[10 July 2019] The US is promising to ramp up sanctions on Iran and is seeking to create a military coalition to protect commercial shipping off the coasts of Iran and Yemen.

Under the plan, a coalition of nations would patrol the Persian Gulf and the Straits of Hormuz, near Iran, and the narrow Bab al-Mandeb that separates Yemen from Africa. This comes just days after the Pentagon sent an additional 2500 troops to the Middle East. Brian and John speak with Massoud Shadjareh. He is the founder of the Islamic Human Rights Commission.