Loading summary
Kat and Nat
This is Kat and Nat from CatNat unfiltered and this episode is sponsored by Michaels. Your destination for all things Birthday parties. If you've ever planned a birthday celebration, you know it goes from cute idea to full on chaos real fast. The party shop at Michael's makes life easier with over 4, 500 party supplies in 60 plus themes like Bluey Rodeo, soccer, rainbow and more spirit starting at just 99 cents. You can shop same day delivery or order online for pickup in store and they even do free helium inflation on select bloom styles Michaels everything. To celebrate anything, visit Michaels in store or shop online now.
Brooke Devard
This is a Monday.com ad. The same Monday.com helping people worldwide getting work done faster and better. The same Monday.com designed for every team and every industry. The same Monday.com with built in AI scaling your work from day one the same Monday.com that your team will actually love using the samemonday.com with an easy and intuitive setup. Go to Monday.com and try it for free. Yes the same Monday.com hi, this is
Will Kaback
Jonathan Fields, host of the Good Life Project. What if your home could welcome you at the door, energize your kitchen and
Ari Weitzman
calm your bedroom all automatically. With Pura's family of smart diffusers, you can send every space perfectly, choose premium clean fragrances, adjust the intensity and set schedules right from your phone. It's whole home scenting designed for the way you live. Build your Pura system today@pura.com Wholehome.
Brooke Devard
From executive producer Isaac Saul. This is Tangle.
Ari Weitzman
Good morning, good afternoon, and good evening and welcome to the Tango Podcast, the place where you get views from across the political spectrum, some independent thinking, and a little bit of our take. I'm your host for Today Tango's managing editor, Ari Weitzman. And while the rest of the team is coming back home from West Virginia, I'm still at home. Which means the last couple days I felt kind of by myself. The slack has been eerily quiet since Friday, which was giving me flashbacks to this time in elementary school when I was feeling a little sick. So I came to school late and the entire class had gone to a field trip, so I was just sitting in an empty room next to the principal's office catching up on work. Does that ever happen to you guys? Just me. Well, anyway, it seems like the event in Berkeley Springs, West Virginia was a blast. The team's all buzzing from it. They're all coming home from their travel today and like you all, I'm going to be looking out for the video when it drops soon. Was sad to miss out on the roundtable discussion. Pleased to know that it took two people to replace me, but all the same, I'm interested to see how it turns out when that link drops, and we'll make sure you know about it when it does. But to turn the page to Today, we're talking about the war in Iran as well as a reader question about oil in Venezuela. A lot of geopolitical stuff going on since the G7's also starting today, so we've got a lot of ground to cover. So I'm going to send it over to Will to get us started. I'll be back for my take.
Will Kaback
Thanks, Ari. All right, let's get into today's quick hits. Number one President Donald Trump announced that the US Military killed the alleged leader of the Tren de Aragua gang in an airstrike in Venezuela conducted in coordination with the Venezuelan Government government number two, Senator Mitch McConnell, a Republican from Kentucky, was hospitalized for an unspecified reason on Sunday. His team said he is, quote, receiving excellent care, but has not shared further details. Number three, Anthropic announced it had disabled its Fable 5 and Mythos 5 artificial intelligence models in response to a US government directive to restrict access to the models for all foreign nationals. The company said it blocked access for all users to ensure compliance with the directive. Number four, Elon Musk became the world's first trillionaire after SpaceX, the company he founded and leads as CEO, began trading as a public company on Friday. And number five, the annual G7 summit, which brings together leaders from the United States, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United Kingdom, begins today. In France, countries are expected to discuss topics including the wars in Iran and Ukraine, online safety and artificial intelligence.
Knox
A peace deal to end the war with Iran is apparently in place. President Trump says the Strait of Hormuz is back open tonight and that Iran will sign the deal later this week. But Israel continues to attack Lebanon, making things tricky.
