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President Trump is threatening to destroy the nation of Iran if a deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz is not reached by 8 p.m. ET Tuesday. 

“A whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again,” the president wrote on his social media platform.

“I don’t want that to happen, but it probably will.”

The U.S. and Iran are holding indirect talks on ways to pause, or end, the war. But there’s no real sign of progress.

As Trump’s latest deadline for a deal with Iran ticks closer, where do things stand now?

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This episode was produced by Brianna Scott and Karen Zamora.

It was edited by Rebekah Metzler, Andrew Sussman and Patrick Jarenwattananon.

Our executive producer is Sami Yenigun.

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President Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have stood shoulder to shoulder in their war on Iran — both men have said they want to end Iran’s nuclear ambitions, destroy its ballistic missiles and end Tehran’s support for proxy militias across the region. But are they still on the same page on how to end it?

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This episode was produced by Brianna Scott and Karen Zamora, with audio engineering by Tiffany Vera Castro.

It was edited by James Hider, Rebekah Metzler, Patrick Jarenwattananon and Courtney Dorning.

Our executive producer is Sami Yenigun.

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After a dramatic rescue of a U.S. airman in Iran, President Trump posted a profanity-laden threat to Iran that if it didn’t open the Strait of Hormuz it would be “living in Hell.” Representative Madeline Dean, Democrat from Pennsylvania told NPR that Trump’s handling of the war in Iran – and the recent budget he proposed to fund it – are troubling and un-American.

For sponsor-free episodes of Consider This, sign up for Consider This+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. Email us at considerthis@npr.org. 

This episode was produced by Henry Larson. 

It was edited by Tinbete Ermyas and Sarah Robbins. 

Our executive producer is Sami Yenigun.

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As the U.S. pulls out of providing billions of dollars of aid for programs globally, NPR’s reporters find out what that looks like on the ground – and how China is moving in to take America’s place.

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This episode was produced by Linah Mohammad.  It was edited by Adam Raney and Gisele Grayson. Our executive producer is Sami Yenigun.

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Some of the most memorable speeches in American history have been delivered in wartime, with presidents seeking to unify the country, explain their strategy and, often, make a moral case for war. But President Trump has always spoken differently than his predecessors, so what does that mean when there’s a war on?

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This episode was produced by Connor Donevan. 

It was edited by Mallory Yu. 

Our executive producer is Sami Yenigun.

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Attacking civilian infrastructure is a war crime under international law. So when President Trump threatened to attack power plants and potentially all desalination plants in Iran earlier this week, it raised concerns among some legal experts. Kuwaiti officials also accused Iran of destroying one of its desalination plants earlier this week.  

If a war crime were to be committed during the conflict with Iran, what would accountability look like? Would there be any at all? 

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This episode was produced by Henry Larson and Jeffrey Pierre, with audio engineering by Peter Ellena.

It was edited by John Ketchum.

Our executive producer is Sami Yenigun.

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The quest to reach  the Moon has always been a key part of the American myth.

So has the country’s embrace of immigrants, and its vision of itself as a defender of democracy around the world. On a day all three are in play, we’ll meet the crew headed out toward the moon.

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NPR’s Scott Neuman contributed to this episode.

This episode was produced by Michael Levitt, Marc Rivers and Connor Donevan.  It was edited by Ashley Brown and Courtney Dorning. Our executive producer is Sami Yenigun.

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A series of Trump administration policy decisions – deportations, tariffs, and the Iran war – are ratcheting up the pressure on American farmers. 

It’s a group that tends to support the president, but persistent challenges may test their patience. 

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This episode was produced by Christine Arrasmith, Alejandra Marquez Janse and Karen Zamora, with audio engineering by Ted Mebane.

It was edited by Rebekah Metzler and William Troop.

Our executive producer is Sami Yenigun.

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Israel’s invasion in Lebanon is rapidly widening and could outlast the war in Iran.

People in southern Lebanon are living through a war within a war.

The war is of course the U-S Israeli campaign against Iran.

The war within Lebanon started with a series of strikes from the militant group Hezbollah.

They launched rockets and drones from Lebanon into Israel.

Israel responded with strikes in Lebanon.

And with that, a conflict that has flared on and off for decades reignited.

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This episode was produced by Connor Donevan and Alejandra Marquez Janse. It was edited by Gerry Holmes, James Hider and Courtney Dorning. Our executive producer is Sami Yenigun.

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At the heart of the war against Iran is a question about the fate of the Iranian government. Adrian Ma speaks with Ramtin Arablouei, host of the NPR podcast Throughline, about what Iranians in the United States want from regime change in Iran – and the history of why.

For sponsor-free episodes of Consider This, sign up for Consider This+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. 

Email us at considerthis@npr.org.

This episode was produced by Henry Larson and Michael Levitt. It was edited by Tinbete Ermyas and Sarah Robbins. Our executive producer is Sami Yenigun.

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