PODCAST · news
Iran: The Latest
by The Telegraph
Iran: The Latest is The Telegraph’s defence, security and foreign affairs news podcast providing deep-dive analysis on the ongoing conflict between the US, Israel and Iran. Veteran foreign correspondents Roland Oliphant and Venetia Rainey bring you the latest updates from The Telegraph’s award-winning journalists, plus exclusive interviews with world-class experts in military strategy, international relations, and Middle East policy.From attacks on the Gulf to Hezbollah in Lebanon to the Houthis in Yemen to the threat of nuclear escalation, stay informed with the best of The Telegraph’s Middle East coverage in one place. As the geopolitical landscape shifts, subscribe for essential updates on the security shifts defining our global future.Every Wednesday on Battle Lines: Global Health Security they’re joined by Arthur Scott-Geddes to look at the intersection between health and security, from bioweapons to warzone diseases to
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Trump ‘weighing nuclear attack on Iran’ as peace deal expires
As the US-Iran ceasefire officially expires and the Strait of Hormuz remains closed, is Donald Trump considering using nuclear weapons to break the war stalemate? On today’s episode of Iran: The Latest, Venetia Rainey and Roland Oliphant discuss why US politician Marjorie Taylor Greene’s bizarre nuclear claim may be less crazy than it first appears and how an underground nuclear facility at Pickaxe Mountain could be the potential target. They also look at the state of the war 60 days on from the ill-fated Memorandum of Understanding peace deal and why Iran is more bullish than ever. Meanwhile, US envoy Jared Kushner is in Israel to talk to Benjamin Netanyahu about Trump’s Gaza peace deal after meeting with Hamas’ leader in Egypt. Jerusalem correspondent Henry Bodkin in the West Bank explains why and discusses his dispatch from the West Bank amid a rise in military operations and settler “terrorism”. Plus, Iran’s missing pilots, the Houthis strike again in the Red Sea and why the Iran war has prompted Trump to scale back key US-South Korea military drills.HighlightsUS ‘weighing nuclear attack on Iran’, claims Marjorie Taylor Greene Why Trump has scaled back key US-South Korea military drillsCONTRIBUTORS:Venetia Rainey, co-host and executive producer @venetiaraineyRoland Oliphant, co-host and chief foreign affairs analyst @RolandOliphantHenry Bodkin, Jerusalem correspondent @HenryBodkinWATCH US ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJnf_DDTfIVAif-vifC6F2aoPB8GIw6dkCONTENT REFERENCED:The beaten and bruised ‘political pawns’ caught up in Israel’s electionhttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/08/17/beaten-and-bruised-political-pawns-israeli-election/Israeli settlers in West Bank siege are terrorists, US sayshttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/08/14/us-denounces-israeli-settlers-as-terrorists-west-bank-siege/Israeli army surrounds last Christian town in West Bankhttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/08/12/israeli-army-surrounds-last-christian-town-in-west-bank/Winner Best News and Analysis Podcast - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026Nominated Podcast of the Year - Society of Editors News Podcasts Awards 2026Nominated Best News, Politics and Current Affairs - British Podcast Awards 2026The Telegraph, Winner Podcast Publisher of the Year 2026 - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026Audio Producer: Joleen GoffinVideo Producer: Max Bower and Elliott Daly Researcher and Social Producer: Anna HindmarshStudio Operator: Andy WatsonExecutive Producer: Venetia Rainey ► Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor► EMAIL US: Contact the team on [email protected]► GET THE LATEST HEADLINES: Find all our latest Iran coverage here: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/iran-war/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Strait of Hormuz oil spills, power outages and black rain: Iran’s escalating war damage
The US-Israel-Iran war has led to black rain and oil spills in the Strait of Hormuz - is the country facing an environmental crisis because of Donald Trump?In this weekend bonus edition of Iran: The Latest, Roland Oliphant speaks with Kaveh Madani, the award-winning director of the UN University Institute for Water, Environment and Health and also an exiled Iranian politician. They examine the live impact on the ground of the conflict, from power outages to water shortages. Plus, Tehran was on the brink of being evacuated due to a major drought last year, so what happened? Kaveh explains how Iran narrowly escaped a major catastrophe and the wild war-related conspiracy theories going around to explain it. HighlightsIran faces Strait of Hormuz oil spills, power outages and black rainThe escalating war damage to the Iranian environmentCONTRIBUTORS:Roland Oliphant, co-host and chief foreign affairs analyst @RolandOliphantKaveh Madani, director of the UN University Institute for Water, Environment and Health @KavehMadaniWATCH US ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJnf_DDTfIVAif-vifC6F2aoPB8GIw6dkCONTENT REFERENCED:Listen to the previous interview with Kaveh Madani: ‘Worse than war with Israel’: Why Iran’s regime is on edgehttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/11/10/worse-than-war-with-israel-why-irans-regime-is-on-edge/Winner Best News and Analysis Podcast - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026Nominated Podcast of the Year - Society of Editors News Podcasts Awards 2026Nominated Best News, Politics and Current Affairs - British Podcast Awards 2026The Telegraph, Winner Podcast Publisher of the Year 2026 - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026Producer: Max BowerVideo Producer: Peter ShevlinResearcher and Social Producer: Anna HindmarshStudio Operator: Andy Watson and Chris JanuaryExecutive Producer: Venetia Rainey ► Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor► EMAIL US: Contact the team on [email protected]► GET THE LATEST HEADLINES: Find all our latest Iran coverage here: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/iran-war/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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US vows indefinite blockade & how China became Iran’s 'ventilator'
The US has deployed a fresh aircraft carrier to the Middle East, vowing an "indefinite" naval blockade of Iran until the Strait of Hormuz is reopened - but China has other ideas. On today’s episode of Iran: The Latest, Sophia Yan speaks with Alicia Kearns MP, shadow minister for national security and former chair of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee. Fresh from a trip into the heart of the Pentagon, she explains how Iran's regime is withstanding the pressure of the war thanks to financial and technological assistance from Beijing. Plus, the “active and pernicious” Iranian intelligence service you’ve never heard of, why Donald Trump is guilty of historical revisionism when it comes to Nato, and whether the US is ready for the growing risk of a three-theatre conflict involving China and Taiwan.HIGHLIGHTSUS deploys fresh warship and vows indefinite Iran blockade How China is helping Iran win the war against the USCHAPTERS00:00 US vows indefinite blockade in Strait of Hormuz01:55 GOP disquiet inside Pentagon over Trump’s Iran strategy03:00 Confronting the Pentagon on Trump's NATO revisionism05:32 The Three-Theater War: Russia, Strait of Hormuz, and Taiwan08:36 China becomes Iran’s 'ventilator' against US sanctions11:00 Xi Jinping’s naval show of force in Taiwan Strait17:50 MOIS: The lethal Iranian intel agency operating in the UK21:17 How Britain must dismantle Iranian hitmen & propaganda29:40 Iranian assassination threats against Trump37:38 Russian shadow fleet tanker explosion off OmanCONTRIBUTORS:Sophia Yan, co-host and senior foreign correspondent @sophia_yanAlicia Kearns, MP and shadow minister for national security @aliciakearnsWATCH US ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJnf_DDTfIVAif-vifC6F2aoPB8GIw6dkCONTENT REFERENCED:Alicia Kearns: Labour must shut down Iranian assets operating in Britainhttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/08/01/labour-must-shut-down-iranian-assets-operating-in-britain/US navy sailor jumps overboard after 250 days at seahttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/08/13/us-navy-sailors-jump-overboard-after-nine-months-at-sea/Winner Best News and Analysis Podcast - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026Nominated Podcast of the Year - Society of Editors News Podcasts Awards 2026Nominated Best News, Politics and Current Affairs - British Podcast Awards 2026The Telegraph, Winner Podcast Publisher of the Year 2026 - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026Producer: Max BowerVideo Producer: Peter ShevlinResearcher and Social Producer: Anna HindmarshStudio Operator: Andy WatsonExecutive Producer: Venetia Rainey ► Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor► EMAIL US: Contact the team on [email protected]► GET THE LATEST HEADLINES: Find all our latest Iran coverage here: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/iran-war/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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China steps in as Iran war drains US oil reserves to 40-year low
As Donald Trump’s Iran war drags on and hostilities continue in the Strait of Hormuz and Red Sea, global energy markets are being reshaped - not by OPEC or the US, but by China. On today’s episode of Iran: the Latest, Venetia Rainey talks to world economy editor Ambrose Evans-Pritchard about how Beijing has weaponised its internal oil demand to keep oil prices stable and bypass Saudi Arabia, even as US Strategic Petroleum Reserves have plunged to their lowest level since 1983. Why have oil prices remained largely stable and are those figures masking underlying economic turmoil?Plus: how the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz is pushing Iraq to the brink of total economic collapse and the worrying news of a recent Pew Survey measuring attitudes towards the US vs China. HighlightsIran war drains US strategic petroleum reserves to 40-year lowHow Beijing has kept oil prices stable and bypassed Saudi ArabiaCONTRIBUTORS:Venetia Rainey, co-host and executive producer @venetiaraineyAmbrose Evans-Pritchard, world economy editor WATCH US ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJnf_DDTfIVAif-vifC6F2aoPB8GIw6dkCONTENT REFERENCED:Ambrose Evans-Pritchard: Trump’s eternal March of Folly on Iranhttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2026/07/31/trumps-eternal-march-of-folly-on-iran/Trump targets Iran’s economy as military campaign faltershttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/us/politics/2026/08/12/trump-scott-bessent-end-iran-war/Iran war threatens to cripple growth, Treasury warns Burnhamhttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2026/08/12/iran-war-threatens-to-cripple-growth-treasury-warns-burnham/Winner Best News and Analysis Podcast - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026Nominated Podcast of the Year - Society of Editors News Podcasts Awards 2026Nominated Best News, Politics and Current Affairs - British Podcast Awards 2026The Telegraph, Winner Podcast Publisher of the Year 2026 - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026Producer: Peter ShevlinVideo Producer: Max BowerResearcher and Social Producer: Anna HindmarshStudio Operator: Andy WatsonExecutive Producer: Venetia Rainey ► Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor► EMAIL US: Contact the team on [email protected]► GET THE LATEST HEADLINES: Find all our latest Iran coverage here: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/iran-war/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Houthis’ first kills in Red Sea & is the Iran war America’s Suez moment?
