In short
The episode debates a proposed US-Iran nuclear/war pause deal set to be signed Friday, and whether it’s a “win” or a flawed retreat that could leave Iran intact. Guest Naftali Bennett (former Israeli prime minister) argues the deal is only a “pause,” not the end deal, and supports US objectives: removing Iran’s uranium stockpile, preventing ballistic-missile “immunity,” and dismantling terror networks. He frames Iran as an “octopus” of terror and says the West can accelerate regime collapse via non-war tools (e.g., Starlink-style internet access to spur protests). He also insists Israel must defend itself even if the US deal excludes Israel, citing his son and many families in the war.
Panel guests
Jonathan Conrickus (former IDF lieutenant colonel/spokesman) says Israel’s perspective differs because Iran has attacked proxies for decades; he warns the deal may be bad for Iran, Lebanon, and Gulf states. Goldie Gamari (Iranian-Canadian commentator) claims the regime is internally collapsing and attacks the idea of “unconditional surrender” being unmet. Jack Posobiec (Human Events editor) argues the deal differs from the Obama JCPOA by ending enrichment and using leverage/force. Professor Mohamed Mirandi (Tehran University) argues the siege and war hurt the US/global economy more, questions who’s really in charge (Trump vs Netanyahu), and warns the deal depends on Israel ending atrocities in Gaza/Lebanon. Notable examples cited include Strait of Hormuz reopening/lifting blockade, Hezbollah security guarantees, Iran’s World Cup match, and claims about protests and internet shutdowns.
Written by AI. May contain mistakes. Listen to the episode to check what was said.
Chapters
Tap a time to open that second in VOAnalyzing Trump's Iran Strategy
0:45 to 3:20
Detailed examination of President Trump's approach to Iran and the consequences.
“President Trump celebrated his 80th birthday this weekend before welcoming UFC to the White House in honour of America's 250th birthday.”
Perspectives from Israeli Leadership
3:20 to 6:40
Former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett shares insights on Israel's stance on the Iran deal.
“And Ben Givir said Trump's agreement does not bind us.”
Concerns Over the Iran Deal's Impact
6:40 to 11:00
Exploration of potential flaws in the upcoming Iran deal and its implications for the region.
“They realise there's a ticking clock to the American midterm elections in November.”
Critiquing the Deal and Historical Context
11:00 to 14:00
Discussion on the differences between the new deal and previous agreements, including Obama's perspective.
“We won't let up on this effort because it's fighting for our freedom, for our security and for the benefit of the entire Middle East.”
Impact of Trump's Iran Deal on Israel
14:00 to 15:47
Explore the implications of Trump's Iran deal on U.S.-Israel relations and regional stability.
“Instead, many of our allies are going to what?”
Comparing Trump’s Deal to Obama’s Approach
15:47 to 18:10
A discussion about the differences and similarities between Trump's and Obama's approaches to Iran.
“It'll probably take one week, two weeks or three weeks, but it will.”
Perspectives from Israeli Officials
18:10 to 22:20
Insights into how Israeli officials view the potential Iran deal and its risks.
“President Trump actually had that tweet out right after he came out from China saying that perhaps China would be involved.”
Consequences of the Iran Deal
22:20 to 24:18
Analyzing the potential negative outcomes for Iran, Israel, and the U.S. if the deal goes through.
“But the Israeli perspective is different because we, like most other people here, have skin in the game.”
The Iranian People’s Response to the War
24:18 to 28:08
A conversation about the state of the Iranian regime and the people's sentiment regarding the ongoing conflict.
“And I don't think it will do a lot of good to the U.S.”
Iran's Internal Struggles and Resistance
28:08 to 29:10
Explore the complexities of the Iranian people's struggle for freedom and how foreign influences impact their resistance.
“And so anyone who's out there saying, oh, the war has failed because the Iranian people haven't risen up, they don't know what they're talking about.”
Show all 20 chapters
Trump's Foreign Policy Errors
29:14 to 30:38
Discuss Donald Trump's foreign policy mistakes regarding Iran and Israel's influence on American decisions.
“Yeah, we're waiting for the call of Israel.”
Consequences of Military Actions
30:39 to 32:04
Analyze the repercussions of military interventions in Iran and the broader Middle East on global politics and economics.
“The same players have just been, if you will, upgraded because they're younger, a bit more militant.”
Debate on Iranian Proxy Conflicts
32:06 to 33:58
Engage in a discussion about the role of Iranian proxies in regional conflicts and the implications for Israel and the US.
“We're so grateful that the Islamic regime is being attacked by Israel.”
Impact of Netanyahu and US Relations
33:59 to 36:50
Delve into Netanyahu's influence on US foreign policy towards Iran and the complexities of their relationship.
“there's been a lot of damage militarily to Iran's Navy and Air Force and so on.”
Israel's Justification for Military Presence
36:51 to 38:40
Understand Israel's rationale for military actions and presence in Gaza, Lebanon, and Syria amidst ongoing threats.
“and made a deal with the Khutis to claim that Israel has some kind of magic influence.”
The UFC Event and Trump's Connection
38:47 to 42:01
Examine the significance of the recent UFC event at the White House and its implications for Trump's image.
“And eventually, hopefully, inshallah, God willing, one day there will also be peace between Israel and our neighbors.”
Critique of Trump's UFC Event
42:01 to 44:20
Discussing the implications and costs of Trump's UFC event at the White House.
“But the UFC bout at the White House, why all the whining?”
Introduction of Professor Mirandi
44:21 to 44:31
Piers introduces Professor Mohamed Mirandi to discuss Trump's Iran deal.
“Well, finally, I'm joined by Professor Mohamed Mirandi of the Tehran University.”
Analysis of Trump's Iran Deal
44:31 to 49:59
Professor Mirandi provides insights into the implications of Trump's Iran deal and regional stability.
“What is your assessment of this deal, which Donald Trump has announced will be signed on Friday?”
Iran's World Cup Match and Politics
50:00 to 51:42
Discussion about Iran's participation in the World Cup and its political implications.
“but Iran play their first match in the World Cup football tournament later today against New Zealand.”
