The Rest Is Classified takes you into the mysterious world of spies and espionage. Hosted by former CIA analyst now turned spy novelist, David McCloskey, and veteran security correspondent, Gordon Corera, they’ve experienced this field first-hand. It’s a world of shadows, shrouded in secrecy, but it affects every one of us. It’s time to bring it into the light.
Curated by: The Rest Is Classified (200 videos)
After 9/11 it looked as though a new path of diplomacy could be forged between Iran and the US, and then George Bush referred to the nation as part of the Axis of Evil. The years that followed were characterised by Iran-backed terror attacks, regional instability and an uncertain future. But how did we get here? In this episode of The Rest Is Classified, we uncover the chain reaction of events that shaped one of the most dangerous geopolitical rivalries in modern history from the 1979 Iranian Revolution to Hezbollah’s rise, 9/11, the Iraq War, and the ongoing nuclear standoff. With expert insight from Arash Azizi, this is the untold story of how the US and Iran became enemies and the moments where everything could have changed. From suicide bombings in Beirut to secret cooperation after 9/11… to the deal that was rejected in 2003. This episode reveals the turning points that brought us to the brink of conflict today. 00:00 – AD 01:20 – How did we get to Operation Epic Fury? 03:30 – Ideology vs Reality: Iran’s Early Internal Struggles 05:00 – The Iran–Iraq War & Regional Tensions Begin 06:30 – The Rise of Proxies: Iran Expands Its Influence 08:20 – Hezbollah, Lebanon & The First Major Flashpoints 10:00 – Escalation: Attacks on US Forces & Growing Hostility 12:00 – Iran vs Israel: Ideology, Conflict & Strategy 15:00 – Terror, Proxies & Global Reach in the 1990s 16:30 – 9/11: A Missed Opportunity for US–Iran Relations 18:30 – The “Axis of Evil” & Breakdown of Diplomacy 20:00 – Iraq War 2003: Turning Point for the Middle East 22:00 – Iran Expands Power in Iraq & Regional Influence 25:00 – Qasem Soleimani & The Shadow War Strategy 29:00 – The Nuclear Program: Fear, Leverage & Sanctions 33:00 – Defiance as Strategy: Why Iran Won’t Back Down 36:00 – Peak Power: Iran’s Regional Influence in the 2010s 37:30 – The Killing of Soleimani & A New Phase of Conflict 40:00 – October 7th & The Collapse of Iran’s Regional Axis 42:00 – Internal Pressure & Growing Instability 43:30 – Israel Strikes Back: Intelligence & Assassinations 44:30 – How We Reached Today’s Crisis Point 45:00 – What the US & Israel Want Now 47:00 – Can This Conflict Ever Be Resolved? 50:00 – The Future of Iran & The Possibility of Change 🎧 Listen on your favourite podcast platform 📺 Watch the previous episode here: https://youtu.be/FB73l-nOc7c 🔔 Subscribe for more deep dives into global power, espionage, and history ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 🗞️ Sign-up for our free newsletter where producer Becki takes you behind the scenes of the show: https://mailchi.mp/goalhanger.com/tric-free-newsletter-sign-up ------------------- ➡️ Join the Declassified Club to go deeper into the world of espionage with exclusive Q&As, interviews with top intelligence insiders, regular livestreams, ad-free listening, early access to episodes and live show tickets, and weekly deep dives into original spy stories. Members also get curated reading lists, special book discounts, prize draws, and access to our private chat community. Just go to https://therestisclassified.com or join on Apple Podcasts. ------------------ Get a 10% discount on business PCs, printers and accessories using the code TRIC10. Visit https://HP.com/CLASSIFIED for more information. T&C's apply. ------------------- EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/restisclassified Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ✅ Subscribe Here: https://www.youtube.com/@restisclassifiedsub_confirmation=1 🎙️ Listen To The Podcast: https://linktr.ee/triclassified -------------------------------------- 📱 Follow Us On Socials: Facebook: / https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61567680193497 Instagram: / https://www.instagram.com/restisclassified/?hl=en TikTok: / https://www.tiktok.com/@restisclassified Twitter: / https://x.com/triclassified -------------------------------------- 📩 Email: classified@goalhanger.com -------------------------------------- Video Editor: Joe Pettit Social Producer: Emma Jackson Producer: Becki Hills Senior Producer: Dom Johnson Exec Producer: Tony Pastor