Pepe Escobar & Larry Johnson | Breaking: Iran's Warning One More Strike and We Leave the NPT, Will Iran Build the Bomb?" | July 9, 2026

Source: Transition Protocol youtube



Description:
Iran has sent a message the world wasn’t supposed to hear. According to sources relayed to Pakistan’s Field Marshal Asim Munir from inside the inner circle of Iran’s new leader Mostafa Khamenei, one more US military strike could trigger Iran’s formal withdrawal from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) — and, in the source’s own words, “all bets are off.”

In this breaking episode, Pepe Escobar and Larry Johnson break down the renewed US bombing campaign, strikes on BRICS-linked civilian infrastructure, the Strait of Hormuz sovereignty standoff, and the US Strategic Petroleum Reserve countdown that could hit crisis by mid-August.

Larry Johnson explains why 70% of US refineries depend on sour crude now blocked at Hormuz, why Iran’s mass mourning of 40+ million people is Iran’s “Pearl Harbor moment,” and why Trump — not Tehran — is the one begging mediators for talks in Islamabad. This is the fullest breakdown connecting Iran’s NPT decision, the oil shock, and the collapse of the Versailles MOU before anyone else. 

Sources: Pepe Escobar (geopolitical correspondent) and Larry Johnson (former CIA / State Department analyst). Some claims are source-based and developing; framing reflects verification status.

Timeline:
00:00 — The Bombshell: One Strike From Nuclear
01:30 — 40 Million in the Streets: Iran’s Turning Point
04:00 — US Bombs BRICS Infrastructure: Railways & Chabahar
06:00 — The Tanker Trap in the Strait of Hormuz
08:20 — The Oil Clock: When America Runs Dry
10:48 — Larry Johnson: Did Iran Hit US Warships?
14:08 — 70% of US Refineries Need Crude They Can’t Get
17:51 — Iran’s Next Target: Ben Gurion?
18:25 — Islamabad Talks: Who’s Really Begging?
21:36 — THE BOMBSHELL: Iran and the NPT
30:18 — Iran’s Pearl Harbor: A Nation Transformed
33:50 — Red Flags: The Signal for Blood Revenge
37:08 — Trump Trapped in His Own Web

Pepe Escobar & Larry Johnson | BREAKING: Trump Is Trapped-What Iran's Majlis Just Voted For — And What It Deliberately Left Out | July 15, 2026

Source: Transition Protocol youtube



Desription:
Iran’s parliament has voted 400–0 to accelerate the country’s nuclear capabilities. Sources close to Tehran’s decision-making now tell Transition Protocol that a nuclear test on Iranian soil is being openly discussed at the highest levels — with a final decision expected within days if the Sunday Pakistan–Qatar mediation window collapses.

In this episode, veteran geopolitical analyst Pepe Escobar and former CIA analyst Larry Johnson join Zulfiqar Ali to map the critical week that could determine whether a U.S.–Iran war breaks out.

We examine:
- Trump’s reported personal phone calls to Field Marshal Asim Munir seeking an off-ramp
- The Pentagon’s Crisis Action Teams returning to full 24/7 war footing
- The arithmetic no one in Washington wants spoken aloud: Larry Johnson’s assessment that the U.S. Army currently holds only 56 units of its newest precision missile

We also break down why Iran believes it only needs to hit ten fixed targets — from Al Udeid to Erbil — while the United States faces roughly a thousand regenerating launch sites along the Strait of Hormuz; what an Iranian NPT withdrawal vote would actually signal; why Hezbollah now considers itself unbound; and the escalation card that has not yet been played: Bab el-Mandeb.

Source note: This episode combines publicly confirmed reporting on the collapse of the June 17 MOU with source-based information developed by Transition Protocol’s contacts. Claims that have not yet been independently verified are flagged on screen. Pepe Escobar is a globally published geopolitical correspondent; Larry Johnson is a former CIA analyst and State Department counterterrorism official.

Pepe Escobar, Larry Johnson & Zulfiqar Ali | Iran's Secret Memo Lands in Riyadh-Iran Is ‘Ready for War' | July 2, 2026

Source: Transition Protocol youtube

Description:
A confidential Iranian memo — hand-carried to Riyadh by Pakistan’s Mohsin Naqvi — and one word that decides what happens next: “provoked.” Pepe Escobar, Larry Johnson, and Zulfiqar Ali with what a source at the negotiating table shared just one hour before recording.

