Following the U.S. and Israeli airstrikes on Iran in February, the repercussions were felt worldwide. Yet the question remains: has the conflict made the world safer and Iranians freer, or has it triggered disastrous outcomes?
Mehdi Hasan engages in a pointed debate with David Des Roches, a retired colonel, former Pentagon official, and professor at the National Defense University, examining the war’s justifications, costs, and the possibility that President Donald Trump would have deployed U.S. troops to support Israel.
Joining the discussion are:
Sanam Naraghi‑Anderlini – founder and CEO of the International Civil Society Action Network
Mohammad Ali Shabani – Middle East scholar and editor of Amwaj.media, a London‑based outlet covering Iran, Iraq and the Arabian Peninsula
Barak Seener – associate research fellow, Henry Jackson Society
Recorded shortly before the announcement of a deal between the United States and Iran.
Published On 19 Jun 2026
