The killing of Iran’s most important general by an American drone and a subsequent Iranian missile attack on US assets inside Iraq, threatened to bring the United States and Iran closer to war than at any time since the hostage crisis in 1979. The U.S and Iran may have taken a step back from the brink, but underlying tensions between the two nations remain. In this episode, we look at the circumstances that led to this escalation. And we get an overview of how recent events impact the balance of power in the Persian Gulf. What are the strategic implications for Iran, the Middle East and the World? Vali Nasr of Johns Hopkins University, Barbara Slavin of the Future of Iran Initiative at the Atlantic Council and NPR’s Jane Arraf join WorldAffairs co-host Ray Suarez to talk about what US actions mean for the Middle East and the rest of the world.

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