The Iran-backed Houthis have carried out their first deadly strikes of the war, killing six mariners in a double-tap ballistic missile attack on a cargo vessel in the Red Sea. Meanwhile, near the Strait of Hormuz, US Navy helicopters have fired Hellfire missiles to disable a ship breaking Donald Trump’s blockade.On today’s episode of Iran: The Latest, Venetia Rainey is joined by veteran British Army officer Tim Collins, famous for his ‘tread lightly’ speech prior to leading British troops into Iraq in 2003 (and dramatised by Kenneth Branagh in the 2008 BBC series 10 Days to War). Just back from a trip to Bahrain, Tim unpacks the difficult position the Gulf is now in and the parallels between the Iraq and Iran regimes. Plus, is this America’s Suez Crisis? Tim argues that US dominance is declining as a result of the fast-escalating conflict and offers a piece of advice to Trump for how to end the war.CREDIT: BBC HighlightsUS Navy fires Hellfires as Houthi Red Sea strikes kill first marinersIs the Iran war America’s Suez Crisis moment?CONTRIBUTORS:Venetia Rainey, co-host and executive producer @venetiaraineyTim Collins, former British Army officer @tim_324WATCH US ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJnf_DDTfIVAif-vifC6F2aoPB8GIw6dkCONTENT REFERENCED:Tim Collins: Britain’s old friend and ally in the Gulf would welcome us backhttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/08/10/britains-old-friend-and-ally-in-the-gulf-would-welcome-us/Britain opens first naval overseas base in 50 years in sign of ‘global reach’ https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2018/04/05/britain-opens-first-naval-overseas-base-50-years-sign-global/Col. Tim Collins' full speech, Kuwait, 19 March, 2003https://www.dajobe.org/2003/03/collins/BBC: 10 Days to War mini series https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b009rcp0Winner Best News and Analysis Podcast - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026Nominated Podcast of the Year - Society of Editors News Podcasts Awards 2026Nominated Best News, Politics and Current Affairs - British Podcast Awards 2026The Telegraph, Winner Podcast Publisher of the Year 2026 - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026Producer: Peter ShevlinVideo Producer: Max BowerResearcher and Social Producer: Anna HindmarshStudio Operator: Andy WatsonExecutive Producer: Venetia Rainey ► Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor► EMAIL US: Contact the team on [email protected]► GET THE LATEST HEADLINES: Find all our latest Iran coverage here: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/iran-war/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Iran's Trump assassination plot & Houthis restart Yemen war
Iran’s proxy group the Houthis have launched fresh missile attacks on Yemeni ports in the Red Sea as their conflict with Saudi Arabia heats up. A new war in the Arabian Peninsula is now inevitable, according to former Yemeni diplomat Mahmoud Shehrah.On today’s episode of Iran: The Latest, Roland Oliphant talks to Chatham House’s Shehrah to unpack the Houthis' intentions and to what extent they are acting on Tehran’s orders. Could they close the Bab al-Mendab strait and what can the West do about it?Plus, news of an Iranian assassination plot against Donald Trump that forced him to hide in an airplane catering trolley, and why the US president is now demanding war reparations from Iran to resolve their dispute over the Strait of Hormuz. HighlightsIran’s proxy group the Houthis restarting the Yemen warIran's Trump assassination plot exposedCONTRIBUTORS:Roland Oliphant, co-host and chief foreign affairs analyst @RolandOliphantMahmoud Shehrah, former Yemeni diplomat and associate fellow Chatham House @shehrah_mahmoud WATCH US ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJnf_DDTfIVAif-vifC6F2aoPB8GIw6dkCONTENT REFERENCED:Trump demands ‘reparations’ from Iranhttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/us/news/2026/08/10/trump-demands-reparations-iran/Trump sneaked out of Turkey in catering cart over Iranian plot fearshttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/us/politics/2026/08/11/trump-secret-flight-turkey-iran-plot-air-force-one/Winner Best News and Analysis Podcast - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026Nominated Podcast of the Year - Society of Editors News Podcasts Awards 2026Nominated Best News, Politics and Current Affairs - British Podcast Awards 2026The Telegraph, Winner Podcast Publisher of the Year 2026 - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026Producer: Max BowerVideo Producer: Peter ShevlinResearcher and Social Producer: Anna HindmarshStudio Operator: Andy WatsonExecutive Producer: Venetia Rainey ► Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor► EMAIL US: Contact the team on [email protected]► GET THE LATEST HEADLINES: Find all our latest Iran coverage here: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/iran-war/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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US blockade squeezes Iran & Tehran names price to reopen Hormuz
Iran has issued a series of demands to the US in return for reopening the Strait of Hormuz - everything from war reparations to withdrawing regional military assets. Many of them echo the previous peace deal, so will Donald Trump accept?On today's episode of Iran: the Latest, Venetia Rainey and Sophia Yan look at who is in a stronger position. Trump’s naval blockade has forced Tehran’s primary oil terminal on Kharg Island to grind to a halt and is pushing food inflation above 200 per cent in some cases. But Iran has just appointed a hardline new security council leader who has vowed to retain full control of Hormuz. Plus, why Tehran has released an old video of Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, Houthi attacks on a Saudi oil refinery puts the new Saudi Arabia-Turkey-Pakistan Mecca defence pact to an early test, and Israel’s Benjamin Netanyahu explicitly rejects Donald Trump’s 15-point Gaza peace deal.HighlightsUS blockade squeezes Iran as main oil terminal goes darkTehran names price to reopen the Strait of HormuzCONTRIBUTORS:Venetia Rainey, co-host and executive producer @venetiaraineySophia Yan, co-host and senior foreign correspondent @sophia_yanWATCH US ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJnf_DDTfIVAif-vifC6F2aoPB8GIw6dkCONTENT REFERENCED:Iran names price to reopen Strait of Hormuzhttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/08/09/iran-names-price-to-reopen-strait-of-hormuz/ As one oil chokepoint calms, Houthis threaten anotherhttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/08/08/war-yemen-threatens-drag-middle-east-deeper-crisis/Israel rejects Trump’s Gaza planhttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/08/09/benjamin-netanyahu-israel-donald-trump-gaza-plan-hamas/Winner Best News and Analysis Podcast - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026Nominated Podcast of the Year - Society of Editors News Podcasts Awards 2026Nominated Best News, Politics and Current Affairs - British Podcast Awards 2026The Telegraph, Winner Podcast Publisher of the Year 2026 - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026Producer: Max BowerVideo Producer: Peter ShevlinResearcher and Social Producer: Anna HindmarshStudio Operator: Andy WatsonExecutive Producer: Venetia Rainey ► Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor► EMAIL US: Contact the team on [email protected]► GET THE LATEST HEADLINES: Find all our latest Iran coverage here: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/iran-war/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Why Trump can’t trust Iran: the fatal flaw in any peace deal
Donald Trump is holding off on any further military action against Iran in the hope of striking a diplomatic breakthrough to end the war - but is he wasting his time?For this bonus episode of Iran: the Latest, Venetia Rainey speaks to Iranian-American entrepreneur and former refugee Payam Zamani. He argues that the Iranian regime cannot be trusted and that the West repeatedly misunderstands the Islamic Republic, which is built on martyrdom, brutality and religious fanaticism. Payam knows this from experience. Born into a Baha’i family in 1970s Tehran, he was repeatedly persecuted and eventually fled Iran on foot after being chased out of school by a violent mob. He offers a rare insider look at how the Islamic Republic operates by looking at how it crushes minorities and any dissent. HighlightsWhy Trump can’t trust Iran: the fatal flaw in any peace dealIRGC brutality, being a Baha'i and escaping Iran with Payam Zamani CONTRIBUTORS:Venetia Rainey, co-host and executive producer @venetiaraineyPayam Zamani, CEO/founder One Planet Group @PayamZamaniWATCH US ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJnf_DDTfIVAif-vifC6F2aoPB8GIw6dkWinner Best News and Analysis Podcast - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026Nominated Podcast of the Year - Society of Editors News Podcasts Awards 2026Nominated Best News, Politics and Current Affairs - British Podcast Awards 2026The Telegraph, Winner Podcast Publisher of the Year 2026 - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026Producer: Peter ShevlinVideo Producer: Max BowerResearcher and Social Producer: Anna HindmarshStudio Operator: Andy WatsonExecutive Producer: Venetia Rainey ► Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor► EMAIL US: Contact the team on [email protected]► GET THE LATEST HEADLINES: Find all our latest Iran coverage here: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/iran-war/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan sign Nato-style pact as Iran isolated
Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan have signed a historic trilateral defence agreement containing a Nato-style mutual assistance clause. As the Iranian threat - including from its proxies in Yemen and Iraq - grows, is this the future of security in the Middle East?On today’s episode of Iran: the Latest, Sophia Yan is joined by Miad Maleki, senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and former Pentagon lead sanctions architect. They discuss how much control Tehran still has over its proxies, growing internal dissent in Iran over the Strait of Hormuz deal, and whether Tehran is stringing out the war to avoid further protests. Plus, how China enables Iran to bypass Western sanctions. HighlightsSaudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan sign Nato-style pact against IranHow China enables Iran to bypass Western sanctionsCONTRIBUTORS:Sophia Yan, co-host and senior foreign correspondent @sophia_yanMiad Maleki, senior fellow at the Foundation for Defence of Democracies @miadmalekiWATCH US ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJnf_DDTfIVAif-vifC6F2aoPB8GIw6dkCONTENT REFERENCED:Iran considers banning US and Israeli ships from Strait of Hormuzhttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/08/07/iran-considers-banning-us-israeli-ships-strait-of-hormuz/Winner Best News and Analysis Podcast - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026Nominated Podcast of the Year - Society of Editors News Podcasts Awards 2026Nominated Best News, Politics and Current Affairs - British Podcast Awards 2026The Telegraph, Winner Podcast Publisher of the Year 2026 - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026Producer: Max BowerVideo Producer: Peter Shevlin Researcher and Social Producer: Anna HindmarshStudio Operator: Andy WatsonExecutive Producer: Venetia Rainey ► Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor► EMAIL US: Contact the team on [email protected]► GET THE LATEST HEADLINES: Find all our latest Iran coverage here: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/iran-war/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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‘Bizarre’ Iran-Oman Strait of Hormuz deal cuts out Trump