Transcript
Automatic transcript. May contain errors.0:00Piers Morgan:There will be no deal with Iran except unconditional surrender. We're a long way from that, aren't we, Naftali Bennett? I want to tell the Iranian regime from here, the regime, I'm going to be your worst nightmare ever. It is a massive loss for President Trump, the United States, and Benjamin Daniella. You're not Iranian. You have no idea what you're talking about. You have no idea what people in Iran think you're saying. Wonderful. Okay, thank you. I appreciate your alternative take on history. Iran play their first match in the World Cup football tournament later today. There is a chance that Iran could end up playing the United States.
0:39Of course I'll be watching. But the important thing is that Iran defeated the aggressors in the war.
0:48Piers Morgan:President Trump celebrated his 80th birthday this weekend before welcoming UFC to the White House in honour of America's 250th birthday. The contrast between the spectacular festivities on the White House lawn and the tense diplomacy happening thousands of miles away could not be more stark. And that really lays bare the most important point. Trump is sick of the Iran war. He wants out by any means possible. The details can wait for later. And there are a lot of details waiting. What we know for sure is that an Iranian regime, which they said would collapse in days, will now be honoured at a global photo opportunity with US officials in Switzerland on Friday.
1:27I certainly plan to be there, but it's possible the president himself could be there. We'll figure it out, Trey, but what we know is that we've got a lot of work to do, but a very big win for the American people tonight.
1:39Piers Morgan:A very big win, says the vice president. They're going to have to explain how exactly this is a very big win. The Iran war currently looks like Trump's biggest mistake. Thousands of people in the Middle East have been killed. The global economy has suffered serious and lasting damage. The same regime they accuse of murdering tens of thousands of its own people is going nowhere. The Hamus Strait should reopen on Friday and the US will lift its blockade, restoring the exact conditions we had before the war started. All of the thorniest issues, including Iran's uranium and its demand for sanctions, will be debated later.
2:13Piers Morgan:And the thorniest issue of all is now the Israeli war in Lebanon. This agreement compels Israel and Hisbollah to stop fighting, even though neither were consulted. The US could now find itself in the extraordinary position of effectively guaranteeing Hezbollah security from Israel. That's a pretty big win if you're Iran. Well, joining us now is Naftali Bennett, the former Israeli prime minister. Mr Bennett, welcome back to Uncensored. Good to be here. I suppose that my opening question to you is in the context of statements we're now seeing from the National Security Minister Ben-Gavir and the Finance Minister Smodrich railing against this deal between Washington and Tehran, insisting that Israel should be allowed to continue fighting on multiple fronts.
3:05Piers Morgan:Smodrich said the agreement with Iran is bad for Israel and for the entire free world, period. The joint campaign had many achievements in weakening Iran and they will not go to waste. We want to continue the campaign to topple the regime ourselves and in creative ways and ensure that Iran will never have nuclear weapons. And Ben Givir said Trump's agreement does not bind us. Israel is not subject to the United States and we are an independent and sovereign nation. Our duty is to the citizens of Israel, to the soldiers of the IDF and to the Jewish people, and a historical duty to the persecuted and murdered Jews over thousands of years of exile to provide security to Jews in the land of Israel.
3:44Piers Morgan:So some very strong words coming out of two of the more hard right members of the Israeli government, but pretty clear messaging as a reaction to this impending deal that it doesn't involve Israel as far as they're concerned. And Israel should be free to continue exactly what it sees fit, including prosecuting the war against Iran and against Hezbollah in Lebanon. Is that your assessment? Well, surely every country has a right to self-defense, and so does Israel. I mean, if you were attacked now by some terror organization, you'd fight back. So will we, if necessary. We don't want war. For us, it's very personal.
4:33You know, my son is in the war. Many, many families have their children in the war, and we hate war. But we are being attacked. So obviously we have to defend ourselves. Right.
4:47Piers Morgan:But Donald Trump has made it crystal clear he wants this deal. He wants it done. He wants it signed off on Friday. Many people, including many supporters of Trump on the Republican side in America, are very unhappy about the speed that this is happening because they do not believe there are enough commitments in there from the Iranians, which basically take this deal any further than the Obama deal of many years ago, which, of course, Trump tore up in his first term. Are you concerned as a former prime minister of Israel and maybe perhaps the next prime minister of Israel, are you concerned that America, for political and economic reasons, may be hurtling towards a deal which is a very flawed deal?
5:36Well, we're going to have to see the final deal, because this is a pause. This is certainly not the end deal. And President Trump has been very clear that he's going to dismantle the nuclear program so Iran can never acquire a nuclear weapon. The details matter. I believe that America still retains tremendous leverage, but the jury's out. We'll see in a period of 60 days that we need to achieve the objectives of taking away the nuclear uranium stockpile, ensuring that Iran can't build a shield of immunity with thousands or tens of thousands of ballistic missiles and taking apart the terror network.
6:23This is still achievable. So we support any effort to achieve these three objectives.
6:30Piers Morgan:But if those objectives are not met, and most people looking at this are highly sceptical that they will be met, they think the Iranians have a lot of leverage. They realise there's a ticking clock to the American midterm elections in November. There's a lot of pressure on President Trump to get out of this war. And they can just play the long game. And if they string it out over the 60 days and then at the end of it, They do what the Iranian regime has always done, which is just obfuscate, lie, dissemble and try and string things out even longer. It's very hard to see what happens then. I mean, do the Americans then re-engage in the war or would the Israelis in that eventuality go on their own and attack Iran again on their own?
7:20Look, for many years I've been a proponent of what I call the octopus doctrine, where Iran is an octopus of terror and it sends its tentacles across the Middle East, and we should be focused on Iran and not bleed ourselves to death just fighting its tentacles. I would say that Iran is very similar to the Soviet Union of the 80s. It's a very disconnected, corrupt, incompetent regime that doesn't care about its own people. And it's destined to collapse. But the timing matters. When will it collapse? Maybe it'll take two years. Maybe it'll take 15 years. But we, the Western world, can accelerate the demise of this horrible regime and free its people.
