Washington right now.

Is this the moment the West finally resolves the Iran question, or the beginning of something far worse?

In this episode:

• 07:09 Uranium Extraction Scenario

• 09:14 Avoiding a Land Quagmire

• 10:58 Trump’s Legacy Calculus

• 11:52 Russia Helps; China Absent

• 13:39 Will Gulf States Choose America?

Hosted by Sir Richard Dearlove (former MI6 Chief) and guest co-host Baroness Ayesha Hazarika (House of Lords)

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Cuba is running out of fuel, its economy is in ruins, and 2 million of its citizens have already fled. Is the communist regime finally at its breaking point?

Sir Richard Dearlove and Kate McCann sit down with Brian Latell, PhD, a 35-year CIA veteran and the agency's top Cuba and Latin America analyst. They assess whether the government can survive Trump's fuel embargo, what a transition would actually look like, and why Marco Rubio's approach may be more measured than his rhetoric suggests.

In this episode:

04:19 US-Cuba Relations

10:25 Risks of Squeezing Cuba Too Hard

13:03 Can the Regime Collapse Peacefully

18:03 Who Holds Power in Havana

23:02 Intelligence Files and Biosecurity Fears

27:31 Rebuilding Cuba and Diaspora Role

29:35 What Drives Marco Rubio

31:08 One Decision to Watch Next

Hosted by Sir Richard Dearlove (former MI6 Chief) and Kate McCann (Political Editor at Times Radio).

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From an ultimatum to a “pause” in attacks, did President Donald Trump just blink, or is he playing a much larger game with Iran? Former MI6 Chief Sir Richard Dearlove and journalist Kate McCann analyze whether President Trump’s sudden shift on Iran is a genuine diplomatic opening, a calculated move to cool soaring global oil prices, or an attempt to buy time for US Marine reinforcements to arrive. They also explore the potential strategic friction between the US and Israel, Trump’s broader foreign policy objectives, including Venezuela and Cuba, and the UK and Europe’s reluctant role in the escalating Iranian conflict.

In this episode:

• 01:56 – From 48 Hour Ultimatum to Five-Day Pause

• 03:40 – The Fragility of Global Markets

• 05:26 – Are There Backchannel Talks Inside Iran?

• 07:48 – Escalating to De-Escalate

• 09:41– Israel-US Divergent Aims

• 11:36 – Does the Conflict Help or Hurt Trump?

• 15:14 – UK and Europe on the Sidelines

Hosted by Sir Richard Dearlove (former MI6 Chief) and Kate McCann (Political Editor at Times Radio).

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The Strait of Hormuz is in a chokehold. The scale of this oil supply disruption has already exceeded the shocks of the 1970s. Sir Richard Dearlove and Rosanna Lockwood sit down with Helima Croft, Managing Director and Head of Global Commodity Strategy at RBC Capital Markets and former senior CIA analyst, to break down what market players are getting wrong, why reopening the Strait is far harder than it looks, and what a Houthi entry into the conflict could mean for the Red Sea. 

In this episode:

• 3:04 Technical Side of Supply Disruption 

• 6:11 IEA and Comparison to Russia-Ukraine 

• 9:32 Alternative Routes for Oil and Gas 

• 12:08 Russia is the Big Winner

• 13:13 Ground Troops Needed to Open the Strait of Hormuz 

• 17:14 The US Domestic Picture 

• 21:43 Will Houthis Disrupt the Red Sea? 

• 27:52 What Market Participants Are Not Understanding

• 30:57 Is $200 Barrel Crude Oil Possible? 

• 33:19 Sir Richard and Rosanna Discussion  

Hosted by Sir Richard Dearlove (former MI6 Chief) and Rosanna Lockwood (International Journalist)

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President Trump’s call for naval assistance in the Strait of Hormuz has not been answered by European allies. Does this signal a growing crisis of confidence in the West? Former MI6 Chief Sir Richard Dearlove and international journalist Rosanna Lockwood examine the latest developments in the war with Iran, as well as rising political polarization in France and the UK, fears of domestic terrorist attacks in the West, and the critical importance of Kharg Island to the global energy market.

In this episode:

• 01:48 – The divisive dilemma at the Strait of Hormuz

• 04:05 – Fears of Iranian proxy terror attacks in the West

• 06:14 – Political polarization in European elections

• 12:45 – Iran’s internal media strategy

• 14:47 – The strategic importance of Kharg Island

Hosted by Sir Richard Dearlove (former MI6 Chief) and guest co-host Rosanna Lockwood (International Journalist)

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What exactly drove President Donald Trump’s decision to join Israel in joint strikes against Iran? Ronen Bergman joins from Tel Aviv where he is a Senior Correspondent for Military and Intelligence Affairs for Yedioth Ahronoth and staff writer for The New York Times Magazine. He shares his reporting of how Netanyahu moved Trump toward a joint strike, and why he's staying quiet about it for now.

Then, retired Lt. Col. Jonathan Conricus, former Israeli Defence Forces spokesperson and senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, breaks down the major Israeli military objectives and how close Israel is to achieving each one. Plus, what Arab Gulf states are privately telling Israel. 

In this episode:

01:24 New Leader Wounded

06:42 Israel Aims And Limits

09:36 Regime Change Doubts

16:14 Israeli Public Mood

23:30 Intel Airpower Strategy

25:12 Introducing LT. COL. (RET.) Jonathan Conricus 

29:48 Strait of Hormuz Threat

32:45 Stopping Enriched Uranium

36:21 War Communications as Force Multiplier 

40:55 Regime Change Scenarios

43:58 Gulf States Defense 

Show Notes: 

• Iran’s New Supreme Leader Was Wounded Early in the War, Iranian and Israeli Officials Say - The New York Times 

Hosted by Sir Richard Dearlove (former MI6 Chief) and Rosanna Lockwood (International Journalist)

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One of the few Americans briefed before US hit Iran sits down with Sir Richard Dearlove and Rosanna Lockwood to share his analysis: the legal justification is false, the strategic endgame doesn't exist, and we may have just handed Iran every reason to build a nuclear weapon. US Representative Jim Himes (D-CT), Ranking Member of the House Intelligence Committee, breaks down Trump's grip on Capitol Hill, and whether the only exit is a face-saving declaration of victory.

Recorded March 9th, 2025.

Hosted by Sir Richard Dearlove (former MI6 Chief) and guest co-host Rosanna Lockwood (International Journalist)

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