Also in this episode:
- Qalibaf’s on-the-record refusal to negotiate until the US implements the June 17 Islamabad Memorandum
- Why not a single tanker has headed West in 14 days
- The fuel-supply crisis Larry Johnson says forced Trump’s signature
- The confirmed knockout of the Al Udeid CAOC
- Hormuz fees after day 60
- Saudi Arabia’s position
- The 9-day window that opens when Khamenei’s funeral ends July 9

Timeline:

00:00 Iran–US MOU: The 60-Day Clock Begins
01:06 Did Iran Damage America’s Gulf Command Structure?
03:31 Lebanon: The First Test of the Deal
06:23 Strait of Hormuz: Who Controls the Chokepoint?
08:30 Ghalibaf’s Red Lines: No New Negotiations?
13:49 Oil, Diesel, Aviation Fuel, and Trump’s Constraint
20:50 Pakistan and Qatar: The Mediators Behind the Deal
24:10 Saudi Arabia’s Quiet Role
29:59 Larry Johnson: Birth of a New Financial Order
34:48 Is US Hegemony in the Gulf Ending?
39:03 Pepe Escobar: Eurasia, Civilizational States, and the Power Shift
43:16 Transition Protocol Closing Analysis

Larry Johnson | Bessent’s “Biggest Sanctions” FAILS Iran Moves Toward Mecca Pact as Trump Begs Pak for an Off-Ramp | Aug. 24, 2026

Source: Transition Protocol youtube



Description:
Iran has been formally invited to join the Mecca Agreement — the trilateral defense pact between Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey — with enthusiastic engagement already underway between Islamabad and Tehran, according to sources detailed in this episode.

The same day, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent’s long-promised "maximum pressure" sanctions rollout landed with no new named targets, prompting military analyst Larry Johnson to call it "a mouse fart" instead of the "volcanic eruption" that had been advertised.

Host Zulfiqar Ali and Larry Johnson break down what it means that Bahrain has asked to join the Pakistan-Saudi military pact, why the United States is now in a structural sour-crude oil shortage, and how China’s multi-year effort to broker Saudi-Iran détente is now visibly reshaping the Persian Gulf.

Larry Johnson is a former CIA analyst and military analyst who has covered Middle East security and U.S. foreign policy for decades. Zulfiqar Ali reports directly from sources inside Pakistani political and military circles. Some claims in this episode are based on privileged source reporting and are clearly marked as developing rather than independently confirmed.

Transition Protocol is a source-driven geopolitical and economic analysis channel focused on evidence-based reporting on the shift away from a unipolar world order, de-dollarization, and great-power realignment.

Scott Ritter & Larry Johnson | INTEL Roundtable | July 3, 2025

Source: Judge Napolitano - Judging Freedom youtube

Key Points

• Ukraine Conflict and U.S. Support
  • Scott Ritter: Russia remains firm on its "special military operation" goals in Ukraine, including territorial demands, reducing Ukraine’s military, and blocking NATO membership. Russia advances across front lines, targeting infrastructure.
  • U.S. is cutting critical munitions (e.g., Patriot missiles, artillery) due to depleted stockpiles, leaving Ukraine vulnerable. Ritter calls Ukraine a "hospice patient" nearing collapse.
  • Larry Johnson: U.S. can’t ramp up production for modern warfare, contrasting slow F-35 production (18-24 months) with WWII-era B-24 bombers (18 hours).
• Trump-Putin Dialogue
  • Ritter: Recent Trump-Putin call focused on re-engagement, Iran, Gaza, and cultural exchanges to counter U.S. Russophobia, not Ukraine specifically. Putin reiterated Russia’s unyielding stance.
  • Johnson: Putin’s talks with Trump and Macron tested for softening on Russia’s demands, which remain firm on addressing war’s root causes and new territorial realities.
• Iran’s Nuclear Program
  • Ritter: Iranian officials (Oct 2024) claimed near nuclear weapons capability, fueling U.S./Israeli fears. Iran’s 60% enriched uranium makes it a threshold state, though no final bomb decision exists.
  • Iran agreed (June 2025) to limit enrichment to 3.75% and allow U.S. inspectors, but U.S.-Israeli strikes (June 12-13) disrupted this. Ritter urges Iran to avoid provocative rhetoric; both criticize Israel’s IAEA influence.
  • Johnson: Loss of IAEA access blinded Western intelligence on Iran’s program, necessitating Russia’s help to restore inspections.
• Israel-Iran Conflict
  • Ritter: Iran’s missile strikes (using older missiles) heavily damaged Israeli military/intelligence sites, overwhelming defenses with maneuvering warheads and decoys. Iran reserved advanced hypersonic missiles.
  • Johnson: Israel’s small size makes it vulnerable (e.g., one airport loss halts civilian flights), unlike Iran, which absorbs damage due to its size and population.
  • Both: Netanyahu’s U.S. visit (post-July 4, 2025) seeks continued support, domestic political leverage, and intelligence restoration. Rumors of B-2 bomber transfers dismissed due to Israel’s history of leaking U.S. tech.
• Netanyahu’s Agenda
  • Ritter: Netanyahu aims to project U.S. support for his leadership, avoid escalation with Iran, and navigate domestic legal issues, with Trump interfering via sanction threats.
  • Johnson: Israel needs IAEA access to rebuild intelligence networks in Iran after exposing operatives.