8:08But we need to act in that sense. Not necessarily only war, but other means. For example, we know that every few years there's a wave of protests and we know the Iranian regime turns off the Internet. So what if we put in place, say, 30 or 50 ,000 Starlink receivers so they can turn on the Internet next time and achieve the protest? So there's a lot of work, clandestine, secret, covert, overt, many things that we can do to accelerate the ultimate collapse of this really bad regime. War is one of the tools, but there's many other tools. That's why this deal matters so much and why we hold high hopes that President Trump will be strong and see it through.
8:59Piers Morgan:President Trump said in March 2026 on his true social platform there will be no deal with Iran except unconditional surrender. We're a long way from that, aren't we, Naftali Bennett? I mean, if at the end of all this, Iran, the regime stays in place, the killed Ayatollah's son, who's more radical, now replaces his father, as has been the case. The people don't uprise, as there's been no sign of them doing at all throughout this entire war so far. and the Iranians maintain control of the Strait of Hormuz and the awareness that should they close it, they can cause enormous damage at will, as we've seen economically.
9:45Piers Morgan:And they can also, if they want to, attack their neighbouring Gulf states whenever they feel like it and know that that too causes enormous damage, both in the practicality of firing missiles, but also economically to the business models of those Gulf states. You know, it looks to quote a phrase that we heard in the White House when Donald Trump was was attacking President Zelensky of Ukraine. It looks to many people like Iran holds a lot of cards here. Well, what you've just described is that Iran is a big, violent bully and it proves all the more so that we have to ensure that it doesn't acquire a nuclear weapon, ensure that it can't terrorize the world because we've seen a demonstration of what this bully looks like when it uses conventional weapons.
10:36So now imagine what it would look like if it acquires nuclear weapons. So if anything, we've all seen the true Iran. I also want to tell you that I believe that soon in Israel, there'll be a new government. Hopefully I'll lead that new government. And I want to tell the Iranian regime from here, the regime, I'm going to be your worst nightmare ever. I won't relent until we free your people, ensure you don't have a nuclear weapon. So you've got no hope. We won't let up on this effort because it's fighting for our freedom, for our security and for the benefit of the entire Middle East.
11:18Piers Morgan:The fear, Naftali Bennett, is that this war has actually emboldened the Iranian regime. And I guess time will be the answer to that. But I appreciate you joining me, as always. Thank you very much. Thank you, Beers. Well, joining me now to discuss all this with my panel, Jonathan Conrickus, the former Lieutenant Colonel and spokesman for the IDF, Iranian-Canadian commentator, Goldie Gamari, Jack Posobiec, Senior Editor of Human Events, and Wajahat Ali, the host of Democracy-ish. Welcome to all of you. Wajahat, let me start with you. You know, if you look at the deal, I want to play a clip. This is Barack Obama's response to the news of this deal.
12:04It is doubtful that any agreement that arises is going to be significantly different or a significant improvement from the deal that we had in the first place and had worked for a long stretch of time before the United States pulled out of it. So I'm hopeful that bombing stops.
12:40Piers Morgan:I mean, that's what many people think is the reality with Jahat, which is that the Obama deal with Iran was ridiculed and mocked by Trump as a terrible deal. He ripped it up in 2018. But many people looking at what's unfolding here believe that actually this deal is no better and perhaps may even end up being slightly worse than the deal that Trump so mercilessly mocked and has done ever since. Actually, I disagree with President Obama. It is far, far worse. It is a massive loss for President Trump, the United States and Benjamin Netanyahu. I want to remind everyone about three and a half months ago, Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu decided to launch this illegal, unconstitutional war with Iran.
13:31They have since done what? They've done a regime change. So what have they done, Pierce? They replaced the older, dying Khamenei with the younger, more militant Khamenei. The Strait of Hormuz, which was open, is now closed. Iran, especially with this young guard coming up, is flexing its power. Iran has actually emerged in a way much stronger. Our allies are abandoning us because they see us as weak. United States of America couldn't use its military might to force Iran to open up the Strait of Hormuz. Instead, many of our allies are going to what? China to look for a stable partner. Thousands of people have died.
14:054 ,000 Iranians, 4 ,000 Lebanese people. Israel is occupying Lebanon right now, has ethnically cleansed about 1 million Lebanese people. And with this deal, what's going to happen? Obama gave$3 billion. Now, according to the terms, we haven't seen it, but what we've seen from both sides so far is that Donald Trump will give about$300 billion, right, to Iran to rebuild. He's going to release the assets that were frozen. Iran says they're going to get sanctions relief. They're going to get an inshallah about, you know, the uranium and the enrichment. And then what he could have done and should have done was simply stay with the JCPOA, not blowing it up, which was actually a diplomatic coup.
14:46And voila, now we have this massive loss. And furthermore, Pierce, something that's remarkable that you and I have not seen in our lifetime, I think you and I had the wisdom to be against the war on terror. We've seen in our lifetime that most Americans, whenever the United States bombs Muslim-majority countries, they're with them. The majority of Americans are not with Donald Trump on this. In fact, every single month that this war has gone on, a majority of Americans, including his base, including young Republicans, say, why are we in this war and why are we giving this money to Israel? So what's going to happen now, and I think what Trump should do is we know what Israel is going to do.
15:18I don't know if you just saw earlier today, Israel's defense minister said, we don't care. And you said what Nathalie Bennett said. We don't care what the United States does. We're going to continue occupying Gaza. We're going to continue occupying Syria. We're going to continue occupying Lebanon. We're going to do what we're going to have to do. If Trump was smart, what he'd say is the following. Israel, you do what you want. We don't have your back. We're not going to defend you. We're not going to use our munitions. You take on Iran by itself. And I guarantee you, if Donald Trump finally cuts off Netanyahu, Israel will back away.
15:47It'll probably take one week, two weeks or three weeks, but it will. And that's in the best interest of the United States and Trump, whose negative double digits on this issue.
15:56Piers Morgan:All right, Jack Posobiec, it's very hard to see how this is a win, isn't it, for Donald Trump? However, this plays out. I mean, all the objectives from the start. I mean, you know, he posted, as I said earlier, there'll be no deal except unconditional surrender. Well, we couldn't be further away from that. If at the end of all this, there's a situation very similar to the situation that Obama found himself in when he did his deal with the Iranians, where's the win? Why would that not be also just as mockable as Donald Trump mocked it at the time? Well, yeah, Pierce, I mean, as you say, we're not entirely sure what the final details of the bill will be or the deal will be because it's not completely sussed out.
16:44It also hasn't been completely publicized. In fact, just prior to going on here, I reached out to the White House saying, can we get a readout? Can we get some specific details? Haven't received that yet, but I'm sure they're going to be putting more out as we can. One of the things that I would push back on is the idea that it's the same as the Obama deal. In fact, there's other pieces to this that are totally separate from the Obama deal. For example, there's no phased return to enrichment, return to a nuclear weapon. They're talking about completely ending it, so no backdoor deal where they would be able to get it on the back end.
17:17Piers Morgan:But the wording of that, though, Jack, just to jump in on that, Jack, the wording of that is literally almost identical as the wording in the Obama deal, which is that Iran undertakes never to pursue a nuclear weapon and so on. It's literally almost word for word, right? So in terms of a guarantee from the Iranians. Not just the weapon, but the enrichment. Not just the weapon, but the enrichment. I believe that part, what I've been told is different. So Jack, do you accept that if the enriched uranium remains in Iranian hands at the end of all this, that is a failure? Well, I think that that's one of the pieces that they want to get in this next 60-day extension, that they want to go into what exactly will happen to not just the enriched, but the highly enriched, right?
18:00the part that's very close to becoming weaponized uranium. And will that be downblended to lower enriched? Will that be physically removed? Will the U.S. be involved? President Trump actually had that tweet out right after he came out from China saying that perhaps China would be involved. So I sort of read through the tea leaves on that and said maybe he's reached out to China to see when he was there to see if he wants to get the Chinese involved. I do agree that that something needs to be done with that highly enriched uranium. And the president has said that consistently. If If that is done, we will see a big difference between the Obama deal.
18:33But also in general, the two pieces I want to point out where it's different is that he didn't just use diplomacy here, right? He used weapons of warfare. He's able to go back to that at any point if he wants to. And yes, the polling is what it is, there's no question, but he still has shown that he's willing to do that if there is no compliance. That's totally different from what Obama did. Just the context of this is completely different. And finally, I think it's a win for the president because he didn't go the full neocon route of boots on the ground, invading Karg Island, trying to go full Iraq, Afghanistan-style regime change with this.
19:07Piers Morgan:But I think that's the problem, Jack, is that he's, with this deal, you can already feel the mood music is that all those neocons who've been full square behind Trump over this, they're now beginning to turn on him. They're asking far more difficult questions. They're all clearly whipping themselves up into a frenzy of anger about this. as are the Israelis. So Trump could end up in a situation where almost everyone's pissed off. And again, I just ask, where's the win here? What a bunch of ingrates. I mean, I can't help thinking. I can't help of ingrates. Absolutely ingrates, because they were the ones who said, hey, let's give this a shot.
19:49Let's see if we can knock off the regime. We'll take out the Ayatollah. We'll take out the higher levels, the first layer, the second layer, which was done. And then it would be some massive win where the regime would collapse. that people would rise up. And, Piers, as you yourself said, that just hasn't occurred. That was a bill of goods that was always not in the cards, that was always not something that they had. And President Trump has said, you know what? We got what we got. We're not going any further. And if you guys don't like it, you can pound sand.
20:16Piers Morgan:OK, Jonathan Comrickus, welcome back to Uncensored. Look, it just seems to me, Jonathan, and I've been saying this is highly likely to be how this all played out for quite a while. There are two competing agendas here, and I think we're now seeing all this come to a head, where Donald Trump has a political and economic imperative to stop this war. He just knows it's getting more and more damaging to him politically and to the Republicans with the midterms coming, and economically it just isn't sustainable to keep doing this. But the Israelis, clearly, from the rhetoric we're already seeing from senior members of the Israeli government and from others, in a widespread view in Israel, that this is a different thing for them.
21:02Piers Morgan:That Israel wants to have the right to continue doing it. And I suspect from the way they're talking, that's exactly what they will do. So is that your reading of this? Yeah, thanks for having me back on. You know, Naftali Bennett, he was, I think, very, very measured in his comments. And I think I can, you know, maybe he's careful because he wants to be able to communicate well with Trump if Naftali Bennett is elected. And then he needs to have a good working relationship. So he's careful with, you know, respecting the president. I can perhaps speak a little bit more freely and reflect public sentiment and general sentiment.
21:41And you quoted two right wing, pretty extreme ministers. But I can tell you that there's, on the other side of the aisle in Israel, from the opposition, saying equal things about how horrible this apparent deal is. And, of course, we have to understand that we're in an information deficit. The Iranians are pumping out much more information than the U.S. is, and there's unclarity. We have dishonest negotiators here, Pakistan and Qataris. And, of course, they have an inherent interest in promoting the Islamic Republic. And the U.S. hasn't just already said what the deal actually entails. And the most important topics, what are the details regarding their nuclear weapons, regarding their proxies in the region?
22:25But the Israeli perspective is different because we, like most other people here, have skin in the game. We have been at the receiving end of Iranian aggression for the last 35 years. Israelis have been killed and abducted and burned and murdered by Iranian proxies. Israelis have been forced to run for shelter for so many years by rockets that were either made in Iran or paid for by Iran. And Iran has waged indirect warfare using Arabs as their cannon fodder against Israel for a very long time. So that is the main reason why the Israeli perspective is wholly different. This isn't about what America wants from an Israeli perspective.
23:04This is about the very basic necessity of the Israeli state to defend itself against Iranian aggression. And just to put things into context here, Israel up until now never even spoke about, you know, bringing down the Iranian regime. But the Iranian regime has had an official goal to annihilate what they call the Zionist entity, which is the state of Israel. And they've been trying to achieve that by all the means that they have. So one positive thing that we can speak about is the damage that has been inflicted on the Iranian regime's ability to produce weapons of mass destruction. I think thanks to military action by the U.S.
23:42and Israel, there's a significant downgrading in that capacity. The Iranian regime is still exposed. Iranian skies are still open to Israeli and, if they decide to do so, American planes. And there are many things that have changed. Yes, I agree with you, and with this I'll conclude. If this deal follows through, as it is communicated by the Iranians mostly, it seems to be a very, very bad deal. bad for the Iranian people, bad for the Lebanese people who will continue to be held hostage by Hezbollah, Iran's proxy in Lebanon. It'll be bad for Gulf countries. And I don't think it will do a lot of good to the U.S.