Iran and Oman are reported to be on the verge of signing a historic deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz that would put Tehran in control of all inbound traffic. Will Donald Trump approve the deal - and with the US apparently cut out of negotiations, does he have any choice?On today’s episode of Iran: the Latest, Venetia Rainey speaks to chief Washington correspondent Connor Stringer about how the deal would work, the tolls - or fees - it could involve for transiting ships, and why no deal can permanently solve the waterway’s instability in the long-run. Plus, fresh violence in Lebanon between Israel and Hezbollah, an “argument” between Trump and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth over missile stockpiles, and why Tucker Carlson is heading up a splinter MAGA group that is furious about the US-Iran war. Could Tucker run for president in 2028?HighlightsIran-Oman Strait of Hormuz deal cuts out Trump Plus: could Tucker Carlson run for president in 2028 off the back of Iran war anger?CONTRIBUTORS:Venetia Rainey, co-host and executive producer @venetiaraineyConnor Stringer, chief Washington correspondent @connorstringerWATCH US ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJnf_DDTfIVAif-vifC6F2aoPB8GIw6dkCONTENT REFERENCED:Roland Oliphant: This is proof Iran won the warhttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/08/06/this-is-proof-iran-won-the-war/Iran says it has agreed Strait of Hormuz shipping route with Omanhttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/08/06/iran-threatens-attack-gulf-energy-facilities-new-us-strikes/Trump ‘clashes with Hegseth’ over missile shortageshttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/08/06/trump-clashes-hegseth-missile-shortages/Europe to foot bill under new proposal to reopen Hormuzhttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/us/news/2026/08/04/europe-could-foot-bill-in-new-plan-to-reopen-hormuz/Iran’s plot to split Jordan from the Westhttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/08/06/irans-plot-to-split-jordan-from-the-west/Winner Best News and Analysis Podcast - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026Nominated Podcast of the Year - Society of Editors News Podcasts Awards 2026Nominated Best News, Politics and Current Affairs - British Podcast Awards 2026The Telegraph, Winner Podcast Publisher of the Year 2026 - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026Producer: Peter ShevlinVideo Producer: Max BowerResearcher and Social Producer: Anna HindmarshStudio Operator: Andy WatsonExecutive Producer: Venetia Rainey ► Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor► EMAIL US: Contact the team on [email protected]► GET THE LATEST HEADLINES: Find all our latest Iran coverage here: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/iran-war/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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US interceptor missile stocks dangerously low & Houthis strike Saudi ship
The US military have ‘burnt through’ their critical missile interceptors since the start of the Iran war. Senior commanders warn that stockpiles for THAAD and Patriot systems are "dangerously low." Elsewhere, the conflict in the Red Sea has escalated as Iranian-backed Houthi rebels have escalated their maritime blockade, striking a Saudi oil tanker in the northern Red Sea with ballistic missiles. On today’s episode Roland Oliphant speaks to Jerusalem correspondent Henry Bodkin about the geopolitical implications of depleted US missile inventories, the crumbling reality behind the Gaza decommissioning deal, and growing political rifts inside Israel over war aims.Plus, Roland and Henry analyse the Israeli perspective to the news cycle, differing cultures of leaking information between the US and Israel, and alarming UN reports detailing a surge in state executions across Iran.HighlightsUS Thaad and Patriot missile stockpiles burn dry as Iran conflict escalatesIranian-backed Houthi rebels hit a Saudi oil tanker with ballistic missilesCONTRIBUTORS:Roland Oliphant, co-host and chief foreign affairs analyst @RolandOliphantHenry Bodkin, Jerusalem correspondent, @HenryBodkin WATCH US ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJnf_DDTfIVAif-vifC6F2aoPB8GIw6dkWinner Best News and Analysis Podcast - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026Nominated Podcast of the Year - Society of Editors News Podcasts Awards 2026Nominated Best News, Politics and Current Affairs - British Podcast Awards 2026The Telegraph, Winner Podcast Publisher of the Year 2026 - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026Producer: Max BowerVideo Producer: Peter ShevlinResearcher and Social Producer: Anna HindmarshStudio Operator: Andy WatsonExecutive Producer: Venetia Rainey ► Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor► EMAIL US: Contact the team on [email protected]► GET THE LATEST HEADLINES: Find all our latest Iran coverage here: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/iran-war/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Trump’s empty ‘decapitation’ threats as Ukraine and Iran wars ‘very close’ to merging
Donald Trump has threatened a "decapitation" strike to restart the war if negotiations with Iran fail. Iran denies talks are underway, but Tehran is certainly talking with one country: Oman. It is closing in on a Strait of Hormuz deal that would grant Iranian control over inbound shipping, potentially allowing it to charge fees on everything from oil to fertiliser. Amid fresh missile strikes on commercial vessels near Oman, how will the US respond?On today’s episode of Iran: The Latest, Roland Oliphant speaks with Danny Citrinowicz, Senior Fellow at Israel’s Institute for National Security Studies (INSS), about whether Iran is strategically dragging out the conflict. They analyse how the Iran and Russia-Ukraine wars are “very close” to merging into a single global front, why US military posture is buckling in the Gulf, and how collapsing ceasefire deals in Lebanon and Gaza expose the limits of Trump’s Middle East strategy. HighlightsTrump threatens ‘decapitation’ strike if Iran negotiations failWhy the Iran and Ukraine wars are ‘very close’ to merging CONTRIBUTORS:Roland Oliphant, co-host and chief foreign affairs analyst @RolandOliphantDanny Citrinowicz, senior fellow at Institute for National Security Studies @citrinowicz WATCH US ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJnf_DDTfIVAif-vifC6F2aoPB8GIw6dkCONTENT REFERENCED:Trump cut out of new deal to reopen Strait of Hormuzhttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/08/04/iran-and-oman-near-deal-to-reopen-strait-of-hormuz/Trump’s Hamas disarmament plan unravelshttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/08/03/donald-trump-hamas-disarmament-deal-unravelling/Winner Best News and Analysis Podcast - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026Nominated Podcast of the Year - Society of Editors News Podcasts Awards 2026Nominated Best News, Politics and Current Affairs - British Podcast Awards 2026The Telegraph, Winner Podcast Publisher of the Year 2026 - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026Producer: Max BowerVideo Producer: Peter ShevlinResearcher and Social Producer: Anna HindmarshStudio Operator: Andy WatsonExecutive Producer: Venetia Rainey ► Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor► EMAIL US: Contact the team on [email protected]► GET THE LATEST HEADLINES: Find all our latest Iran coverage here: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/iran-war/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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279
Trump halts 14-day Iran strikes for talks as US admits running out of ideas
Donald Trump has U-turned on a 14-day campaign of military strikes on Iran, which he claimed would have been the biggest attack since World War II in favor of restarting peace talks. Tehran insists no negotiations with the US are taking place.Meanwhile, an intelligence breach reveals Centcom is actively seeking "unconventional" ways to pressure Iran, while fresh missile attacks and radio threats near Oman continue to disrupt critical shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.On today's episode of Iran: The Latest, Venetia Rainey and Roland Oliphant discuss the news, the rinse-and-repeat cyclical nature of the war and why Saudi Arabia is becoming increasingly vocal and involved. Plus, new polling showing American public support for the war dropping to record lows, the Shia festival of Arbaeen in Iraq and how climate change is affecting the region.HighlightsTrump cancels ‘biggest strike since WW2’ on Iran, but Tehran denies peace talks Leaked Centcom emails expose US military running out of ways to punish TehranCONTRIBUTORS:Venetia Rainey, co-host and executive producer @venetiaraineyRoland Oliphant, co-host and chief foreign affairs analyst @RolandOliphantWATCH US ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJnf_DDTfIVAif-vifC6F2aoPB8GIw6dkCONTENT REFERENCED:Pentagon asks soldiers for ‘creative’ ideas to punish Iranhttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/08/03/pentagon-asks-soldiers-for-creative-ideas-to-punish-iran/Oil plummets as Trump calls off Iran strikeshttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2026/08/03/oil-plummets-as-trump-calls-off-iran-strikes/Tiny militias threaten to draw Middle East into forever warhttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/08/03/iraqi-militias-threaten-draw-middle-east-into-forever-war/New Hormuz plan leaves Iran in controlhttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/08/01/israel-poised-return-iran-war-heaviest-us-strikes/US lacks weapons to defend Israel against Iran, leaked memo warnshttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/08/02/us-lacks-weapons-to-defend-israel-leaked-memo-warns/Winner Best News and Analysis Podcast - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026Nominated Podcast of the Year - Society of Editors News Podcasts Awards 2026Nominated Best News, Politics and Current Affairs - British Podcast Awards 2026The Telegraph, Winner Podcast Publisher of the Year 2026 - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026Producer: Max BowerVideo Producer: Peter ShevlinResearcher and Social Producer: Anna HindmarshStudio Operator: Andy WatsonExecutive Producer: Venetia Rainey ► Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor► EMAIL US: Contact the team on [email protected]► GET THE LATEST HEADLINES: Find all our latest Iran coverage here: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/iran-war/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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278
Trump considers Iran land blockade as conflict reignites
Israel and the US consider are considering land blockade on Iran, as President Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu look to tighten the economic squeeze on Tehran. Elsewhere, the security landscape has been rocked by the news that a British national has been arrested on charges of spying on a UK military base in Cyprus, casting fresh concerns over the regional expansion of this conflict.On today’s episode of Iran: the Latest, Henry Bodkin, Jerusalum Correspondent speaks to Lottie Tiplady-Bishop, acting US news editor, about the geopolitical implications of this proposed land blockade, the fragile reality behind Trump’s Gaza disarmament deal, and attitudes inside the US. Plus, Henry and Lottie discuss the latest retaliatory strikes on US assets in Kuwait, the ongoing naval tension in the Strait of Hormuz, and how Saudi Arabia is scrambling to organize a new maritime alliance to secure the Bab el-Mandeb.HighlightsHamas agrees to disarm: Is this the first step to peace or a trap in Gaza?Iran land blockade: Could a US-Israel alliance tighten the economic vice on Tehran?UK spy arrest: British national detained for allegedly surveilling RAF AkrotiriCONTRIBUTORS:Henry Bodkin, Jerusalem Correspondent @HenryBodkinLottie Tiplady-Bishop, acting US news editor @lottietipbishopWATCH US ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJnf_DDTfIVAif-vifC6F2aoPB8GIw6dkCONTENT REFERENCED:https://www.telegraph.co.uk/us/news/2026/07/31/israel-us-iran-blockade-economy-trump-netanyahu-middle-east/ https://www.telegraph.co.uk/us/news/2026/07/30/hamas-agree-to-disarm-gaza-strip/ ITL Best News and Analysis Podcast - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026The Telegraph Podcast Publisher of the Year 2026 - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026ITL Nominated Podcast of the Year - Society of Editors News Podcasts Awards 2026Producer: Max BowerResearcher and Social Producer: Anna HindmarshStudio Operator: Andy WatsonExecutive Producer: Venetia Rainey ► Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor► EMAIL US: Contact the team on [email protected]► GET THE LATEST HEADLINES: Find all our latest Iran coverage here: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/iran-war/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Trump prepares 14-Day Iran blitz as US tanker struck in Mediterranean
