Name: WSJ Opinion: Iran Puts a Pause on Ceasefire Talks with the U.S.
Uploaded: 2026-06-01T20:56:00Z
Duration: 26 min 49 s

https://www.barrons.com/client

"There's a bigger market, less competition," H. Cabot Lodge III, founder and senior managing director of Lodge Quai Capital Management, told Barron's editor at large Andy Serwer.

https://m.wsj.net/video/20260625/67379068-8acb-4d90-ac5b-002cffa69b67/1/hls/manifest-hd-wifi.m3u8

Why This Investing Pro Is Looking to Europe

As fast-changing markets continue to push for innovation, Lucien Boldea, CEO of Timken, discusses how he’s balancing tradition with evolving the company.

https://m.wsj.net/video/20260618/f2df66eb-5814-4620-b0df-6fdd6a5cb669/1/hls/manifest-hd-wifi.m3u8

How This CEO Is Leading a Company’s Legacy Into the Future

Lucien Boldea, CEO of Timken, discusses how the company is benefiting from growth in sectors like robotics, infrastructure, and power generation.

https://m.wsj.net/video/20260618/ae2598bd-e479-4259-b91e-3899f172d107/1/hls/manifest-hd-wifi.m3u8

AI Is Transforming Industries. This Company Reaping the Benefits.

Lucian Boldea, CEO of Timken, spoke about the artificial intelligence, the economy, acquisitions, and much more with Barron's editor at large Andy Serwer.

https://m.wsj.net/video/20260618/7229ee9c-a600-45cf-8f58-4043b8951cb6/1/hls/manifest-hd-wifi.m3u8

A CEO Explains How AI Impacts the Physical World

Bruce Flatt, CEO of Brookfield Corporation, says these investments “will drive one of the most productive operating periods in the history of the world.” This interview was filmed on June 9, 2026.

https://m.wsj.net/video/20260612/03f362e4-07b8-4830-939d-5180295d15ec/1/hls/manifest-hd-wifi.m3u8

Investing Opportunities in AI and the Productivity Boom

Howard Marks, co-chairman of Oaktree Capital Management weighs in on current market conditions for investors. This interview was filmed on June 9, 2026.

https://m.wsj.net/video/20260612/99665dea-069a-4380-ab6f-990a4d2da071/1/hls/manifest-hd-wifi.m3u8

How Rising Optimism Is Supporting Credit Markets and IPOs Like SpaceX

Bruce Flatt, CEO of Brookfield Corporation, and Howard Marks, co-chairman of Oaktree Capital Management, spoke with Barron's editor at large Andy Serwer. This interview was filmed on June 9, 2026.

https://m.wsj.net/video/20260612/80391bfe-afe2-41c4-8fc5-bf9b8c3d5fd5/1/hls/manifest-hd-wifi.m3u8

Catching Up With Power Investors Howard Marks and Bruce Flatt

Kyle Clark, CEO of BETA Technologies, spoke about the company's electric vertical takeoff and landing, or eVTOL, aircraft in a conversation with Barron's editor at large Andy Serwer.

https://m.wsj.net/video/20260604/6aef5837-89d7-4bce-ac6d-2756973b5b9f/1/hls/manifest-hd-wifi.m3u8

This Company Is On a Mission to 'Transform Aviation,' CEO Says

At Barron's

"Your 9-5...is just not going to do it," Nick Magguilli, personal finance expert, said on Barron's Streetwise podcast.

https://m.wsj.net/video/20251216/e6897805-d131-4cc4-9c59-ca03b0c0b958/1/hls/manifest-hd-wifi.m3u8

How to Scale Your Net Worth

TJ Thornton, Head of Global Research Product Marketing at BofA Securities, talks to Jack Hough about his favorite stocks outside of AI.

https://m.wsj.net/video/20251210/f9c1a95c-5a0e-4349-9fe4-73b3ac53bfb8/1/hls/manifest-hd-wifi.m3u8

BofA’s Favorite Non-AI Stocks

Jack Hough talks to TJ Thornton, Head of Global Research Product Marketing at BofA Securities about diversifying stocks to hedge AI risks.

https://m.wsj.net/video/20251210/8e164ff7-1500-4c2f-8713-e891c640a0f4/1/hls/manifest-hd-wifi.m3u8

Evaluating Investing Opportunities Beyond AI

Steve Quirk, chief brokerage officer at Robinhood, breaks down the value of tokenizing stocks in different markets.

https://m.wsj.net/video/20251126/f86d65ea-bd8b-4777-b6b0-80f7bb12027e/1/hls/manifest-hd-wifi.m3u8

Unpacking Tokenization for Everyday Investors

Jack Hough talks to Steve Quirk, chief brokerage officer at Robinhood, about trends in retail investing.

https://m.wsj.net/video/20251126/a9cbdcc6-f060-4fc9-a15e-396924e25946/1/hls/manifest-hd-wifi.m3u8

How Robinhood Reshaped the Trading Landscape for an Entire Generation

Streetwise host Jack Hough sat down with strategist Scott Wren to discuss how the AI-fueled market run stacks up against the dot-com boom.

https://m.wsj.net/video/20251111/bd2e1a5b-1a6e-4543-8133-dcc63f69b5dc/1/hls/manifest-hd-wifi.m3u8

AI vs. The Dot Com Bubble

Bank of America’s Haim Israel shares what’s next for Nuclear Energy development.

https://m.wsj.net/video/20250930/ab4fc336-af44-4af2-8e40-9ae6f04a445e/1/hls/manifest-hd-wifi.m3u8

The Outlook For Nuclear

Jack talks to Lyft CEO David Risher about growth potential in the company.

https://m.wsj.net/video/20250929/ae62b70e-912b-4ce7-ae63-1b2652628bae/1/hls/manifest-hd-wifi.m3u8

Lyft's Ride to Profit

The stock market is expensive. What does that mean for your portfolio? Jack sits down with Franklin Templeton’s Matt Quinlan to talk dividend investing, and whether it’s a good move in a pricey market.

https://m.wsj.net/video/20250911/9c85e132-d710-4458-9467-aa69d4f25ae0/1/hls/manifest-hd-wifi.m3u8

Dividends and Capital Appreciation

Barron's Streetwise

Having scale helps firms reinvest in the people, processes, and technology necessary to deliver superior client outcomes, Mike LaMena, the CEO of Wealthspire, tells Greg Bartalos, Editor-in-Chief of Barron’s Wealth & Asset Management Group.

https://m.wsj.net/video/20260623/a82b8dbb-7bdd-405d-98b1-1d46d9002990/1/hls/manifest-hd-wifi.m3u8

Beyond AUM: The True Value of Scale for Advisory Firms

Interviews with top wealth management professionals about topics including compensation, hiring, marketing, next-gen, and more.

RIAs that are looking to sell should start the process early, and ideally when the business is thriving, to maximize leverage and options, says Shirl Penney, the CEO of Dynasty Financial Partners.

https://m.wsj.net/video/20260526/d766a2a1-3884-4be6-9190-7a76f5d09f0e/1/hls/manifest-hd-wifi.m3u8

‘The Best Time to Sell Is When You Don't Have to.’

“Begin with the end in mind and be really clear about what it is that you want and what it is that you don't,” Shirl Penney, the CEO of Dynasty Financial Partners, tells Greg Bartalos, Editor-in-Chief of Barron’s Wealth & Asset Management Group.

https://m.wsj.net/video/20260526/6306bad1-ec7d-4a82-a855-871a2a8af24a/1/hls/manifest-hd-wifi.m3u8

RIA Sellers Need to Be Specific About Their Goals 

Raise capital, be prepared for onboarding, and have a dedicated team of experienced investment bankers in place, advises Shirl Penney, the CEO of Dynasty Financial Partners.

https://m.wsj.net/video/20260526/dced3678-98a2-4e00-9486-3aa9f461ab0e/1/hls/manifest-hd-wifi.m3u8

3 Things Buyers of RIAs Should Do Ahead of Any Deal

Shirl Penney, the CEO of Dynasty Financial Partners, says that acquirers should prepare a roadshow deck and be extremely clear about the type of cultural fit, advisor, and end client they want.

https://m.wsj.net/video/20260526/57147b82-97fe-4b2a-9c75-57453cce1f09/1/hls/manifest-hd-wifi.m3u8

Looking to Buy an RIA? Don’t Ignore These 2 Key Steps.

Envestnet CEO Chris Todd describes how advisors can tailor their messages for clients in different generations.

https://m.wsj.net/video/20260513/e295d300-763f-4018-b2e9-3bb99a1e4990/1/hls/manifest-hd-wifi.m3u8

How AI and Data Can Help Advisors Start Client Conversations

AI is helping advisors grow assets by analyzing client portfolios and suggesting specific "next best actions," such as identifying tax, portfolio drift, or managed account opportunities, says Envestnet CEO Chris Todd.

https://m.wsj.net/video/20260512/0b649d32-dd24-4c27-8cf9-b0504ce3a9a4/1/hls/manifest-hd-wifi.m3u8

AI Is Boosting Organic Growth for Advisors

CEO Chris Todd explains how the company is providing core technology to RIAs and broker dealers while building infrastructure to meet future advisor needs in areas like alternative investments and digital currencies.

https://m.wsj.net/video/20260512/06d41382-0347-4765-b253-994badc172a3/1/hls/manifest-hd-wifi.m3u8

Envestnet’s ‘Bullseye’ Strategic Approach  

CEO Chris Todd says the company is using AI to increase internal productivity and leveraging its large data set to provide "investment data insights" to help advisors manage client portfolios.

https://m.wsj.net/video/20260513/4207fb3b-4df7-43b2-8c1e-32d3cb75967f/3/hls/manifest-hd-wifi.m3u8

How Envestnet Is Harnessing AI and Data 

Barron's Advisor The Way Forward

A “willingness to roll up your sleeves and understand the issues that your clients are facing, not just from an investment perspective,” is common among the industry’s most successful, says Kelly Gaur, a Mercer Advisors regional vice president.

https://m.wsj.net/video/20260319/318adb2f-a888-4f30-b182-c791e27f98ab/1/hls/manifest-hd-wifi.m3u8

Best Advice for Someone Considering Wealth Management as a Career

Kelly Gaur, a Mercer Advisors regional vice president, says she was drawn to working for a registered investment advisor partly because they generally offer a more personalized, modern approach to wealth management.

https://m.wsj.net/video/20260318/5575e9ca-0b48-4fb9-8e43-82aae1b3e3fc/1/hls/manifest-hd-wifi.m3u8

The Appeal of Working for an RIA

“The best client development professionals are those who have served clients in some capacity,” says Kelly Gaur, a Mercer Advisors regional vice president.

https://m.wsj.net/video/20260318/c1638929-6b21-4573-9deb-4f78e1ffa1d7/1/hls/manifest-hd-wifi.m3u8

Client-Facing Experience Can Help Advance Your Career

The Mercer Advisors regional vice president discusses her business development role and tips for breaking into the industry and gaining valuable experience in a non-advisory capacity.

https://m.wsj.net/video/20260318/f2c2c9a5-cb67-4167-a48b-7fe4a9285615/1/hls/manifest-hd-wifi.m3u8

Kelly Gaur: Tips for Pursuing Non-Advisor Roles in Wealth Management

“You want to make sure that everybody's excited and prepared and that you're all pulling the rope in the same direction,” says Nate Fisher, managing director and wealth advisor at Carson Wealth.

https://m.wsj.net/video/20260305/20285ef5-c115-435f-9291-e4f2d5b166a9/1/hls/manifest-hd-wifi.m3u8

A Successful Transition Requires Honesty and a ‘Heavy Lift’

Young advisors considering a succession plan should maximize engagement with clients because “it can take a long time to gain that trust and build those relationships,” says Nate Fisher, managing director and wealth advisor at Carson Wealth.

https://m.wsj.net/video/20260305/236fdaa2-5acb-48e9-b16d-e20b58846487/1/hls/manifest-hd-wifi.m3u8

Succession Planning and Establishing Trust With Clients

The Carson Wealth managing director and wealth advisor says his decision to partner with the firm was driven by the need for increased capacity for holistic services and a clear succession plan for his retiring father.

https://m.wsj.net/video/20260305/33bb1217-c8be-4358-ba17-6238cbab6fa1/1/hls/manifest-hd-wifi.m3u8

Nate Fisher: Lessons Learned From a Successful Partnership

As trust grows, advisors tend to spend less time discussing investments and more time on clients’ families and well-being, says Nate Fisher, managing director and wealth advisor at Carson Wealth.

https://m.wsj.net/video/20260305/d2d3903a-994f-4ae7-82be-706929930b3d/1/hls/manifest-hd-wifi.m3u8

Trusted Advisors Focus Less on Investments, More on Clients' Lives 

Serving tech founders is a full-time, long-term effort that often requires significant upfront work before a successful, revenue-generating relationship is established, says Katie Partridge, a Morgan Stanley private wealth advisor.

https://m.wsj.net/video/20260219/abc63bad-4c7a-474b-b4a8-b4feae461375/1/hls/manifest-hd-wifi.m3u8

Landing Founders as Clients Requires Patience and Hard Work

Barron's Advisor Next Generation

Government policy shapes retirement regardless of savings or lifespan. With Social Security's trust fund facing a 2033 shortfall, what fixes are coming? Our experts discuss policy shifts and how to budget your benefits.

https://m.wsj.net/video/20260410/aea80278-298b-458e-8bcd-f378796d6328/2/hls/manifest-hd-wifi.m3u8

What's Next for Social Security?

Stocks swoop and soar as investors weigh AI hype against rate-cut "tea leaves." Our panelists explain how to drown out the noise, chart your own winning path,and identify investments that offer true long-term rewards.

https://m.wsj.net/video/20260410/586aecf7-117b-4f3e-86f0-6869d907e671/2/hls/manifest-hd-wifi.m3u8

Riding the Market Roller Coaster

The capture of Venezuela’s Nicolás Maduro and Middle East tensions are reshaping oil supply expectations. The U.S. is intervening in energy markets in decades-unseen ways. Experts break down what’s next for oil, gas and energy stocks.

https://m.wsj.net/video/20260212/9779ec13-602a-4a38-bb73-495ff464a24f/1/hls/manifest-hd-wifi.m3u8

Oil and Gas in a Volatile World

For the first time in decades, U.S. power demand is rising - driven by AI data centers, EVs and electrification. Utility and clean-energy stocks are climbing, but costly buildouts threaten affordability. We explore what’s next for the power trade.

https://m.wsj.net/video/20260212/81a81fdd-47b4-44f6-93d1-7597a7fab032/1/hls/manifest-hd-wifi.m3u8

The Gold Rush in Electricity

Will Nvidia and other technology companies keep powering the stock market in 2026? We'll speak with two veteran money managers about their views on tech and their favorite stocks for the coming year.

https://m.wsj.net/video/20251212/5683d7a0-ed1f-4e3c-b913-bb3367ea3abd/1/hls/manifest-hd-wifi.m3u8

Finding Bargains in a Pricey Market

Explore what could go right for investors, and what could go wrong, in a year that will see the AI trade evolve, the Fed's leadership change, and global competition for resources increase in this 2026 Outlook.

https://m.wsj.net/video/20251212/573f5954-c4ab-43e9-804d-f1ea93fbb70c/1/hls/manifest-hd-wifi.m3u8

Meeting the Challenge

Stocks are expensive, risks abound, and AI is about to change the world. Other than that, building a calamity-proof retirement portfolio should be a cinch. Tune in as two veteran money managers size up the markets and share their investment ideas.

https://m.wsj.net/video/20250211/17a5e7d6-7c36-44b0-a35e-bf5ac3a24194/1/hls/manifest-hd-wifi.m3u8

Saving for a Sunny Day

Research shows that people greatly underestimate the healthcare costs they’ll face in retirement. Learn from experts how to estimate those costs, prepare for potential long-term care needs, and manage healthcare expenses in retirement.

https://m.wsj.net/video/20250211/e7c022d9-badf-4e95-8e7c-0b6fce9f7823/1/hls/manifest-hd-wifi.m3u8

Are You Fiscally Fit?

Surging power demand, new energy sources, and growing competition have spurred the utility industry to become more innovative than ever before. Our panelists will unpack the changes afoot and explore what lies ahead for companies, customers, and investors.

https://m.wsj.net/video/20240917/001ea098-1fcc-4da5-9f0e-a3b149bbb2fb/1/hls/manifest-hd-wifi.m3u8

Not Your Father's Utility

Barron's Roundtable

Whether you're leading a transition, building a scalable team, or just trying to stay ahead of the curve, this episode will give you practical insights to lead smarter and grow stronger.

https://m.wsj.net/video/20251010/fd26d60b-d1e6-409b-b51b-101da4aaa368/1/hls/manifest-hd-wifi.m3u8

Next-Gen Leadership Meets Smart Innovation

Electric vehicles sales are growing but not at the pace some expected. Some would-be buyers worry about the range of EV charging, and others are swayed by politics. But innovators from Detroit to Silicon Valley still envision a dramatic shift in how we get around. What’s going on and what’s next?

https://m.wsj.net/video/20240603/5784fa60-791c-47ad-9740-42e4553de5c4/1/hls/manifest-hd-wifi.m3u8

Forces Shaping EV Adoption and the Future of Driving

Success in improving the power grid to accommodate the electricity demands of the future will be a boon for companies doing the work and utilities that succeed. Explore the investing risks and opportunities.

https://m.wsj.net/video/20240522/2b825c69-2687-4d88-923b-0c8f523a2f67/1/hls/manifest-hd-wifi.m3u8

How to Invest in Initiatives to Bolster the Power Grid

Joanna Rotenberg, Fidelity's president of personal investing, discusses ways to make investing more accessible and how to bolster your own financial security.

https://m.wsj.net/video/20231025/8ad733df-ac90-41fd-9655-7761b3e0532c/2/hls/manifest-hd-wifi.m3u8

Mind the Gap: Demystifying Investing

Reshma Kapadia sits down with Cozy Wittman of College Inside Track to discuss how to tackle all things college, from what admission officers are seeking today, to navigating the different ways to funding higher education and evaluating the ROIs.

https://m.wsj.net/video/20230515/b7229011-05cc-42ec-9c16-1d7752ec668d/1/hls/manifest-hd-wifi.m3u8

Decoding the College Search and Financing Puzzle

Nicole Webb, financial advisor and SVP at Wealth Enhancement Group, shares ways to navigate the real estate market this spring whether you are a first-time buyer, a retiree downsizing or someone who is relocating or looking for a second home.

https://m.wsj.net/video/20230424/93eb00e1-caf0-4e83-9fc7-b502a57dc546/1/hls/manifest-hd-wifi.m3u8

Pro Tips on Buying and Selling a Home

Reggie Fils-Aimé, former president and COO of Nintendo of America, joins Barron's deputy editor Alex Eule to discuss his unlikely rise to the top, and the risks he took once there to beat the odds and achieve success.

https://m.wsj.net/video/20220630/61e2296d-ab1a-4216-ae65-24676447c616/1/hls/manifest-hd-wifi.m3u8

How Nintendo's Former President Disrupted the Gaming Industry

2050 Wealth Planners co-CEO Lazetta Rainey Braxton, Sequoia Financial Planners vice president Elizabeth Scheiderer, and MoneyZen founder Manisha Thakor offer tips on how to prepare for recession, inflation, caregiving needs.

https://m.wsj.net/video/20220617/a71025ce-518b-49b9-b098-21417863f8ce/1/hls/manifest-hd-wifi.m3u8

Financial Advice for the Inflation-Weary

Families and advisors have a lot to navigate when it comes to generational wealth transfer. Add sustainable investing to the list. Examine strategies to help close the generational divide. From the Dow Jones Energy & Sustainability event series.

https://m.wsj.net/video/20230210/85cbf3f9-b5ab-4bfa-93c6-f8e8a247d386/1/hls/manifest-hd-wifi.m3u8

Sustainable Investing and the Wealth Transfer

Barron's Events

Level Up

Barron's Explains

Back to Business

Great Investors

MarketWatch

Video Center - Barron's home

Iran suspends ceasefire negotiations with the United States as airstrikes resume in the Middle East.  With threats of Iran to close the Strait of Hormuz, can a deal be reached on keeping it open? Plus, New York City mayor Zoran Mamdani breaks precedent and refuses to attend the city's annual Israel Day Parade, reflecting his own anti-Israel sentiments and similar opinions growing inside the Democratic Party. Photo: Christopher Arbisi

https://m.wsj.net/video/20260601/46392bf2-bffe-419f-8715-c73d5f4014cb/1/hls/manifest-hd-wifi.m3u8

Iran suspends ceasefire negotiations with the United States as airstrikes resume in the Middle East.  With threats of Iran to close the Strait of Hormuz, can a deal be reached on keeping it open? Plus, New York City mayor Zoran Mamdani breaks precedent and refuses to attend the city's annual Israel Day Parade, reflecting his own anti-Israel sentiments and similar opinions growing inside the Democratic Party.

WSJ Opinion: Iran Puts a Pause on Ceasefire Talks with the U.S.

The shooting resumes in the Middle East as Iran and the United States exchange fire over dueling claims of violating the ceasefire. And Iran puts talks with the US on pause because Israel continues to bomb Hezbollah targets in Lebanon, or at least that's their explanation. So, where does the war stand now? Much is up in the air. Plus, Mayor of New York City, Zohran Mamdani, breaks precedent and refuses to attend the city's annual Israel Day Parade in New York, up Fifth Avenue, as anti-Israel sentiment grows inside the Democratic Party.

From the Opinion Pages of The Wall Street Journal, this is "Potomac Watch."

Welcome to "Potomac Watch." I'm Paul Gigot with The Wall Street Journal Opinion Pages, and those are our subjects for today. And I am here with my colleague, Elliot Kaufman, who follows the war and the negotiations very closely. So, let's start there, Elliot. So, this back-and-forth volleying, it's happened now what, about three times, four times, in the last few days? And it threatens the cease fire each time, but doesn't break it down totally. And then, here on Monday, you get this big break from Iran saying, "Well, so we're calling the whole thing off, at least for now because Israel continues to bomb Hezbollah." But the question in my mind is: Is this what Israel, I mean, this is what Iran really wants, just to delay, delay, delay?

I think that's what it looks like, especially with the Lebanon arena, because you have Hezbollah, which is in Iranian proxy.

Right.

It started this war with Israel on March 2nd in defense of Iran, okay? Israel was not attacking Hezbollah. Hezbollah attacked Israel. And in recent days, recent weeks, despite a May 17th ceasefire, you've had Hezbollah firing a few dozen rockets per day at Israel and about 40 or 50 fiber-optic drones at Israel per day. So, this is not a sustainable situation, it's not a ceasefire. If Iran wants a ceasefire, it can tell Hezbollah, "Stop shooting."

Just give the orders and they'll follow it.

Instead, it's done the precise opposite. It has had Hezbollah escalate its fire on Israel so that when Israel says, "We're going to respond now in a larger way, so this doesn't keep on happening every day," Iran now says, "Well, how can we talk? The ceasefire's off, and we're gonna have to pause in exchange on all messages back and forth between negotiators." So, it really does seem orchestrated, and that's even putting aside Iran's quite aggressive attacks now on US forces, in the Gulf States, in the water, which happen every couple days now.

And Kuwait said it had been attacked by Iranian forces. And yet, the president of the United States says he's still optimistic that they can reach a deal here. He's got his negotiators going back and forth, or had been, until Iran said, "We're not gonna listen anymore." Back and forth with negotiations, leaks over the... Press leaks over the weekend suggested that the president had toughened the terms of the memorandum of understanding that the two sides are working on with particular focus on the nuclear program and Iran's commitments as part of the MOU to make commitments on the nuclear program. So, Trump's optimism is, I think, interesting in this context. I'm not quite sure why he is so optimistic, unless you think that he says every Sunday he comes out optimistic to keep the stock market up and the oil prices down.

He has been known to do that. But if so, it's not working this time. Oil prices are up after coming down last week. Now, US and Iran came quite close last week on a deal. That was real. We reported on Thursday that Iranian negotiators initialed a draft, what they thought was a final draft, and-

Of the MOU.

Of the MOU. And in the US' view, those initials signaled a process involving approval from the very top, Iran's supreme leader. However, we reported, Thursday, the US had introduced two changes to that draft in two areas. One was clarifying, no tolls being charged in the Strait of Hormuz. The other, like you said, on the nuclear front, about the timing of when this matter of Iran's enriched uranium would be resolved. We then saw, on Friday, something rather strange. President Trump was saying, "I'm gonna make my final call on this deal right now."

Right.

It didn't really make sense because Iran takes three to five days to respond to anything. The smallest change, it runs everything up the flagpole, drags it out. So, President Trump came out of that meeting and the word from the US was, "Actually, we haven't made a final call. We're still waiting." And then, over the weekend, we saw more reports of US changes. We'll have to see if those were the same changes as on Thursday or further changes. Either way, the timeline sort of makes sense that we're still waiting for an Iranian reply right now. And given that the US was trying to improve the deal from its side's view, Iran, right now, is trying to fight those changes, I would say. It may not want such a strong statement on tolls in the Strait on uranium-

Sure.

When it has to be handed over. And so I would read what's happening now, both the military attacks and the statements about let's leave negotiations, break it off, I would read that as part of this negotiating process, which, again, shows it can fall apart. And until you're absolutely there, all the progress that you've made close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades.

Well, it doesn't seem... I mean, it seems to me that another problem here is that it isn't clear who in the Iranian negotiating team, if you will, or the government, I guess more broadly defined, has the decision-making power. Because if the US is correct, that the Iranians gave their initials to the MOU, then you would think, "Oh, okay, then the regime has decided to agree to that." But we keep hearing these reports, and I think there's a lot to them, that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps faction is vetoing a lot of these negotiating positions that the Iranian negotiators take, and they just don't wanna agree, for example, particularly they do wanna charge a toll on the Strait, and they think they're in a strong position to be able to threaten to do that. Then, the second one, and this may be the most important from the Iranian point of view, I don't know where they... how much importance they put on it at this time, but historically they've put a lot of importance on the nuclear program. And they do have all of this enriched uranium, what is it, 900 pounds of it, something like that, that the UN Nuclear Agency has said Iran has. And it's enriched to 60%, which 20% and 5%. Now, the difference there is not as great as those numbers suggest, because even at 5%, you can move up that chain pretty fast.

Right.

But the point is that Trump wants this, he calls it nuclear dust because it's been bombed, but Trump wants it out, and I think rightly so. The Iranians don't want to give it up, and that's a huge point of contention. Not only about the pace of it, but will the US be allowed to supervise the withdrawal of it if the Iranians agree to get it out of the country? Or will the US and the IAEA be able to sit with the Iranians and watch it degraded so that it's no longer enriched? Those are huge questions, and we don't get the sense, at least I don't, that they've been settled at all in the minds of the Iranians.