Will Kaback
On Sunday, Pakistani Prime Minister Shabazz Sharif, who has served as a mediator in peace discussions between the United States and Iran, announced that the two countries had reached a deal to end their conflict. The Pakistani leader said that both countries would immediately cease military operations and formally sign a memorandum of understanding on Friday, though the text of that memorandum has not been released. The US And Israel launched a coordinated military campaign against Iran on February 28, 2026, and after more than five weeks of fighting, the two sides agreed to a ceasefire on April 7. In the months since, the US and Iran have both conducted sporadic military operations, including exchanging airstrikes last week after a US Helicopter collided with an Iranian drone. Tensions heightened on Sunday before the deal was announced after Israel carried out a strike against Hezbollah near Beirut. The Lebanon President Donald Trump confirmed the deal shortly after Sharif's post, adding that the Strait of Hormuz would immediately be reopened and the United States blockade would end. However, the president later clarified that the strait would not be reopened until after the signing of the deal on Friday. The deal's details remain unclear as Iran and the United States publicly disagree about the requirements. The deal reportedly does not include a long term agreement on the future of Iran's nuclear program, with negotiations toward towards a nuclear accord planned to begin after the deal is signed on Friday. However, Iran has said that these talks will not commence until the US Meets a series of demands, including releasing billions of dollars in frozen Iranian funds. Quote this is completely not true, a US Official told CNN regarding Iran's claim. This is a pay for performance deal and no frozen funds will be released without the Iranians implementing their commitments. The agreement also calls for the cessation of military operations on all fronts, including in Lebanon. Israel's National Security Minister Itamar Ben GVIR said in a statement that Israel will not pull troops out of areas it has seized within Lebanon. Israel is not subordinate to the United States and we are an independent and sovereign state, ben GVIR said today. We'll get into arguments from the right, left and right in the Middle east on the potential peace deal, followed by Managing editor Ari Weitzman's take.
Isaac Saul
We'll be right back after this quick break. One of the biggest sighs of relief I had recently was when I finally got life insurance with a newborn son at home and my wife who I want to make sure is taken care of forever no matter what happens. To me, getting life insurance was just one of those things that took a big weight off my shoulders. Ethos makes getting life insurance fast and easy 100% online, you can get a quote in seconds, apply in minutes and get same day coverage. There's no medical exam, you just answer a few simple health questions. You can get up to $3 million in coverage and some policies are as low as $30 a month and you'll get your lowest rate from their network of trusted carriers. Ethos has 4.8 out of 5 stars on Trustpilot with over 4000 reviews. So take 10 minutes to get covered today with life insurance through Ethos. Get your free quote@ethos.com tangle that's ethose t-h o s.com tangle Application times may vary and rates may vary.
Quince Brand Representative
Summer always changes how I get dressed. I want pieces that feel lighter and more breathable. Things that are easy but still put together. That's why I keep coming back to quints. They focus on high quality essentials that feel and look amazing. Think breathable linen and soft organic cotton. Well made basics, but without the luxury markup. It's that rare balance where everything feels elevated but still effortless. Everything at Quint's is priced 50 to 80% less than similar brands. They work directly with ethical factories and cut out the middleman. So you're paying for quality and not brand markup. I've got a couple of quince linen shirts that I wear when I go out to the park with my daughter or even on a date night with my wife. And I'm always surprised at how many compliments I randomly get from people. It's really empowering. It actually makes me feel really great. So do yourself a favor. Get those compliments for yourself. Elevate your summer wardrobe. Go to quints.com tangle for free shipping on your order and 365 day returns. Now available in Canada too. That's Q-U-I-N-C-E.com tangle for free shipping and 365 day returns. Quince.com tangle.
