About this podcast
Tough decisions rattle us all to the core. But for our guests on One Decision— the choices they are up against can also shape history. No pressure! They take us through all of their doubts, emotions and—sometimes unexpected--consequences.
A fresh take on foreign policy.
Hear the former head of Mi6, Sir Richard Dearlove alongside international journalists as they analyse, interview, and discuss.
Episodes
The newest 50 of 392 episodes
- How Iran Outlasted Trump | Trita Parsi · 58 minWill Trump make a deal with Iran, escalate, or walk away? Trita Parsi, co-founder and Executive Vice President of the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft, puts the odds…
- Israel Is Preparing for War With Iran. Will Trump Back It? | Ex-IDF Intel Chief Tamir HaymanTamir Hayman · 1 h 0 minIsrael is preparing for another war with Iran, and the decision rests with Donald Trump. Major General Tamir Hayman, former head of Israeli military intelligence, says Israel is…
- Trump Will Hit Iran After the Midterms. It's His Way Out | Ian Bremmer · 53 minWill Trump strike Iran after the 2026 midterm elections, and is a wider war his way out of lame-duck weakness? Eurasia Group founder and president Ian Bremmer explains why the…
- Who Is Really Running Iran Now? (w/ Karim Sadjadpour) · 53 minEight months into the US-Iran war, the Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) have taken control of Iran, the Strait of Hormuz remains a flashpoint, and Trump faces a decision — before and…
- OpenAI Could Go Bust by Summer, Says Financial Expert Sebastian Mallaby · 1 h 2 min#OpenAI #AI #ArtificialIntelligence Thank you to Incogni for sponsoring. Get 60% off the annual plan with code onedecision at https://incogni.com/onedecision OpenAI says it…
- Japan Is Rearming. Will It Build the Bomb? (w/ Ian Buruma) · 52 min#Germany #Japan #Rearmament Thank you to Incogni for sponsoring. Get 60% off the annual plan with code onedecision at https://incogni.com/onedecision For more than half a…
- Mohamed El-Erian: America Is Exporting Its Debt Crisis · 54 minWar with Iran, record diesel prices, and a global bond sell-off: how much more can the world economy take? Mohamed El-Erian (Wharton, Allianz, former CEO of PIMCO) joins Sir…
- Iran Is Draining America’s Missile Defenses (w/ Paul Scharre, Former US Army Ranger) · 1 h 3 minBetween cheap-to-produce drones and artificial intelligence, the future of warfare may already be here. Paul Scharre, former US Army Ranger and executive vice president of the…
- Is Iran Secretly Building a Bomb at Pickaxe Mountain? A Nuclear Physicist Answers (w/ Ali Vaez) · 1 h 1 minIsrael and the US may have extraordinary intelligence on Iran. But intelligence isn't the same as comprehension, according to nuclear physicist and 2015 Iran deal negotiator Ali…
- How Real Is Netflix's The Diplomat? Ex-MI6 Chief Fact-Checks It (w/ Creator Debora Cahn) · 44 minDebora Cahn, the writer behind The Diplomat, Homeland, The West Wing, and Grey's Anatomy, joins Kate McCann and Sir Richard Dearlove to talk about writing political drama in an…
- Inside the CIA and MI6 on 9/11 (w/ John McLaughlin, CIA Deputy Director on September 11th) · 1 h 9 minPart Two of our two-part series marking the 25th anniversary of 9/11 reunites former leaders of the US and UK intelligence services, both of whom were in high office on September…
- The Lessons of 9/11 & the Global War on Terror (w/ Peter Bergen, who Interviewed Bin Laden) · 1 h 7 minIn 1997, Peter Bergen found himself in the mountains of Afghanistan, face-to-face with al-Qaeda founder Osama bin Laden. During the ensuing landmark interview, bin Laden…
- Why the US Lost in Afghanistan (w/Jon Lee Anderson, the Journalist Who Saw the Taliban Rise Twice) · 1 h 4 minIt has been five years since the US withdrew its forces from Afghanistan in August 2021, accepting defeat after a 20-year presence in the country. Was this ever a winnable war?…
- MI6 Spymaster: Was Israel Serious About Regime Change in Iran? (Ft. Ronen Bergman & Mark Mazzetti) · 1 h 1 minHow did a Holocaust-denying, hardline former president of Iran become the centerpiece of an Israeli plan to topple the regime in Tehran? Former head of MI6 Sir Richard Dearlove…
- Putin's Russia, Ukraine's Reparations (ft. Jamison Firestone) | German Spies, Iceland-EU, Iran · 1 h 17 minVladimir Putin promised Russia a "dictatorship of law" when he took office in 2000. He delivered the dictatorship -- but not the law. This week, Russia expert, human rights…
- CIA Under Trump (ft. Tim Weiner) | China’s UK Spy Nest, US to Squeeze Cuba, Russia Tests NATO · 1 h 13 minWhat role do intelligence services play under a president that does not heed their advice? That’s one of the questions Pulitzer Prize–winning reporter Tim Weiner posits in his…
