Donald Trump took the United States to war, and now he's trying to find a way out of it. That leaves Europe in a quandary, wanting to support its most powerful ally while keeping out of a war they reject. While NATO's secretary general says Trump is acting to keep the world safe, Spain's prime minister is speaking out loudly against the war, and Germany and Norway also have grave concerns. Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide joins from Oslo.  Also on today's show: Husam Zomlot, Palestinian Ambassador to the UK; Robert Pape, Political Science Professor, University of Chicago

Mar 25, 2026

While President Trump says he is "in the throes of a real possibility of making a deal" with Iran, leading indicators point to more war. Meanwhile, global oil prices are back above $100 a barrel, as the market sees no quick end to the conflict. Mehran Kamrava, Professor of Government at Georgetown University in Qatar, and Karen Young, senior research scholar at the Centre of Global Energy at Columbia, join the show to discuss.  Also on today's show: Mark Entwistle, Former Canadian Ambassador to Cuba; Jason Furman, Former Chairman, White House Council of Economic Advisers

Mar 24, 2026

President Trump has posted that the US and Iran have had talks regarding a "complete and total resolution of our hostilities in the Middle East" and is postponing military action against Iran's energy facilities for the next five days. Tehran denies any dialogue with Washington, dismissing Trump's claims as an attempt to lower energy prices. Marc Short served as Director of Legislative Affairs at the White House during Trump's first term and he joins the show to make sense of the US strategy in this war.  Also on today's show: Wolfgang Ischinger, Former German Ambassador to the US / Chairman, Munich Security Conference; Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor, Author & Professor, Princeton University

Mar 23, 2026

As the war rages on, the question is - what does victory look like for everyone involved? We begin with the Iranian view with former nuclear negotiator and diplomat Seyed Hossein Mousavian. Then, from the U.S., the Pentagon senior advisor turned whistleblower who is warning of a dangerous disregard for civilian casualties in Iran. Correspondent Jomana Karadsheh then takes us to the people on the ground, to hear from the Iranians caught between foreign bombs and a repressive regime. Then, Christi...Show moreane speaks to former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett about Israel's endgame in a war boosting Benjamin Netanyahu's popularity. From the archives, recalling the time Saddam Hussein miscalculated Iran's reaction to invasion and how the war forged the strategic mindset of the Islamic Republic. And finally, Iranians around the world mark Nowruz as war casts a dark shadow over celebrations. Air date: March 21, 2026 Guests: Seyed Hossein Mousavian Wes Bryant Naftali Bennett

Mar 21, 2026

"Not our war" is the message from America's top allies this week, after President Trump asked them to help secure the Strait of Hormuz. Many NATO allies view his war on Iran as illegal, and, coming from a President who just two months ago was threatening Greenland, the request fell on deaf ears. Meanwhile, America's enemies may see a the situation as an opportunity. As US Ambassador to China, Nicholas Burns witnessed Beijing's push for power up close, and he understands the complexity of America...Show more's diplomatic relations all too well. He was also US Ambassador to NATO, and he joined Christiane in London.  Also on today's show: former Pentagon analyst Wes J. Bryant; Michael Lynton & Joshua Steiner, authors of "From Mistakes to Meaning"

Mar 20, 2026

Arab and Islamic states are calling on Iran to cease attacks, while affirming their right to defend themselves under international law. This comes as the war in the Middle East becomes a war on energy, precipitated by Israel's attack on Iran's South Pars gas field on Wednesday, which is a crucial supply for the country. Oman's Foreign Minister, who brokered the recent nuclear talks, called this an "unlawful war" and the Trump administration's "greatest miscalculation," while US Defense Secretary...Show more Pete Hegseth says they're "on plan." Chuck Hagel was a Republican senator who served as US Defense Secretary under President Obama, and is also a decorated army veteran who fought in the Vietnam War. He joins the show from Washington.   Also on today's show: Ali Vaez, Iran Project Director, International Crisis Group; Sam Adler-Bell, Contributor, New York Magazine

Mar 19, 2026

Iran has vowed revenge for the killing of top security official Ali Larijani, who was taken out in an Israeli airstrike. Tehran has been ramping up attacks on Israel, with two pensioners killed in strikes on central Israel and almost 200 people hospitalized in 24 hours. Naftali Bennett served as Israel's Prime Minister until 2022 and joins the show to discuss what Israel's long term goal is.  Also on today’s show: Seyed Hossein Mousavian, Former Iranian diplomat/ Former Iranian nuclear negotiator; Edward Fishman, Author, “Chokepoints: American Power in the Age of Economic Warfare”

Mar 18, 2026

Iran's top security official has been "eliminated." That's according to Israel’s defense minister, who says Ali Larijani was killed in a targeted IDF strike. Larijani was one of Iran’s top decision makers, some calling him the de facto leader since the assassination of his former boss, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Larijani’s killing, if confirmed, plunges the nation, and its future, into even more uncertainty.  Correspondent Jomana Karadsheh reports on the people caught between foreign bombs and a re...Show morepressive regime.  Also on today's show: Karim Sadjadpour, Senior Fellow, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace; former Afghan lawmaker Fawzia Koofi; Heidy Khlaaf, Chief AI Scientist, AI Now Institute

Mar 17, 2026

A growing energy crisis is sending oil prices soaring around the world. President Trump has been calling on US allies to assist in unblocking the Strait of Hormuz, but no countries have agreed to help. To assess the NATO response and the prospects of a military solution to unblocking the Strait, former Deputy Supreme Allied Commander Europe, Richard Shirreff, joins the show.  Also on today's show: Mohamed El-Erian, Chief Economic Adviser, Allianz / Professor at the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania; Andriy Zagorodnyuk, Former Ukrainian Defense Minister; Kenneth Vogel, Reporter, The New York Times

Mar 16, 2026

Starting a war is easier than ending it, as they say, so two weeks after the US and Israel struck Iran, what is the exit strategy? Christiane Amanpour asks Elliott Abrams, Trump's former special representative for Iran. And as the war spills across the Middle East, Lebanon's Justice Minister Adel Nassar joins the program on his difficult mission to rein in the powerful militia group Hezbollah. Then, a report on the Iranian cluster missile attacks that are shaking Israelis. Plus, a look at the in...Show morener workings of the Iranian regime with experts Maryam Alemzadeh and Mostafa Daneshgar. And from the archives, we bring you exclusive footage acquired by CNN in the 1980s, and the story of a 17-year-old boy recruited by Iran's paramilitary group the Basij to act as a human minesweeper. Air date: March 14, 2026   Guests: Elliott Abrams      Adel NassarMaryam Alemzadeh & Mostafa Daneshgar

Mar 14, 2026