Nearly three months after the Iran war began, there is a ceasefire, but no settlement. The Strait of Hormuz remains a global pressure point, Iran’s nuclear programme is unresolved, and Donald Trump is still demanding progress. But the biggest question may be inside Tehran. After war, assassinations and stalled diplomacy, power appears to be shifting away from the clerics and towards the Revolutionary Guards. Has the West weakened the Islamic Republic or helped make it harder to deal with? Patrick and Tom speak to Iran analyst Alex Vatanka about the rise of the IRGC, the myth of division inside Tehran, and what comes next. Hosts: General Sir Patrick Sanders and Tom Newton Dunn Guest: Alex Vatanka, Senior Fellow at the Middle East Institute Producer: Shabnam Grewal Executive producer: Fiona Leach, Priyanka Deladia Image: Getty Get in touch: generalandjournalist@thetimes.co.uk 00:00 – Ceasefire Stalemate & Leaked Intelligence 02:06 – Alex Vatanka's Formative Years 03:59 – Western Misconceptions of Iran 07:07 – The IRGC Inner Core 11:50 – Factional Splits Inside the Guard 14:21 – Public Sentiment on the Street 17:13 – Blockade & the Resistance Economy 29:01 – Narrow Terms for a Deal #iranwar #irgc #straitofhormuz #tehranpolitics Read the best of our journalism: https://www.thetimes.com/ Listen live to Times Radio: https://www.thetimes.com/radio/live Subscribe to The Times and The Sunday Times YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/subscription_center?add_user=timesonlinevideo Find us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/timesandsundaytimes/ Find us on X: https://x.com/thetimes Find us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thetimes/