- Russia-Ukraine War Ground Truth (ft. Analyst Michael Kofman) | Swedish Spies, Iran Pause, AI Fears · 1 h 8 minIs the Russian military actually losing ground, or adapting faster than Western allies realize? Fresh off a tour of the Ukrainian front lines, Senior Fellow in the Russia and…
- US-China AI Race (ft Gina Raimondo), Kyiv Shakeup, Kash to Moscow, Saudi Nuclear Deal, Iran Update · 45 minAI models in the United States may be ahead of China’s in terms of capability, but China far surpasses America in adoption and use. That’s what former US Secretary of Commerce…
- Iran's War Plan (ft. Vali Nasr), Burnham In, Fedorov Out, Japan's New Spy Agency, China's AI Grab · 1 h 4 minProfessor Vali Nasr argues that the single objective that's driven Tehran since 1979 has been defending its independence from the US. Author of Iran’s Grand Strategy, Nasr says…
- Ukraine: Economic Powerhouse (ft Chrystia Freeland), PM Burnham, Iran Stalemate, China's PLA Shakeup · 1 h 7 minIn recent months of the war, Ukraine has managed to hold its front lines and bring war to regular Russians via attacks on infrastructure. That’s why Economic Advisor to the…
- World Cup Geopolitics (ft. Simon Kuper), Trump’s Spy List, Burnham’s Devolution, Nord Stream Case · 1 h 8 minFootball can be geopolitics by other means. Financial Times Journalist Simon Kuper has covered every World Cup since 1990. This week, he joins Sir Richard Dearlove and guest…
- NATO Summit Preview (ft. Julianne Smith and Wess Mitchell), Five Eyes on China, Iran Talks Stall · 1 h 10 minPresident Donald Trump has continued his pressure campaign on European defense spending. But in the lead-up to the next NATO Summit, there is another core question to ask: How is…
- Hormuz Reality Check (ft. Energy Expert Helima Croft), Starmer Out, Ukraine Hits Back, Brexit at 10 · 1 h 2 minIn the wake of the United States’ MOU with Iran, the headlines have been chock-full of optimism. Sir Richard Dearlove and guest co-host Sabrina Singh sit down with Helima Croft…
- The Cuba Conundrum (ft. Ricardo Zúñiga), US-Iran Deal, UK Defense Secretary Quits, Armenia Looks West · 57 minThe man who secretly negotiated with Cuba for the Obama Administration says it plainly: the risk of military intervention is quite high. Ricardo Zúniga breaks down why the U.S…
- The Critical Minerals Race (ft. CSIS Expert Gracelin Baskaran), Poland's Defense Surge, and Hungary After Orbán · 1 h 6 minThe minerals inside your phone, your car, and U.S. fighter jets almost all pass through one country: China. Dr. Gracelin Baskaran, founding director of the Critical Minerals…
- Bellingcat Founder Eliot Higgins on the War for Truth in the Age of Slopaganda · 1 h 11 minThe Iran conflict contains dueling narratives. Iran says it repelled the attack. Israel says it decimated the nuclear program. The US says it brokered peace. So, how do you find…
- Losing Sight of Iran's Revolutionary Character Has Cost the West, ft. IISS Expert John Raine · 55 minWith Ayatollah Khamenei’s demise occurring hours into the war, the West anticipated a collapse of the Iranian regime and a popular uprising that never came to be. Is a…
- The Undersea Contest for Control of the Global Economy, ft. Journalist Samanth Subramanian · 1 h 2 min95 percent of global internet traffic travels through underwater fiber optic cables. They've never been more vulnerable. In this episode of One Decision, former MI6 Chief Sir…
- Former White House China Advisor on What Beijing Really Wants from Trump Summit · 51 minAll eyes are on Beijing as President Trump meets with President Xi Jinping for the first US presidential visit to China in nine years. This week, Sir Richard Dearlove and guest…
- After Maduro: Who's Running Venezuela Now? · 60 minVenezuela's leader Delcy Rodríguez has no constitutional legitimacy, by any standard, including Chavismo's own rules, according to lawyer-turned-journalist Raul Stolk. So who is…
- US Senator on How Putin is Playing Trump, China's Quiet Win, and King Charles in DC · 52 minHas the divisive rhetoric of President Trump’s administration irrevocably changed America’s reputation in the eyes of its allies and adversaries? Former head of MI6 Sir Richard…
- The Iran Upheaval Has Unraveled a Decade of Indian Foreign Policy · 59 minAs Pakistan steps into its role as peace broker, is India being left in the cold? Former head of MI6 Sir Richard Dearlove and international journalist Rosanna Lockwood are joined…