24:21because in terms of global superpower and a country that wants to have alliances and allies around the world, not a good look. But again, I'm cautious here because we don't yet have the details and I hope to be wrong on all the pessimistic things that I've said.
Read the full transcript
24:38Piers Morgan:Goldie Gamari, you posted in response to the announcement the deal was done, Contract Law 101, both parties must sign a deal. If anyone thinks the terrorist Islamic regime will sign and honour a deal made with the great Satan, while their beloved supreme dictator remains unburied and rotting in a fridge, I have a bridge to set you. You added President Trump has created the conditions to exterminate the terrorist Islamic regime, occupying Iran if it doesn't agree to sign and abide by the unconditional surrender deal Trump wants, bookmark this post. So strong words there. But again, there is a reality check, is there not?
25:20Piers Morgan:That it's clear to me that Donald Trump wants out of this war. It's equally clear to me that Israel does not. And these competing positions are now hurtling to a point where something has to give? Well, I'm not quite sure what makes you say that. That's not what I've seen from President Trump. President Trump has said that he has all the time in the world. You know, it's not just the military aspect here. There's also the economic aspect. No one really speaks about Project Economic Fury. Now, here's the thing. The Islamic regime is slowly collapsing internally. You know, I hear some people talking about how there's like this new, stronger, more, you know, hardliner Ayatollah.
26:08Where is he? Why haven't we seen him? Why hasn't he put out a video or a voice message or anything like that? The reality is the Islamic regime is scared. They're scrambling. And right now, President Trump is really putting their feet to the fire because I have seen and shared footage from inside of Occupy Trump.
26:27Piers Morgan:Really? Yeah, absolutely. Really? Well, did you know that the supporters of these... Where is the evidence this regime does not maintain a completely tight grip over the country and the people? There hasn't been any uprising of any kind by the Iranian people since the start of this war. That does not suggest to me a regime that is collapsing from within. That was the promise that Netanyahu and the head of Mossad made. Hang on. Let me finish. Let me finish. Let me finish. That was the promise made in the White House Situation Room by Benjamin Netanyahu and the head of Mossad, was that there would be a dismantling of the leadership.
27:10Piers Morgan:The IRGC would collapse from within. The people would rise up, and that would be how this played out. None of that's happened. That's what I mean by a reality check. and far from unconditional surrender of the kind Donald Trump wanted. We're way away from unconditional surrender. You have to let me respond. So first of all, there's footage coming out from inside of occupied Iran where supporters of the Islamic regime are actually chanting death to Araqchi and death to Qalibaf because they are angry at the possibility of the Islamic regime signing a peace deal with the great Satan. So that's number one.
27:45Number two, when it comes to this, you know, the Iranian people rising up, Iranians have made it very clear. Our leader is His Royal Highness, the Crown Prince of Iran, Reza Pahlavi. Reza Pahlavi has said very clearly that when the conditions are right, he will make the call, he will issue the call, and the Iranian people at that point will rise up. He has not issued that call yet. And so anyone who's out there saying, oh, the war has failed because the Iranian people haven't risen up, they don't know what they're talking about. Because you have to look at the Iranian angle here. The Iranian people listen to His Royal Highness Yuzab Ha 'alabi.
28:22We already know that on January 8 and 9, when they went out, they were massacred. Over 40 ,000 innocent unarmed Iranians were slaughtered. Anyone who thinks that Iranians will once again go out while they are unarmed, while the Islamic regime is still a little bit in control and still has the weapons and still brings in their proxy terrorist groups like Hezbollah, Hamas, the Houthis and others, Hashdashabi, to murder Iranians. If you think Iranians are going to rise up right now when the conditions aren't right, you know nothing about Iran. So that's why Iranians haven't risen up because His Royal Highness Reza Pahlavi has not issued the call yet.
28:56It has nothing to do with Israel, nothing to do with America. Ultimately, Iranians have been fighting for freedom for 47 years. we will overthrow the Islamic regime with or without international help. That's all there is to it.
29:10Piers Morgan:OK, with Jahat, that's all there is to it, apparently. When it comes to why the Iranian people have... Yeah, absolutely. Yeah, we're waiting for the call of Israel. That's what he said. He's the leader of the Iranian Sun Revolution. Back in reality, if Reza Pahlavi actually goes to Iran right now, most likely he would be assassinated and he would not be greeted with the majority of people because he's seen as an agent and tool of the United States of America. But let's go back to reality. Donald Trump's biggest mistake, his biggest mistake was being dog walked by Benjamin Netanyahu. I would suggest you don't speak about the Iranian people and how they view Israel.
29:50You're not Iranian. You have no idea what you're talking about. You have no idea what people in Iran think or say. Wonderful. Okay, thank you. I appreciate your alternative take on history. Let me just respond. Back in reality, Donald Trump's biggest mistake was he allowed himself to be dog walked by Benjamin Netanyahu. He pulled out of the JCPOA. If he had just stuck with it, Pierce, if he had just stuck with it, Iran would be weaker right now. The regime would actually be much more compliant. There would be much more transparency. It'd be less dangerous. He blew it up. Why? Because Netanyahu said, blow it up.
30:18So he did. Then he made the mistake last year of joining Israel in its 12-day war. And Donald Trump then bragged about destroying Iran's nuclear capabilities. He degraded it, didn't destroy it. The biggest mistake was that Donald Trump did something that no president has done in 47 years. He actually followed Netanyahu and Israel into this regime change, this illegal and constitutional war. Now, what happened? And you've mentioned the facts. He promised regime change. There isn't a regime change. Sadly, there isn't. This is a totalitarian regime. It's gotten younger. The same players have just been, if you will, upgraded because they're younger, a bit more militant.
30:50Iran is flexing its muscles. Iran war game lists. The Strait of Hormuz was open. Now it's closed. Who controls the state of Hamuz? Iran. What's happened to the global economy? You've seen Asia Pacific just get riled. You've seen gas prices go up to 450 to five bucks. Donald Trump, the Trump administration has openly said that as a result of this, even if the strait opens, we're going to see high gas prices until 2027. Energy shortage, fuel shortage, food shortage. It's rocked Asia Pacific. Like I said before, our allies, our Gulf allies said, hey, man, we have bases here. We have U.S. companies here.
31:23We're getting targeted by Iran. They're looking to China for a new partnership. So what did Donald Trump gain by being dog walked by Netanyahu? His poll numbers are rock bottom. A majority of Americans are against this war. Gas prices are up, food shortages, energy shortages, helium shortage. Furthermore, the Strait of Hormuz, again, is closed. It used to be open, folks. So Iran, yes, it has suffered many losses. We should not forget about the fact that Israel has killed so many people. Israel still occupies Lebanon. Israel still occupies Gaza. Israel still occupies Syria. It's so interesting that Naftali Bennett comes on here and says, well, Israel has a right to defend itself.
31:59What about Palestinians? What about the Lebanese? What about the Syrians? What about Iranians? Because last time I checked, the United States and Israel were the ones who unilaterally started this war, assassinated Khamenei. And furthermore, 4 ,000, 4 ,000. You don't speak for us, Iranians. Wonderful. Listen, let me just finish. We're so grateful that the Islamic regime is being attacked by Israel. Sure. I'm sure you are grateful. Do not conflate Iranians with the Islamic regime. We are not one and the same. Do not conflate the Islamic regime. 4 ,000 Iranians have been killed and 1 million Lebanese people have been displaced.
32:34Over 40 ,000 have been killed by the Islamic regime in January. Where were you then? Where were you then? Yeah, I was against the regime. You literally sound like a poor way in rhetoric. It's like everything is blame Israel. You didn't get the talking points from Araqqi. Araqqi didn't send him the talking points, which he so effectively has been riling off now. I mean, basically, Araqqi or IRGC spokesperson could have said everything word by word that you just said. You're just reading off Iranian propaganda talking points. I don't know. You call yourself American? You call yourself something in favor of the US.
33:07Listen, listen, the game has changed. The game has changed. One after the other. No one believes Israel. Many of them not accurate. I don't think a lot of people believe you either. The problem, okay, Jonathan, Jonathan, Jonathan, Jonathan,
33:21Piers Morgan:Jonathan, the problem is a lot of the Iranian talking points, as you put it, are demonstrably true, in the sense that they do control the Strait of Hormuz. The regime is still intact. The Ayatollah's dead, but his son has replaced him. And although we haven't seen him, we've had statements come from him, and he is believed to still be alive, albeit wounded. We'll see. I mean, time will tell. But we've also seen Iran attack its neighbours in the Gulf with impunity, which has caused enormous damage there. So this idea, and I totally agree with Wajah, there's been a lot of damage militarily to Iran's Navy and Air Force and so on.
34:06Piers Morgan:That's indisputable. But what's also indisputable, Jonathan, is that there's been an asymmetric war, battled through the Strait of Hormuz and the control of global energy and all the economic damage that causes. And it's been very effective. And the Iranians know that. So my concern about this is it's not a defensive Iran. I think the Iranian regime is despicable and has oppressed its people for nearly 50 years now. And it's appalling. But, you know, there are lots of despicable regimes around the world and the Americans don't attack them. I think the Americans attacked Iran when they did because Benjamin Netanyahu persuaded Donald Trump.
34:44Piers Morgan:This was the moment to do it. Well, I'm sorry, I do. I think he persuaded him. Yeah, I really do. I really believe. I honestly expect you, Pierce. Let me finish my point. Let me finish my point. I believe, as we read in the New York Times several months, two months ago, in a very detailed analysis of what happened, that Netanyahu and the head of Mossad laid out a chain of events which they believed was perfectly achievable, and Donald Trump signed up to it. I'm not saying he didn't, in the end make his own decision for the United States. I'm just saying he believed Benjamin Netanyahu when he said, if you do this, then all this will follow.
35:30Piers Morgan:And it hasn't turned out that way. And that's why Trump wants out. But Benjamin Netanyahu wants to finish the job. And that is where we now are, I believe. Now, you know, there will be people who, even as I say that, Jonathan, will be screaming, well, yes, because you're anti-Semitic. No, I'm not. No, I'm not going to I just I just know I just know what I see with my own eyes. You know, I just wish I wish as an Israeli citizen, not, you know, speaking about whether I support this prime minister or not. Doesn't matter. He's my prime minister. I just wish that Israel was a tenth of had the tenth of the power and influence over global events that we are accredited to in international media, especially The New York Times.
36:15And I wish that we had that influence over decision making in the world. Sadly, that isn't the case. And I think it's been proven and demonstrated time and time again by decisions made by this American president, who undoubtedly is a great friend of Israel. But he's made lots of decisions that don't go well with Israel. The situation in Gaza isn't good for Israel. The situation in Lebanon, as it is now, where the Iranian regime allegedly is allowed to link between the two countries, Hezbollah, their protege, and the situation in Iran. That's not a good situation for Israel. Trump's deal with the Khutis many a year and a half ago, where he directly bypassed Israel and made a deal with the Khutis to claim that Israel has some kind of magic influence.
37:00It's a very, very tired kind of dog whistle kind of thing to be saying. And it's just so untrue. The U.S., I believe, did this because it serves American purposes of being the strongest country in the world, power competition with China, of having a stronger influence in the Middle East, and for the president to show capacity to take on enemies and adversaries and do it well. Granted, the situation on the ground isn't positive in that sense, and there's definitely the results are less positive than what we would have wanted. Final word, I'll say this. You know, before you claimed things about Israel, on October 7, there were no Israeli troops in any of the places that you just said.
37:44Why are there Israeli troops in Gaza? Because Hamas, an Iranian proxy, invaded us on October 7. Why are there Israeli troops in Lebanon? Because Hezbollah, another Iranian proxy, attacked Israel and has been attacking Israel relentlessly since October 8, and they haven't stopped for a single day. Why are there Israeli troops in Syria? Because jihadists on the other side are saying we want to invade Israel and do what Hamas did on October 7. So there's very good down to earth logical reasons for Israel to need to defend ourselves. And I assure you, we don't want to send our troops to far away borders.
