x

75% of people globally want unbiased news (Pew Research) but are concerned they're not getting that.

Get balanced coverage with Symby. See how stories are covered across diverse outlets and spot when one side covers a story the other skips.

PODCAST

Hold Your Fire!

International Crisis Group

Join Crisis Group"s Executive Vice President Richard Atwood as he dives deep into the conflicts that rage around the globe with Crisis Group analysts and special guests. These experts bring a unique, on-the-ground perspective to understanding both why those conflicts persist — and what could bring them to an end. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

news news commentary

All Episodes

1:05:08

What Hope for the U.S.-Iran Talks in Islamabad?

Hold Your Fire! ·

2026/04/11

In this episode of Hold Your Fire!, Richard is joined by Crisis Group experts Ali Vaez, Yasmine Farouk, Mairav Zonszein, Michael Hanna and Stephen Pomper to discuss the announced ceasefire between Iran, Israel and the U.S. and what might follow. Richard first asks Ali why Iran agreed to a ceasefire, decision-making in Tehran and Iran’s approach to the Islamabad talks. He then speaks with Yasmine about Gulf reactions to the ceasefire, the continued closure of the Strait of Hormuz and divergent Gulf

en

42:20

After Three Years of War in Sudan, What Hope for a...

Hold Your Fire! ·

2026/04/07

In this episode of Hold Your Fire!, Richard is joined by Crisis Group’s Sudan expert Shewit Woldemichael and Horn of Africa director Alan Boswell to discuss where Sudan’s war stands as it approaches its fourth year. They examine shifts along the front lines as Sudan’s de facto partition under the two main warring parties, the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces, is becoming increasingly entrenched. They speak about how the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran is affecting dynamics in Sudan. They also

en

1:04:56

From Bad to Disastrous: Will Trump Escalate in Iran?

Hold Your Fire! ·

2026/03/28

In this episode of Hold Your Fire!, Richard is joined by Crisis Group experts Ali Vaez, Yasmine Farouk, Mairav Zonszein, Stephen Pomper and Michael Wahid Hanna to talk about where the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran stands, one month in. Richard first speaks with Ali about reported backchannel talks between Washington and Tehran, the two sides’ largely incompatible demands for ending the war, changes in Iran’s leadership, and the slim prospects for de-escalation as the U.S. deploys more troops to the

en

44:54

Is Cuba Next?

Hold Your Fire! ·

2026/03/20

In this episode of Hold Your Fire!, Richard Atwood speaks with Crisis Group’s Latin America director, Renata Segura and senior policy director, Ivan Briscoe, about what the Trump administration is trying to achieve in Cuba and recent developments in Venezuela. They discuss Washington’s pressure campaign on Cuba, the effects of the U.S. oil blockade, popular frustration on the island and the inner workings of the Cuban regime and the reported talks between Washington and figures within the Cuban

en

52:21

Escalation or off-Ramp in the Gulf? And What Hope for...

Hold Your Fire! ·

2026/03/14

In this episode of Hold Your Fire!, Richard speaks with Crisis Group’s Lebanon expert David Wood and former Crisis Group President Rob Malley. Richard first talks with David about the escalating conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, why Hezbollah decided to launch attacks after the U.S.-Israel war on Iran began, Israel’s war aims in Lebanon and prospects for a ceasefire. Richard then turns to Rob to discuss the U.S.-Israel campaign against Iran, how closely Washington and Israel are aligned in

en

59:09

Operation Epic Folly? Trump’s and Netanyahu’s War on...

Hold Your Fire! ·

2026/03/07

In this episode of Hold Your Fire!, Richard is joined by Crisis Group experts Ali Vaez, Yasmine Farouk, Mairav Zonszein and Michael Wahid Hanna to talk about how the U.S.-Israel war with Iran is unfolding and what might be next. Richard first speaks with Ali about what is happening inside Iran amid internet blackouts and heavy bombardment, debates around Iran’s leadership and Ali Khamenei’s succession, calculations in Tehran and the risks of state collapse. Next, Richard speaks with Yasmine about

en

43:01

Special Episode: Regime Change or Regional War? U.S....