Larry Johnson | Trump's Unreliability: Epstein Files & Funding WAR | July 16, 2025

Source: Daniel Davis / Deep Dive youtube, Sonar21.com



Description:
The video opens with breaking news, including a major Israeli airstrike into Damascus, Syria—reportedly hitting the presidential palace. The guest, Larry Johnson (former CIA analyst), criticizes U.S. and Israeli involvement in backing radical Sunni militants like Al-Julani, the head of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), a former terrorist organization recently removed from the U.S. terrorism list. Johnson argues that the U.S. and its allies helped empower such groups, which are now attacking the Druze community in southern Syria—prompting Israel to intervene, claiming to defend the Druze, though geopolitical and historical interests are likely involved.

Johnson warns this conflict is escalating and could pull in Iran, especially after the June 13th strike that galvanized the region's Shia communities. He says this will likely broaden the war rather than contain it.

The discussion then shifts to Donald Trump’s perceived unreliability—particularly regarding Ukraine. Trump had previously promised to end the Russia-Ukraine war within 24 hours, later calling it “sarcasm,” and now has issued a 50-day ultimatum to Russia. Johnson criticizes Trump’s contradictory statements and lack of policy consistency, attributing it to ignorance, reliance on media soundbites, and possible age-related cognitive decline. He also highlights Trump’s past contributions to escalating tensions in Ukraine through arms support and military exercises during his first term.

The segment concludes by underscoring Trump’s pattern of making bold, unfulfilled promises, making it difficult to take his current ultimatums seriously.

Larry Johnson | BREAKING: ”Iran Is Done Playing Defense”-Insiders WARN of a Strike on a US Warship | Aug. 17, 2026

Source: Transition Protocol youtube



Description:
Iran has moved from defensive to offensive posture — and sources in Tehran and Islamabad tell Transition Protocol the next step under discussion is an attack on a US Navy warship. Meanwhile, the American fleet enforcing the Iran blockade in the Strait of Hormuz is running out of food, having lost its forward resupply warehouses in Bahrain and Oman and half its fast combat supply ships to a decade-old budget cut. Today the US–Iran MOU officially expired. Larry Johnson and Zulfiqar Ali break down what happens next.

In this episode: why Donald Trump threatened to bomb Oman, and the Hormuz transit-fee agreement that likely triggered it; why oil moving off ships is reportedly changing hands as high as $260 a barrel while the tanker ETF has gone from $67 to $387 since February; why the global diesel and aviation fuel shortage cannot be solved by pumping more crude; how BRICS, China’s CIPS payment system and six new Pakistani overland routes have made sanctioning Iran into isolation impossible; why the Turkey–Pakistan–Saudi Mecca pact cannot fight for 12 to 18 months; and what was reportedly discussed about the nuclear option at Camp David this weekend.

Larry Johnson spent 27 years in US intelligence and counterterrorism, including the CIA and the State Department’s Office of Counterterrorism, and has run joint military operations planning for over two decades.