The conflict between Iran and the US has intensified sharply as President Trump delivers on his promise to strike “very hard,” launching a massive wave of attacks against IRGC command centres and drone facilities. Further afield, a drone strike on a US-owned gas tanker in Egypt’s Mediterranean port of Damietta has now dragged the conflict into a new, volatile theatre, raising urgent questions about the reach of Iran’s drone warfare.On today’s episode of Iran: the Latest, Sophie O’Sullivan speaks to David Blair, The Telegraph’s Chief Foreign Affairs Commentator, about the reality of the US military’s 14-day strike plan, the tactical risks of widening the war to the Mediterranean, and why Saudi Arabia is now pushing for urgent de-escalation.Plus, Sophie and David discuss the Iraqi government’s furious response to the strikes, examine why US troops in the Middle East may soon be forced to surrender their mobile phones to maintain operational security, and analyse the latest developments in the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.Highlights Trump prepares 14-day strike plan: Will this blitz effectively dismantle Iran’s capabilities?US tanker struck in Egypt: Is the conflict spreading to the Mediterranean?Security risk: US troops in the Middle East may be forced to surrender phones for security.CONTRIBUTORS:Sophie O’Sullivan, journalist and Ukraine: the Latest producer David Blair, chief foreign affairs commentator @davidblairdtWATCH US ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJnf_DDTfIVAif-vifC6F2aoPB8GIw6dkCONTENT REFERENCED:https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/07/30/trumps-general-draws-up-plans-for-14-days-of-iran-strikes/?recomm_id=1b169994-a91c-4c17-aad7-04111941eb17 https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/07/29/iran-us-war-latest-israel-trump-strikes-strait-of-hormuz/ https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/07/20/us-prepares-all-out-war-iran-sending-more-jets-middle-east/ ITL Best News and Analysis Podcast - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026The Telegraph Podcast Publisher of the Year 2026 - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026ITL Nominated Podcast of the Year - Society of Editors News Podcasts Awards 2026Producer: Max BowerResearcher and Social Producer: Anna HindmarshStudio Operator: Andy WatsonExecutive Producer: Venetia Rainey ► Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor► EMAIL US: Contact the team on [email protected]► GET THE LATEST HEADLINES: Find all our latest Iran coverage here: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/iran-war/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Saudi Arabia joins US strikes on Iran militias in Iraq as China arms Tehran
The conflict between Iran and the US has entered a volatile new phase as Saudi Arabia joins American forces in striking Tehran’s proxies across Iraq. The move comes after drone attacks on Saudi oil facilities alongside Tehran’s surprise missile barrage against US positions in Jordan, the first unprovoked attack by Iran since the war began. Is Riyadh’s public military intervention a decisive check on Iranian expansionism, or has the regional firestorm spiralled beyond diplomatic control?On Wednesday’s episode of Iran: the Latest, Sophie O’Sullivan speaks to David Blair, The Telegraph’s Chief Foreign Affairs Commentator, about the strategic implications of Saudi Arabia’s involvement and what the 3.8 per cent spike in global oil prices signals for the international market.Plus, Arthur Scott-Geddes and Sophie discuss the deepening military collaboration between Tehran and Beijing, examine the fallout from the high-stakes Trump-Netanyahu meeting in Washington and ask why Iran has definitively rejected Oman’s latest proposal to stabilise shipping routes in the Strait of Hormuz.HighlightsSaudi Arabia joins US strikes: A strategic shift or a dangerous gamble?Tehran’s unprovoked missile barrage hits US bases in JordanChina arms Iran: The deal that could change the war’s trajectoryCONTRIBUTORS:Sophie O’Sullivan, journalist and Ukraine: the Latest producer Arthur Scott-Geddes, deputy editor Global Health Security @ascottgeddesDavid Blair, chief foreign affairs commentator @davidblairdtWATCH US ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJnf_DDTfIVAif-vifC6F2aoPB8GIw6dkCONTENT REFERENCED:https://www.telegraph.co.uk/us/news/2026/07/27/trump-us-more-weapons/ ITL Best News and Analysis Podcast - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026The Telegraph Podcast Publisher of the Year 2026 - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026ITL Nominated Podcast of the Year - Society of Editors News Podcasts Awards 2026Producer: Max BowerResearcher and Social Producer: Anna HindmarshStudio Operator: Andy WatsonExecutive Producer: Venetia Rainey ► Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor► EMAIL US: Contact the team on [email protected]► GET THE LATEST HEADLINES: Find all our latest Iran coverage here: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/iran-war/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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275
Red Sea chokepoint: Houthi rebels replicate Iran’s Hormuz strategy
Seventeen days into the conflict between the US and Iran, the frontline is expanding as drone attacks continue to test the ceasefire and new flashpoints emerge in the Red Sea. Is the Houthi blockade of critical shipping lanes a calculated attempt to mirror Iran’s strategy in the Strait of Hormuz, or a desperate move to force concessions from Saudi Arabia?On today’s episode of Iran: the Latest, Arthur Scott-Geddes speaks to Memphis Barker, The Telegraph’s Senior Foreign Correspondent, about the reality of these escalating tactics and what they mean for the global oil market. They discuss the significance of Donald Trump’s high-stakes meeting with Benjamin Netanyahu today, and how the conflict is forcing nations as distant as Australia to fundamentally rethink their national energy security. Plus, Ben Farmer, our Africa Correspondent, joins the conversation to explain the unexpected and worrying resurgence of piracy off the coast of Somalia as a direct side effect of the war.HighlightsTactical diplomacy or a critical missile shortage?What the Israeli Prime Minister is demanding from WashingtonWhy the markets are reacting to the halt in hostilitiesCONTRIBUTORS:Arthur Scott-Geddes, deputy editor Global Health Security @ascottgeddesMemphis Barker, Senior Foreign Correspondent @memphisbarkerBen Farmer, Africa Correspondent @benfarmerDTWATCH US ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJnf_DDTfIVAif-vifC6F2aoPB8GIw6dkCONTENT REFERENCED:Somali pirates are back, fuelled by Iran war. By Mohamed Gabobe andBen Farmer: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/gift/d08ca6627b5840c0 Iran’s deadliest kamikaze drone yet sends a message to Trump. By Akhtar Makoii: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/07/28/iran-new-kamikaze-drone-stealthier-faster-deadlier/ Trump caught between Zelensky’s wish for peace and Netanyahu’s thirst for war. By Joe Barnes and Connor Stringer: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/us/news/2026/07/27/trump-caught-between-zelenskys-wish-for-peace-and-netanyahu/ Video Producer: Max BowerResearcher and Social Producer: Anna HindmarshStudio Operator: Andy WatsonExecutive Producer: Venetia Rainey ► Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor► EMAIL US: Contact the team on [email protected]► GET THE LATEST HEADLINES: Find all our latest Iran coverage here: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/iran-war/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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274
US ‘runs out of missiles’ as Trump halts Iran strikes
The US has halted its air strikes on Iran, creating a sudden pause in a conflict that has raged for nearly two weeks. Is this a strategic move to allow for diplomacy, or has the American military been forced to back down by a critical shortage of Patriot interceptor missiles? On today’s episode of Iran: the Latest, Arthur Scott-Geddes speaks to David Blair, The Telegraph’s Chief Foreign Affairs Commentator, about the reality of the situation in Washington and the potential fallout across the region. They discuss the growing concerns over dwindling US munition stocks, the impact of the pause on global oil prices, and what Benjamin Netanyahu is hoping to secure in his upcoming meeting with President Donald Trump. Plus, the team analyses a surprising new front in the war: Ukraine’s brazen strike on an Iranian ship in the Caspian Sea, and what message Kyiv is trying to send to the White House.HighlightsTactical diplomacy or a critical missile shortage?What the Israeli Prime Minister is demanding from WashingtonWhy the markets are reacting to the halt in hostilitiesCONTRIBUTORS:Arthur Scott-Geddes, deputy editor Global Health Security @ascottgeddesDavid Blair, chief foreign affairs commentator @davidblairdtWATCH US ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJnf_DDTfIVAif-vifC6F2aoPB8GIw6dkTL Best News and Analysis Podcast - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026The Telegraph Podcast Publisher of the Year 2026 - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026ITL Nominated Podcast of the Year - Society of Editors News Podcasts Awards 2026Producer: Max BowerResearcher and Social Producer: Anna HindmarshStudio Operator: James EnglandExecutive Producer: Venetia Rainey ► Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor► EMAIL US: Contact the team on [email protected]► GET THE LATEST HEADLINES: Find all our latest Iran coverage here: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/iran-war/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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273
Trump’s Lebanon dilemma: Why Israel can't win this war
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun met US President Donald Trump in Washington this week with a historic proposal: end the war between Lebanon and Israel, force an Israeli withdrawal from the south, and disarm Iran’s proxy group Hezbollah. Could it work? On today’s bonus episode of Iran: the Latest, Venetia Rainey speaks to the arts director at local charity Seenaryo, about the reality for civilians caught up in the conflict in Lebanon, how people are worried the latest escalation in Iran will spillover, and why Hezbollah would just be replaced by a similar group if it was disarmed. Plus, first-person accounts of what it’s like to live under the shadow of war. Excerpts from pieces written for Seenaryo by Syrian refugee Eman Fisal Almodhi, read by Irish actor Jessie Buckley, and a WhatsApp conversation between Lebanese women displaced in south Lebanon, read by British-Lebanese-Palestinian actor Sirine Saba. HighlightsTrump’s Lebanon dilemma: Why Israel can't win this warVoices from Lebanon on life under the shadow of warWATCH US ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJnf_DDTfIVAif-vifC6F2aoPB8GIw6dkCONTENT REFERENCED:Lebanon’s leader seeks Trump’s help to end occupation and insurrectionhttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/07/21/lebanons-leader-seeks-trumps-help-end-occupation/ITL Best News and Analysis Podcast - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026The Telegraph Podcast Publisher of the Year 2026 - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026ITL Nominated Podcast of the Year - Society of Editors News Podcasts Awards 2026Producer: Max BowerVideo Producer: Peter ShevlinResearcher and Social Producer: Anna HindmarshStudio Operator: Andy WatsonExecutive Producer: Venetia Rainey ► Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor► EMAIL US: Contact the team on [email protected]► GET THE LATEST HEADLINES: Find all our latest Iran coverage here: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/iran-war/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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272
Trump weighs 'massive attack' as Iran threatens UK bases
As this new round of war enters its 13th day, US President Donald Trump has signalled he is close to deciding whether to launch a "massive attack" on Iran. The IRGC has declared that UK bases including RAF Fairford are legitimate targets, accusing new Prime Minister Andy Burnham of aiding US heavy B-1 bomber strikes.On today's episode of Iran: the Latest, Venetia Rainey is joined by chief Washington correspondent Connor Stringer and acting US news editor Lottie Tiplady-Bishop to break down the White House's military strategy, the political rift tearing through the Republican’s MAGA base, and how the war has led to dwindling missile stockpiles, war cash, and strategic oil reserves. Plus, Trump linking Israeli normalisation to the US-Saudi nuclear deal, why new British foreign secretary Ed Miliband is not popular in the White House, and the news of fresh US tariffs on the UK, Europe and other countries. HighlightsTrump weighs 'bigger than ever, massive attack' against Iran IRGC calls UK bases including RAF Fairford ‘legitimate targets’CONTRIBUTORS:Venetia Rainey, co-host and executive producer @venetiaraineyConnor Stringer, chief Washington correspondent @connorstringerLottie Tiplady-Bishop, acting US news editor @lottietipbishopWATCH US ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJnf_DDTfIVAif-vifC6F2aoPB8GIw6dkCONTENT REFERENCED:Short of missiles and cash for war, now Trump is running out of oilhttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/07/23/short-of-missiles-cash-for-war-now-trump-running-out-oil/UK ‘ready to defend itself’ after Iran threatens to strike RAF basehttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/07/23/iran-threatens-to-attack-raf-fairford/White House concerned over Miliband as Foreign Secretaryhttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2026/07/21/white-house-deeply-concerned-miliband-foreign-secretary/Trump punishes Britain for China ties with 10pc tariffhttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/us/news/2026/07/23/trump-punishes-britain-for-china-ties-with-10pc-tariff/Trump tells Saudi: No nuclear deal unless you recognise Israelhttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/us/news/2026/07/23/trump-tells-saudi-no-nuclear-deal-unless-recognise-israel/ITL Best News and Analysis Podcast - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026The Telegraph Podcast Publisher of the Year 2026 - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026ITL Nominated Podcast of the Year - Society of Editors News Podcasts Awards 2026Producer: Peter ShevlinVideo Producer: Max BowerResearcher and Social Producer: Anna HindmarshStudio Operator: Chris JanuaryExecutive Producer: Venetia Rainey ► Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor► EMAIL US: Contact the team on [email protected]► GET THE LATEST HEADLINES: Find all our latest Iran coverage here: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/iran-war/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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271
US strikes Iran with B-1 Bomber as Houthis attack Saudi tankers in Red Sea
Donald Trump has escalated the US’s war against Iran, deploying a heavy B-1 long-range bomber directly from RAF Fairford to strike IRGC targets. Meanwhile, Yemen’s Iranian proxy group the Houthis have launched missile attacks against Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea as part of their blockade.In today’s episode of Iran: the Latest, Venetia Rainey and Jerusalem Correspondent Henry Bodkin discuss how the Bab al-Mandeb waterway could become the next Strait of Hormuz, how Iranian missiles are becoming deadlier, and why Israel is furious about a new US-Saudi civil nuclear agreement. Plus, former US Assistant Secretary of State in the Middle East David Schenker on why a maritime blockade is the most effective tool Trump has against Iran, and his one piece of advice to the president as the conflict threatens to spiral out of control. HighlightsUS deploys heavy B-1 Bomber to Iran as strikes escalateHouthis attack Saudi oil tankers in Red Sea as part of blockadeCONTRIBUTORS:Venetia Rainey, co-host and executive producer @venetiaraineyHenry Bodkin, Jerusalem Correspondent @HenryBodkinDavid Schenker, The Washington Institute and former US Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs @davidschenker1WATCH US ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJnf_DDTfIVAif-vifC6F2aoPB8GIw6dkCONTENT REFERENCED:US bombs Iran from UK air base for first time under Burnhamhttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/07/23/us-bombs-iran-from-uk-air-base-for-first-time-under-burnham/Trump: For every ship Iran attacks we will blow up a power planthttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/07/22/donald-trump-iran-ships-power-plant-strait-hormuz/How Iran’s missiles became more lethalhttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/07/23/how-irans-missiles-became-more-lethalAmbrose Evans-Pritchard: Beware the rising energy dangers of Trump’s Gulf warhttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2026/07/22/beware-the-rising-energy-dangers-of-trumps-gulf-war/ITL Best News and Analysis Podcast - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026The Telegraph Podcast Publisher of the Year 2026 - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026ITL Nominated Podcast of the Year - Society of Editors News Podcasts Awards 2026Producer: Peter ShevlinVideo Producer: Max BowerResearcher and Social Producer: Anna HindmarshStudio Operator: Chris JanuaryExecutive Producer: Venetia Rainey ► Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor► EMAIL US: Contact the team on [email protected]► GET THE LATEST HEADLINES: Find all our latest Iran coverage here: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/iran-war/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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270
Trump vows to target Pickaxe Mountain & infiltration, executions and fear inside Iran
As the latest round of the war enters its 11th day, US President Donald Trump has signalled the US could strike Iran's hardened Pickaxe Mountain underground nuclear facility where Israel claims centrifuges are being hidden. On today’s episode of Iran: the Latest, Venetia Rainey and Telegraph journalist Sophie O’Sullivan look at the news that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has admitted US war costs have reached $37bn, a landmark US nuclear deal with Saudi Arabia, and the Houthis’ blockade on Saudi Arabia claiming its first victims. Is this the new Strait of Hormuz?Plus, Iranian journalist Tara Kangarlou on an explosive interview by Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi that revealed critical internal security breaches and deep US and Israeli intelligence infiltration inside the regime. They discuss how Trump’s strikes are smashing critical civilian infrastructure, why a brutal wave of political executions could accelerate, and how the economy is in meltdown. HighlightsTrump vows to target Pickaxe Mountain nuclear underground fortInside Iran: regime infiltration, executions and fearCONTRIBUTORS:Venetia Rainey, co-host and executive producer @venetiaraineySophie O’Sullivan, journalist and Ukraine: the Latest producer Tara Kangarlou, journalist and author @tarakangarlouWATCH US ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJnf_DDTfIVAif-vifC6F2aoPB8GIw6dkCONTENT REFERENCED:Trump’s nuclear deal with Saudi Arabia will only embolden Iranhttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/07/22/trump-saudi-arabia-nuclear-deal-will-only-embolden-iran/Pentagon is running out of money in Iran war, Hegseth admitshttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/us/news/2026/07/22/pentagon-running-out-of-money-iran-war-hegseth-admits/Iran: the Latest’s episode on the Minab school attackhttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/03/18/iran-the-latest-trump-biggest-mistake-iran-war-so-far/Sky News documentary on the Minab school attackhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=siRuobaj7IEFor more on Ukraine news, listen to/watch Ukraine: the Latesthttps://linktr.ee/UkraineTheLatestITL Best News and Analysis Podcast - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026The Telegraph Podcast Publisher of the Year 2026 - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026ITL Nominated Podcast of the Year - Society of Editors News Podcasts Awards 2026Producer: Peter ShevlinVideo Producer: Max BowerResearcher and Social Producer: Anna HindmarshStudio Operator: Chris JanuaryExecutive Producer: Venetia Rainey ► Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor► EMAIL US: Contact the team on [email protected]► GET THE LATEST HEADLINES: Find all our latest Iran coverage here: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/iran-war/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Trump weighs major escalation as Iran hammers Kuwait’s power and water
Donald Trump is weighing up a massive expansion of the war with Iran after Tehran launched fresh strikes against US military sites across the Gulf, including Amazon services in Bahrain and vital power and water infrastructure in Kuwait.Nearly 100 US service members have been injured in recent weeks, according to the Pentagon, as the latest round of fighting enters its tenth day. On today’s episode of Iran: the Latest, Venetia Rainey and Arthur Scott-Geddes look at the news that Pakistan, Qatar and Egypt are trying to broker a mini 10-day ceasefire even as Iran has hit two more tankers in Strait of Hormuz. Will anyone come to the negotiating table?Plus, the Houthis have declared a Red Sea maritime blockade against Saudi Arabia, Iran admits its ailing economy is now the “main battlefield”, and Britain’s new Prime Minister Andy Burnham and his Cabinet face an early diplomatic test over the Iran war. HighlightsTrump weighs escalation as Iran injures hundreds of US troopsIran hammers Kuwait’s power and water infrastructureCONTRIBUTORS:Venetia Rainey, co-host and executive producer @venetiaraineyArthur Scott-Geddes, deputy editor Global Health Security @ascottgeddesWATCH US ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJnf_DDTfIVAif-vifC6F2aoPB8GIw6dkCONTENT REFERENCED:Trump expects Burnham to let US strike Iran from British baseshttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/us/politics/2026/07/21/trump-expects-burnham-to-let-america-use-uk-bases-iran/White House ‘deeply concerned’ over Miliband as Foreign Secretaryhttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2026/07/21/white-house-deeply-concerned-miliband-foreign-secretary/Foreign brief for Miliband risks Trump’s wrathhttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2026/07/20/burnham-risks-trump-wrath-foreign-brief-ed-miliband/Pentagon hiding missile shortage from White House, insiders fearhttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/us/news/2026/07/21/pentagon-hiding-missile-shortage-white-house/Lebanon’s leader seeks Trump’s help to end occupation and insurrectionhttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/07/21/lebanons-leader-seeks-trumps-help-end-occupation/ITL Best News and Analysis Podcast - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026The Telegraph Podcast Publisher of the Year 2026 - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026ITL Nominated Podcast of the Year - Society of Editors News Podcasts Awards 2026Producer: Max BowerVideo Producer: Peter ShevlinResearcher and Social Producer: Anna HindmarshStudio Operator: Andy WatsonExecutive Producer: Venetia Rainey ► Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor► EMAIL US: Contact the team on [email protected]► GET THE LATEST HEADLINES: Find all our latest Iran coverage here: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/iran-war/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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268
Trump hits Iran hard after US troops killed by ‘Chinese-guided’ strikes
The war between Donald Trump and Iran has escalated dramatically following the first direct US combat deaths since the start of the war and rare strikes against Saudi Arabia’s oil assets. In today’s episode of Iran: The Latest, Venetia Rainey and chief foreign affairs commentator David Blair unpack the most violent weekend of the conflict since the ceasefire. Following deadly Iranian precision attacks on the Muwaffaq Salti airbase in Jordan - potentially with Chinese help - Trump has ordered strikes across the country and sought to cut off the crucial port city of Bandar Abbas. Iran has furiously hit back by targeting Saudi Arabia’s key Yanbu oil infrastructure, alongside successful strikes on critical water infrastructure in Kuwait. Plus, they discuss reports of dwindling US interceptor missile stockpiles and whether the US is sliding into a forever war.HighlightsTrump hits Iran hard after US troops killed by ‘Chinese-guided’ missilesIran targets Saudi Arabia’s key Yanbu oil infrastructureCONTRIBUTORS:Venetia Rainey, co-host and executive producer @venetiaraineyDavid Blair, chief foreign affairs commentator @davidblairdtWATCH US ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJnf_DDTfIVAif-vifC6F2aoPB8GIw6dkCONTENT REFERENCED:Trump’s bridge strikes cut off city that keeps Iran alivehttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/us/news/2026/07/18/trump-iran-strikes-bridge-bandar-abbas/‘Controlled detonation’ of Iranian drone kills US soldierhttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/07/19/us-punishes-iran-for-soldier-deaths-with-fresh-strikes/US doesn’t have enough missiles to return to all-out war with Iranhttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/07/20/us-prepares-all-out-war-iran-sending-more-jets-middle-east/Tom Sharpe: Iranian missiles are defeating US soft-kill defences using Chinese guidancehttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/07/15/iran-hormuz-missile-strikes-us-china-beidou-satnav/ITL Best News and Analysis Podcast - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026The Telegraph Podcast Publisher of the Year 2026 - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026ITL Nominated Podcast of the Year - Society of Editors News Podcasts Awards 2026Producer: Max BowerVideo Producer: Peter ShevlinResearcher and Social Producer: Anna HindmarshStudio Operator: Andy WatsonExecutive Producer: Venetia Rainey ► Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor► EMAIL US: Contact the team on [email protected]► GET THE LATEST HEADLINES: Find all our latest Iran coverage here: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/iran-war/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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267
