The Burn Bag

#Iran has a new Supreme Leader — in the middle of a war. We sat down with @vali_nasr to unpack who Ayatollah Ali #Khamenei was, how power actually works inside the Islamic Republic, and what Mojtaba Khamenei’s selection means for the Iran war. 🎧 Listen or Watch 👇🏽 Spotify: bit.ly/4bq11ey Apple: bit.ly/4cFKKEx YouTube: bit.ly/4rwrX2f

The global order is changing — and there may be no going back. New episode with @BrookingsInst's Dr. Mira Rapp-Hooper on: • The future of the international system • Structural U.S.–China competition • Why alliances are evolving • Why the post–Cold War era may be ending Spotify: bit.ly/3NQHTPa Apple: bit.ly/3Oa0h5C YouTube: youtu.be/ro3UeADZg_0

Why are Iranian drones getting through air defenses? Former U.S. Defense Secretary @MarkTEsper explains why drones pose a different challenge than ballistic missiles — and what it means for the escalating Iran war. 🎧 Full episode: Spotify: bit.ly/46KUw4s Apple: bit.ly/47vapw2 YouTube: bit.ly/4rVY8cl

Listen/watch 👇 Spotify: bit.ly/46KUw4s Apple: bit.ly/47vapw2 YouTube: bit.ly/4rVY8cl

Former Secretary of Defense @MarkTEsper on how China is reading the Iran war. As the U.S. expends munitions and resources in the Middle East, Beijing is watching closely — particularly through the lens of a potential future conflict in the Indo-Pacific. Watch the clip 👇

In this interview I lay out at least three possible outcomes in this war, the difficulty of achieving each, and how long each might take. Plus, I discuss the ongoing concerns over U.S. munitions stockpiles and production capacity. War is ultimately a contest of wills and resources, however. m.youtube.com/watch?v=GtmoGU…

The #IranWar is entering a dangerous phase. As U.S.–Israeli strikes continue and Iran retaliates across the region, we did a rapid-turn interview with former Defense Secretary @MarkTEsper to break down what’s happening — and what comes next. We cover: • #Trump’s decision to strike • Sustainability of the air campaign • U.S. munitions capacity • #Shahed drones & Gulf escalation • Leadership decapitation • The #China and #India angles • The war’s possible endgame Listen/watch 👇 Spotify: bit.ly/46KUw4s Apple: bit.ly/47vapw2 YouTube: bit.ly/4rVY8cl

After the Austin shooting, questions about terrorism resurfaced. Are Iranian sleeper cells a threat inside the U.S.? Former FBI counterterrorism official Javed Ali explains why lone wolf attacks are more likely. Spotify: bit.ly/4cUOAJS Apple: bit.ly/4r6GK3t

Spotify: bit.ly/4cUOAJS Apple: bit.ly/4r6GK3t YouTube: bit.ly/4aU6eLi

Why is Iran hitting targets across the Gulf? Former NSC official Javed Ali explains Tehran’s strategy — and why Gulf states may be getting pulled into the conflict. 🎙️ Watch the clip ↓

Listen on the following platforms 👇 Spotify: bit.ly/4cUOAJS Apple: bit.ly/4r6GK3t YouTube: bit.ly/4aU6eLi

The intensifying conflict between the U.S., #Israel, and #Iran — and the killing of Ayatollah #Khamenei — may flip the regional script. Are we heading toward wider war? We sat down with former NSC official Javed Ali to break down what comes next. 🎙️👇 #MiddleEastConflict

What if the Islamic Republic of #Iran collapses? @AlexVatanka (@MiddleEastInst) warns the fallout could destabilize the region — potentially worse than Syria — and underscores the need for real offramps. Spotify: bit.ly/3OEQ5Ss Apple: bit.ly/4tREGio

“Some kind of military confrontation is more likely than not.” @AlexVatanka breaks down what may be driving Trump’s Iran calculus — and why this moment feels different. 🎧 Full episode: Spotify: bit.ly/3OEQ5Ss Apple: bit.ly/4tREGio #Iran #Trump #Geopolitics

🎧 Spotify: bit.ly/3OEQ5Ss 🎧 Apple: bit.ly/4tREGio 📺 YouTube: bit.ly/4caGpJc

#Trump is weighing military options on #Iran — even as diplomacy continues. After a brutal crackdown on protests at home, what shape is the regime really in? On The Burn Bag, A’ndre speaks with the @MiddleEastInst's @AlexVatanka on how to make sense of this current moment.

How did the SDF lose so much territory so fast? @Charles_Lister explains the Arab defections, legitimacy pressures, and internal tensions that reshaped the battlefield in Syria’s northeast. 🎧 Full episode: Spotify: bit.ly/4c04CC2 Apple: bit.ly/40fDHec

🎧 Watch the full episode: Spotify: bit.ly/4c04CC2 Apple: bit.ly/40fDHec

ISIS was rocked by Assad’s fall — but the story didn’t end there. In this clip, @Charles_Lister (@MiddleEastInst) breaks down what the group’s attack patterns in 2025 reveal about where it now sees opportunity in Syria. 📊 One data point should get your attention.