Zulfiqar Ali reports with direct visibility into decision-making circles in Tehran and Islamabad. Transition Protocol is a serious, source-driven geopolitical and economic analysis channel focused on evidence-based reporting and high-signal breakdowns of global power shifts and their financial consequences. Some claims in this episode are source-based and developing; each is identified as such on screen. Nothing here is investment advice.;

Pepe Escobar & Larry Johnson | Breaking: Iran is now forcing the United States out of Persian Gulf 10-day countdown | July 22, 2026

Source: Transition Protocol youtube



Description: 

BREAKING: Iran is now forcing the United States out of the Persian Gulf — base by base — even as U.S. precision-missile stockpiles run critically low.

In this intelligence briefing, Pepe Escobar, Larry Johnson and Zulfiqar Ali break down the “strategic rupture”: the confirmed U.S. drawdown from Gulf and Jordan bases, the missile-magazine crisis (Patriot, THAAD, Tomahawk), the surging oil price as Brent breaks above $90, and the Red Sea “siege for a siege” squeezing Saudi Arabia.

We connect the failed Pakistan-brokered off-ramp, China and Russia quietly backing Iran’s red lines, and the reported 10-day countdown to a possible final showdown — with clear labels for what is confirmed and what remains developing. Larry Johnson is a former CIA analyst and State Department counterterrorism official; Pepe Escobar is a veteran geopolitical correspondent covering Eurasia.

Larry Johnson | BREAKING: Where Was Mojtaba Khamenei? Iran's UNSEEN Leader Made 1st Move- Who Signed Iran's Decree?? | Aug. 10, 2026

Source: Transition Protocol youtube, Sonar21.com



Iran replaced the secretary of its Supreme National Security Council last night — by decree of a Supreme Leader the world has not laid eyes on since the strike that killed his father in February. Every newsroom carried the decree. None of them could tell you who signed it.

Transition Protocol has been told by a source close to him that Mojtaba Khamenei has largely recovered, that the change at the top of Iran's security apparatus was his own decision, and that Iran's answer to Washington is being carried to Islamabad this week. We report that as what it is: single-source and unconfirmed. We are telling you who told us and what they are in a position to know, and you can weigh it.

In this briefing, Larry Johnson and Zulfiqar Ali cover why Western analysts are misreading the elevation of Mohsen Rezaei as the arrival of a hardliner; what Iran's updated ten points now demand, including four names that were not in the April version; why six strikes on shipping in eight days have drawn no American retaliation; what the emerging Oman arrangement means for transit permission, tolls and the currency they are paid in; why Saudi Arabia cannot win the exchange it is now in with Yemen; and why Japan's refineries — not the barrel count — are the hidden mechanism behind the global diesel and jet-fuel shortage.

Analysis by Larry Johnson, former CIA analyst and former Deputy Director of the US State Department's Office of Counterterrorism, with Zulfiqar Ali. Hosted by Transition Protocol.

Larry Johnson | Exposes Iran's Trump Card: Netanyahu Told the US NO, Our Sources Say the NUCLEAR Brake Is OFF | July 27, 2026

Source: Transition Protocol youtube, Sonar21.com



Description:
Transition Protocol sources report a development that changes the entire Iran nuclear question:

Grand Ayatollah Sistani has reportedly ruled that the late Ayatollah Khamenei's fatwa against nuclear weapons is no longer valid — and Mojtaba Khamenei has ordered Iran's weapons capability developed.

(Source reporting; not independently verified.) It comes in the same 24 hours that Israeli media confirmed President Trump has DEMANDED Israeli withdrawals and Prime Minister Netanyahu told his cabinet he will say NO — one day before their White House showdown.

Former CIA analyst Larry Johnson breaks down Iran's four cards: 19+ US radars and satellite systems destroyed across Qatar, Kuwait and Bahrain; critical US shortages of PAC-3, THAAD and precision-strike missiles; 25% of the world's sour crude off the market and US refineries that cannot switch; and the nuclear threshold itself. Plus: the Islamabad MOU ultimatum — implement paragraph one now, or nothing moves.

Larry Johnson is a former CIA analyst and State Department counterterrorism official. Zulfiqar Ali reports with direct sources in Tehran and Islamabad. Transition Protocol is a source-driven geopolitical program covering the multipolar transition — subscribe for the reporting you won't get from corporate media, and join our Substack ($5/month) for the weekly security brief.

