Hannah Rosen

Today, we're talking about a potential war with Iran, which is a fast-shifting situation.

We're recording this episode on Wednesday afternoon, a day before the U.S.

and Iran are scheduled to hold talks in Geneva.

Ahead of the negotiation, Iranian officials are giving mixed messages, calling Trump's remarks about Iran big lies, but also saying they hope the two sides can come to an agreement through diplomacy.

U.S.

Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and the president's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, are meeting with Iran's top negotiator, Abbas Araghchi, along with a mediator from Oman.

The backdrop of these talks, meanwhile, includes dozens of U.S.

warships and military aircraft recently moved to the region and aimed at Iran, which are possibly a tool to put pressure on Iranian leaders to yield to negotiations, but also it's a bigger buildup than you would typically use for just that purpose.

I'm Hannah Rosen.

This is Radio Atlantic.

President Trump has given many signals lately that he's prepared to go to war with Iran, but very little clarity about what the goal of that war would be.

His State of the Union this week was just a repeat of what he said before.

— Earlier this week, there were reports that General Dan Kaine, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, had raised concerns to the president about the scale and risks of the operation in Iran.

Today, we talked to staff writer Tom Nichols about what military leadership might be thinking right now.

But first — — Ready?

— I'm ready.

— Staff writer Nancy Youssef, who's been tracking the military buildup in the region.

Nancy, welcome to the show.

Great to be with you.

What conversations have already happened?