The Duran Podcast - Q & A: Fractured Iran or fractured Trump?

Episode Date: April 26, 2026

Q & A: Fractured Iran or fractured Trump?

All right, Alexander, let's answer the questions from the live stream with Robert Barnes. And let's start things off with Nikos, a four-part question. For months, I've been saying that Orban will lose, and I've been called by you and others a pessimist and an alarmist. No, actually, I'm a realist. I knew that we'd stay inside for years during the start of COVID. I knew that Mitsodakis would be reelected because I understand human behavior. In truth, people are lazy. They want to serve and are willing to fight to fight Russia because they hate them.

Hungarians showed their true colors. They chanted Russians, go home with pride as if Russia did anything to them. So no, I don't have any sympathy for them. They chose war over peace. Well, I'm not sure that we ever were saying, you know, that Orban was certain to win. I mean, obviously it's been a changing situation, but I don't recall that we ever were as categorical about Orban's prospects as that, not remotely, in fact. In fact, we thought there was a chance that he would lose. I don't think this election was about Russia, and I don't think it was about his politics and his policies.

if you look at surveys within Hungary itself, in the case of Hungary, Orban's policies are still popular. Orban himself lost support for a number of reasons. Firstly, the EU made absolutely certain that the Hungarian economy would have various problems. So there's been periods of high inflation, there's been recessions, there's been those things that's obviously had an effect. It always does. Secondly, there's been corruption allegations.

The EU and its followers are always very good at using corruption allegations against people, which, if you know anything about the EU, is truly astonishing because to say it straightforwardly, the EU was the great source of corruption in Europe today. But they always managed to somehow turn it around. And Orban was undoubtedly affected by that. And I get to say something else. There's always, when a government has been in power for as long as Orban's has been, there's usually a pendulum swing.

People get tired. They want to try out something new. There's this new, attractive, younger, good-looking leader who's charismatic and all of that. So they went for him. Now, I think it's a mistake. I think it's not going to turn out well for Hungary at all. But there's one other thing I really do want to push back on. Hungarians saying Russians go home.

Well, I've not seen that myself anywhere. But that makes absolutely no sense whatsoever. because if you're talking about the Russian army, they have no presence in Hungary today. I mean, they withdrew from Hungary decades ago. And Russia isn't a big player economically in Hungary, except in the absolutely critically important energy sector, which Marguer says, at least campaigned in the election that he wanted to preserve. China has a significant footprint in Hungary.

but not Russia. Iranian Kido says Glad Orban lost. There needs to be fewer right-wing populist grifters who milk religion and incidiary issues just to get collected. I don't think, again, I don't think this is fair. I think that if you're talking about realities of Hungary, and bear in mind, Alex and I went there, it came across to us, I think it's fair to say, as a very well-run place with a government that was very rational and very much in control.

role. Yes, O'Bahn was a Christian, and that no doubt played a role in forming much of his politics. But don't vote for somebody, against somebody because he's religious. Vote for or against somebody on the basis of his record. And Orban's record overall was a good. good one. Now, I can vouch to that. I have Hungarian friends. I know the absolutely dreadful state that Hungary was in when he became prime minister. And he put it together again. Haroko, thank you for that. Super sticker. Nikos four-part question. This attitude towards Russia is seen throughout Europe. People hate them and they will go toward. Do you see any protests about the 90 billion loan.

Stanislav Kaprivnik is repeatedly suggesting that Russia should restore deterrence by attacking Estonia. He thinks that Europe won't intervene. He doesn't understand human behavior. Europe will defend Estonia with Finland being the first to intervene. There was never any deterrence. I've been saying over and over that World War III is inevitable because people in Europe are willing to cause a nuclear war because of their hatred and to preserve. of primacy, but I guess I am an idiot alarmist. Well, you're not an idiot, and you're not an alarmist,

and if you listen to the political class in Europe, in Germany, in Britain, in France, I mean, you would be absolutely right to think the way that you do. Below the surface, and not very far below the surface, I don't think that is the case at all. I mean, I don't think many people in Europe like Russia very much at the moment, not because they have any particular reason not to like Russia or to dislike Russia. It's because, well, they are exposed relentlessly to this propaganda, and of course it has an effect. But the moment we start to move from there to a point of actually fighting the Russians, well, it changes. decisively. And I mean, Germany and Britain, which are the two countries, which I know best,

I could say absolutely categorically that if it came to a question of a war with Russia, you would not find many people, especially many young people, willing to sign up for it. So you cannot fight wars without armies. And in Europe, we don't have any, to all practical terms. Haberster, thank you for that super chat. Abiding 71. Alexander, you mocked Iran before the war for not accepting or relying more on help from Russia. How's that working out for the GCC countries relying on America? Well, first of all, I never mocked.

I never mocked Iran. I always said that I understood very well why the Iranians took the position that they did, that that they prize their independence, that they do things their own way, and that they have very good reasons, very, very good historical reasons to be very suspicious of the Russians. So the word mock is completely wrong. I thought it was a mistake, but that's a completely different thing to say that I mock them. As for the GCC, I mean, I think you're absolutely right. I mean, things have turned out disastrously for them.

They relied on an American guarantee that has proved worthless. In fact, even people in government now in the UAE and in Saudi Arabia are talking about this. And there's a very, very prominent commentator in the UAE who's widely believed to be closely connected to the government, who is now coming out openly and saying that the American basis in the Persian Gulf, far from providing protection, were on the contrary, a security risk for the countries that hosted them. So, you know, it's turned out absolutely otherwise. So, you know, that is the reality. I did not predict that. I did not predict that the war would play out in exactly the way that it has done. If you go back to our commentary, Alex's commentary and mine before the war, we specifically

said that if Iran survived the first few weeks, the balance of advantage would turn in its favor. K. Trimbuck says, where are the moderators? Okay, Trimbock. They were with us. They were with us. They were with us. They were with us.

from Zareel, Robert, explain to us how Trump wanted to drain the swamp again by surrounding himself with Dung, just saying. Well, there you go, I'm in. Okay. From Elza, as if you had known about the latest resignation, we will surely talk about with Robert Barnes. Yeah. Well, we did talk about it.

Yes. From Nikos, a four-part question. Now let's look at Russia's behavior. These people are spoiled. They whine about their attacks, but they don't accept the measures to stop them. Since telegram was slowed down, the effectiveness of Ukrainian terror attacks has gone to zero, yet they still whine about how they don't have telegram. The only focus on the Ukrainian attacks on Russia, they keep saying strike Europe, but this is war,

and there are consequences they don't consider. Europe is willing to turn Moscow into Dresden. So at this point, I hope those keyboard warriors get what they're asking for. They can be like Iran. I think, again, I think you're being unfair here. I mean, first of all, the overall impression I'm getting is that, you know, the telegram thing has been very unpopular and very unpopular with many, many people. But it's not, it's very far from being a case of people whining or giving up or anything

of that kind. And by the way, for the record, I think slowing down telegram undoubtedly is affecting the Ukrainians and their ability to coordinate in Russia, but it's not ended it entirely. And there are reports this morning of another attempted assassination in Russia, which has just been foiled. So, you know, there's still some activity of that kind. And don't assume that, you know, simply slowing telegram down is going to have an effect. But you must always remember the historical context. You're talking about a society which within a very recent living memory, there was sweeping information control. And the Russians have come to prize very much their ability to say what they think, and to do so on platforms that are independent of the government. So even when it happens

in what you might describe as a reasonable cause or good cause, when the government comes along and says you can't use these platforms anymore, people are nervous, people are very worried and people are very concerned, and they're probably right to be, actually. You should never entrust any government with sweeping information control. And I don't think the Russian government here is any different. I would regard the fact that there has been protest and push back against it as a good sign and a sign that Russian society has indeed matured and gained in confidence and is now able to assert itself.

J.J.HW says, does Robert think there will be global famine due to the lack of fertilizer? He answered that question. answered that. Elza says Trump sounds like the discombobulator is stored in the Oval Office and someone forgot to turn it off. True. No. Nikos says, I am glad that Alex has started to see my way of thinking that the West doesn't stop, not in Iran or Ukraine, because they are willing to use nukes. Since Russia and Iran aren't willing to use them, they have to go through these wars of attrition. We shouldn't blame them. They didn't start this. Well, I mean, if I may say so, just as well that we have sanity on the other side.

But what have we always said about the neocons in the West, who are in the ascendant, in Washington, and Brussels? They have no reverse gear. We said this many times. Yeah. Sherry Crombest, thank you for that super sticker. From Lee, Lee, NYC. So Trump is demented.

