One Decision

The US has moved critical missile defenses and troops from East Asia to the Middle East. With America’s resources stretched thin, is this the ultimate strategic opportunity for China? Former UK Defence Secretary Sir Ben Wallace and Times Radio political editor Kate McCann sit down with former advisor to President Obama and Georgetown University Director of Asia Studies Evan Medeiros to explore what he calls China’s strategy of “calculated neutrality” – protecting Beijing’s economic interests while avoiding direct conflict with the United States. First, for In Brief, Sir Ben and Kate discuss the US’s thinking behind blocking the Strait of Hormuz, Lord George Robertson’s scathing critique of UK foreign policy, and whether Hungary Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s defeat signals the beginning of the end of “strong man” populist politics. Later, Medeiros examines China’s balancing of its economic interests in both Iran and the Gulf countries, China’s Iranian oil “loophole” via the UAE, and if the Iran war is deepening fractures in Western alliances, potentially upending the global rules-based order. In this episode: 02:05 – US blockade of the Strait of Hormuz 04:59 – Frustration amongst Gulf states 06:45 – UK Role, and Lord George Robertson’s warning to the UK 12:16 – Does Orban’s defeat signal the end of “strong man” politics? 15:39 – Evan Medeiros introduction 17:04 – Defining China’s “calculated neutrality” 18:28 – Is China above the fray of war? 19:32 – Balancing leverage with Iran and the Gulf states 24:03 – Is Beijing arming Iran? 27:45 – China’s Iranian oil loophole 28:54 – China: Displacing vs. replacing the US 32:25 – Why China avoids regional wars 36:54 – One Decision: China’s vision for a post-American world order 42:08 – Sir Ben and Kate discussion Hosted by Sir Ben Wallace (former UK Defence Secretary) and Kate McCann (Political Editor at Times Radio). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Russia may be issuing verbal condemnations from the sidelines of the conflict in Iran, but behind the scenes, it’s leveraging its relationship with Iran to give the US a “taste of its own medicine.” Former MI6 Chief Sir Richard Dearlove and Times Radio political editor Kate McCann sit down with Alexander Gabuev, director of the Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center, to discuss Russia’s calculated role in the escalating war in Iran. Gabuev explains why the US being preoccupied in fighting another Middle Eastern conflict is a “gift” to Putin, including how temporary sanctions relief and the continued closure of the Strait of Hormuz boosts Russian oil revenues. Together, they also analyze the impact of the war on Ukraine’s security and energy infrastructure, as well as how continued economic strain and repression in Russia may limit its involvement in the conflict. In this episode: 01:35 – Why the Iran War helps Russia 04:17 – Oil shock and Russian windfall 16:48 – The Iran-Russia alliance 23:11 – Limits of Kremlin support 28:24 – Iran War knock-on effects for Ukraine 32:58 – Ukraine’s Gulf alliance strategy 38:05 – Russian public mood and repression 42:47 – One Decision: What’s Trump’s next move? 44:00 – Sir Richard and Kate discussion Hosted by Sir Richard Dearlove (former MI6 Chief) and Kate McCann (Political Editor at Times Radio). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After Iran shot down two US warplanes, President Trump shot back with a scathing ultimatum. But are Trump’s words pushing the world towards a point of no return? Former MI6 Chief Sir Richard Dearlove and international journalist Rosanna Lockwood examine a weekend of high-stakes escalation in the Middle East. They discuss the thinking and implications behind President Trump’s explosive online rhetoric, as well as the global fallout of the war on energy markets in Asia and Oceania. Plus, they preview Hungary’s upcoming election, where Prime Minister Viktor Orbán faces a significant challenge by Péter Magyar in an election that could remove a major "thorn in the side" of the European Union and unlock billions in aid for Ukraine. In this episode: 00:22 – The war in Iran drags on 01:56 – IRGC assassinations and the strategy of regime implosion 06:15 – Trump’s ever-changing deadlines for Iran 07:37 – The rescue of the American weapons specialist 10:07 – The Truth Social ultimatum 11:04 – A US ground invasion scenario 13:23 – The global energy squeeze 15:53 – Hungary’s pivotal election 20:37 – Show announcement Hosted by Sir Richard Dearlove (former MI6 Chief) and Rosanna Lockwood (International Journalist). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This isn’t just another Middle Eastern conflict—it’s a fundamental restructuring of global power. Sir Richard Dearlove and guest co-host Baroness Ayesha Hazarika with Fareed Zakaria, veteran journalist, author, and host of CNN’s Fareed Zakaria GPS. Together, they examine Israel’s war strategy, and whether or not the war aims of President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu are misaligned. They also discuss the entry of the Houthis into the conflict on Iran’s behalf, as well as why the war in Iran could prove far more consequential to daily life across the globe than the Iraq War ever was.  In this episode: 01:43 – Israel’s Campaign in Lebanon 08:06 – Does Israel’s “Buffer Zone” Have an Ulterior Motive?  11:29 – Do Netanyahu and Trump Have Different War Aims?  15:10 – Will America Put Boots on the Ground in Iran? 17:14 – End of a Strategic Conflict, or a Massive Gamble? 22:22 – The Houthi Strategy  28:35 – Why Russia Wins and Europe Loses 32:20 – Geopolitics in a Post-Trump World 36:28 – Can the UK Still Rely on the US? 41:47 – Why the Iran War Hurts Ukraine 46:24 – What’s Trump’s Next Move? 48:40 – Sir Richard and Baroness Hazarika Discussion   Hosted by Sir Richard Dearlove (former MI6 Chief) and Baroness Ayesha Hazarika (Member of House of Lords). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Everyone is calling it another Iraq. Sir Richard Dearlove disagrees. In this episode of One Decision In Brief, the former MI6 chief makes the case that what's unfolding in Iran may be something different: the final chapter of a decades-long conflict, with a window for the United States to actually close it. Sir Richard and guest co-host Baroness Ayesha Hazarika break down the military logic — why Kharg Island is the likely first target, what securing the Strait of Hormuz would actually take, and whether a ground operation could stay limited. They also assess Iran's internal fractures, Russia's quiet role, China's conspicuous absence, and what the Gulf States really want from Washington right now. Is this the moment the West finally resolves the Iran question, or the beginning of something far worse? In this episode: 07:09 Uranium Extraction Scenario 09:14 Avoiding a Land Quagmire 10:58 Trump’s Legacy Calculus 11:52 Russia Helps; China Absent 13:39 Will Gulf States Choose America? Hosted by Sir Richard Dearlove (former MI6 Chief) and guest co-host Baroness Ayesha Hazarika (House of Lords) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices