War in the Middle East: we are in a state of uncertainty, stresses François Heisbourg, special advisor

Published: April 14, 2026 22:49

Reading Time: 5min – Video: 21min

François Heisbourg, special advisor to the Foundation for Strategic Research, was a guest on “Tout est politique” on Tuesday, April 14. The specialist answered questions from Sonia Chironi and Nathalie Saint-Cricq regarding Donald Trump’s positions on the Middle East war.

Context: The article features an interview with François Heisbourg discussing Donald Trump’s actions in the Middle East and the potential consequences.

Sonia Chironi: François Heisbourg, you have been observing for 46 days now this unbelievable mix of genres during this war. We see an American president who, as if by magic, starts talking about the war in Iran. It almost seems like a farce, and yet we are talking about war, we are talking about a major global economic crisis. What do you think of this character Donald Trump? Is he crazy, is he talking nonsense, or does he perfectly know what he is doing?

François Heisbourg: These three hypotheses are not mutually exclusive, that’s the problem. He is certainly limited, if not crazy. That is quite clear. There are things he cannot seem to understand, very basic things. At the same time, he knows what he is doing. For example, he knows how to win an election. That, he knows. Saying he knows how to make deals, that is more debatable. Is he doing whatever he wants? Yes. The sequence with the pope yesterday was unbelievable. He portrays himself as the Christ and explains that the pope is a coward when it comes to Iran’s nuclear weapons. Today, he continues with Ms. Meloni. Today, Ms. Meloni is a coward. He sends her packing after praising her.

Fact Check: The article recounts François Heisbourg’s assessment of Donald Trump’s behavior and impact on global politics.

Nathalie Saint-Cricq: If you had to explain to someone just arriving on Earth where we stand, how would you do it? Some days we hear that the Iranian regime is weakened. Other times, we hear that the United States is going to withdraw. How would you describe the state of the conflict today in the simplest way possible?

Fact Check: The discussion delves into the current state of the conflict in the Middle East and the uncertainty surrounding it.

We are in a state of complete uncertainty. That is the word, uncertainty, which is a polite way of saying that we know absolutely nothing. Those who claim to know how the conflict will evolve in the coming days clearly do not know what they are talking about. We are in a situation that reflects the characteristics of Mr. Trump. It is possible that there may be an agreement in Islamabad (Pakistan) in the coming days. The cover will most likely be removed between the Americans and the Iranians by the end of the week. It is even possible that an agreement on nuclear issues could be reached. We can see that both sides are taking positions. After all, back in 2015, during Obama’s time, there was an agreement between Iran and the major countries, including the United States and France, on nuclear matters.

Fact Check: The conversation highlights the ongoing negotiations and potential agreements between the involved parties in the conflict.

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