Horns of a Dilemma

Iran's Nuclear Tightrope: Between Power and Peril

June 23, 2026·41 min
Episode Description from the Publisher

As the United States and Iran negotiate an end to recent hostilities, the strategic implications of Tehran's nuclear latency are more urgent than ever. In this episode of our podcast, Eric Brewer unpacks the realities of Iran as a nuclear threshold state. He argues that maintaining a threshold capability forces Tehran to walk a dangerous tightrope, balancing the perceived deterrence of adversaries against the severe peril of military escalation. The conversation offers a rigorous assessment of how nuclear latency alters conflict dynamics, shapes modern statecraft, and complicates regional stability in the Middle East. Read his recent TNSR article on the topic "What Good Is a Nuclear Threshold Capability? Lessons from Iran's Nuclear Program and Recent Regional Conflict." Hosts: Sheena Chestnut Greitens and Ryan Vest Producer: Jordan Morning

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