Yes, so two things there. First, on the matter of who's actually speaking for Iran, we've seen this play out in the past just over the past months, where Iran's foreign minister twice announced the Strait of Hormuz will now be reopening, only to reverse course the next morning and say, "Actually, no, that's not happening." IRGC, Revolutionary Guard Corps, vetoed it.

Right.

So, that could well be happening. Now, we see a report, Iran's political leader, its president reportedly submitting a resignation that could be part of that, seeing that he can't actually get his own way here as a Revolutionary Guard.

We should say that that report comes from an anti-regime media source.

That's right, Iran International.

We can't independently confirm that.

Yes. And American negotiators think they have some confidence, feel some confidence that they are ultimately speaking with Iran's supreme leader here. However, the Israelis have no such confidence. And regularly, I hear from Israeli officials saying they don't know who they're talking to, and they could pull this out from you when you think you've had a deal. So, we'll see who's ultimately right about that. Now, on the question of enriched uranium, what the US is going for here is a statement, as part of this MOU, this sort of preliminary deal, saying that the sides have agreed to resolve this matter first in this 60-day period of talking-

But without any definition of what that resolution means.

And that's the issue. That sort of statement allows the American side to say, "They've agreed that they're going to give it up," but it allows the Iranian side to say, "No, we agreed that we're going to agree on something. That something could be giving it up or not giving it up." And so, the question becomes: Once you've moved into this second phase, when you have blockades ended, when maybe military threats become a little less realistic as time goes on, I would argue, does America still have the leverage to get the sort of nuclear concessions that it would be looking for in a second phase? So, that becomes a risk of the first phase as part of this MOU.

The president of the United States, Donald Trump, sent out a post on his Truth Social network saying, "Fake news CNN said today, routinely, that my Iran nuclear deal doesn't talk about nuclear when it, actually, it states very clearly, that Iran will not have a nuclear weapon." It then goes on in very strong and lengthy detail to discuss various other aspects of nuclear. In fact, that's what most of the agreement is about, the president posted. That doesn't provide a hell of a lot more clarity because, again, they have... Oh, Iran has always said, "We will not build a nuclear weapon." They were saying that under Obama, even as they proceeded to act like they are moving and act very strongly towards getting the capability to one, even if they didn't pass the actual threshold, they're getting very close. And that's the game, right? That is-

Exactly.

And so, this is the big problem for the president, I think, is he agrees to an MOU that has this general vague language without explicit promises of getting rid of a rich uranium, allowing sanctions to be... Not sanctions, allowing inspections to be on call by the IAEA and other strictures. Iran can go into negotiations for those 60 days, stretch it out, say, "Oh, we need another 30, we need another 30." And they're bad, I think, and it's not a bad bet will be that the president just does not have the stomach to resume the war that much closer to the midterm elections.

And I think that will be Iran's bet if it goes forward with this.

Right.

Now, it's still haggling over terms, but if it goes forward, that's what Iran is counting on. So, from the US perspective, where does that leave that first phase of the deal where both sides and their blockades, tankers start flowing, we hope. Iran could make life difficult for tankers there, restrict that flow, say, "Well, we haven't removed all the mines." Or, "Well, they can pass these ships, but only if they get our permission day by day, case by case," that would not be good. But if you get the Strait open, energy flows resumed once again, does that allow President Trump to walk away and say, "Okay, there's no nuclear deal resulting from it, but we'll sort of watch them, and if they move toward that underground stockpile, we'll bomb them once again." But this allows a way out or does he really press forward for this nuclear deal and say, "If Iran won't agree to what we've talked about generally, to what we've made clear we need, then military operations would have to resume, even 60 days on." It's a very tough call there.

It's a tough call for the president, I agree. And the first scenario you laid out, where the Strait would be open and nothing promised on nuclear, except for negotiating over it, we'll be criticized by many people as not a sufficient victory. President could claim it is a victory. I would say it's incomplete, although the nuclear capacity of Iran will have been and has been significantly degraded. And we could go back and bomb specifically that with Israel. The other problem the president has and the United States has right now is that you probably saw, Elliot, Chevron and Exxon both said that global supplies of oil are shrinking. And so, there could be real spikes in the oil press soon if we don't get more supply. And that's gotta be hanging over the president's calculations, too.

And it means that he has get ships through, and there have always been only a few ways. One of them is through a deal and that's what's being talked about. Another is sneaking them through, and the US has been doing some of that, actually. Reports are 70 vessels snuck through in the past three weeks.

Escorted by the US Navy.

Escorted, or guided, or given advice with transponders off making it through. Now, that's not zero, but it's also not the 100 and some vessels that would make it through every day pre-war. And the third option is reopening the Strait by force. And the US, other than for a, what was it, 36-hour period, has been unable or unwilling to do much of that. And if it does, meaning oil tankers can make it through and supply the world while Iran itself is still blockaded, that looks to me like checkmate, then all the time is on America's side. But it's a difficult mission.