Trump bombs key ports and bridges as China upgrades Iranian missiles
Donald Trump has ordered the heaviest escalation in the US-Iran war so far this week, striking critical Iranian bridges, airports, and infrastructure surrounding the critical Strait of Hormuz chokepoint. Iran has hit back with attacks on the UAE, Qatar and other Gulf states, as well as allegedly targeting US Special Forces outposts in Syria.In today’s episode of Iran: The Latest, Sophia Yan and Roland Oliphant break down the overnight news of more kinetic strikes. Plus, Reuters global defence commentator Peter Apps joins the show to analyze how Iranian missiles are leveraging China’s encrypted BeiDou-3 satellite system to bypass Western air defenses, why the UAE is secretly bombing Iran, and whether the House of Saud is ready to ditch Washington for Beijing.HighlightsTrump destroys key ports and bridges in sweeping strikesHow China is upgrading Iranian missiles to make them harder to stopCONTRIBUTORS:Roland Oliphant, co-host and chief foreign affairs analyst @RolandOliphantSophia Yan, co-host and senior foreign correspondent @sophia_yanWATCH US ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJnf_DDTfIVAif-vifC6F2aoPB8GIw6dkCONTENT REFERENCED:Burnham plans to sanction Israel set to anger White Househttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2026/07/15/white-house-warns-burnham-do-not-sanction-israel/Alleged spy charged with helping Iran’s secret servicehttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/07/17/counter-terror-police-charge-spying-iran/Iran’s war faces a dangerous new threathttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/07/15/houthis-plot-to-open-new-front-in-iran-war/ITL Best News and Analysis Podcast - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026The Telegraph Podcast Publisher of the Year 2026 - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026ITL Nominated Podcast of the Year - Society of Editors News Podcasts Awards 2026Producer: Max BowerVideo Producer: Peter ShevlinResearcher and Social Producer: Anna HindmarshStudio Operator: Andy WatsonExecutive Producer: Venetia Rainey ► Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor► EMAIL US: Contact the team on [email protected]► GET THE LATEST HEADLINES: Find all our latest Iran coverage here: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/iran-war/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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266
US blasts tanker with Hellfire missiles & why an Iran ground war is a trap
The US has dramatically expanded its strike campaign into northern Iran for the first time in this latest stage of the war, targeting critical ballistic missile and space facilities near Tehran. With Donald Trump warning Tehran that they "better behave," the US Navy has unleashed Hellfire missiles to disable an oil tanker attempting to run the blockade. Iran has responded with drone and missile strikes targeting US bases in Kuwait, Bahrain, and Jordan. On today’s episode of Iran: the Latest, Venetia Rainey and Roland Oliphant break down the overnight strikes, the high-stakes naval blockade in the Strait of Hormuz, and whether the US is preparing for an imminent ground campaign.Plus: is Donald Trump marching into a trap? Leaked reports suggest Washington is again considering an amphibious ground offensive to Iranian coastal territory. Former US Marine Colonel Andy Milburn breaks down why an amphibious landing along the Iranian coastline is a tactical dead-end and how Tehran’s decentralized "Mosaic Doctrine" is designed to survive Western airstrikes.HighlightsTrump launches hellfire missiles at tanker as American blockade escalatesUS Marine colonel: A ground war in Iran is a trap with no purposeCONTRIBUTORS:Venetia Rainey, co-host and executive producer @venetiaraineyRoland Oliphant, co-host and chief foreign affairs analyst @RolandOliphantAndy Milburn, former US Marine colonel @andymilburn8WATCH US ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJnf_DDTfIVAif-vifC6F2aoPWATCH PART TWO - ROLAND’S INTERVIEW WITH ANDY MILBURN: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJnf_DDTfIVAif-vifC6F2aoPB8GIw6dkCONTENT REFERENCED:The hidden messages behind Trump’s latest wave of Iran strikeshttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/07/16/hidden-messages-behind-trumps-new-wave-of-iran-strikes/Andy Milburn: Outgunned, But Not Outplayed: Iran’s Theory of Victoryhttps://warontherocks.com/outgunned-but-not-outplayed-irans-theory-of-victory/ITL Best News and Analysis Podcast - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026The Telegraph Podcast Publisher of the Year 2026 - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026ITL Nominated Podcast of the Year - Society of Editors News Podcasts Awards 2026Producer: Peter ShevlinVideo Producer: Max BowerResearcher and Social Producer: Anna HindmarshStudio Operator: Andy WatsonExecutive Producer: Venetia Rainey ► Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor► EMAIL US: Contact the team on [email protected]► GET THE LATEST HEADLINES: Find all our latest Iran coverage here: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/iran-war/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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265
US strikes Iran twice in 24 hours after Shahed attacks hit Gulf states
The military stand-off between the US and Iran has escalated again after Donald Trump ordered a seven-hour bombing campaign targeting Iranian missile barracks, coastal radar sites, and naval bases. The inevitable Iranian response targeting its Gulf neighbours was met with rare daytime strikes by American forces. On today’s episode of Iran: the Latest, Roland Oliphant sits down with Tim Mak and Jacqueline Cole from the Iran War Dispatches Substack to discuss the significance of what each side is hitting and how the Pentagon is adapting its tactics against asymmetric Iranian warfare. They also discuss whether Trump’s brutal threat to destroy Iran's power plants and bridges will bring Tehran to the negotiating table.Plus, worrying signs that Iran is becoming more militarised and why Jackie and Tim went to Armenia to find out what ordinary Iranians think of the war. HighlightsUS strikes Iran twice in 24 hours after Shahed attacks hit Gulf statesTrump’s ultimatum to Iran: ‘Negotiate or we destroy your infrastructure’CONTRIBUTORS:Roland Oliphant, co-host and chief foreign affairs analyst @RolandOliphantTim Mak, founder Iran War Dispatches @timkmakJacqueline Cole, journalist Iran War Dispatches @jacmcoleWATCH US ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJnf_DDTfIVAif-vifC6F2aoPB8GIw6dkCONTENT REFERENCED:Trump’s three options to solve his Iran problemhttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/us/news/2026/07/09/trump-three-options-return-warTrump U-turns on Hormuz toll after one dayhttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/us/news/2026/07/14/trump-hormuz-toll-uturn-one-day/Even Iran’s children’s authors are losing hopehttps://www.iranwar.news/p/even-irans-childrens-authors-areIran War Dispatches: https://www.iranwar.news/The Telegraph Podcast Publisher of the Year 2026 - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026ITL Nominated Podcast of the Year - Society of Editors News Podcasts Awards 2026Producer: Peter ShevlinVideo Producer: Max BowerResearcher and Social Producer: Anna HindmarshStudio Operator: Andy WatsonExecutive Producer: Venetia Rainey ► Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor► EMAIL US: Contact the team on [email protected]► GET THE LATEST HEADLINES: Find all our latest Iran coverage here: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/iran-war/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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264
Trump’s five-hour blitz triggers Iran war escalation & Mossad’s secret plot exposed
Donald Trump has reimposed the US’s naval blockade on Iran and, for the third night in a row, launched a brutal five-hour blitz hitting Iran’s coastal defences. In retaliation, the IRGC has struck back, killing one and injuring several onboard two oil supertankers in the Strait of Hormuz and targeting critical American assets in Bahrain, Jordan and Kuwait.On today’s episode of Iran: the Latest, Venetia Rainey and Roland Oliphant run through the latest updates from the region as the war escalates.Plus, why hasn’t Israel rejoined the US war with Iran? Sima Shine, former head of research and evaluation at Mossad and Iran expert at Israel’s Institute for National Security Studies, explains why she thinks Donald Trump has put a break on Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu participating in the latest round of fighting. She also discusses the explosive news about Israel’s Operation Puss in Boots, a yearslong, multi-pronged effort to overthrow the Iranian regime and install the most unlikely of candidates, arch Israeli enemy former President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. HighlightsTrump’s five-hour blitz triggers Iran war escalationEx-Mossad chief on why Israel is out of Iran warCONTRIBUTORS:Roland Oliphant, co-host and chief foreign affairs analyst @RolandOliphantVenetia Rainey, co-host and executive producer @venetiaraineySima Shine, director of the Iran and the Shiite Axis Research Program at INSS @INSSIsraelWATCH US ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJnf_DDTfIVAif-vifC6F2aoPB8GIw6dkCONTENT REFERENCED:US attacks Iran using kamikaze drone boats for first timehttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/07/13/us-attack-iran-kamikaze-drone-boats-hormuz-war/Inside the Mossad Plot to Install Israel's Arch-enemy Ahmadinejad as Iran's Leaderhttps://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/israel-security/2026-07-13/ty-article-magazine/.premium/inside-the-mossad-plot-to-install-ahamadinijad-as-irans-leader/0000019f-5b28-de66-a5bf-5b7b3bbd0000ITL Best News and Analysis Podcast - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026The Telegraph Podcast Publisher of the Year 2026 - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026ITL Nominated Podcast of the Year - Society of Editors News Podcasts Awards 2026Producer: Max BowerVideo Producer: Peter ShevlinResearcher and Social Producer: Anna HindmarshStudio Operator: Andy WatsonExecutive Producer: Venetia Rainey ► Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor► EMAIL US: Contact the team on [email protected]► GET THE LATEST HEADLINES: Find all our latest Iran coverage here: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/iran-war/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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263
Trump reimposes naval blockade & how China and Russia use Iran to bleed US munitions