Hold Your Fire! ·

2026/03/01

In this special episode of Hold Your Fire!, Richard is joined by Crisis Group’s Iran director Ali Vaez and Gulf and Arabian Peninsula director Yasmin Farouk to discuss the U.S.-Israel strikes on Iran, the regional fallout, and what could come next. Richard first speaks with Ali about the killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and what it means for Tehran’s leadership and decision-making. They assess the damage to Iran’s missile capabilities, the risks posed by its remaining nuclear

en

44:19

Will Ethiopia and Eritrea Start a Regional War?

Hold Your Fire! ·

2026/02/28

In this episode of Hold Your Fire!, Richard speaks with Crisis Group Africa director Murithi Mutiga about rising Ethiopia–Eritrea tensions and the growing risk of another war in the Horn of Africa. They discuss how political divisions in Tigray and Ethiopia’s push for Red Sea access are sharpening fault lines between Addis Ababa and Asmara. They examine how Gulf and Middle Eastern rivalries could shape any Ethiopia–Eritrea confrontation and increase the risk of wider regional conflagration,

en

45:40

A Transport Route to Peace in the South Caucasus?

Hold Your Fire! ·

2026/02/20

In this episode of Hold Your Fire!, Richard Atwood speaks with Joshua Kucera, Crisis Group’s senior South Caucasus analyst, about progress in Armenia-Azerbaijan peace talks, U.S. involvement and shifting regional politics. They discuss U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance’s recent visit to Yerevan and Baku, why Washington got involved and U.S. efforts to broker agreement on the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity (TRIPP) – a proposed transit corridor linking mainland Azerbaijan to its

en

43:41

Phase Two in Gaza?

Hold Your Fire! ·

2026/02/07

In this episode of Hold Your Fire!, Richard speaks with Crisis Group experts Amjad Iraqi, Mairav Zonszein and Max Rodenbeck about President Donald Trump’s Board of Peace and its implications for Gaza. They unpack the structure of the board’s different layers, how Palestinians are reacting to the new Palestinian technocratic Gaza committee and what that committee will do. They look at conditions on the ground in Gaza amid frequent ceasefire violations and Hamas’s continued hold of parts of the strip

en

44:02

Norway’s FM Espen Barth Eide on Greenland, Iran,...

Hold Your Fire! ·

2026/01/31

In this episode of Hold Your Fire!, Richard is joined by Norway’s Foreign Minister, Espen Barth Eide. They discuss the latest U.S.-Europe tensions over Greenland, Arctic security and Europe’s approach to Washington. They then turn to prospects for a peace deal in Ukraine and what security guarantees might look like. They examine President Trump’s newly announced “Board of Peace” and its implications for Gaza, the danger of another round of U.S. strikes on Iran, the U.S. raid that seized Venezuelan

en

48:21

The Greenland Showdown and Board of Peace at Davos

Hold Your Fire! ·

2026/01/24

This week on Hold Your Fire!, Richard speaks with Crisis Group experts Richard Gowan, Olga Oliker and Steve Pomper about U.S. President Donald Trump’s new Board of Peace and whether the transatlantic crisis over Greenland is over.In this episode of Hold Your Fire!, Richard speaks with Crisis Group experts, Richard Gowan, Olga Oliker and Steve Pomper and Richard Gowan to discuss the transatlantic strains over President Donald Trump’s bid to acquire Greenland and his push to expand the mandate of his

en

42:44

What Next for Iran?