Will Kaback
Here's what the right is saying the right is mixed on the agreement, with some saying that the terms appear favorable for the U.S. others suggest the president is trying to save face with a lackluster deal. In the New York Sun, Conrad Black argued the deal looks like an unambiguous success for America and Israel if the end of the Iran war just announced brings the removal or destruction of the enriched uranium and permanent and verifiable guarantees that Iran will not seek to become a nuclear and military power. And if it also contains verifiable promises not to subsidize international terrorism, which has been hinted at, then it has unambiguously been a successful war for America and Israel. The more than $1 trillion in damage done to Iran and the complete destruction of its air defenses and navy, and most of its offensive missile and drone capacity only cost eight American combat fatalities. Mr. Trump never explained the war properly and fluctuated in his enunciation of his war objectives and strained both credulity and public patience as he oscillated between draconian threats and confident predictions of imminent peace. Yet any version of the outcome of this war that is now believable is a major strategic victory in denying Iran nuclear weapons, as well as driving a number of Arab states into the arms of the Israelis and curtailing Iran's ability to generate terrorism, all at minimal cost in American lives. It is an undoubted Trump victory, and no one will remember the recent gas prices on midterm Election Day. In the Free Press, Eli Lake wrote, trump gives Iran a lifeline and calls it peace. This is not a treaty, not a deal, and not a peace agreement. It's a memorandum of understanding to negotiate the terms of a broader peace over the next 60 days. Put another way, it is yet another ceasefire. Iran has not agreed to anything with regard to its nuclear material, ballistic missiles or support for terrorist proxies throughout the Middle East. As for Trump's statements early on in the war encouraging the Iranian people to seize their institutions and rise up against their oppressors, that objective has been placed inside a memory hole. Trump has bent to Iran's positions through the haphazard negotiations that led to the memorandum of understanding. For example, the president has now acceded to Iran's demand to link Israel's war against Hezbollah, its proxy in Lebanon, to the broader U S. Iran deal, something Trump initially had resisted. When he launched the war in February, Trump was on a roll. Now a battered and impoverished Iranian regime can see a light at the end of the tunnel. The conflict has now moved from the battlefield to the negotiating t. Now, here's what the left is saying. Many on the left argue that the US has failed to achieve its military objectives in Iran. Others say Iran emerges from the conflict stronger than before. In Zedio, Andrew Peres and Asawin Subasing called the deal a humiliation. For Trump and Netanyahu, the initial goal of the U. S Israeli war in Iran was to topple the Iranian regime. That didn't happen. The administration claimed the war would only last a few weeks. It stretched well beyond three months. The conflict only created more leverage for Iran, which successfully closed the Strait of Hormuz, stopping the flow of oil, causing energy prices to spike and throttling the global economy. Israel appeared to try to torpedo the deal on Sunday by launching a new round of attacks on civilians in Beirut. This time, however, the US And Iran apparently managed to forge an agreement. As of Sunday, this peace deal would purportedly extend to Lebanon, where Israel has been leveling towns and villages. If this latest agreement is serious, Netanyahu and Israel could easily try to blow it up. And Netanyahu has made clear with the supposed ceasefire in Gaza that he may not feel bound to abide by any such deal negotiated by Trump. On the other hand, Netanyahu's attacks on Lebanon appear to help pave the way for Sunday's agreement rather than scuttle it. And Trump and administration officials do seem eager to end this disastrous war. And there is good reason to do so. If the Strait of Hormuz remains closed, oil reserves in the US and elsewhere could soon