In short
The episode argues that Donald Trump is panicking during U.S.-Iran negotiations in Islamabad, claiming Iran is arriving with a large, high-level delegation while the U.S. sends a smaller, less credible team. It claims Iran has already secured acceptance of a U.S. “10-point” framework: Iran keeps control of the Strait of Hormuz, ballistic missiles and drones, enriches uranium, gets long-term security guarantees, reparations, and removal of sanctions/UN resolutions. Notable examples cited: Iranian motorcades and Pakistani military handshakes with Foreign Minister Rakhji; Trump’s social media about “empty tankers” and U.S. crude exports; reports of Israeli strikes in Lebanon during talks; U.S. claims China may supply Iran missiles.
Guests
none mentioned; the only named figure is “Danny Citrinitz,” described as a regional intelligence officer.
Written by AI. May contain mistakes. Listen to the episode to check what was said.
Chapters
Tap a time to open that second in VOFundraising for an Autistic Child
0:00 to 0:58
Learn about a successful GoFundMe campaign supporting a mother of a nonverbal autistic child.
“My name is Mackenzie and I started a GoFundMe for the adoptive mother of a nonverbal autistic child.”
Iran's Negotiation Dynamics
2:26 to 3:00
Understanding the current U.S.-Iran negotiations from a geopolitical standpoint.
“Save$80 with code SPACE80 at Talkspace.com.”
The Imbalance of Negotiation Teams
3:00 to 6:30
Analyze the stark contrast in the negotiation teams sent by Iran and the Trump regime.
“Iran brought all of its top national security advisors, its top foreign policy advisors, its top parliament leaders.”
Iran's Strategic Goals
6:30 to 8:34
Delve into Iran's strategic objectives during the ongoing negotiations.
“They see this as all of them want to be there for the historical moment where they embarrass and humiliate the United States because this is what Trump has done to the United States of America.”
U.S. Military Dynamics and International Relations
8:34 to 11:30
Explore the implications of U.S. military strategy and international relations in the context of Iran.
“You don't have countries like the UK or France or anyone from NATO.”
The Consequences of Negotiation Framework
11:30 to 14:01
Understand the potential consequences of the 10-point negotiation framework agreed upon by the U.S. and Iran.
“Friday north of the Latani River, according to Iran's state-linked mayor news.”
Iran's Control and Missile Capabilities
14:01 to 15:00
Explore Iran's strategic control over the Strait of Hormuz and its missile capabilities post-war.
“He goes, maybe that's true, but this is also convenient for Iran.”
Trump's Statements and Negotiation Tactics
15:01 to 16:17
Analyze Trump's comments on Iran's military and negotiations regarding the Strait.
“But Donald Trump goes on social media to post the Iranians don't seem to realize they have no cards other than a short-term extortion of the world by using international waterways.”
Bolton's Insights on Trump's Panic
16:18 to 18:59
Discuss insights from John Bolton about Trump's mindset and the implications of negotiations.
“According to senior Iranian state media figures, they claim that Donald Trump already accepted additional preconditions for these negotiations that they claim that Donald Trump released Iran's frozen assets.”
Overview of the Negotiating Team
19:00 to 19:56
Examine the key players in the current negotiations with Iran and their significance.
“You see foreign minister, Aragchi arriving and B.”
Transcript
Automatic transcript. May contain errors.0:00My name is Mackenzie and I started a GoFundMe for the adoptive mother of a nonverbal autistic child. The mother had lost her job because she wasn't able to find adequate care for this autistic child. So she really needed some help with living expenses, paying some back bills. So I launched a GoFundMe to help support them during this crisis. And we raised about$10 ,000 within just a couple of months. I think that the surprising thing was by telling a clear story and just like really being very clear about what we needed. We had some really generous donations from people who were really moved by the situation that this family was struggling with.
0:47GoFundMe is the world's number one fundraising platform trusted by over 200 million people. Start your GoFundMe today at GoFundMe.com. That's GoFundMe.com. GoFundMe.com. This podcast is supported by GoFundMe. Save on tropical flavors at Whole Foods Market during the Savor the Tropics event with yellow sales signs highlighting seasonal finds throughout the store. The produce section is bursting with pineapples, mangoes, and kiwis at their juiciest. Grill up fresh seafood paired with tropical fruit marinades or grab and enjoy the spicy Hawaiian pizza, huli huli chicken, and more. Finish with a sweet slice of mango yuzu chantilly cake.
