Less than 48 hours before Israel launched Operation Rising Lion on Iran’s nuclear sites on June 13, 2025, Wikistrat hosted a podcast featuring Dr. Raz Zimmt, Director of the Iran & Shiite Axis Program at INSS. In a strikingly prescient comment, he warned, “we’re at the closest point to military escalation that we ever were.” He went on to dissect the diplomatic flashpoints, Iran’s probable responses, and the potential ripple effects on regional stability. This timely session—including Q&A—is an essential watch for anyone seeking expert insight into the strategic escalation.

Dr. Raz Zimmt is Director of the Iran and Shiite Axis Research Program at the Institute for National Security Studies (INSS) and a Research Fellow at the Alliance Center for Iranian Studies at Tel Aviv University.