The Iran Conflict Quagmire w/ Abdullah Hayek | 1755

In this in-depth episode of Good Morning Liberty, host Josh Martins interviews Middle East analyst Abdullah Hayek to unpack the escalating conflict in Iran following the February 28, 2026 assassination of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in a joint U.S.-Israeli airstrike. Hayek argues that the operation backfired spectacularly: instead of collapsing the regime, Iran’s deeply layered security and governance structures proved resilient, triggering a regional war of attrition. Iran has since launched thousands of drones and missiles, primarily targeting Gulf Cooperation Council states—87% of strikes hit Gulf nations, not Israel—aiming to force the U.S. and Israel to halt the war by inflicting economic and infrastructural damage. However, contrary to Iranian expectations, Gulf leaders like Saudi Arabia’s Mohammed bin Salman and UAE’s Mohammed bin Zayed are pushing for more war, not less. Meanwhile, the U.S. lacks a clear strategic objective, with President Trump’s administration seemingly pursuing a slow-kill strategy through sanctions and air dominance rather than regime change. The Strait of Hormuz has become a critical flashpoint, with Iran threatening to close it, leveraging its control over key islands and deploying cheap, agile drones and submarines. Europe, frustrated by U.S. unilateralism, sees this as an opportunity to reassert influence, possibly by demanding Arab financial support for Ukraine in exchange for helping open the strait. The war in Lebanon has also intensified, with Israel preparing a full-scale invasion to dismantle Hezbollah, which Hayek describes as an Iranian extension, not a mere proxy. The episode concludes with a powerful call from Hayek for regional peoples to fight for their own liberty rather than rely on foreign powers, emphasizing that true freedom is earned through sacrifice, not bestowed by external actors.