Now what do we do? We talked about that. We talked about that at length, yeah. At length. Nikos also asks about Putin's approval. We talked about that at length. Casey O'Brien says as a delusioned Trump voter, the only defense in the conversation I have is if Kamala was president.

We talked about that too. Sir Muz game says, hey, why no Viva? Me like Viva. We like me too. This is the du rap. Chris Collier, thank you for that super sticker. Nico says, I finish my top 20 worst people who ever lived list. I searched through hundreds of names, so I'm interested in your thoughts.

I sent it to telegram. Okay, we'll look at it. We'll look at it. I'll try to find it on telegram. Yes. The Duran telegram? Or my telegram, Alex, telegram? Okay.

That would help us find it easier. No. Pasha Moyer says one possible path in all of this is if Vance becomes president before the end of Trump's term. Robert answered that. Salim says, seems Trump completely wrecked the GCC dynamics, as before it seemed like it was heading to working relationship, but now the rivalry is dangerous. Yes.

Elza says, is there a rescue pilot if no one has seen him? I thought that was a brilliant question, by the way. I thought that was a brilliant question. Nico says, and that's it. These were my last fumes and gift to you, but it's worth it. Thank you for reading my comments and both of you, be well, my fellow. We're always grateful for your comments and we hope all is well with you. Alex Fonoff says, problem is Trump wants a deal.

The rest of the world wants a treaty. It's not a bad, but it's a good point actually. Sir Mousgames says... He should stop talking about deals all the time. Not that he ever will, of course. But deals is completely the wrong way to frame this kind of thing. Sir Muggan says, the Imam Khomeini funeral saw the greatest gathering of humans in history, estimated 10 million.

The footage is mind-blowing. It was overshadowed by Tiananmen Square. Yeah, I know. It was mind-blowing, but don't assume that massive turnout in a funeral necessarily is going to shape the future of a particular country. I remember the similar, the vast numbers of people that came out in Egypt on the occasion of Gamal Nasser's funeral in 1971. The footage is every bit as impressive. And then within just a few years, within three years, Egypt completely reversed policy. It completely went back on what NASA did, aligned with the United States, and well, we all know what the history was. Raul Pinto says, what is the likelihood that the current Iranian ceasefire remains stable

throughout the conclusion of the FIFA World Cup? We answered that. We did. Hayes-Grace Tide says your opinion on what happens if hostilities resume and the Houthis get involved. Well, I think at that point we're going to see a massive surge in energy prices and the whole crisis is going to get a whole order of magnitude worse. Sir Mug's game says that generation is still in charge.

but on its way out to replace by a more interesting generation that are not martyrs. Where are you referring to, to Iran? Iran, Iran, I imagine, yeah. Yeah, I'm sure that's right, actually. I mean, this is what the people who are leaving the scene, the people who have been killed, Ali Hamana, Lajani, people like that, they are the revolutionary generation, the people who were young and active in people. politics of the 70s who carried out the Islamic Revolution of 1979. The people who are coming up now are an entirely different generation of people, different, differently educated, and the product of a very different society from pre-1979,

Iran. Raul Pinto says, no, we answered that on FIFA. Sir Muggem says, as we all know, the US and Israelis love martyrs. They love them to death. Next-Gen Iran leaders are a really interesting mix of thinkers. Yeah, absolutely. I mean, I would say something. I was reading an article in Unheard, which is a center-left magazine in the UK, which is not

sympathetic to Iran at all, just to make that very clear. But they were pointing out that, you know, education is at a very high standard in Iran that the Iranian students constantly score highly in the various international rankings and competitions amongst school students. University education is at a high standard. And science education is at a very high standard indeed in Iran. So it's an educated, widely educated and deeply educated society. And, well, we'll see how it, you know, what happens?

and how it plays out. Sir Muggeyme says like the man in Antigonish, Trump is haunted by the man he once was and exhibits all the traits of a guilty conscience. You are an expert in ancient Greek history, the history of the Diodo, he just said. Eliot says the sad truth is based on the trajectory of the past. Israel is less and less likely to be strained,

and if the whole world hurts, They don't care at all, so they will not let this end. You know, this is unfortunately true. I get the sense that in Israel, they are absolutely obsessed with themselves. And they don't think in terms of the wider effects of what they do, even though they should because those wider effects impact on Israel also. In the old days, in the days of Ben-Gurion, and Galdemair and people of that kind,

they absolutely did take much more interest in what was going on in the wider world because they understood that it is a small country. Israel had to think about those things, but they don't anymore. The Mighty Cutie says, what was the imperialist's original plan after the JCPOA? I don't believe for a second

they considered the Iran matter settled and done with until Trump came along and threw the deal away. There is a huge amount of debate about the thinking and the intentions behind the JCPOA. For the record, what I think it was all about was an attempt by the Obama people to basically establish a kind of presence in Iran, perhaps an US embassy there, in order to eventually achieve regime change in Iran, to change the politics, the internal politics of Iran. Iran by backing the people who were perceived in the West as being the reformers, people

like Hatami and Rubani and all of those. All of those. So I think it was a power play and a regime changed power play, and the intention was to get Iran on side so as to provide an alternative if gas and oil supplies to Europe, which would replace Russia, but any Iran that was friendly to the West, it didn't work out that way for all sorts of reasons, both domestic and external. Michael in Taiwan says, I'm tired of people saying China will use the crisis to take Taiwan. Can you say anything to put this clap trap to rest?

Robert, Robert does that way. Lee, Lee, NYC says, again, now what? Well, indeed. Empire, we are, says, come on, DJT is the most self-aggrandizing political figure in my lifetime bar none. Well, I mean, he's rhetoric. The images that he's been posting of himself are just unbelievable. And they basically beg questions about his stability. And well, you know, we all heard what Robert had to say about that. J.J.H.W. says, I think he should be renamed Rubio Who? Well, yes. Sir Mug's game says, every nation is supposed to have a

90-day oil reserve. China has 180 plus days. Yes, winners like the UK and India have seven days. Yes, and I said, the word I've heard is that in Britain it's two days, two. Sir Buggeam says it's funny just when Iran needed a cash ejection. Along comes the U.S. to attack it and all goes through the roof. Iran and the U.S. win bigly and Israel gobbles up more land. blessed be the prophet. Well, I don't think that is how it's, I don't think it was the plan.

I mean, first of all, I don't see how the US is winning. I mean, I see no sign that this is playing out well for the US. I would listen to all the things that Robert was saying. And as for Israel, Israel gains more land where and to what purpose and what end. This isn't turning out well for them at all as far as that. I can see. Alex Glan says, may sanity regain the throne? Iranian kiddo says Vance went on national TV and defended the war.

Robert answered that. Yeah, he did, yeah. Sir Mugg's game says Cuba is not interested in copying the Ukraine, its futures with the U.S., just working out who's going to be a billionaire in Cuba after the U.S. saves it. You know, I think that there is some truth to this. I think there are plenty of people in Cuba who are thinking exactly that way. including allegedly one of Castro's grandchildren. So, you know, that is still in play.

I think what tilted decision-making in Cuba was that Rubio's demands was so extreme that the political class there said to themselves, it's not that he wants to win us over, it's that he wants to push us aside. So they said, well, look, let's accept what the Russians are giving us. And at least at the moment, that will keep the Americans a bit of bay. And then maybe, maybe in time we can go back and have a further discussion. And maybe we can't to deal with them. But for the moment, I mean, their demands are just excessive.

And I'm sure we all heard that there was an American delegation that actually arrived. in Havana, apparently planned for before the Russian oil tankers started to arrive. And apparently the discussions didn't go well. Commander Crossfire says, Bet Ethiopia's new grand dam is paying off big time. I wouldn't be surprised, but I mean, I won't pretend I know much about this. Aladamaro says, unfortunately, Vance sided with Trump in his feud, in his feud against a faith leader of Catholic

like the church. We discussed that one. Robert answered that. J.K.H.W. says, as Assange said, the point is to keep the war and weapons money flowing, not winning the war. Again, I can't quite believe this. Yes, some people in the military industrial complex in the U.S. making an awful lot of dollars out of this.

But at the same time, they've been embarrassed and exposed in ways that they've never been up to now. And questions are being asked about them. And at the very least, that is going to make them uncomfortable. And if we have a bigger economic crisis, well, everybody's affected, including the military industrial complex. Bear in mind, if there is a major economic crisis, tax revenue falls, in the United States, price of debt increases. The government then has to cut back. Inevitably, it's going to have to spend less on weapons, just saying.

Sir Muzgames says Pope Leo blessed a huge ball of ice for climate change. Maybe that's why Trump has contempt for him. Possibly. I just to quickly say, I don't like making comments about the leader of a church. different from my own. I mean, there are political aspects to this feud between Trump and Leo, which obviously we can talk about. But Leo's actions are another issue, which I'm and doctrinal and religious issues, that I prefer not to get drawn into. Klaus Battena says, do we know more about the nuclear code incident?

No, we don't. But notice that that Robert said over the course of the program that he could, that he had definite information that corroborated Larry Johnson's reports about it. From I Love Truth, what about conspiracies about Trump being compromised by the Israeli lobby and some agencies with Epstein files? We talked about that, yeah. Sir Mugscape says, you got it wrong. The empire is just starting, not ending.

The last 80 years, just prologue. Again, I struggle to see how that can be true, actually, at this time. The question is not whether it ends, it's how it ends. Does it end in an orderly way which will put the U.S. in a position where it can move forward or does it end in a chaotic, disastrous way, which would be very bad, not just for the U.S., but for everybody? Iranian Quito says that jet was shot down in Laudestan region of Iran. Asfahan is far away. Story doesn't add up.

Yes, I think we are all in agreement with you. Alex Davy Duke says, great to have Robert and the Duran together. Always the best analysis, especially Robert. Always gives a touch of hope. Thank you guys. The Mighty Cutie says, speaking of which, can't believe there's not a Cold War-style boy.

of the World Cup or the Olympics? Well, I should say I am not in favor of boycotts and I'm not favor of excluding athletes or sports people for sports competitions. I want to make that absolutely clear. I am not surprised that it is not happening. And to be frank, I am glad that it is not happening. Just saying. Monty 105 says, how big of an influence Does Silicon Valley have on the American Army?

When I read Alicarp's 22-point Manifesto, it literally made my skin crawl. Robert answered that one, you. Blippy Bloppy Loops says, Alexander, why would Iran give up the toll booth? Oh, how? There is no other way to get reparations and making money off tolls is an incentive to keep it open. I'm not saying that they would want to. I think they will fight for it or rather argue for it as much as they can. But my simple point is that if the Chinese and the Russians insist that they give it up as part of an overall deal with the United States, that is going to be pressure that Iran would find it very, very difficult to withstand.

Iranian-Kito says the Vance curse is deadlier than Zelensky curse. He caused Orban an election and the Pope literally died the day he met him. I don't think Orban lost because of Vance. I think Orban lost for many reasons, but in large measure because of Donald Trump. We discussed it in a program we did about the election. Sir Mug's game says Alex ever considered swapping the Aussie flag for a kangaroo on the Duran logo. Any chance of some Duran beach towels this summer? It's a good idea. Yeah, it's a good idea, actually.

Sir Mug's game says in 1933, Hitler, Stalin, Trotskyykiy, Tito and Freud all lived and worked within close proximity of each other in Vienna. That coincidence, me thinks not. No, he's not a coincidence. Vienna at that time, in the late 19th and early 20th century is a very, very strange place. I say strange place. It was a place where lots of things were going on and all sorts of people were meeting. Some of it was, you know, quite brilliant.

Some of it was very, very strange. I mean, you know, there's all sorts of things. In a certain novel, for example, called Venus in Furs, was being written there at the same time. Just so. Iranian Kido says China would do anything to avoid facing the U.S. directly. That's just not the kind of people they are. They want to make their money through economic growth,

or is Uncle Sam's game. I think I answered that one over the course of the program. Elsa says China versus the EU's energy diversification, oh boy. The Dark Horse says, working on building a huge data center, half an hour from Chattanooga. The money's great, but the morals are conflicting. Tori Nivas says,

you all previously talked positively about how Russia uses war as an extension of politics to criticize Trump when he does it. We discuss that too. Cactus Ray, thank you for that super sticker. And from locals, from USA Now, Glenn is fleeing Norway.

We're planning to move because it's important. possible to work here too many government NGOs, government journalists. It's not a good environment anymore for intellectual pluralism and freedom of speech. Interesting. I can hear, I hasn't tell me about that. Yeah. All right. That's everything. That's everything. Thank you to everyone for other questions. Take care. Absolutely.