Christiane Amanpour

My first podcast series with @global has arrived. Christiane Amanpour Presents: The Ex Files with Jamie Rubin He was in the room. I was on the frontline. 20 years married. 7 years divorced. Now we’re picking up the conversation again. 🎧 Launching 13 May 🔗 Listen @GlobalPlayer & all major podcast platforms

When the senior Omani mediator speaks, the smart set should listen: economist.com/by-invitation/…

‘He violated the first rule of war’ @amanpour & @TinaBrownLM unpack how Trump’s misinformed stance on Iran escalated tensions – pushing Tehran to weaponise the Strait of Hormuz and raising global stakes Watch Christiane Amanpour Presents: The Ex Files 🗂️ on @globalplayer 🎧

“We are manufacturing a whole new generation of terrorists in the Middle East,” former U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel tells me, saying the Trump administration's conduct of its war in Iran appears to him unprecedented.

Iran is "a war without a strategy," former U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel says, as he warns that threats to global stability are escalating daily.

“They cut my belt off with a knife, as well as my boxers. They zip-tied my penis, tightened it and then dragged me all around the village.” My interview with a Palestinian man who says Israeli settlers sexually assaulted him cnn.com/2026/03/18/mid…

“Coalition of the willing? It’s a coalition of the insulted.” @amanpour & @TinaBrownLM discuss whether Trump is now facing the consequences of insulting his NATO allies as they refuse to help secure the Strait of Hormuz 🔗⬇️

"The bottom line is, they're saying 'this is not our war'." Christiane Amanpour, CNN's Chief International Anchor, on the reluctance of the USA's allies to join the conflict with Iran. #Newsnight

A source familiar with private plans & discussions tells me Ali Larijani was, for the US & Israel, the most favored transitional candidate as of Sept 2025, but became a target early Feb 2026. The source said Larijani became a target when he: -Pushed for crackdown on protesters; -Took front seat in lashing out at US/Israel; -⁠Assumed key role in strategizing the IRGC kinetic actions, in particular against GCC states.

Just in: Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz has announced that Ali Larijani, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, was “eliminated” Monday night. @OrenCNN breaks down what we know so far.

"I don't think Russia has the capability to [come to Iran's defence]. Russia is currently completely massively, sunk in in Ukraine." Ukraine's former defense minister, Andriy Zagorodnyuk believes Russia "can't actually help Iran apart from shipping some weapons systems and some technologies, maybe even money and definitely intelligence."

"It keeps me up at night that there is no clear end to this conflict as yet," says @elerianm, pointing to "the very difficult task of ending an asymmetrical war." He assesses that the risk of recession is "not overwhelming, but it is high enough for you to worry about."

"We risk going from short-term disruption to long-term structural damage to the oil market," @elerianm tells me. "The increase in the oil price is going to persist for a while and that is going to mean not only higher interest rates, but lower growth, higher unemployment and a greater risk of financial instability."

“The beneficiary of this war [in Iran] is Putin, filling up his coffers with oil dollars… and the reduction in support being given to Ukraine,” says former NATO deputy commander Richard Shirreff. Europe & Canada “must absolutely double down… increasing support for Ukraine.”

“Iran's military capability… has been severely degraded. So in that sense, in a sort of attritional, industrial warfare sense, America and Israel have the upper hand,” says former NATO dep. commander Richard Shirreff. “But right now, because of the Strait of Hormuz… I think President Trump is in danger of looking pretty stupid now, because clearly he and his military planners did not wargame the effect… of their operations.”

“Trust in America [within] the alliance has been broken,” says fmr. NATO dep. commander Richard Shirreff. With allies so far refusing to get involved in the Strait of Hormuz, “I’m not surprised there is this real reluctance to dance to Trump’s tune,” Shirreff adds. “This is a war he started.”

100K YouTube subscribers and counting 🎉 Whether you’ve been here since day one or you’ve recently discovered the podcast - thank you for listening, watching and supporting Christiane Amanpour Presents: The Ex Files 🗂️ Stay tuned for more! #YouTube #podcast #announcements

Pope Leo XIV has called for a ceasefire in the Middle East conflict. "On behalf of the Christians of the Middle East and all women and men of good will, I appeal to those responsible for this conflict: cease fire," he said. Follow live updates. cnn.it/4ry8nCC

Israeli forces kill Palestinian couple and two of their children in occupied West Bank bbc.in/4bc4WwL

Hamas urges key ally Iran to halt attacks on Gulf states bbc.in/4bxn57c

“No quarter” isn’t some wanna be tough guy line - it means something. An order to give no quarter would mean to take no prisoners and kill them instead. That would violate the law of armed conflict. It would be an illegal order. It would also put American service members at greater risk. Pete Hegseth should know better than to throw around terms like this.