Victor Davis Hanson: Iran Has Only One Negotiating Chip Left: Their Survival

Jun 23, 2025

Recent U.S. military actions in Iran have shifted the balance of power. With the loss of nuclear leverage, Iran must now reconsider its position for survival. Historical context shows that decades of conflict funding have resulted in little gain for Iran. The repercussions of these airstrikes could reshape regional stability and heighten tensions further. Speculation suggests that American and Israeli strategies may evolve drastically in response to Iran's diminished negotiating position.

Ask episode

AI Snips

Chapters

Transcript

Episode notes

INSIGHT

Trump's Strategic Strike in Middle East

President Trump ordered a precise military strike on Iran's nuclear sites using B-2 bombers and cruise missiles.
This marked a departure from typical Middle East interventions, focusing on eliminating nuclear threats without ground invasion.

INSIGHT

Unique Focus of Trump's Airstrike

Past U.S. air campaigns in the Middle East often led to unintended chaos rather than stability.
Trump's airstrike was uniquely targeted to stop Iran's nuclear program without pursuing regime change or invasion.

INSIGHT

Iran's Heavy Losses in Proxy Wars

Iran invested heavily in proxy groups and spent trillions through subsidies and sanctions losses.
The recent strike destroyed much of those investments and deals a heavy blow to Iran's regional ambitions.

Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode

Get the app

On Saturday night, June 22, President Donald Trump’s Operation Midnight Hammer sent a message to Tehran, and the world, that can’t be ignored.

Seven Missouri-based B-2 bombers dropped 14 bunker-busting bombs on Iran’s Fordow nuclear site, while U.S. Navy vessels launched a barrage of cruise missiles at other strategic nuclear infrastructure.

Victor Davis Hanson explains what just happened—and what could come next—on today’s episode of “Victor Davis Hanson: In His Own Words.”

“ [Iran] must know that people are angry. That over 50 years, nearly, they spent a trillion dollars subsidizing the Houthis, Hezbollah, Hamas, the Assad dynasty. And for what? It's all up in smoke. And then they probably lost another trillion dollars, over 50 years, through sanctions and oil embargoes. For what? It's up in smoke.

“ Right now the ball is in the court of Iran. Trump has said to them, you can come back and negotiate. But, what would they negotiate over? Their one card was that we have the specter of a nuclear bomb. So, you better come to us and talk. They don't have that anymore. At least not for the foreseeable future. The only negotiable item is whether they survive or not.”

(0:00) Trump's Bold Military Move in the Middle East

(0:57) Historical Context of U.S. Actions in the Middle East

(2:23) Details of the Recent Military Operation

(4:34) Potential Repercussions and Future Speculations

(5:55) Iran's Next Move and Global Reactions

(6:39) Israel and U.S. Stature Post-Operation

👉 This episode is sponsored by the Pepperdine School of Public Policy. Learn more: https://go.pepperdine.edu/dailysignal

👉Don’t miss out on Victor’s latest videos by subscribing to The Daily Signal today. You’ll be notified every time a new piece of content drops: https://youtube.com/dailysignal?sub_confirmation=1

👉If you can’t get enough of Victor Davis Hanson from The Daily Signal, subscribe to his official YouTube channel: https://youtube.com/victordavishanson7273

👉He’s also the host of “The Victor Davis Hanson Show,” available wherever you prefer to watch or listen. Links to the show and exclusive content are available on his website: https://victorhanson.com

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices