As the truce between the United States and Iran splinters, questions grow over whether either side can avoid a wider conflict. Political scientist Professor Robert Pape explains the concept of the “escalation trap”, why he believes the conflict has entered a more dangerous phase, and the difficult choices now facing Donald Trump.
00:00 – What is the ‘escalation trap’ and how did Trump fall into it?
01:00 – What’s going to break the deadlock?
02:05 – The two choices now facing Trump
03:18 – Professor Robert Pape responds to his own Iran war prediction
04:57 – How the Ayatollah’s funeral changed the conflict
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Read more here: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-07-11/trump-flags-us-iran-talks-but-says-ceasefire-is-over/106904360
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