reach crisis levels with vast economic consequences. In the New Yorker, Robin Wright suggested Iran can hold America hostage in either war or peace. Iran has demonstrated its ability to hold out, sometimes for years, for what it wants, while the US with its two and four year election cycles, has limited patience. Washington countered Tehran's seizure of the strait with its own blockade of any ship coming from or going to Iran. But the conflict is costing US taxpayers an estimated $2 billion a day. Late on Friday night, Iran announced that Tehran and Washington were in the final stages of an agreement that would temporarily end conflicts in both Iran and Lebanon. Lebanon that basically means that the US Will not engage in any actions to undermine or topple the Islamic regime. In other words, there will be no attempt at regime change. The agreement also establishes that in the future the strait will remain under Iranian control and never revert to its pre war status. All commercial traffic will have safe passage, but Iran will eventually impose a service fee for transiting vessels. Both of these stipulations would be momentous long term gains for Tehran. Trump also appears again and again to want to craft a victory narrative for his constituency. But a memorandum of understanding, despite its diplomatic title, is only a broad set of principles that still need to be laboriously negotiated, especially the nuclear program, which was the main reason that the US and Israel originally went to war on February 28th. And now here's what writers in the Middle east are saying. Some in the Middle east say the deal would have wide ranging consequences for the region, while others worry that Netanyahu could still derail the ceasefire. In Arab News, Abdul Rahman Al Rashed described the U. S Iran agreement's most alarming clause. One of these provisions, according to leaked information, is a mutual regional non aggression agreement. It divides the region into two camps and forces the country of each camp not to attack those of the other. It stipulates that Iran and its allies will refrain from attacking the US and its allies, while the US and its allies will likewise refrain from attacking Iran and its allies. This is an ambiguous provision that requires analysis. First, who exactly are the allies? Well, Israel, the Gulf states and Jordan are considered U.S. allies. The first conclusion is that if Iran signed such an agreement, whether in the framework agreement or in a final accord, it would be effectively signing a deal that ends its 40 year war against Israel. This is not the only surprise or shock. The second conclusion is that this hypothetical clause would make Hezbollah a recognized and protected actor, undermining the unprecedented efforts being exerted by the Lebanese state. The same applies to the Houthis, which Yemen's legitimate government and other Yemeni forces seek to remove from Sana' A and eliminate. In Haaretz, Esther Solomon said Netanyahu may set the Middle east ablaze One doesn't need to be a grizzled diplomat or cynical pundit to see that this deal in the making has the ingredients to be a disaster for Israel's national security. You just need eyes and a pulse it appears that the details of Iran's nuclear program have been kicked down the road to be dealt with in the next negotiating period of 60 days. For Netanyahu, this is a failure on multiple fronts. The last year of US Israeli attacks were supposed to be a culmination of his decades long obsession to comprehensively defang Iran's capacity to threaten Israel. Instead, it seems more likely that Iran will emerge from its sanctions laden financial deep freeze with the capacity to pump far more cash and munitions into developing its missiles and proxies. Sadly, what's bad for Netanyahu's election chances ends up being bad for the Middle east because he will only seek more extreme methods to win in election season. Everything from the independence of the judiciary and the media to the west bank settlement expansion to the lives of Palestinians and Lebanese is for sale to his ragtag coalition. All right, that is it for what the right, left and Middle east writers are saying. So I will pass it over to Ari for his Take Ari over to you.
