Arash Azizi and Jodi Kantor: Iran Has the Leverage

In this expansive episode of The Bulwark Podcast, host Tim Miller engages in a deep, nuanced discussion with Arash Azizi, a historian and Yale lecturer, on the current geopolitical standoff between the U.S. and Iran. Azizi provides a clear-eyed analysis of the fragile negotiations surrounding the blockade, Project Freedom, and the potential for a deal, emphasizing that Iran’s leverage lies not in military dominance but in its ability to disrupt global energy markets and endure economic hardship. He challenges common Western narratives about regime collapse and internal fragmentation, arguing that Iran’s leadership, while ideologically divided, remains cohesive in pursuing pragmatic deals. Azizi also explores the deep disconnect between the Iranian people’s desire for a normal life and the regime’s ideological agenda, and offers a historically grounded vision of Iranian nationalism as non-aligned and independent. The episode then shifts to a powerful conversation with Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Jodi Cantor, who discusses her new book, How to Start Discovering Your Life's Work, offering candid, hopeful advice to young people navigating a disorienting job market. Cantor draws from her own experiences, including confronting Harvey Weinstein and reporting on the Supreme Court’s shadow docket, to advocate for resilience, curiosity, and rejecting cynicism in the face of systemic challenges. Her central message: failure is inevitable, but giving up is the real defeat.