Larry Johnson | Why Trump Cancelled Iran Strike – Is The US Losing The War With Iran? PART 2 | Aug. 3, 2026

Source: Transition Protocol youtube



Description:
Why did Trump cancel the Iran strike? Larry Johnson tells Transition Protocol that launch orders had already gone out for after 6 PM Eastern, and the pull-back came after that point. Larry Johnson and Zulfiqar Ali discuss Gulf warnings, Tehran's five conditions, GCC divergence, China's role in Iranian air defence, and diesel/aviation fuel constraints.

Larry Johnson & Pepe Escobar | BREAKING: China's 72-HOUR Ultimatum to the US -Fix the Iran DEAL by Monday Or It's WAR | July 17, 2026

Source: Transition Protocol youtube



Description:
In this emergency Friday briefing, Pepe Escobar, Larry Johnson and Zulfiqar Ali break down why Iran’s missiles have suddenly become accurate — the panel reports a shift from US GPS to China’s BeiDou satellite guidance — and why the next 72 hours may decide whether the Iran–US war stays regional or goes global. According to sources cited on the show, China has set a Monday deadline for Pakistan to restore the collapsed 14-point US–Iran MOU.

The panel also covers the Saudi strike on Sana’a’s runway that nearly downed an Iranian civilian flight, Iran’s signal that it may revise its nuclear doctrine and leave the NPT, the US strike on Iran’s Chabahar port, and Pakistan’s new red line. Several claims are developing and source-based; framing throughout reflects their verification status.

Transition Protocol is a serious, source-driven geopolitical analysis channel focused on evidence-based breakdowns of great-power rivalry, energy, and de-dollarization. Support us on Substack ($5/mo). Guests: Pepe Escobar (veteran war correspondent), Larry Johnson (former CIA/State analyst), hosted by Zulfiqar Ali.

Larry Johnson | Zero Exits: Houthis Blockade Saudi Arabia-Iran’s Secret Letter to Pakistan | July 20, 2026

Source: Transition Protocol youtube



Description:
BREAKING (July 20, 2026): For the first time, both of the Middle East’s major oil-export routes are closing at once — the Iran-backed Houthis have declared a maritime blockade of Saudi Arabia while the Strait of Hormuz remains effectively shut. As U.S. forces take casualties in Jordan and Washington’s approval collapses, Transition Protocol’s Zulfiqar Ali and former CIA analyst Larry Johnson break down what the headlines miss: a personal letter now in Islamabad from Iran’s new power center, and why the next move in this war belongs to Pakistan and China — not Washington or Tehran.

In this episode: the Saudi oil blockade and the two-chokepoint squeeze; confirmed American deaths at Muwaffaq Salti Air Base; Iran’s hardened “no concessions” posture; the China-scripted role of Pakistan; and what all of it means for oil prices at your pump. Confirmed events are labeled as such; source-based reporting is clearly tagged as developing.

Larry Johnson is a former CIA and State Department counterterrorism official; Zulfiqar Ali is a geopolitical analyst with regional source access. Transition Protocol is a serious, source-driven geopolitical and economic analysis channel focused on evidence-based breakdowns of global power shifts and their financial consequences. Subscribe, and for the Monday intel newsletter see the pinned comment.

Larry Johnson & Pepe Escobar | Trump Tried to Buy Iran's Revolutionary Guard IRAN REJECTS TRUMP'S BILLIONS IN BRIBES | Transition Protocol Aug. 20, 2026

Source: Transition Protocol youtube



Description:
Trump's White House tried to buy off Iran's Revolutionary Guard with a multi-billion-dollar offer modeled on the Venezuela playbook — and got refused twice, first by IRGC commander Vahidi, who called it treason, and then by Pakistan's Army Chief Asim Munir, who told Trump directly that Islamabad would not help destabilize Tehran's leadership.

In this episode, Zulfiqar Ali, Pepe Escobar, and Larry Johnson break down the failed bribery attempt, China's directive to Pakistan to prioritize its Iran relationship, and why the collapse of the US–Iran memorandum of understanding is now pushing Washington toward open discussion of a nuclear strike on Iran.

The panel also covers the global diesel and aviation-fuel shortage triggered by the Strait of Hormuz blockade, the UAE's public cutoff of trade with Iran days after reportedly sending Tehran billions in cash and gold, and why Oman and Qatar are now openly rejecting US pressure over who controls the strait.

This episode is built on direct reporting from sources inside Tehran and Islamabad and lands the same week the US–Iran MOU formally expired (August 17–18, 2026), with Iran declaring a shift to a fully offensive posture on Hormuz.