Ari Weitzman
Thanks Will. All right, that's it for what the right, left and Middle east writers are saying. Which brings me to my take. I'll just jump right in. I highly doubt that this current round of talks will bring a lasting peace between Iran and the United States. In order to reach a long term peace, Iran, Israel and the US all have to agree on the Iranian nuclear program, Iranian sanctions, Iranian control of the Strait of Hormuz, and Iranian support of its proxies in the Middle East. In order to negotiate on those issues, each side is motivated to see different points in time as defining the original status quo. The US may want to define the status quo as the period after the US struck Iranian nuclear sites in June 2025 is when Iran's nuclear program was vastly depleted, at least for the purposes of nuclear discussions Iran may want to define the status quo as when the US And Iran agree to a ceasefire in April, at least with regard to control over the Strait of Hormuz. And Israel seems to be saying the status quo is just flat out intolerable. Iran cannot be allowed to have materials to build a nuclear weapon or to continue to support its proxy networks in Lebanon, Gaza or Yemen. Each topic under discussion is thorny on its own. The nuclear deal alone will take a long time to hammer out. Neither President Trump nor Israel will want to agree to any nuclear deal that's softer, or even just perceived to be softer, than President Obama's Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action or the JCPOA or the Iran nuclear deal. And the Iranian regime is clearly willing to accept economic pain on behalf of its citizenry to maintain its leverage in the Strait. But I will concede the US and Iran don't need to solve the nuclear question or any larger question right now. They just need to agree to halt hostilities. And as much as I'd like to see this war come to a close, I doubt they'll be able to agree to even that much for a few reasons. First, there doesn't seem to be a lot of mutual understanding. In this memorandum of understanding, the US And Iran have each said that signing the MOU will kick off a 60 day negotiating window during which Iran and the US will lift their dueling naval blockades in and around the Strait of Hormuz. They also agree that the ceasefire will commit the two sides to discussing a nuclear deal and sanctions relief from there. Though the stories diverge. The US says that in simply signing the MoU, Iran is committing to dropping its pursuit of nuclear weapons. Iran insists it is only committing to discussing its nuclear program along with sanctions relief. Also, Iran says the U.S. will pay $300 billion to help with reconstruction. Oh, and the U.S. will accept Iranian sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz and the future imposition of fees. Even on the preconditions for peace talks, Iran and the US Seem very far apart. Second, let's bear in mind that the United States has some pressing reasons to want to communicate, and that an agreement has been reached if or if not one even has been. The G7 summit starts today with Iran and Russia on the agenda, and President Trump's history at global summits indicates he'll want to have some achievement in hand to show enemies and allies alike. And when you zoom out, Trump also has domestic concerns to worry about. Inflated gas prices at home are increasing economic anxiety, which is hurting his party's polling coming into the midterms. All of that gives me reason to doubt that Trump's motivation is really to set the groundwork for a lasting peace rather than achieve a short term win that can bring gas prices down and boost Republicans midterm prospects up. Third, whether the MOU applies to Israel is unclear. Iran is saying that the agreement will suspend all fighting, including exchanges between Hezbollah and the Israeli Defense Forces. The United States says the ceasefire applies to Hezbollah, but that Israel has the right to respond if Hezbollah initiates an attack. Israel says it isn't bound at all pledging to maintain a presence in southern Lebanon. Either way, you'd think that for even a basic ceasefire to hold, each side would agree on who exactly it even applies to. Otherwise, the ceasefire will likely proceed in name only, with constant violations throughout the which brings me to my last point. The agreement that was in place between April and June was hardly fruitful. Since the beginning of the ceasefire, the US And Iran never really seemed to be ceasing their fire. The United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Israel all reported missile and drone attacks on their territories the day the ceasefire was signed. Kuwait then accused Iran of further drone strikes on April 10th. And then Iran called the April 13th US naval blockade a prelude to a violation of the ceasefire. On May 5, Iran also called the US announcement of operation Project Freedom to escort ships through the Strait of Hormuz a violation, and Trump walked back the announcement shortly after and the list continues. Iranian forces launched missiles, drone and small boat attacks on three U.S. warships on May 7. The U.S. then struck Iranian military sites in southern Iran and Tehran in response. On May 25, the US performed defensive strikes on missile launch sites in southern Iran and boats in the Strait of Hormuz. On June 7, Iran launched ballistic missiles at Israel, and Israel retaliated with strikes in southern Beirut and Lebanon. And most recently, tensions flared when the U.S. and Iran exchanged fire on June 10. If all of that happened during a ceasefire, then it's clear that the sides involved in the war don't have the requisite trust in a mutual agreement to even temporarily suspend fighting. Iran's definition of a ceasefire seems to allow for drone strikes on U.S. regional allies and unfettered attacks from its proxies. Trump's definition seems to be, and this is a quote, shooting in a more moderate manner. Either definition accepts a lot of exchanging of fire. And when you add in all the reasons to doubt this current Memorandum of Understanding, why would anyone expect this situation to carry out any differently? You wouldn't. But what would you expect Iran understands the political leverage this year's elections give it in negotiations, and the US And Israel have obvious military superiority. That all creates a strange kind of stalemate that can't be resolved by talking our way out of it. Obviously that reflects poorly on the decision to enter this conflict in the first place, but now that we're in it, President Trump is well and truly on the horns of a dilemma. Either accept a peace plan that leaves us in a worse position than we were in before the war, or commit more time, energy and resources to get us to a better one. So what's left? If there's one thing we can agree on with Trump, it's that he won't be eager to accept a deal that he can't sell as a win. So that really only leaves one option. And this may be cynical, but I expect we'll do the short term ceasefire dance until at least after the midterms, when Iran will lose its electoral leverage and a less restrained Trump will probably be able to follow through with Project Freedom to ensure safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz. Regardless of how we got in this conflict, any real end to it will be hard won and short term declarations of peace are going to keep coming and keep going.
