Is a direct war with Iran inevitable, and what happens the day after the first strike? In this episode of the ROPESCAST, we sit down with Sima Shine, former senior Mossad official and leading Iran expert at the INSS institute, to cut through the rhetoric and look at the hard calculus of a regional conflict. We break down the realistic scenarios of an escalation, analyze the current risk appetite in Washington, Jerusalem, and Tehran, and examine how a war would fundamentally redraw the Middle East’s security architecture. A sober, intelligence-driven look at the interests, the risks, and the timeline.

Chapters:

0:38 – Who Is Simma Shine?

1:10 – Is War With Iran Really Imminent?

2:28 – Massive U.S. Military Buildup: What Does It Mean?

4:02 – Inside the U.S.–Iran Negotiation Gap

8:04 – The Regional & Domestic Pressures on Trump’s Decision

14:11 – Understanding Iran’s Mindset

19:04 – Iran’s Internal Crisis: Economy, Protests & Regime Fragility

27:16 – Would a Deal With Trump Endanger the Regime?🌐 Learn more about ROPES: ropes.org
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