An insightful critique of Keystone Cop diplomacy in 1979 and today in Iran

Limbert was one of the American diplomats taken hostage in Tehran in 1979, a crisis that exposed how badly U.S. diplomacy had failed. Listening to him today, it’s striking — and troubling — how many of those lessons remain unlearned. Limbert’s voice matters because he’s lived the consequences. His critique isn’t partisan; it’s a warning from someone who has seen what happens when diplomacy is treated as an afterthought. If you care about how the U.S. shows up in the world — and what happens when it doesn’t — this interview is worth your time.