Q&A: Is the Iran War coming to Europe?

James Rubin (0:02)

This is a Global Production.

Christiane Amanpour (0:05)

This does tell us about the growing, you know, resistance to that. It tells us about the growing risk of this conflict, just like what we're suffering through in Europe, the way the Russia conflict is spilling over, spilling over into Europe, tons of hybrid and cyber attacks and potentially more. And it's getting worse as Russia gets more desperate. On Iran, this thing is just going on and on and on in this in this sort of war of attrition or stasis or who knows what's happening in this verbal assaults and periodic warfare going on, while the global economy keeps suffering.

Hello, everybody, and welcome. Today is our Q&A episode of The Ex Files with me, Christiane Amanpour in London.

James Rubin (0:55)

And Jamie Rubin here in New York.

Christiane Amanpour (0:57)

And of course, this is where we like to receive and answer your questions. So let's get started. Go ahead.

James Rubin (1:03)

First question, Laura on X.

Christiane, given the suspected plot at RAF Fairford, where five men have been arrested and a possible Iran link is being investigated, what does this tell us about? I'm going to do that again.

Christiane Amanpour (1:23)

Just carry on. You don't have to. You got chewing gum in. I'm like, why is he slurping?

James Rubin (1:27)

It's not chewing gum. It's not chewing gum. All right. I've now given up my vapor. It's f***ing nicotine. Don't swear.

Christiane Amanpour (1:35)

Don't swear. Okay, carry on.

James Rubin (1:37)

Laura on X. Christiane, given the suspected plot at RAF Fairford where five men have been arrested and a possible Iran link is being investigated, what does this tell us about the growing risk of the Iran conflict spilling over into Europe?

Christiane Amanpour (1:56)

Here we go.

Well, the truth is, Laura, that this is an active investigation and as yet, we don't have full knowledge about what's happening. But what we're told is that they are British nationals.

What we understand is that this link regarding Iran is being investigated. But basically, this RAF Fairford is one of the bases where the UK allowed the US to send its bombers off to bomb Iran. So this does tell us about the growing resistance to that. It tells us about the growing risk of this conflict, just like what we're suffering through in Europe with the way the Russia conflict is spilling over, spilling over into Europe, tons of hybrid and cyber attacks and potentially more. And it's getting worse as Russia gets more desperate. On Iran, this thing is just going on and on and on in this, in this sort of war of attrition or stasis or who knows what's happening in this verbal assaults and periodic warfare going on, while the global economy keeps suffering. So we're going to see what happens, but anything that happens around here like this clearly does affect us. It is a risk to us here in the UK, but also to Europe and to other parts of the world as well. It speaks volumes to what people are thinking about this, so far forever war conducted by the United States. Remember, a war of choice.

James Rubin (3:32)

Right. One of the things I find interesting about it, I don't know the details, I don't think we will know for a while, is that there was a perception on the part of President Trump, I think, that the British didn't really help in the war. But as it turned out, a big percentage of the bombing raids from long-range bombers that were hitting Iran, were coming from this airfield. So the British were actually quietly, without supporting the President's war very publicly, were giving the kind of military support that has traditionally been part of the US-British relationship. And so I just find that interesting because you could have missed that.

If you would just listen to what the US was saying about the Brits, who might not have understood the extent to which the British were really helping the United States. I'm not talking about whether it was a good idea or a bad idea. I think they began doing it once Iran attacked British or other allied facilities in the region. They said this was now a defensive action. And so they justified giving support through this use of this airbase. But I think what it tells you is that often there's more going on behind the scenes than you know.

Just when a leader says they don't support a war or they don't support what the president is doing, that doesn't mean that at the intelligence level, the military level, there isn't still a lot of support going on when you have a close ally like the British and the United States. Again, this is value neutral. I'm not trying to say whether it was a good idea or a bad idea. It's just a recognition that this really was a significant support the British were giving. And thus, if it was the subject of a terrorist or the target for a terrorist attack, you know, it would really show how the Iranians are trying to make people pay a price for that.