Denis Staunton, author of The Irish Times Global Briefing newsletter on international affairs, joins Hugh Linehan to talk about the escalating war in the Middle East.

They discuss how Iran gradually lost its status as a regional heavyweight, America’s unchecked and unrivalled military power, the shift under Donald Trump’s presidency to a strategy of decapitation when dealing with enemies, the potential economic fallout from Iran’s strikes on Gulf states, scenarios for a post-war Iran and Europe’s timid response to America’s breach of international law.