How the Iran Deal Is Testing the U.S.-Israel Alliance

About this episode

<p>As the United States and Iran try to reach a lasting end to the war, a major hurdle has emerged: the volatile conflict in Lebanon. President Trump needs Israel to stop attacking Hezbollah there to get Iran to agree to a deal.</p> <p>The New York Times reporters Ronen Bergman and Mark Mazzetti discuss the growing tensions between the United States and Israel.</p> <p>Guest:</p> <ul> <li><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/by/ronen-bergman" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><strong>Ronen Bergman</strong></a>, a staff writer for The New York Times Magazine based in Tel Aviv.</li> <li><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/by/mark-mazzetti" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><strong>Mark Mazzetti</strong></a>, an investigative reporter for The New York Times based in Washington focusing on national security.</li> </ul> <p>Background reading: </p> <ul> <li>Analysis: The conflict in Lebanon has become <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/06/19/world/middleeast/lebanon-us-iran-deal-ceasefire.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">one of the main obstacles</a> to ending the American-Israeli war on Iran.</li> <li><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/06/18/world/middleeast/vance-israel-critics-us-iran-deal.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Vice President JD Vance lashed out at Israeli critics</a> of a U.S.-Iran agreement.</li> </ul> <p>Photo: David Guttenfelder/The New York Times</p> <p>For more information on today’s episode, visit <a href="http://nytimes.com/thedaily?smid=pc-thedaily" rel="noopener noreferrer"><strong>nytimes.com/thedaily</strong></a>. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday. </p> <p><p>Subscribe today at <a href="http://nytimes.com/podcasts">nytimes.com/podcasts</a> or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher">https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher</a>. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app.</p></p><br/> <p>Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See <a href="https://pcm.adswizz.com">pcm.adswizz.com</a> for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.</p>