38:19I have kids in the military as well. And it's very personal and real world for us here in Israel. But the bottom line is war in the Middle East will end once our enemies understand that they cannot defeat us and they should stop trying. Until then, we will continue to defend ourselves and it will take as long as it takes. And a lot of people will may dislike it. But just like we said about the Iranian people, eventually the Iranian people will be free from this Islamist oppression. And eventually, hopefully, inshallah, God willing, one day there will also be peace between Israel and our neighbors.
38:54Piers Morgan:Well, that would be great if there was peace. The problem with starting wars is if you don't win them, then it gets arguably more problematic than it was to start with. Let me just, before we finish, I want to ask Jack Posobiec just quickly about the USC bill over at the White House at the weekend. I've got to say, I've seen all the whining and the moaning and it's demeaning and it's cheap and it's tacky and all this crap, frankly. I watched it for a bit. I thought it was great. I thought it was a spectacle to celebrate the 250th anniversary of a day that I know you guys love, but we Brits aren't quite so fond of.
39:33Piers Morgan:That actually is a celebration of Americana. UFC is one of the biggest sports in America. A lot of working class people love UFC. And to have the White House putting on this event outside was cool. I've seen rock concerts at Buckingham Palace with Brian May from Queen on the roof. loved it. And I loved it last night. I don't understand all the whining. Do you? Well, Piers, I can understand. I can understand it because it was a massive win for Donald Trump. And a lot of people have FOMO, but I do not because I was there last night and I had a phenomenal time. That was not only one of the best cards I've ever seen.
40:16That was one of the best just just fights I've ever seen. And to see it at the White House, to see it there celebrating America's 250th birthday. It was also the president's birthday. It was the army's birthday. An incredible display of exactly what the MAGA movement is all about. And the way I would try to explain this to folks that aren't part of the MAGA movement or don't quite get it or never understood Trump's appeal is that it's not about you. It's about his connection to the working class voter, his connection to the average American, his connection. It's very masculine. It's very much about the muscular class.
40:49It's very much about those guys who take a shower before they go to work and come home after they come home from work. And it's about that authenticity that he has where you can see he's actually getting into it. He knows the fighters. He's met many of the fighters. And one just thing that was, you know, cool to see as a fight fan myself, this was the first UFC event in history where every single bout was decided by knockout. It's never happened before. Yeah.
41:16Piers Morgan:It was a great bout. And Majaha, you know, I know you're enraged about it, obviously. Dumbass Trump fans are applauding a bunch of grifters making millions of this deranged spectacle tonight while they pay for groceries and gas and lose health care. God, you're all such cucks, total gimps. And I was like, come on, Majaha. It's actually free tickets, by the way. It's just a UFC event outside the White House. It looked great. They avoided the bad weather, thankfully. The actual competing was brilliant, as Jack said, almost unprecedented, actually, that they all ended that way. Why whine about that?
41:55Piers Morgan:There are so many hills that the left can die on going after Trump. There are so many things that, you know, even I would agree with you about a lot of it, right? But Iran being one of them. But the UFC bout at the White House, why all the whining? It's just a bit pathetic. I'm glad Jack said that's what MAGA is all about because only 16 % of Americans actually approved of that. A majority of Americans, including Republicans, were actually, even UFC fans and even Trump fans, were actually disgusted that the White House and our soldiers were used as props for essentially what is a big grip for Donald Trump and his billionaire friends.
42:33I want to remind everyone that it cost about$60 million. Donald Trump says, hey, inshallah, UFC will pay for it. But that's what he said about the ballroom. Oh, you know, the ballroom that he destroyed. Now he's claiming he wants$1 billion. Also cost about$12 million for security. Also, we had the honor guard being used as props and they had to salute the fighters who came out of the Oval Office. And now the only thing that people are talking about is one of the fighters, who, by the way, vomited on himself two days ago, said that Michelle Obama is a man and everyone laughed. So yeah, if you want to celebrate grifters, if you want to celebrate crypto, go ahead.
43:04It's only 16 % of Americans. Okay.
43:08Piers Morgan:The only bit of that I agree with was the disgusting comment about Michelle Obama. And I thought that was incredibly offensive and shouldn't have happened. But the rest of it, included the ballroom, by the way. If he wants to upgrade the ballroom, so what? If there's a bigger ballroom that is safer and better protected than we saw, for example, at the White House Correspondents' Dinner, then good. Why get so het up about something so insignificant in the general scheme of things? Anyway, I won't ask you for your response. Tell the majority of Americans, Peter. You'll sound very heads up. No, tell the majority of America, because Donald Trump promised the people his own base.
43:47It won't cost you a dime. It'll cost$100 million. Then it became$200 million. Then it became$300 million. Then it became$400 million. And now it's a billion dollars in taxes. And if I may say this, he wasted$14 million in the reflecting pool. Have you seen the reflecting pool? Now algae is growing in it. A beautiful microcosm of Trump. Final thing I'll say is for people who really, really seem to hate gay folks, What I saw yesterday, I saw part of it. That to me looked like the MAGA Pride Parade. Very gay.
44:17Piers Morgan:All right, that was funny. All right, guys, thank you all very much indeed. I appreciate the debate. Hello. Well, finally, I'm joined by Professor Mohamed Mirandi of the Tehran University. Welcome back to Uncensored, Professor Mirandi. What is your assessment of this deal, which Donald Trump has announced will be signed on Friday? Well, when we compare the situation today with the start of the war, where it was unconditional surrender and lay down your arms, and then after 39 days of fighting, Trump had to accept Iran's 10-point plan as the framework for negotiations. And then when Trump imposed a siege on Iranian ports to starve the Iranian people, and that's what senators and others were gloating about, saying that people in Iran have no food.
45:15Of course, it wasn't true. But ultimately, we saw that this double-edged sword hurt the global economy and the U.S. economy more than it hurt Iranians. And that's why Trump had to go for a deal. But the problem is that we don't know who's the boss. Is it Trump or Netanyahu? That remains to be seen.
