#111 Mujtaba Rahman: Why Iran War Exposed Europe’s Biggest Weakness

#111 Mujtaba Rahman: Why Iran War Exposed Europe’s Biggest Weakness

Author: Decoding Geopolitics March 9, 2026 Duration: 28:07

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This is a conversation with Mujtaba Rahman, Managing Director of Eurasia Group Europe and an insider and one of my go to sources on European politics. It has been a very dramatic year for Europe and it only seems to get more dramatic - and so we go through how has Europe been holding so far and where are we gonna go from here. 


We talk about the U.S. war with Iran - specifically about the chaotic European reaction to it and how that has shown how much Europe is still lacking any common unified foreign policy or about why are European powers willing to shoot down Iranian drones in the Gulf but not in Western Ukraine. And why Mujtaba believes that Greenland is still a major underpriced risk and why crisis over Greenland might have only paused and restart at any point. About Friedrich Merz in the White House and whether European unity towards Trump has started to fall apart - and much more. 


It can feel like the world is moving too fast, with headlines about conflict, shifting alliances, and economic tensions arriving in a constant, confusing stream. Decoding Geopolitics Podcast with Dominik Presl steps into that noise, offering a space for clarity through substantive conversation. Hosted by Dominik Presl, this series engages directly with scholars, analysts, and practitioners who study the forces shaping our international landscape. Each episode is built on a simple premise: to move beyond surface-level news cycles and explore the deeper historical roots, strategic calculations, and security dilemmas driving global events. You’ll hear discussions that unpack complex topics-from regional flashpoints and diplomatic maneuvers to the evolving nature of power and defense-without resorting to sensationalism. The goal isn’t to predict the future, but to provide the contextual understanding needed to interpret the present more thoughtfully. This podcast functions as a curated dialogue, translating expert insight into accessible analysis for anyone feeling adrift in the currents of contemporary politics. By focusing on sustained conversation rather than quick takes, it builds a foundation for listeners to develop their own informed perspectives on a world that often feels dangerously opaque.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

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