1:26Savor the tropics and save at Whole Foods Market. This podcast is sponsored by Talkspace. Last year, I went through many different life changes. I needed to take a pause and examine how I was feeling in the inside to better show up for the ones who need me to be my best version of myself. When you're navigating life's changes, Talkspace can help. Talkspace is the number one rated online therapy, bringing you professional support from licensed therapists and psychiatry providers that you can access anytime, anywhere. Living a busy life, navigating a long-distance relationship, becoming a first stepfather, Talkspace made all of those journeys possible.
2:05I could speak with my therapist in the office. I could speak with my therapist in the comfort of my home. I was never alone. Talkspace works with most major insurers, and most insured members have a$0 copay. No insurance, no problem. Now get$80 off your first month with promo code SPACE80 when you go to Talkspace.com. Match with a licensed therapist today at Talkspace.com. Save$80 with code SPACE80 at Talkspace.com. Save on tropical flavors at Whole Foods Market during the Savor the Tropics event with yellow sales signs highlighting seasonal finds throughout the store. The produce section is bursting with pineapples, mangoes, and kiwis at their juiciest.
2:44Grill up fresh seafood paired with tropical fruit marinades or grab and enjoy the spicy Hawaiian pizza, huli huli chicken and more. Finish with a sweet slice of mango yuzu chantilly cake. Savor the tropics and save at Whole Foods Market. Donald Trump is panicking as negotiations have started in Islamabad in Pakistan between the United States and Iran. Iran showed up with force. Iran brought all of its top national security advisors, its top foreign policy advisors, its top parliament leaders. On the other hand, the Trump regime sent J.D. Vance, Steve Whitcoff, like a random real estate guy that Donald Trump knew from his real estate days, and Jared Kushner, Donald Trump's son-in-law.
3:36I mean, the difference between the arrival of Iran and Pakistan. So Iran was greeted like heroes in Pakistan with a huge team of like all of its top leaders, right? For all of this talk about how all the leadership in Iran was assassinated. They have like a whole group right here of like a dozen of the top leaders of Iran. They showed up in Islamabad for these negotiations. And again, you can see the motorcades that they're driving And you can see how the Pakistani military greeted him, shaking the hands of Foreign Minister Rakhji. I'm showing you the B-roll here of showing Pakistan treat the Iranian leaders like conquering heroes, like the victors of the war.
4:22All the Iranian leaders smiling, having a great time, showing supreme confidence, it seems. Look for yourself. And on the other hand, you had J.D. Vance arriving with his wife, Usha, like going down the stairs. Just a very different scene right here. And I just don't know. It doesn't seem like the Trump regime is taking this seriously at all and think what they're just dealing with. you know, a group of people in Iran that don't know what they're doing. I mean, Iran has people who are veteran diplomats and negotiators handling it. And we've got Usha, JD Vance, Jared Kushner, and Steve Whitcoff.
5:02I mean, like, are you absolutely kidding me? I mean, just look at the names right here of all of the top Iranian officials who are there.
5:10Ben Meiselas:Now, the posture of this negotiation tells you everything you need to know. Iran sending a huge team of all of its top leadership, all of its top parliament leaders, National Security Council leaders, foreign advisor leaders. On the other hand, the United States sending not even the Secretary of State Rubio isn't even there. The fact that you just have J.D. Vance, his wife, Usha, Jared Kushner, and Steve Whitcoff, that tells you everything about the dynamic, that essentially the Trump regime is conceding defeat at this point and or not taking it seriously. And Iran has already got the United States to agree to its 10-point negotiation framework, where the US has basically given up every single critical point in favor of Iran.
6:05Ben Meiselas:I mean, Iran controls the Strait of Removes, keeps its ballistic missiles, enrich uranium, long-term security guarantees, full reparations, all sanctions get removed. So what Iran is doing is they want to put the dagger in right now, and they all want to be there for this historical event to force the surrender of the Trump regime and the mighty United States. That's how Iran sees this. They see this as all of them want to be there for the historical moment where they embarrass and humiliate the United States because this is what Trump has done to the United States of America. There's no other way to view it.
6:44Ben Meiselas:And an intelligence officer from the region who's really done a good job covering this, Danny Citrinitz, and I mean, he's what he devoted his career to. Here's how he describes it. With all of those people from Iran that you see on that list showing up. The Iranian regime is treating the current negotiations with a high degree of seriousness, viewing them as a potential platform to advance its core set of 10 guiding principles that the U.S. administration has signaled that it is prepared for these principles to serve as the basis for negotiations. From Tehran's perspective, this is not merely a diplomatic process aimed at de-escalation, but rather a strategic opportunity to shape the terms of a broader agreement, one that would include not only restrictions, but also meaningful economic relief, which Iran urgently needs.
