Professor Marandi Discusses War from Inside Tehran

August 13, 2026

AI Summary

5 min read

In the midst of ongoing conflict, Iran’s foreign ministry has been engaged in high-level talks not with the United States, but with Oman. The deal on the table is a new security arrangement for the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow waterway through which a fifth of the world’s oil passes. Under the agreement, Iran will collect fees and exercise oversight over all ships entering and leaving the Persian Gulf. The United States pressured Oman to block the fee provision, but Iran made clear it would act alone if necessary, citing the strait as its territorial waters. The U.S. ultimately backed down, and Oman agreed. Yet the deal remains unannounced, and the strait remains effectively closed. The reason, according to Professor Marandi of the University of Tehran, is that nothing changes as long as the U.S. maintains its siege on Iranian ports and refuses to implement the commitments it signed in the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that ended the last round of fighting.

The collapse of trust in U.S. negotiating

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What you'll learn

1 (00:45) **Interview Introduction & Context** - Host Ben Meiselas introduces Professor Marandi from the University of Tehran, who was part of Iran's negotiating team.
2 (10:00) **Iranian Public Opinion Shift** - Professor Marandi describes how Trump's actions have unified Iranians against the US.
3 (14:02) **Iran's View of Trump's Behavior** - The professor explains that Trump's threats and posts have lost all relevance inside Iran.
4 (16:39) **Iran's Rising International Status** - Professor Marandi details how the war has elevated Iran's standing with other nations.
5 (20:06) **Daily Life in Tehran** - The professor describes a surprisingly normal, resilient city under siege.
6 (24:08) **Skepticism Toward Negotiations** - The professor explains why Iranians are deeply skeptical of any new talks with the US.
7 (31:56) **Outlasting Trump's Strategy** - The professor argues Iran will easily outlast Trump's siege warfare.

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Show Notes

MeidasTouch host Ben Meiselas reports on Iran’s response to the latest developments in the war and Meiselas interviews University of Tehran Professor Marandi to get his perspective from inside Tehran on the latest developments.

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