The Nuclear Threshold

This conversation with Kelsey Davenport ’11 M.A., Director of Nonproliferation Policy at the Arms Control Association, was recorded as a “massive armada” gathered in the Persian Gulf. It now serves as a hauntingly prophetic analysis of the catastrophic military escalation that unfolded on February 28, 2026.

Hours after “intense” nuclear negotiations in Geneva ended without a deal, the United States and Israel launched Operation Epic Fury (Roaring Lion), a joint military assault aimed at toppling the Iranian regime and “razing” its missile and nuclear infrastructure. With reports confirming the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and retaliatory strikes hitting U.S. bases across the Gulf, the region has entered the “devastating war” Davenport warned was nearly inevitable without a diplomatic off-ramp.

This episode was originally published by the Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies on March 1, 2026. To explore the entire library of Kroc Cast podcast episodes and for more information , please visit kroc.nd.edu.