7:43Ben Meiselas:Importantly, Iran does not perceive these talks as negotiations to end hostilities per se. Instead, they are seen as a vehicle to consolidate and formalize a new strategic reality grounded in what Tehran considers to be its achievements during the conflict. In this context, Iranian leadership appears to assess that the combination of its perceived battlefield gains and the current U.S. administration's openness to an agreement creates a rare window of opportunity. This window could enable Iran to secure substantial economic concessions while simultaneously reinforcing its position as a dominant regional power in the Gulf.
8:32Ben Meiselas:And just think about this. Who's there with the United States? The United States is going it alone. You don't have countries like the UK or France or anyone from NATO. You don't have anyone else from the region. You've got J.D. Vance and his wife, Usha. You've got Jared Kushner, Trump's son-in-law, and Steve Whitcoff, like a random real estate guy who knew Donald Trump, who's been a horrible, horrible wannabe diplomat thus far. Just think about the dynamic. Iran smells blood. Iran sees what's happening and views this as an opportunity based on this dynamic. Now, what Donald Trump posted when these negotiations began in Islamabad last night into the morning, this morning, here was Donald Trump's negotiating tactic.
9:22Great exclamation point he posts on a social media platform. Very cool seeing the wave of empty tankers heading to the U.S. to pick up some desperately needed crude for Hormuz-starved markets. All the tankers on the map below are empty VLCC as he sees 2 million barrel capacities each currently heading for the Gulf Coast. U.S. crude exports are about to boom. Like, do you have the most basic understanding about the way the oil markets work? There's an international oil market. So a supply shock in the Strait of Hormuz has a crippling effect, not just on the Strait of Hormuz, but on the United States as well.
10:10That's why we're all paying more for gas right now, because the prices are set basically on an international basis for the supply that's out there. What do you what? What's who are you even posting, Donald? Like, who is your source for this? Like, do you realize how clownish this looks? Also, it should be noted that one of the things that the United States agreed to as a precondition for these settlement negotiations or these peace, so-called peace negotiations, when they agreed to the Iranian framework, the 10-point framework, is that there would be security guarantees, not just for Iran, but for Hezbollah in Lebanon, for the Houthis in Yemen, and for the Shiite militia groups in Iraq.
10:54But as the ceasefire negotiations or these negotiations as part of the ceasefire have been taking place in islamabad we're seeing israeli airstrikes reported in lebanon right now israel claims that it's detecting a drone attack from lebanon and here's what's being reported on drop site israeli strikes hit south lebanon power station as attacks intense as attacks intensify you can see the electricity generator right here that was struck and damaged in southern Lebanon right here. And we have video of it. Israeli fighter jets struck the power station in southern Lebanon's Nabita district early Friday north of the Latani River, according to Iran's state-linked mayor news.
11:41There were airstrikes taking place throughout the day, you know, and this is leading up to the negotiations that are taking place right now. So we'll be following that as well. We'll be keeping you updated there. Also, U.S. intelligence is now claiming that China may soon be sending shoulder fired air defense missiles to Iran, possibly via third countries to hide their origin. China denies the claims, calling it false and urging de-escalation. But as I said before, Iran's never been stronger and more powerful internationally. Donald Trump basically made Iran into a major international power, not just in the Middle East, where it's the strongest power basically there, but in the entire world right now.
12:31They control the Strait of Hormuz and they say they're not giving that up in the negotiations and that they're going to be charging$2 million per tanker. We'll keep you posted if that's impacted at all by these negotiations. They get to keep their ballistic missiles and drones. And they also say that they get to enrich uranium under the deal that they entered with Donald Trump as part of the framework for this negotiation. Now, we will be following if there's any changes to the negotiating framework, but Donald Trump agreed to the 10-point negotiating framework by iran and now i mean the reports are that china is providing iran with supplies russia has continued to we knew that china was doing it before russia was obviously doing it before the sanctions basically have already been removed from iran to begin with for their ability to sell oil sanctions against russia have been removed right now and so that's what we got going on there at the same time you have that going on you have gas prices here in the United States surging, right?
13:35Donald Trump's like, everything's going great. Look how much no U S gas prices spike 21.2 % in March. That's the largest monthly increase since 1967, 21.2 % increase in March. Also, one of the things that Iran has been saying, Iran is reporting that it is unable to find mines that it laid in the Strait of Hormuz's Nicholas Kristof reports. He goes, maybe that's true, but this is also convenient for Iran. This keeps the main ship lane and international waters effectively closed, but ships can still pass safely if they go closer to Iran through Iranian territorial waters between Lurak and Hormuz islands, reinforcing Iran's control of ships passing through the strait.
