The Hugh Hewitt Show: Highly Concentrated The U.S. Armada nears Iran
Jan 30, 2026
Guest
Vic Mattis
Guest
Noah Rothman
Guest
Jim Geraghty
Guest
Jim Talent
Guest
Lucas Tomlinson
Guest
Karim Sadjadpour
Karim Sadjadpour, Iran analyst at Carnegie; Lucas Tomlinson, Fox News war correspondent; Jim Talent, former U.S. senator and defense policymaker; Jim Geraghty, National Review writer; Noah Rothman, National Review senior editor; Vic Mattis, Free Beacon editor. They dig into rising U.S.-Iran tensions, regime stability and sanctions, strike options and fallout, on-the-ground reporting from Greenland and the Middle East, and strategic aims for any military action.
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Regime Survival Trumps Ideology
- Karim Sadjadpour argues Iran's regime is isolated and homicidal but not suicidal, which shapes its brutal responses.
- He says the regime prioritizes survival above ideology, explaining its willingness to slaughter protesters to stay in power.
Caspian Sea Memory Of Conscript Soldiers
- Karim recounts seeing conscript soldiers relaxing on the Caspian Sea who ignored modest dress, implying regular forces mirror society.
- He uses this personal memory to argue regular troops are less ideological and more pragmatic than IRGC units.
Preserve The Regular Army
- Karim advises avoiding strikes on Iran's conscript regular army to prevent anarchic collapse and repeat of Iraq's disbandment.
- He recommends preserving the regular military while focusing on regime repression organs.