45:39Piers Morgan:If, as you say, this has been a thumping triumph for the Iranian regime, well, why do a deal at all? If you've got your enemy on the run and you've repelled them as effectively as you say, what's the purpose of a deal? Well, contrary to the Trump regime and the Netanyahu regime, the Iranians don't want perpetual war. They want civility in the region. They want it to be business as usual. And it wasn't the Iranians that launched this illegal and unprovoked war. The second in a year where just a couple of days ago was the anniversary of the 12-day war where the United States helped the Israeli regime attack Iran.
46:26And they failed then, too. They failed now. And the reason why they failed is because they underestimated Iran in every single way. Iran's military strength, Iran's social structures and state institutions, and the popular legitimacy of the Islamic Republic of Iran, something that in the West they always try to deny, and thus they create this myth of Iran, this narrative of Iran, and based upon that they carry out policies that fail, and they always wonder why.
47:03Piers Morgan:At the core of this deal is Donald Trump's conviction that Iran must never be allowed to develop a nuclear weapon and that the enriched uranium, which the Iranian regime currently has, must be removed. Is your belief that at the end of the 60-day negotiating period for that part of this deal, that at the end of that, Iran will give up the enriched uranium and have it destroyed, and that further it will give an unequivocal guarantee to never develop a nuclear weapon? Well, first of all, we have to get there, Because right now, the Israeli regime, the ethnosupremacist regime, which I asked you three times about whether you consider ethnosupremacism to be a legitimate form of governance, and you didn't respond.
47:59This regime, it is not clear whether it's going to abide by the commitments that Trump made. They have to end the genocide in Lebanon. They have to end the slaughter of women and children in Lebanon. and in Gaza as well, because this agreement includes the whole region. But so far, we don't see any indication of that. If this continues, this is a red line for Iran. And if the Israeli regime does not abide by its commitments, then ultimately the Iranians will not abide by their commitments. And we saw this happen already a couple of months ago after the fighting, after 39 days of battle, and when Trump accepted defeat, there was a ceasefire agreement.
48:46And part of that agreement was included Iran allowing ships from those countries that assisted the United States in the war to go through the Strait of Hormuz, the Saudis, the Emiratis, Qatar, Bahrain, and Kuwait. And in return, the Israeli regime was supposed to end the onslaught in Lebanon. And immediately afterwards, Netanyahu carried out carpet bombing across Lebanon, killing hundreds of civilians in a matter of minutes in order to wreck the ceasefire. And that he did. So the Iranians blocked those ships from those countries, linked to those countries from leaving the Strait of Hormuz. And we are where we are now, where the global energy crisis is entering a critical phase.
49:37So if Netanyahu refrains from ending the genocide in Lebanon and the genocide in Gaza, where there's supposedly a ceasefire in Gaza, Trump's ceasefire, then we will go over the cliff, the global economy, because Iran will not be able to abide by its side of the market.
49:58Piers Morgan:Finally, and on a different tangential theme here, but Iran play their first match in the World Cup football tournament later today against New Zealand. A, will you be watching? And B, there is a chance that Iran could end up playing the United States if both, I think, come second in their respective groups. How would that be viewed in Tehran? Well, of course I'll be watching the game. I think most Iranians will be watching the game. and playing a football match with the United States is nothing new. We've already done it at least twice in the last 30 years. So hopefully the Iranians will win today, and if they happen to play with the United States, hopefully they'll win there too.
50:54But the important thing is that Iran defeated the aggressors in the war. And with regards to the nuclear issue that you raised, and I forgot to respond, Joe Kent, as you know, said in his resignation letter at the start of the war that Iran is not pursuing a nuclear weapon. And he said Iran is no threat to the United States. And he also said this war is all about the Israeli regime and the Zionist lobby. So those who pretend that the Israeli regime does not have enormous influence, this ethno-supremacist regime, as those who claim that it does not have enormous influence over the United States, they should go and read Joe Kent's resignation letter.
51:42And I don't think he works for Iran.
51:47Piers Morgan:Professor Miranda, thank you for joining me on Uncensored. I appreciate it. Thank you for having me. Piers Morgan Uncensored is proudly independent. The only boss around here is me. If you enjoy our show, we ask for only one simple thing. Hit subscribe on YouTube and follow Piers Morgan Uncensored on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. And in return, we will continue our mission to inform, irritate and entertain. And we'll do it all for free. Independent, uncensored media has never been more critical and we couldn't do it without you.
52:24Thank you.
From the publisher
As President Trump celebrates his 80th birthday and prepares to welcome the UFC to the White House as part of America's 250th birthday celebrations, attention is increasingly turning to developments thousands of miles away in the Middle East.
With US and Iranian officials expected to meet in Switzerland, the administration is presenting the outcome of the conflict as a major success. Yet questions remain over what has actually been achieved, with thousands killed, significant disruption to the global economy, and the Iranian regime still in power despite predictions it would quickly collapse.
Key issues including sanctions, uranium enrichment and Iran's future role in the region remain unresolved, while the prospect of a broader agreement has raised fresh questions about the balance of power in the Middle East. There are also concerns over what any deal could mean for the ongoing tensions involving Israel and Hezbollah.
As diplomatic efforts gather pace, scrutiny is growing over whether the conflict has strengthened America's position in the region - or handed Iran an unexpected advantage.
Joining Piers Morgan to speak about this and more is former Israeli Prime Minister, Naftali Bennett, former lieutenant colonel and spokesman for the IDF, Jonathan Conricus, Iranian-Canadian commentator, Goldie Ghamari, senior editor of Human Events, Jack Posobiec, host of Democracy-ish, Wajahat Ali, and Professor Mohammed Marandi from Tehran University.
00:00 Introduction
02:41 Former Israeli PM Naftali Bennett interview begins
05:26 Naftali Bennett discusses peace deal
11:38 Panel discussion begins
12:45 Wajahat Ali on Obama deal vs Trump deal
16:20 Jack Posobiec on the future and sustainability of the deal
20:23 Jonathan Conricus offers an Israeli perspective
24:42 Goldie Ghamari argues the Islamic regime in Iran is collapsing
30:26 Impact of the Iranian regime on its people and the world
34:41 Israel’s influence on global politics
39:09 UFC White House show
44:28 Professor Mohammad Marandi joins
45:48 Professor Marandi outlines his perspective on the purpose of the peace deal
50:01 Professor Marandi on a possible Iran vs United States football match
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