Matt Pottinger redefined how Washington approaches China. Speaking with MBN Alhurra's Min Mitchell and Editor-in-Chief Leila Bazzi, he argues that this year's war with Iran exposed Beijing as an unreliable partner for the Gulf— the same power that helped arm the regime attacking its neighbors. He weighs the risks of the new Trump-Xi "détente," why Gulf states are right to route around the Strait of Hormuz, and the dangers of importing Chinese surveillance technology. Pottinger served as Deputy National Security Advisor under President Trump and now chairs the China Program at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies.

Hosts: Leila Bazzi, Editor-in-Chief, MBN Alhurra | Min Mitchell, China Editor, MBN

Guest: Matt Pottinger, Former Deputy National Security Advisor | China Program Chairman at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies

For more than half a century, the world has relied on one system to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons: the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).

Today, that system is under unprecedented strain.

With no binding limits on major nuclear powers, rising global tensions, and growing uncertainty around Iran’s nuclear program, the question is no longer whether the system is being tested—but whether it can still hold.

In this conversation, Leila Bazzi MBN Editor in chief sits down with Henry Sokolski, Executive Director of the Nonproliferation Policy Education Center and former U.S. Deputy for Nonproliferation Policy, to unpack:

• Is the global nuclear system breaking down?
• How close is Iran to a nuclear weapon—and do we even know?
• Why inspections and safeguards may no longer be enough
• The double standard at the heart of the nuclear order
• What the upcoming NPT Review Conference could (or won’t) achieve