# Who is really running Iran now?

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-general-the-journalist-7337304/who-is-really-running-iran-now
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-general-the-journalist-7337304/who-is-really-running-iran-now.md
Podcast: [The General & The Journalist](https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-general-the-journalist-7337304)
Published: 2026-05-20T23:01:00+00:00
Episode link: https://shows.acast.com/times-war/episodes/who-is-really-running-iran-now
Audio file: https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/6825a844b1b74cbbae73d5a8/e/6a0dec3b11eba3cf15ff807f/media.mp3
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JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/the-general-the-journalist-7337304/episodes/who-is-really-running-iran-now
Duration seconds: 2726

## Resource

Nearly three months after the Iran war began, there is a ceasefire, but no settlement. The Strait of Hormuz remains a global pressure point, Iran’s nuclear programme is unresolved, and Donald Trump is still demanding progress. But the biggest question may be inside Tehran. After war, assassinations and stalled diplomacy, power appears to be shifting away from the clerics and towards the Revolutionary Guards. Has the West weakened the Islamic Republic or helped make it harder to deal with? Patrick and Tom speak to Iran analyst Alex Vatanka about the rise of the IRGC, the myth of division inside Tehran, and what comes next. Hosts: General Sir Patrick Sanders and Tom Newton Dunn Guest: Alex Vatanka, Senior Fellow at the Middle East Institute Producer: Shabnam Grewal Executive producer: Fiona Leach, Priyanka Deladia Image: Getty Who holds the upper hand in the Iran war? Get in touch: generalandjournalist@thetimes.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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## Transcript

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