The US-Iran ceasefire is in crisis following a violent weekend of escalation. From the IRGC damaging a ship in the Strait of Hormuz so badly that the crew had to abandon it, to President Donald Trump declaring he "bombed the hell out of them" after striking dozens of targets, the war appears to be back on in all but name. Now, Trump has reimposed the US naval blockade and announced a toll.On today’s episode of Iran: the Latest, Venetia Rainey and Roland Oliphant break down a frantic weekend of military action, including the US deploying one-way attack sea drones for the first time and the collapse of Omani negotiations to reopen the Hormuz waterway. Plus, the damage done by Iran repeatedly launching missile and drone strikes against US airbases across the Gulf and Jordan is growing. King’s College London security expert Dr. Andreas Krieg unpacks how China and Russia are actively backing Iran's underground missile infrastructure to bleed Western interceptor stocks and distract the US from the Indo-Pacific.HighlightsTrump reimposes Strait of Hormuz blockade and attacks Iran with sea dronesIran attacks on American bases across Middle East ‘leave US in the dark’CONTRIBUTORS:Venetia Rainey, co-host and executive producer @venetiaraineyRoland Oliphant, co-host and chief foreign affairs analyst @RolandOliphantAndreas Krieg, King’s College London and Institute of Middle Eastern Studies @andreas_kriegWATCH US ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJnf_DDTfIVAif-vifC6F2aoPB8GIw6dkCONTENT REFERENCED:Telegraph View: The Iranian regime continues to sow chaoshttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/opinion/2026/07/13/the-iranian-regime-continues-to-sow-chaos/Iran bombs US supply lines in fight for Strait of Hormuzhttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/07/12/iran-aims-to-cripple-us-navy-supply-in-major-air-strikes/Starmer proscribes Iran’s IRGChttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/07/13/keir-starmer-proscribes-irans-islamic-revolutionary-guards/ITL Best News and Analysis Podcast - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026The Telegraph Podcast Publisher of the Year 2026 - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026ITL Nominated Podcast of the Year - Society of Editors News Podcasts Awards 2026Producer: Max BowerVideo Producer: Peter ShevlinResearcher and Social Producer: Anna HindmarshStudio Operator: Andy WatsonExecutive Producer: Venetia Rainey ► Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor► EMAIL US: Contact the team on [email protected]► GET THE LATEST HEADLINES: Find all our latest Iran coverage here: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/iran-war/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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262
‘Bitter, weak and corrupted’: How Ali Khamenei ruined Iran
Four months after he was assassinated by Israeli and US airstrikes on the first day of the Iran war, former Iranian supreme leader Ali Khamenei has been buried in an elaborate funeral.But who was he behind all the mythology and pomp? How did he shape modern Iran into the impoverished, rogue nation it is today? And what does his life tell us about what his son Mojtaba Khamenei will be like as Iran’s new leader?Venetia Rainey speaks to Ali Ansari, professor of Iranian History and director of the Institute for Iranian Studies at the University of St Andrews, about Khamenei’s legacy and backstory. Ali lays out how this fake ayatollah was corrupted by absolute power, how he allied with the IRGC to steal the state's wealth, and why his "princeling" son Mojtaba is even weaker. Highlights‘Bitter, weak and corrupted’: how Ali Khamenei ruined IranAli Ansari on his backstory and what his son Mojtaba will be likeCONTRIBUTORS:Venetia Rainey, co-host and executive producer @venetiaraineyAli Ansari, professor University of St Andrews @aa51_ansariWATCH US ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJnf_DDTfIVAif-vifC6F2aoPB8GIw6dkProducer: Peter ShevlinResearcher and Social Producer: Anna HindmarshStudio Operator: Andy WatsonExecutive Producer: Venetia Rainey ► Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor► EMAIL US: Contact the team on [email protected]► GET THE LATEST HEADLINES: Find all our latest Iran coverage here: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/iran-war/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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261
Iran’s Trump ‘assassination plot’ revealed & America’s ‘protection racket’
The burst of strikes between Iran and the US has died down but the Strait of Hormuz has seized up, with shipping coming to an almost complete standstill on the southern non-Iranian route. On today’s episode of Iran: the Latest, Venetia Rainey and Roland Oliphant discuss how this is exactly what Tehran wants. Meanwhile, Israel has revealed that Donald Trump is the subject of a “new and specific” assassination plot by Iran, and Ali Khamenei has finally been buried - with his son Mojtaba Khamenei still nowhere to be seen. Plus, what does this week’s Nato summit in Ankara, Turkey tell us about the future of the alliance and the trans-Atlantic security relationship? Rachel Ellehuus, director-general of the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI), gives her analysis of Trump’s Greenland comments, how Ukraine was the real winner, and why America's aggressive global force posture review is a "protection racket". HighlightsIran’s Trump ‘assassination plot’ revealed as Strait of Hormuz closes upRUSI chief Rachel Ellehuus on Trump, the Nato summit and GreenlandCONTRIBUTORS:Venetia Rainey, co-host and executive producer @venetiaraineyRoland Oliphant, co-host and chief foreign analyst @rolandoliphantRachel Ellehuus, RUSI director-general @rach_ellehuusWATCH US ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJnf_DDTfIVAif-vifC6F2aoPB8GIw6dkCONTENT REFERENCED:What I saw behind the scenes at Nato’s tumultuous summithttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/07/09/behind-the-scenes-nato-turkey-summit/Trump ‘forced to use old Air Force One over security fears’https://www.telegraph.co.uk/us/news/2026/07/09/trump-forced-to-use-old-air-force-one-over-security-fears/Millions block streets for Khamenei burialhttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/07/09/iran-us-war-latest-news-strikes-strait-of-hormuz-nato/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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260
Iran attacks more US bases after Trump strikes key Russia-China railway link
The US-Iran war has escalated significantly amid a second consecutive night of heavy American strikes on Iran and a furious response from Tehran.On today’s episode of Iran: the Latest, Venetia Rainey and Sophia Yan look at why for the first time since the ceasefire in April, President Donald Trump ordered cruise missiles to attack a critical railway bridge used to trade with Russia and China.After Tehran responded with kamikaze drones and ballistic missiles targeting US military assets across Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, and Jordan, they ask what next for the peace talks. Plus, why the 2026 Nato summit's quiet winner is Turkey. Sophia dives into the country’s exploding defence sector, its simmering rivalry with Israel, and how it has gone from black sheep to core member of Nato. And everything we know about the personalised handgun Erdogan gave world leaders as a farewell gift.HighlightsIran attacks more US bases across the Middle EastComes after Trump struck a key Russia-China railway link in IranCONTRIBUTORS:Venetia Rainey, co-host and executive producer @venetiaraineySophia Yan, co-host and senior foreign correspondent @sophia_yanWATCH US ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJnf_DDTfIVAif-vifC6F2aoPB8GIw6dkCONTENT REFERENCED:How Turkey is powering Europe’s rearmamenthttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/07/09/how-turkey-became-new-pillar-european-defence/Erdogan gives every Nato leader a gun as farewell gifthttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/07/08/erdogan-nato-summit-fun-keir-starmer-donald-trump/Monday’s episode: Where is Iran’s new supreme leader?https://linktr.ee/iranthelatestProducer: Peter ShevlinVideo Producer: Max BowerResearcher and Social Producer: Anna HindmarshStudio Operator: Andy WatsonExecutive Producer: Venetia Rainey ► Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor► EMAIL US: Contact the team on [email protected]► GET THE LATEST HEADLINES: Find all our latest Iran coverage here: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/iran-war/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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259
Trump ends US-Iran ceasefire after Tehran’s Strait of Hormuz oil tanker blitz
Donald Trump has dramatically declared that the US-Iran ceasefire is officially "over", calling Tehran an "evil cancer" during a fiery outburst alongside Nato chief Mark Rutte in Ankara, Turkey. He also attacked fellow Nato members including Spain and reiterated his demand to take over Greenland from Denmark. Roland Oliphant and Joe Barnes report live from the Nato summit on a second day of drama. The sudden escalation in the war follows a wave of Iranian attacks on oil tankers taking the Omani route in the Strait of Hormuz, including one from Qatar for the first time since the war began. The US responded with its own strikes on coastal targets and cancelled an oil sanctions waiver, prompting Iran to send drones and missiles at Bahrain and Kuwait. On today’s episode of Iran: the Latest, Venetia Rainey breaks down the latest military and diplomatic news from the Middle East with Dr. Dania Thafer, director of the Gulf International Forum, and asks whether it’s time for military action to break Tehran’s grip on Hormuz. HighlightsTrump ends US-Iran ceasefire and axes oil licenceUS bombs 80 Iran targets after Tehran’s Strait of Hormuz oil tanker blitzCONTRIBUTORS:Venetia Rainey, co-host and executive producer @venetiaraineyRoland Oliphant, co-host and chief foreign affairs analyst @RolandOliphantDania Thafer, director Gulf International Forum @Dr_DaniaThaferWATCH US ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJnf_DDTfIVAif-vifC6F2aoPB8GIw6dkCONTENT REFERENCED:Listen to Ukraine: the Latest: https://linktr.ee/UkraineTheLatestTrump: Ceasefire with Iranian scum is overhttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/07/08/trump-ceasefire-with-iranian-scum-is-over/We are ready to defend Greenland, Denmark’s PM tells Trumphttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/07/08/we-are-ready-to-defend-greenland-denmark-pm-tells-trump/David Blair: Iran’s regime is now stronger than before Trump’s warhttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/07/08/iran-stronger-because-of-trump/US carries out fresh strikes on Iran in response to Hormuz attackshttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/07/07/trump-ban-iran-from-selling-oil-hormuz-attacks/Producer: Peter ShevlinVideo Producer: Max BowerResearcher and Social Producer: Anna HindmarshStudio Operator: Andy WatsonExecutive Producer: Venetia Rainey ► Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor► EMAIL US: Contact the team on [email protected]► GET THE LATEST HEADLINES: Find all our latest Iran coverage here: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/iran-war/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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258
Trump at Nato: Give me Greenland or US will withdraw from Europe
Donald Trump arrived at the 2026 Nato summit in Turkey and instantly started taking potshots at his Nato allies, blasting them for not helping the US in the Iran war. On today’s episode of Iran: the Latest, Roland Oliphant reports from Ankara on a day of dramatic meetings, fighter jet pledges and fiery speeches. Meanwhile, Iran has struck another oil tanker in the Strait of Hormuz it accused of taking the banned Omani route. Tehran also threatened to call off peace talks following Trump's blistering warning that he would flatten Iranian energy infrastructure in "a small part of an afternoon". Plus, recently resigned British Armed Forces Minister Al Carns joins the show to deliver a blunt assessment of Western vulnerabilities and why Nato is fundamentally unprepared for the terrifying reality of mass drone warfare on its eastern flank. They also discuss the threat of Iran, Trump’s anger with his Nato allies over the war, Ukraine and defence spending in the UK. HighlightsTrump blasts Nato over Iran war as Tehran strikes ship in HormuzResigned UK armed forces minister Al Carns on Trump, Nato and IranCONTRIBUTORS:Venetia Rainey, co-host and executive producer @venetiaraineyRoland Oliphant, co-host and chief foreign affairs analyst @RolandOliphantDom Nicholls, associate defence editor and Ukraine: the Latest @DomNichollsWATCH US ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJnf_DDTfIVAif-vifC6F2aoPB8GIw6dkProducer: Max BowerVideo Producer: Peter ShevlinResearcher and Social Producer: Anna HindmarshStudio Operator: Andy WatsonExecutive Producer: Venetia Rainey ► Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor► EMAIL US: Contact the team on [email protected]► GET THE LATEST HEADLINES: Find all our latest Iran coverage here: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/iran-war/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Where is Iran’s new supreme leader?
