John Helmer: US Empire, Iran, Russian Oligarchy, Permanent War, & Whither Multipolarity?

John Helmer: US Empire, Iran, Russian Oligarchy, Permanent War, & Whither Multipolarity?

Author: Geopolitics & Empire April 12, 2026 Duration: 1:31:55

Veteran foreign correspondent and journalist John Helmer discusses propaganda today, how the U.S. Empire is not going away anytime soon, and examines the factionalism between Zionist advisors and pragmatic strategists like J.D. Vance regarding the conflict with Iran. Helmer notes that while the West maintains tactical military advantages, Iran has gained strategic ground by establishing a credible deterrent through its missile capabilities. Turning to Russia, he describes a nation navigating economic recession and internal political pressure ahead of elections, suggesting that President Putin is often forced into compromises to maintain domestic stability. BRICS as an anti-imperial force has collapsed. Ultimately, he provides a sobering outlook on a future of permanent war and the erosion of international legal standards.

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Websites

John Helmer https://johnhelmer.net
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About John Helmer

John Helmer is the longest continuously serving foreign correspondent in Russia, and the only western journalist to direct his own bureau independent of single national or commercial ties. He first set up his bureau in 1989, making him today the doyen of the foreign press corps in Russia.

His family has many links to Russia. The founding father was a soldier from Denmark in Napoleon’s Grande Armée, who in 1806 decided his chances of survival were greater if he didn’t try to keep Napoleon company on the return home. Other family members were killed by the Germans during the invasion of the Soviet Union of 1941.

Born and educated in Australia, then at Harvard University, Helmer has also been a professor of political science, of sociology, and of journalism, and an advisor to government heads in Australia, Greece, the United States, and Sri Lanka.

He is a regular presenter on Russian topics in China, Western Europe, and the United States, and at conferences organized by CRU, Center for Management Technologies, the Vicenza (Italy) Fair, and other industry conventions.

Before Russia, Helmer published several books in the US on military and political topics. Essays on the American presidency and on urban policy in the US followed in book compilations in 1981 and 1982; essays on Greek and Middle Eastern politics between 1986 and 1989. Since 1989 he has published almost exclusively on Russian topics.

Today Helmer is one of the most widely read Russian specialists in the business world for his news-breaking stories on Russian base and precious metals, diamonds, mining, shipping, insurance, food trade, and business policy.

*Podcast intro music used with permission is from the song “The Queens Jig” by the fantastic “Musicke & Mirth” from their album “Music for Two Lyra Viols”: http://musicke-mirth.de/en/recordings.html (available on iTunes or Amazon)

Tracing the lines on the map that connect past conflicts to present-day crises, Geopolitics & Empire offers a deep and often sobering analysis of how power is projected and contested across the globe. This isn't about surface-level headlines; instead, each episode digs into the historical roots of modern alliances, economic warfare, and the enduring strategies of empires, both old and new. You’ll hear discussions that connect pivotal moments in history to the diplomatic and military maneuvering we see today, providing context that is frequently missing from the daily news cycle. The conversations hosted here are built on the understanding that today’s border disputes, trade wars, and intelligence operations are chapters in a much longer story. By weaving together the categories of history, government, and current affairs, this podcast creates a comprehensive narrative. It’s for anyone who feels that the world’s flashpoints can’t be understood without examining the ambitions, rivalries, and foundational events that set the stage decades or even centuries ago. Tune in for a rigorous exploration of the forces that truly shape international relations, where every treaty, revolution, and strategic pivot is examined for its lasting consequences on the global order.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 100

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