Olympics To Host Trump’s Ice, Risk of War with Iran Heightens | The Long Game

The geopolitics of Winter Olympics, U.S.–Iran negotiations, and the risk of war. In this episode, Jake and Jon explore how sport, soft power, and international conflict intersect. Then, they run a Red Team/Blue Team exercise from Iran’s perspective, where they take on the roles of Iranian advisers to the Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and weigh the risks of striking a deal against the dangers of refusal. New episodes drop Thursdays — follow The Long Game on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. Chapters: 0:00 — Introduction: Olympics, and Iran’s Deal Calculus 4:09 — The Winter Olympics as a Global Stage 9:38 — Soft Power Flashpoints at the Games 18:31 — Introducing Red Team / Blue Team: Iran’s Strategic Dilemma 25:24 — Jon’s Case: Why Iran Should Take the Deal 33:56 — Jake’s Case: Why Iran Should Hold the Line 41:07 — Conclusion: What Tehran Is Likely to Do