Isaac Saul
We'll be right back after this quick break.
Brooke Devard
A burst pipe, A dead water heater, the AC calling it quits. Who do you call? HomeServe is an easy way to handle unexpected home repairs with plans covering stuff basic homeowners insurance usually won't. Instead of scrambling for a contractor, you make one call to get the repair process started. Join the millions of customers who trust HomeServe right now. Go to HomeServe.com podcast for 50% less your first year. That's HomeServe.com podcast savings compared to renewal price void in Florida A better help admit hold on one second, I just need to. What if you had a room where no one interrupts? No notifications, no expectations, just space to talk with BetterHelp Therapy happens in a space that's yours. Visit betterhelp.com randompodcast for 10% off your first month of online therapy.
Ari Weitzman
That's it for my take today, so I'm going to turn to today's reader question, which comes from Gerard, who submitted his question through subtext. Gerard asks, with the US controlling Venezuela's oil, why haven't we been able to increase production and reduce oil prices regardless of the Mideast situation? To start, the premise is correct. In January, after a successful military operation to capture Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and bring him to the United States to stand trial. The US Took control of Venezuelan oil exports at the same time. The average price of a gallon of regular gasoline has increased from $2.83 per gallon in January to $4.07 per gallon today. After Maduro's arrest, the Department of Energy said that it had begun marketing Venezuelan oil on the global market for the benefit of the US And Venezuela. And it said that it had selectively rolled back sanctions to allow for easier disbursement and that it would begin to modernize and expand production for near term growth. At the same time, Venezuela was exporting an average of 120,000 barrels of oil to the United States per day, and that was down from the pre Maduro daily average of 800,000 daily barrels in 2013. As things stand right now, the US controls the sale and exports of Venezuelan oil. The Council on Foreign Relations estimated the value of those exports at nearly $8 billion as of April. And crude oil exports from Venezuela to the United States have increased to a daily average of about 407,000 barrels. So, to answer your first question, the United States actually has been able to significantly increase oil production from Venezuela. However, these increases are small relative to the national demand of over 20 million barrels per day. Furthermore, since heavy Venezuelan crude requires more processing than the approximately 400,000 barrels that came to the US through the Strait of Hormuz, a larger increase in production from Venezuela would be needed to offset the Middle east oil. So, long story short, we are increasing the amount of oil coming from Venezuela, but that oil requires more refinement in order to offset what was lost from oil coming through the Strait of Hormuz. The Trump administration plans to invest in Venezuelan oil production to stabilize gasoline prices more in the long term, but that investment will likely require several years before it pays off. That's it for your reader question today, so I'm going to send it back over to Will for the rest of the pod.