It is, and it's not 24 hours. It would be two, three, four weeks of systematic attacks on Iranian forces on the shoreline. And on any fast boats and their ability to lay mine. So, it's an extensive operation and not one, obviously, without risks. All right, a lot in the air here. Sorry to our listeners, we can't be more definitive, but there we are. It is a very uncertain situation right now. All right, let's turn here into the program to Mayor Mamdani of New York saying ostentatiously, that he would not attend, and did not attend, the Israel Day Parade. This is a annual event in New York City. A lot of ethnic parades in the city, everybody has one, but the Israeli Parade is one of the bigger ones and politicians routinely attended this year. Former mayors, Adams and Bloomberg, were in attendance but not Mamdani. And let's listen to him explain why he would not attend, and followed by Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch with a rather pointed statement.

I said on the campaign trail that I wouldn't be attending the parade and I've made my views on the Israeli government abundantly clear. And I also said on that same campaign that I would have a responsibility as the mayor of the city to ensure the safety and security of each and every New Yorker. And I don't believe that my presence as the mayor should determine whether or not a New Yorker is safe or secure. That is something we take incredibly seriously.

No, it's the mayor's decision not to march and it is my decision to March proud.

I love that from Jessica Tisch. The good news is there were no violent incidents at the parade, thank heavens. But this is... And Mamdani's right, he did say, "I will not attend it," during the campaign. And yet, what you might do in a campaign is different once you win and represent the whole city. And the incredibly large Jewish population of New York has different views on Israel, for sure. That march was full of people who like Israel, but don't like the government of Israel, right? Benjamin Netanyahu. So there are people on both sides of that. And yet this was a celebration of Jewish American identity and the fact that they want the Jewish homeland to survive.

That's right, and like you said, there are all kinds of these parades in New York City. India Day Parade on the date of India's independence, there's a Puerto Rico Day Parade.

That's the big one.

Dominican Day Parade. And going to the India Day Parade doesn't mean you like the Modi government in India. You can support the Congress Party, it's not a big deal. It's a celebration, and I think with Jews, it's a basic expression of solidarity, you might say, with half of the world's Jews that live in Israel, have a Jewish state, are under attack. And I think where, where Mayor Mamdani's statements isn't telling the full story is when he says he's not going because he doesn't like the government. In truth, he's not going because he doesn't like the state itself, and he's made that abundantly clear.

"Globalize the Intifada," as he has said.

And I mean, after the... So, right after the October 7th attack, Mamdani, when he was a private citizen, a socialist organizer, not quite a private citizen, actually, a state assemblyman.

Yeah.

Made a statement blaming Israel for it, only blaming Israel, right after the massacre of 12,000 Israelis, mostly Jews. So, it's pretty clear where he stands. It's been the animating issue of his entire political life since he was in college that there should be no Israel, that Israel should be destroyed, eliminated, in some way. And so the fact that he didn't march, it makes perfect sense. I think that's what he thinks and that's who he is. And if he had been pressured in some way to stand there, to stand there and march, it wouldn't have been honest, in my view.

And yet, I think I disagree with you on that one, Elliot. Yeah, it might have been not in keeping with what he has believed, but he was a mayor of New York. He now is. There's a certain kind of obligation, I think. Representing all of the city's residents, that comes with that. And I think you're right, his animus, and I use that word advisedly towards Israel, and often I think manifests itself towards Jews who support Israel. And certainly, in the case of his wife, that animus has manifest many times in her statements. It's, I think, dangerous in the city. And you wonder, I'm glad nothing violent happened, but we have had episodes of antisemitism around the city that are concerning.

Yeah, and the police presence there was just overwhelming, and that's why there was nothing there.

A lot of overtime.

There could be nothing. Yeah, I agree with you on the point that it's dangerous, and I would just say it's who Mamdani is, and if it's dangerous, then his mayoralty is dangerous in that way.

Well, I think it is, and we'll see how it plays out. The New York Post put on its cover under the headline "Cycle of Hate," Mamdani again riding a cycle in one of the neighborhoods of the city while the parade was going on, and quoted him as saying on a radio talk show on the weekend that he loves the job so much he's already gonna run for reelection, and he's only been in the job, what, five months, six months? Five, a little more than five, so we have that to look forward to. All right, thank you Elliot, appreciate it. We are here every day on "Potomac Watch." Thanks for listening.

Political videos providing critical perspective and analysis that goes beyond the “what” of Donald Trump’s Washington, and also explains the “why.”