Hold Your Fire! ·

2026/01/16

In this episode of Hold Your Fire!, Richard Atwood is joined by Crisis Group’s Iran Director Ali Vaez to discuss the wave of nationwide protests in Iran and what the unrest could mean for the Islamic Republic’s future. They look at what’s behind the protests, what is known about the situation on the ground amid an information blackout and the regime’s brutal crackdown, with a death toll that authorities themselves put in the thousands. They unpack the public anger at the regime, debates over who

en

43:16

From Venezuela to Greenland? Trump’s Gunboat Diplomacy

Hold Your Fire! ·

2026/01/10

This week on Hold Your Fire!, Richard speaks with Crisis Group experts Renata Segura and Stephen Pomper about the fallout from the U.S. operation capturing Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, Washington’s push for oil concessions, and the future U.S. Western hemisphere policy.In this episode of Hold Your Fire!, Richard talks with Renata Segura, Crisis Group’s Latin America & Caribbean director, and chief of policy Stephen Pomper, about the fallout from the U.S. operation last weekend seizing

en

29:53

Special Episode: What Next for Venezuela?

Hold Your Fire! ·

2026/01/05

This week, in a special episode of Hold Your Fire!, Richard is joined by Crisis Group’s Caracas-based senior Andes region analyst Phil Gunson to unpack the U.S. military operation in Venezuela that led to the capture of President Nicolás Maduro and to assess what may come next. They examine how the operation unfolded, how it was experienced inside Venezuela, and the government’s initial response. They discuss Vice President Delcy Rodríguez’s assumption of power and whether Washington may be willing

en

55:04

Trump Brokers Rwanda-DR Congo Deal, Rwandan-backed...

Hold Your Fire! ·

2025/12/19

In this episode of Hold Your Fire!, Richard Atwood speaks with Richard Moncrieff about the Rwanda-backed M23’s advance into Uvira in eastern DR Congo and where the war and the diplomacy to end it might be headed. They discuss what’s driving the group’s latest offensive, what governance looks like in M23-held areas, its reliance on Rwanda, and its ambitions through its political arm, the Congo River Alliance (or AFC). They then examine President Félix Tshisekedi’s resilience despite battlefield

en

36:32

Fighting on the Cambodia-Thailand Border

Hold Your Fire! ·

2025/12/13

In this episode of Hold Your Fire!, Richard speaks with Matthew Wheeler, Crisis Group’s Senior Analyst for Southeast Asia, about the renewed clashes along the Thailand-Cambodia border. They explore the origins of the long-running dispute and the triggers for the latest round of fighting, which has shattered a ceasefire reached in Malaysia in late July and displaced more than half a million people. They examine calculations in Bangkok and Phnom Penh, the rising nationalist sentiment in Thailand, and

en

1:00:37

UN stamps Trump plan, Gaza in Limbo, Saudi Crown...

Hold Your Fire! ·

2025/11/22

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

en

44:34

At Home and Away: President Ahmed al-Sharaa’s Year in...

Hold Your Fire! ·

2025/11/17

In this episode of Hold Your Fire!, Richard is joined by Dareen Khalifa, Crisis Group’s senior adviser for dialogue promotion, to discuss Syria’s transition after the fall of the Assad regime and the political evolution of President Ahmed al-Sharaa. They talk about al-Sharaa’s recent trip to the White House and Washington’s evolving Syria policy and sanctions relief. They examine how life has changed under Syria’s new leadership and the daunting task the authorities face in unifying the country’s

en

44:22

Election Standoff Grips Cameroon and Jihadists...

Hold Your Fire! ·

2025/11/08

In this episode of Hold Your Fire!, Richard is joined by Crisis Group’s Cameroon expert Arrey E. Ntui and Sahel director Jean-Hervé Jézéquel. Richard first talks with Arrey about the fallout from Cameroon’s disputed elections, growing public anger toward President Paul Biya – the world’s oldest serving head of state – and opposition protests. They also assess how the political crisis might affect Cameroon’s long-running Anglophone conflict and risks for further escalation. Richard then turns to

en

224 results

Similar Podcasts

Expres Ráno

Expres FM

PBS News Hour - Full Show

PBS News

CD Voice

China Daily

Israel Today: Ongoing War Report

Noa Levi

Jeffrey Epstein: The Coverup Chronicles

Bobby Capucci