Will Kaback
Thanks, Ari. And now here is today's under the radar story. The Supreme Court is expected to issue rulings in 20 cases before the end of June, including decisions on a slew of high profile issues. Among other ongoing cases, the Court has yet to rule on President Trump's executive order limiting birthright citizenship, the President's move to terminate temporary protected status for people from several countries states, attempts to restrict transgender athletes participation in sports, and mail in ballot counting rules. The next slate of opinions is expected on Thursday of this week, and some decisions could have an immediate impact on the 2026 midterms the Hill has a preview of the biggest remaining decisions, and we'll drop a link to it in today's show. NOTES. Next up is this day in history. In the aftermath of the battles of Lexington and Concord in April 1775, the Continental Congress deliberated over whether to send out a call for more militia formation or finally raise a standing army to combat the hostile incursions of British troops. Massachusetts delegate John Adams urged Congress to raise a full army, hoping to unify the Northern and Southern colonies in the cause of resistance. One Virginia delegate, an officer who had served as a colonel in the Virginia regiment during the French and Indian war just 17 years earlier, arrived at deliberations in full military dress, conspicuously signaling his support for such a plan. On June 14, 1775, the Continental Congress issued an order to raise a standing army from Pennsylvania, Maryland and Virginia to aid Massachusetts colonists in the siege of Boston. Their next objective was to choose a man to lead that army. Attention turned to that same Virginian veteran delegate on June 15, 1775. 251 years ago today, the Continental Congress appointed George Washington to lead the first colonial army in Boston. Despite his initial reluctance to lead, Washington would accept the job and assume command on July 3rd in Cambridge, Massachusetts. And finally, here is our have a nice day story. Since 1973, every freshman at St. Benedict's Preparatory School in Newark, New Jersey, has had to check off the same grueling requirement before becoming a sophomore, a five day, 55 mile hike along the Appalachian Trail. Many of the school's kids come from urban environments and have never hiked or camped before. But in the spring, they train together, learning different skills that will allow them to collaborate and succeed on their journey. Then in May, they head into the mountains with only each other to rely on. At the end, they cross a wooden bridge to meet their teachers on the other side. Quote, when life gets difficult, it's something you can refer back to. Administrator Glenn Cassidy said, quote, there's a lot of rainy days in life. Upworthy has this story and again, we'll put the link to it in today's show notes. All right, that is it for today's edition. Hope you're having a fantastic start to your week and looking forward to being back with you tomorrow. Until then, have a great day and and peace.
Isaac Saul
Our executive editor and founder is me, Isaac Saul, and our executive producer is John Ball. Today's episode was edited and engineered by Dewey Thomas. Our editorial staff is led by managing editor Ari Weitzman with senior editor Will Kaback and associate editors Audrey Moorhead, Lindsey Knuth and Bailey Saul. Music for the podcast was produced by Diet75. To learn more about Tangle and to sign up for a membership, please visit our website@retangle.com.
Kat and Nat
This is Kat and Nat from Katnat Unfiltered and this episode is sponsored by Michaels. Your destination for all things Birthday Parties. If you've ever planned a birthday celebration, you know it goes from cute idea to full on chaos real fast. The Party Shop at Michael's makes life easier with over 4, 500 party supplies in 60 plus themes like Bluey Rodeo, Soccer, Rainbow and more starting at just 99 cents. You can shop same day delivery or order online for pickup in store and they even do free helium inflation on select balloon styles. Michael's Everything to celebrate anything, visit Michael's in Store or shop online now.
Brooke Devard
Hi, this is Brooke Devard from Naked Beauty. I am always looking for ways to elevate our daily rituals and the Kohler Smart Toilet is proof that design changes everything. It's this stunning sculptural piece that feels like quiet luxury for your bathroom. It totally transforms your daily ritual into something elevated with customizable cleansing and touch screen controls. It's functional art that makes your space feel cleaner and more intentional. A modern home deserves a modern toilet experience the difference of Kohler Smart Toilets. Find more@kohler.com
Knox
hey, this is Knox from the podcast. The youth mental health crisis is growing and social media is a major driver. Kids are spending up to nine hours a day on screens, often unsupervised, and studies show a direct link to anxiety, depression and even suicidal thoughts. That's where Gab comes in. Gab offers safer phones and watches for kids with no social media, tailored to every age, offering the right tech at the right time or tech in steps. From GPS tracking enabled watches for younger kids to phones with parent enabled apps for teens, each device allows kids to more safely grow their independence. Visit gab.com getgab and use code getgab for an exclusive offer. That's gab G-A-B-B.com getgab gab tech and Steps Independence for them Peace of mind for parents.
