The Al Franken Podcast

Al and Franklin Foer on Iran, Ukraine, Soccer, and The World

June 21, 2026·48 min
Episode Description from the Publisher

We’re joined by our longtime friend, Franklin Foer of The Atlantic! We have a deal in Iran or at least an agreement to have an agreement. Even some Republicans are calling this an unconditional surrender. Al and Frank break down the massive concessions, which include a staggering $300 billion to reconstruct Iran, lifted blockades, and Iranian tolls in the Strait of Hormuz. And what does all of this mean for Trump and Netanyahu’s plummeting relationship ahead of the Israeli elections this fall?Frank also breaks down the war in Ukraine, the situation in Venezuela, and ongoing tensions with Cuba.Plus, we discuss Frank’s bestselling book, “How Soccer Explains the World: An Unlikely Theory of Globalization.” It was recently reissued to coincide with the U.S. hosting the World Cup. Frank explains how his views of world soccer have changed since the original publishing and why globalization never brought us the "kumbaya political liberalism" we were promised.READ Franklin Foer in The Atlantic: https://www.theatlantic.com/author/franklin-foer/READ Frank’s book, “How Soccer Explains the World:” https://www.harpercollins.com/products/how-soccer-explains-the-world-franklin-foer

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