14:21In other words, it's not in Iran's interest to find those mines and clear the international passage. message. Also, one of the things that Wall Street Journal just reported, Iran's missile capabilities not severely destroyed during the war. As Gregory Brew explains, a war launched largely to neutralize Iran's ballistic missile program, lasting a month and ending with Iran in control of the Strait of Hormuz, succeeded in destroying roughly half of its missiles and destroying, disabling or bearing about half of its launchers. That means they still have half and they are going to be able to quickly build up right now as well.
15:03And as part of the negotiating framework that Donald Trump agreed to, Iran gets to keep its ballistic missiles and Shahid drones and FPV drones, and they could keep on building them up faster and faster and faster while they control the Shredder for moves. But Donald Trump goes on social media to post the Iranians don't seem to realize they have no cards other than a short-term extortion of the world by using international waterways. The only reason they are alive today is to negotiate. The Iranians are better at handling the fake news media and public relations than they are at fighting Donald J.
15:36Trump. What do you mean by that? What do you mean by that? I mean, look at the Strait of Hormuz. Only two ships transited the Strait of Hormuz in the past 24 hours again, according to data shared with NBC by SPG Energy Oil, marking the lowest level since this for a very long time. Even during the war, there were about 10 to 15 ships, tankers that were being able to go that negotiated with Iran directly on a bilateral basis. Right now we see what we saw two cargo tankers and not that cargo tank to two cargo ships, not tankers. No tankers at all have gone just cargo ships that are Iranian flag zero tankers thus far.
16:22According to senior Iranian state media figures, they claim that Donald Trump already accepted additional preconditions for these negotiations that they claim that Donald Trump released Iran's frozen assets. They claim that Donald Trump has agreed to a cap of 15 vessels a day once the Shredder from Moose opens. We'll keep you posted there. And of course, earlier in the day, Donald Trump was saying while he was on the tarmac that Iran's Navy is gone, that they don't have any leaders, that their military is obliterated. Play this clip. One way or the other, it's going well. The Navy's gone, the Air Force is gone, all anti-aircraft is gone, the leaders are gone, the whole place is gone.
17:13So we'll see how it turns out. Donald Trump says that the strait will open automatically, even if we don't do anything. Let's play this one. No nuclear weapon. That's 99 % of it. Yeah, but that'll open up automatically. Yeah, The answer is yes, but the strait will open up. If we just left, the strait's going to, otherwise they make no money. So the strait's going to open. But what we have is no nuclear weapon, but we'll open the strait anyway. Don't forget, we don't use the strait. Other countries use the strait. So we do have other countries coming up and they'll help out, but we don't use it.
17:51It won't be easy. It won't be, I would say this, we will have that open fairly soon. Then a reporter says, so what's your backup plan if like all this fails? And Trump's like, we don't need a backup plan. You know, all he wants to do is talk about like his golden arches and golden ballrooms. He was posting more about golden arches and golden bar. It's interesting. His former national security adviser, John Bolton, is also saying, you know, Donald Trump, he's Bolton goes, Trump is panicking right now. He says, he says Trump just wants out. Trump knows that he's lost. He knows he's a loser. or Trump's going to take whatever deal Iran gives them and then just try to claim a victory and then just get out of there.
18:33But it's basically been total and utter surrender by the United States. I mean, just agreeing to Iran's 10 point framework, like I said, Iran keeps the straight of her moves. Iran gets to enrich uranium, complete security guarantees for Iran and its proxy groups. You know, you just go on, go on. All sanctions against Iran are removed. All UN resolutions against Iran are removed. And again, just take a look at some of these images. You see foreign minister, Aragchi arriving and B. Galiboff arriving, you know, all their top leadership right here. MB Galiboff is leading the negotiating team. But you have Aragchi, you have Mogadam, Akbar Ahmadiyya.
19:15I mean, look at this list of people. And the United States brought in. J.D. Vance. Jared Kushner, Steve Whitcoff. Jeez. We're going to keep you posted on the developments today. Hit subscribe. Help us get to 7 million subscribers. Thanks for watching.
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From the publisher
MeidasTouch host Ben Meiselas reports on Iran showing up to the Islamabad ceasefire talks with its entire leadership structure to demand Trump’s full and complete surrender within the 10 point framework Trump agreed to.
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