Episode Title: A Possible Peace Deal in Iran
Host: Isaac Saul (executive editor), Ari Weitzman (managing editor), Will Kaback (senior editor)
Date: June 15, 2026
This episode centers on the potential peace deal being hammered out to end the war involving the U.S., Iran, and Israel, as well as related conflicts in the broader Middle East. The Tangle team discusses the political, military, and diplomatic complexities, analyzing reactions from across the political spectrum and providing an in-depth editor’s take on the viability and implications of the agreement. The episode also includes a segment on the U.S. control of Venezuelan oil and a reader Q&A.
“This is a pay for performance deal and no frozen funds will be released without the Iranians implementing their commitments.” (Unnamed U.S. official, 06:54)
“Any version of the outcome of this war that is now believable is a major strategic victory in denying Iran nuclear weapons… all at minimal cost in American lives. It is an undoubted Trump victory.” (10:44)
“Trump has bent to Iran’s positions through the haphazard negotiations that led to the memorandum of understanding.” (11:41)
“If this latest agreement is serious, Netanyahu and Israel could easily try to blow it up.” (12:41)
“The agreement also establishes that in the future the Strait will remain under Iranian control… Both stipulations would be momentous long-term gains for Tehran.” (15:09)
“If Iran signed such an agreement… it would be effectively signing a deal that ends its 40-year war against Israel.” (16:31)
“Netanyahu may set the Middle East ablaze… the details of Iran’s nuclear program have been kicked down the road.” (17:56)
“All of that gives me reason to doubt that Trump’s motivation is really to set the groundwork for a lasting peace rather than achieve a short term win...” (22:38)
“If all of that happened during a ceasefire, then it’s clear that the sides involved... don’t have the requisite trust in a mutual agreement to even temporarily suspend fighting.” (25:20)
“We are increasing the amount of oil coming from Venezuela, but that oil requires more refinement in order to offset what was lost from oil coming through the Strait of Hormuz.” (29:16)
Conrad Black (on the right):
“Any version of the outcome of this war that is now believable is a major strategic victory in denying Iran nuclear weapons…” (10:44)
Eli Lake (skeptical right):
“Trump gives Iran a lifeline and calls it peace. This is not a treaty, not a deal, and not a peace agreement. It’s a memorandum of understanding…” (11:41)
Andrew Peres/Asawin Subasing (left):
“The initial goal … was to topple the Iranian regime. That didn’t happen… Iran, which successfully closed the Strait of Hormuz, stopping the flow of oil, causing energy prices to spike and throttling the global economy.” (12:10)
Robin Wright (left):
“Iran has demonstrated its ability to hold out, sometimes for years, for what it wants, while the US… has limited patience.” (15:09)
Ari Weitzman (host):
“I highly doubt that this current round of talks will bring a lasting peace between Iran and the United States.” (19:20)
“If all of that happened during a ceasefire, then it’s clear that the sides involved… don’t have the requisite trust in a mutual agreement to even temporarily suspend fighting.” (25:20)
This episode provides a comprehensive, nuanced examination of the freshly announced but highly fragile U.S.–Iran ceasefire and peace negotiations. The Tangle team dissects not only the terms and sticking points of the deal but also the domestic and international forces shaping it. Ultimately, the hosts argue that without deep trust and concessions—particularly regarding Iran’s nuclear program and regional influence—the deal is more likely a temporary suspension than a genuine peace, with significant obstacles remaining both inside and outside the negotiating room.