- Will China's Strategic Bet on the Iranian Regime Pay Off? · 48 minThe US has moved critical missile defenses and troops from East Asia to the Middle East. With America’s resources stretched thin, is this the ultimate strategic opportunity for…
- $100 Million a Day: Putin’s Iran War Windfall · 50 minRussia may be issuing verbal condemnations from the sidelines of the conflict in Iran, but behind the scenes, it’s leveraging its relationship with Iran to give the US a “taste…
- “Open the F***in’ Strait!”: Trump’s Scorched Earth Threat to Tehran · 23 minAfter Iran shot down two US warplanes, President Trump shot back with a scathing ultimatum. But are Trump’s words pushing the world towards a point of no return? Former MI6 Chief…
- Is Russia the Iran War's "Biggest Winner"? | Fareed Zakaria · 54 minThis isn’t just another Middle Eastern conflict—it’s a fundamental restructuring of global power. Sir Richard Dearlove and guest co-host Baroness Ayesha Hazarika with Fareed…
- Trump's Iran Endgame: Will U.S. Troops Go In? · 19 minEveryone is calling it another Iraq. Sir Richard Dearlove disagrees. In this episode of One Decision In Brief, the former MI6 chief makes the case that what's unfolding in Iran…
- Is Cuba About to Fall? A 35-Year CIA Analyst on What Comes Next · 42 minCuba is running out of fuel, its economy is in ruins, and 2 million of its citizens have already fled. Is the communist regime finally at its breaking point? Sir Richard…
- The Oil Price Pivot: Did Global Markets Force Trump to Pause the War? · 19 minFrom an ultimatum to a “pause” in attacks, did President Donald Trump just blink, or is he playing a much larger game with Iran? Former MI6 Chief Sir Richard Dearlove and…
- The Largest Oil Supply Shock in History: Inside the Strait of Hormuz Crisis | Helima Croft · 38 minThe Strait of Hormuz is in a chokehold. The scale of this oil supply disruption has already exceeded the shocks of the 1970s. Sir Richard Dearlove and Rosanna Lockwood sit down…
- “Disappointed Across the Board”: Is Iran Causing the US-EU Alliance to Crumble? · 19 minPresident Trump’s call for naval assistance in the Strait of Hormuz has not been answered by European allies. Does this signal a growing crisis of confidence in the West? Former…
- Did Netanyahu Drive Trump Into War? NYT's Ronen Bergman + Lt. Col. (Ret.) Jonathan Conricus on What’s Next in Iran · 58 minWhat exactly drove President Donald Trump’s decision to join Israel in joint strikes against Iran? Ronen Bergman joins from Tel Aviv where he is a Senior Correspondent for…
- Will "Trump declare victory and go home?" | Congressman Jim Himes on the Iran Endgame · 31 minOne of the few Americans briefed before US hit Iran sits down with Sir Richard Dearlove and Rosanna Lockwood to share his analysis: the legal justification is false, the…
- “The IRGC Got Their Man”: Former UK Defense Minister and Ex-MI6 Chief on Mojtaba Khamenei’s Ascent · 24 minMojtaba Khamenei has been appointed to succeed his father as Supreme Leader of Iran. What now? Former UK Defence Secretary Sir Ben Wallace, who spent eight years as Chairman of…
- “Surrender would be far more dangerous to Iran’s survival than war.” - Iran Expert Trita Parsi · 48 minIran's strategy isn't to defeat the US militarily. Trita Parsi argues that it's to make the cost high enough, fast enough, to collapse domestic support before Iran loses. With…
- John Bolton and Operation Iraqi Freedom Commander: The Lessons from Iraq Trump Can't Ignore · 1 h 4 minFormer National Security Advisor John Bolton doesn't mince words: the opening strikes on Iran were just the beginning. In this special bonus episode, Bolton breaks down why he…
- Khamenei Has Fallen. Is This the Rebirth of American Deterrence? Ex-MI6 Chief's Analysis · 28 minAfter weeks of buildup, the United States and Israel have attacked Iran, killing long-time leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. How will the downfall of his regime reverberate…
- Four Years of Ukraine War, No End In Sight: Ex-CIA officer Mike Baker Assesses Risks · 43 minWhen a former CIA officer and the ex-Chief of MI6 agree something is coming — pay attention. This week, Sir Richard Dearlove, former Chief of MI6, and guest co-host Baroness…
- Trump's Tariff Plan Just Got Struck Down. What Now? | In Brief · 16 minThe U.S. Supreme Court just struck down President Trump's reciprocal tariffs — so what happens next? Former MI6 Chief Sir Richard Dearlove and Baroness Ayesha Hazarika break down…
- BONUS: Andrew’s Arrest & UK Security Secrets, Former MI6 Head Weighs In · 19 minFormer Prince Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor was arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public life, and not for his alleged behavior toward women. He is the first member of the…
