Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu suggested they could topple the Iranian regime.
Instead, it has survived and it may even be stronger than before.
Despite Mr. Trump's insistence that negotiations are starting soon, a ceasefire looks as fragile as ever.
If anything, the war has expanded with strikes on a growing list of countries.
What does the Iranian regime want?
And what might it do next?
I'm David Rennie, The Economist's geopolitics editor.
Welcome to Inside Geopolitics.
I am delighted to have two renowned Iran watchers here with me in the studio,
Dr. Sanam Vakil, director of the Middle East and North Africa program at the Think Tank Chatham House,
and Sir Simon Gass, former British ambassador to Iran,
a negotiator on the Iran nuclear deal and now with SC strategies.
So, I'm really glad you're here because I want this program to be about Iran.
How does it see the world?
How does it see its own incentives?
What are its red lines and bottom lines?
How do they see the future after this war?
How much pain are they willing to take in this kind of staring contest with Donald Trump
and how much pain are they willing to inflict on their own people?
So, let's start, I guess, with who is in charge of the country, the Iranian regime,