In this wide-ranging conversation, Jacob Heilbrunn speaks with Daniel Runde (CSIS) about three major geopolitical arenas shaping today’s global landscape. From Iran and the strategic logic behind mounting pressure on the regime, to Gaza and the complex question of disarming Hamas and envisioning reconstruction, and finally to Cuba, where economic strain could trigger deeper political shifts, Runde offers a forward-looking analysis of instability and opportunity.
Spanning the Middle East and the Caribbean, the discussion examines how force, diplomacy, and long-term planning intersect in moments of potential transformation.
Daniel Runde on Iran, Gaza, and Cuba: Power, Pressure, and Political Change
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February 2026
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Daniel Runde on Iran, Gaza, and Cuba: Power, Pressure, and Political Change
In this wide-ranging conversation, Jacob Heilbrunn speaks with Daniel Runde (CSIS) about three major geopolitical arenas shaping today’s global landscape. From Iran and the strategic logic behind mounting pressure on the regime, to Gaza and the complex question of disarming Hamas and envisioning reconstruction, and finally to Cuba, where economic strain could trigger deeper political […]
Regime Change in Tehran Is a Strategic Imperative
The debate over Iran has long revolved around tactics: sanctions or engagement, containment or deterrence, military strikes or diplomatic agreements. These discussions, while important, obscure a more fundamental reality. The challenge posed by Iran is not merely about enrichment levels, missile ranges, or proxy networks. It is about the nature of the regime itself. The […]
What If the War Made Khamenei Strategically Flexible?
Among Iran hawks, there is confidence that talks between the United States and the Islamic Republic of Iran will collapse. Iran, they reckon, will reject the Trump administration’s demands, namely, disarmament of the nuclear program, missile program, and proxies. In his four decades of rule, Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has never shown strategic flexibility, and […]