Zulfiqar Ali reports with direct access to decision-making circles in Islamabad and Tehran; Pepe Escobar is a veteran geopolitical analyst covering Eurasia and the multipolar order from the ground; Larry Johnson is a former US intelligence and State Department official providing military and strategic analysis. Transition Protocol is a serious, source-driven geopolitical and economic analysis channel focused on evidence-based reporting and high-signal breakdowns of global power shifts and their financial consequences.

Scott Ritter & Larry Johnson | Iran Retaliates, Hormuz CLOSED – Israel ENDS Trump Ceasefire | Apr. 9, 2026

Source: Danny Haiphong youtube



Description:
Scott Ritter and Larry Johnson react to Iran's massive response to Israeli and US ceasefire violations, and what it means for the ongoing war.

Scott Ritter is a former UN weapons inspector and Marine Corps Intelligence officer. Larry Johnson is a former CIA analyst.

Andrei Martyanov & Larry Johnson | Russia is fighting a war NATO no longer understands | Aug. 14, 2026

Source: Counter Currents | Ex-CIA Larry Johnson youtube, smoothiex12.blogspot.com



Description: 

Military analyst Andrei Martyanov joins former CIA analyst Larry Johnson on Russia's battlefield advances, drone warfare and command systems, the industrial gap with the United States, and what the next five months could bring for Ukraine and NATO.

Pepe Escobar & Larry Johnson | BREAKING:The Secret MOU Returns -Pakistan Guards IRAN in Islamabad July 11, TRUMP Invited to Join | July 6, 2026

Source: Transition Protocol youtube



Description:
Transition Protocol has learned that Pakistan has moved from mediator to operational security guarantor in the revived US-Iran diplomatic channel — providing surveillance, military intelligence, and protection to Iran's delegation ahead of the confirmed July 11 Islamabad talks. Field Marshal Asim Munir's discussions with Iranian leadership reportedly went beyond diplomacy into implementation: how to protect the MoU channel under extreme threat conditions, including alleged Israeli disruption attempts during Ayatollah Khamenei's record-breaking funeral.

This episode also covers the looming US fuel shortage tied to depleted high-sulfur crude reserves (July 11 marks the mathematical endpoint of the drawdown announced by Energy Secretary Wright), Iran's unexpected oil revenue surge despite sanctions, and reports that China and Russia have quietly backed Pakistan's expanded role. Featuring geopolitical analysts Larry Johnson and Pepe Escobar, with exclusive insider sourcing from Zulfiqar Ali.

Source note: Larry Johnson is a former CIA/State Department official; Pepe Escobar is a veteran geopolitical journalist covering Eurasia; Zulfiqar Ali brings direct sourcing from Pakistani military intelligence channels. Some claims in this episode are DEVELOPING or UNVERIFIED and are labeled accordingly on-screen. Subscribe to Transition Protocol and find our weekly Intel newsletter on Substack.

Timeline:
00:00 Cold Open — Pakistan's Secret Role
00:45 Introduction & Episode Framing
06:34 Khamenei's Funeral Breaks World Record
09:51 Iran's Formative Generational Shift
12:15 Saudi & Qatari Money Still Missing
14:39 The US Oil Reserve Countdown Explained
18:15 Pakistan's Shift from Mediator to Guarantor
20:34 The Secret Tehran Meeting That Sealed the Deal
23:45 Why Iran Refused Qatar
27:48 The Israeli Threat During the Funeral
29:47 'All Hell Will Break Loose' — The White House Warning
31:10 America's Gulf Bases Are Now Symbols
33:20 China's Hidden Approval Channel
35:35 The Global Power Realignment

Larry Johnson | Trump Threatens IRAN: Demands UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER | June 18, 2025

Source: Daniel Davis / Deep Dive youtube youtube



Description:
President Donald Trump has issued a series of inflammatory posts on Truth Social indicating the U.S. now has “complete control” of the skies over Iran and suggesting he knows the location of Iran’s Supreme Leader, calling him an “easy target” but stating they won’t strike “for now.” He also demanded “unconditional surrender” from Iran, implying potential U.S. military action if provocations continue. This follows a national security meeting after his abrupt return from the G7 summit.

Analyst Larry Johnson, a former CIA official, reacted with alarm, saying Trump appears poised to launch a war against Iran without congressional approval, a decision he calls reckless and politically disastrous. Johnson warns this could split Trump’s base and likens it to the Iraq War—calling it another conflict based on misinformation. Prominent Trump allies like Tucker Carlson, Steve Bannon, Candace Owens, and Charlie Kirk have voiced strong opposition, fearing it will destroy Trump's presidency and damage the U.S. long-term.

Tucker Carlson specifically warned it could mark the "end of the American empire" and expressed disappointment that Trump resorted to personal attacks rather than addressing criticism. Johnson echoed this frustration, calling Trump “thin-skinned” and “narcissistic,” and stated he now regrets voting for him. He emphasized that Iran, unlike Israel, complies with international nuclear inspection protocols, and suggested that Trump’s rhetoric is dangerously close to fabricating a new war under false pretenses.

Larry C. Johnson | Will Iran Restart the War by Friday? The Netanyahu Trap Explaine | June 15, 2026

Source: Transition Protocol youtube



Description:
The US and Iran have reached a deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, with a signing set for Friday in Geneva and roughly $24 billion in frozen Iranian funds on the table over a 60-day negotiation. But the public story isn't the whole story.

In this episode, veteran analyst Larry Johnson and Zulfiqar Ali reveal what sources at the table are telling them: that China — and Xi Jinping personally — pressured Iran to sign, that half of Iran's own delegation wanted to keep fighting, and that Israel's continued offensive in Lebanon could detonate the entire accord within days.

We break down what's CONFIRMED (the Geneva Accord, the Hormuz reopening, the $24B, Pakistan's mediation), what's DEVELOPING (the China pressure, the Gulf realignment), and what remains a single-source claim (Chinese missiles in combat, the Khamenei reinterment).

Larry Johnson is a former CIA officer and counterterrorism analyst; Zulfiqar Ali reports direct sourcing from the Islamabad–Tehran channel. Transition Protocol / Power Shift — source-driven geopolitical and economic analysis of the multipolar world. Like and subscribe for daily breakdowns.

Larry C. Johnson & Pepe Escobar | Why Was the Venue Moved from Islamabad to Switzerland? Sources Warn! | June 18, 2026

Source: Transition Protocol youtube



Description:
Iran and the US are set to sign a memorandum of understanding this Friday, June 19, at Bürgenstock in Switzerland — and our sources say an Israeli plot to derail it may be hanging over the ceremony. In this episode, Pepe Escobar, Zulfiqar Ali, and Larry Johnson break down the breaking intel: the alleged assassination threat against an Iranian signatory, Pakistan's blunt warning to Tel Aviv ("you'll hear directly from us"), and why the venue was moved to a secure, Qatari-owned mountain site hosted by Pakistan.

We connect the dots the headlines are missing: the hidden oil clock and Strait of Hormuz reality (it won't fully reopen for months because of mines), the 60-day, 14-point MOU, Iran's strike threats that bent Donald Trump, and the deepening China–Russia–Iran alignment behind every mediated term. We also cover JD Vance and Ghalibaf as the Friday signatories, Bennett vs. Netanyahu, the $24bn in frozen Iranian assets, and the global recession/de-dollarization stakes for your wallet.

Guests: Pepe Escobar (veteran geopolitical correspondent), Larry Johnson (former CIA analyst), hosted by Zulfiqar Ali. Some claims in this episode are source-based and developing; we flag verification status on screen. Transition Protocol is a serious, source-driven geopolitical and economic analysis channel focused on evidence-based breakdowns of global power shifts.

Timeline:
00:00 — Breaking: The Assassination Plot Over the Iran Signing
00:35 — Why the Deal Moved to a Secret Swiss Mountain (Bürgenstock)
03:00 — Pakistan's Blunt Warning to Israel
06:00 — Inside the 14-Point MOU and the 60-Day Clock
09:00 — How Iran's Strike Threat Bent Trump in Minutes
12:00 — Has Iran Actually Signed? The Internal Debate
14:00 — Bennett vs. Netanyahu: Why Israel Still Wants War
16:00 — China's Hidden Hand and Live Missile "Field Research"
17:45 — The 17-Day Oil Clock Forcing Trump to the Table
18:55 — Why the Strait of Hormuz Won't Fully Reopen
21:00 — Trump as "Messenger": The Real War on China–Russia–Iran
24:40 — The Mid-August Economic Shock Warning
26:30 — Final Warning to the "Spoilers" and Wrap