Dead, disfigured by the war or hidden for safety - why isn’t Iran’s new supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei at his own father’s funeral?It’s the million-dollar question as Tehran hosts the third day of a massive public event ahead of Ali Khamenei’s burial. On today’s Iran: the Latest, Venetia Rainey speaks to Iranian-American historian and writer Arash Azizi about the possible theories, why the funeral was heavy on revenge and martyrdom, and what the event tells us about the post-war Iranian regime’s attitude towards the US. Plus, as Nato leaders prepare for the alliance’s most significant summit, President Donald Trump looms large over proceedings. Roland Oliphant looks at what’s at stake in this week’s meetings, while Sophia Yan explains how Turkey is using the event to crack down on dissent.Highlights‘Kill Trump’: Iran holds revenge funeralWhere is Iran’s new supreme leader?CONTRIBUTORS:Venetia Rainey, co-host and executive producer @venetiaraineySophia Yan, co-host and senior foreign correspondent @sophia_yanRoland Oliphant, co-host and chief foreign affairs analyst @RolandOliphantArash Azizi, author and historian Yale University @arash_tehran WATCH US ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJnf_DDTfIVAif-vifC6F2aoPB8GIw6dkCONTENT REFERENCED:Iranians call for revenge as mourners gather for Khamenei’s funeralhttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/07/04/iranians-revenge-mourners-for-khamenei-funeral/Khamenei’s funeral masks a battle for Iran’s soulhttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/07/04/khameneis-funeral-masks-a-battle-for-iran-soul/Mojtaba Khamenei misses father’s funeralhttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/07/05/mojtaba-khamenei-misses-fathers-funeral/Ahmadinejad back from the dead at Khamenei’s funeralhttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/07/06/ahmadinejad-back-from-the-dead-khameneis-funeral/Erdogan crushes dissent before rolling out Nato red carpethttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/07/07/recep-erdogan-turkey-ankara-dissent-nato-summit-ankara/Producer: Max BowerVideo Producer: Peter ShevlinResearcher and Social Producer: Anna HindmarshStudio Operator: Andy WatsonExecutive Producer: Venetia Rainey ► Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor► EMAIL US: Contact the team on [email protected]► GET THE LATEST HEADLINES: Find all our latest Iran coverage here: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/iran-war/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Trump's America at 250: The collapse of a superpower?
The US celebrates its 250th anniversary of Independence Day on July 4th. As the nation hits this major milestone, what is the actual state of the superpower under President Donald Trump?In this special episode, co-host and senior foreign correspondent Sophia Yan takes a bird's-eye view of her home country and explores how it is viewed abroad. Drawing on nearly two decades of reporting from the frontlines of US foreign policy - from the rise of authoritarian China to the fires of the Middle East - she joins Roland Oliphant to examine its superpower status and whether the American Dream is still a reality or just a mirage.Plus, reports that the US stepped in to block an Israeli plot to assassinate Iran’s top peace negotiators and IRGC chief Ahmad Vahidi makes a rare public appearance as the funeral of late Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei begins today.HighlightsSophia Yan on America at 250: The collapse of a superpower?US stops Israel ‘plot’ to kill Iran's top negotiatorsCONTRIBUTORS:Sophia Yan, co-host and senior foreign correspondent @sophia_yanRoland Oliphant, co-host and chief foreign affairs analyst @RolandOliphantWATCH US ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJnf_DDTfIVAif-vifC6F2aoPB8GIw6dkCONTENT REFERENCED:Inside the crumbling court of King Donaldhttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/us/news/2026/07/03/inside-the-crumbling-court-of-king-donald/Producer: Max BowerVideo Producer: James EnglandResearcher and Social Producer: Anna HindmarshExecutive Producer: Venetia Rainey ► Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor► EMAIL US: Contact the team on [email protected]► GET THE LATEST HEADLINES: Find all our latest Iran coverage here: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/iran-war/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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MAGA vs Neocons: How the Iran war split the American right
The US-Iran war has paused, but it has lit a fire under an ideological civil war inside the American right. As Donald Trump prepares to mark America’s 250th birthday on July 4th, today’s episode of Iran: The Latest hosts a high-stakes foreign policy grudge match. First, John Bolton, former National Security Advisor, delivers a scathing critique of Trump's premature exit from the conflict. Bolton argues that Washington "stopped too soon” and that Israel is a key ally that the US must continue to protect militarily from Tehran. Then, Curt Mills, Executive Director of The American Conservative, fires back from the MAGA right. Mills claims Trump’s base feels a deep sense of betrayal over a war that directly violated core campaign promises and argues the conflict was fought entirely at the behest of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.Plus, Iran’s new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei has not been seen since the start of the war. Will he finally show his face this weekend at the funeral of his father, the late Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei? HighlightsJohn Bolton: ‘The war stopped too soon’Curt Mills: ‘This war was at the behest of Israel’CONTRIBUTORS:Venetia Rainey, co-host and executive producer @venetiaraineyRoland Oliphant, co-host and chief foreign affairs analyst @RolandOliphantJohn Bolton, former National Security Adviser @AmbJohnBoltonCurt Mills, executive director The American Conservative magazine @CurtMillsWATCH US ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJnf_DDTfIVAif-vifC6F2aoPB8GIw6dkProducer: Elliot LampittVideo Producer: Max BowerResearcher and Social Producer: Anna HindmarshStudio Operator: Ed GouldExecutive Producer: Venetia Rainey ► Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor► EMAIL US: Contact the team on [email protected]► GET THE LATEST HEADLINES: Find all our latest Iran coverage here: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/iran-war/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Ships bash through Strait of Hormuz warzone as US-Iran peace talks grind to a halt
As US-Iran peace talks flounder in Qatar, stranded ship captains are taking matters into their own hands to escape the Strait of Hormuz warzone. On today’s episode, Roland Oliphant talks to former Royal Navy commander Tom Sharpe about how "free for all" is unfolding in the Gulf, with commercial vessels losing patience and risking Iranian fire to get out. They look at the credibility of Iranian claims of a grounded cargo ship, how the US Navy is bearing up, and why Iran may not have laid any mines so far - but could do soon. Plus, a deep dive into the furious political fallout over the UK's new Defence Investment Plan. Commander Sharpe delivers a scathing assessment of the decisions shaping a "hybrid navy," explaining why it is absolute madness to mothball the Royal Navy's Type 45 destroyers in favor of uncrewed drones.CONTRIBUTORS:Roland Oliphant, co-host and chief foreign affairs analyst @RolandOliphantTom Sharpe, former Royal Navy commander and columnist @TomSharpe134WATCH US ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJnf_DDTfIVAif-vifC6F2aoPB8GIw6dkCONTENT REFERENCED:One thing we cannot do is return to business as usual in the Strait of Hormuzhttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/06/25/strait-hormuz-gulf-oil-fertiliser-ships-royal-navy-us/A navy without destroyers can work, but not like thishttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/07/01/a-navy-without-destroyers-can-work-but-not-with-this-budget/Producer: Rachel PorterVideo Producer: Max BowerResearcher and Social Producer: Anna HindmarshStudio Operator: Andy WatsonExecutive Producer: Venetia Rainey ► Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor► EMAIL US: Contact the team on [email protected]► GET THE LATEST HEADLINES: Find all our latest Iran coverage here: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/iran-war/Highlights‘Free for all’ in Strait of Hormuz warzone as captains run the gauntletUS-Iran peace talks grind to a halt in Qatar Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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The UK just proved it hasn’t learned Iran and Ukraine war lessons
As the US and Iran meet in Qatar, the UK has unveiled £15 billion in defence spending - but is it all a giant “fudge” to avoid humiliation by Donald Trump at next week’s Nato summit? Announcing the Defence Investment Plan, Prime Minister Keir Starmer boasted it meant the UK is spending 4.2% of GDP on wider security. On today’s episode of Iran: the Latest, Venetia Rainey talks to Ukraine: the Latest host and defence associate editor Dom Nicholls about why the numbers don’t add up. Plus, they unpack the UK’s high-stakes gamble on exquisite uncrewed autonomous aircraft and vessels and why the UK is ignoring the vital lesson from wars in Ukraine and Iran: expensive tech cannot replace raw mass.CONTRIBUTORS:Venetia Rainey, co-host and executive producer @venetiaraineyDom Nicholls, Ukraine: the Latest host and defence associate editor @DomNicholls WATCH US ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJnf_DDTfIVAif-vifC6F2aoPB8GIw6dkCONTENT REFERENCED:Gulf plans to cut the US out of Iran dealhttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/06/30/gulf-states-plan-to-cut-the-us-out-of-iran-deal/Iran says frozen $6bn will soon be returned as part of peace dealhttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/06/29/iran-frozen-assets-us-sanctions-peace-deal/Producer: Max Bower and Rachel PorterExecutive Producers: Venetia Rainey & Louisa Wells► Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor► EMAIL US: Contact the team on [email protected]► GET THE LATEST HEADLINES: Find all our latest Iran coverage here: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/iran-war/HighlightsStarmer ‘fudges’ defence spending to avoid Trump clash at Nato. Will it work?The plan that proves the UK hasn’t learned the mass drone lesson from Iran and Ukraine Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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US hammers Iran after Strait of Hormuz shipping attacks
Tit-for-tat violence between Iran and the US erupted over the weekend as missiles and drones flew in both directions across the Strait of Hormuz. On today’s episode of Iran: The Latest, we break down a dangerous weekend of military escalation that has left the fragile 60-day interim peace agreement hanging by a thread.Host Venetia Rainey is joined by Bahraini political analyst Ahmed Khuzaie to dissect Iran’s widening campaign of violence and give the Gulf view on who should be allowed to control the vital Hormuz waterway. He explains why there is no trust in Tehran sticking to its side of any deal and how some Gulf states would like to see Donald Trump return to war - but a more decisive and better planned one. Plus, Israel and Lebanon have signed a peace deal too. But as fighting continues with Iranian proxy Hezbollah, is it even worth the paper it’s written on?HighlightsUS hammers Iran after Strait of Hormuz shipping attacksWhy some Gulf states would like to see Donald Trump return to warCONTRIBUTORS:Venetia Rainey, co-host and executive producer @venetiaraineyAhmed Khuzaie, Bahraini analyst @AhmedAlkhuzaieWATCH US ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJnf_DDTfIVAif-vifC6F2aoPB8GIw6dkCONTENT REFERENCED:Trump’s flimsy Iran deal comes back to haunt himhttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/06/29/trumps-flimsy-iran-deal-comes-back-haunt-him/Iran and US agree to halt attackshttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/06/28/iran-missile-strikes-new-hormuz-demand-bahrain-kuwait-trump/Israel agrees to partial Lebanon withdrawalhttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/06/26/israel-agrees-to-partial-lebanon-withdrawal/Producer: Max Bower Executive Producers: Venetia Rainey & Louisa Wells► Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor► EMAIL US: Contact the team on [email protected]► GET THE LATEST HEADLINES: Find all our latest Iran coverage here: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/iran-war/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Iran strikes ship in Strait of Hormuz & is Trump's Iran deal better or worse than Obama's?
Iran’s direct strike on a cargo ship in the Strait of Hormuz has shattered US hopes of bypassing the IRGC with a covert new route. On today’s episode of Iran: the Latest, Venetia Rainey exposes how this tactical escalation threatens to derail the fragile 60-day peace roadmap.Plus, is Trump’s Iran deal better or worse than Obama’s? Former US lead negotiator Robert Malley joins the podcast to deliver his blunt assessment, including why it’s not as financially generous as some claim, how close Iran now is to going nuclear, and what to do with all that enriched uranium. HighlightsIran strikes ship in Strait of HormuzTrump vs. Obama: Who got the better Iran deal?CONTRIBUTORS:Venetia Rainey, co-host and executive producer @venetiaraineyRobert Malley, former JCPOA US negotiator and program director International Crisis Group @Rob_MalleyWATCH US ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJnf_DDTfIVAif-vifC6F2aoPB8GIw6dkCONTENT REFERENCED:Iran attacks cargo ship in Strait of Hormuzhttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/06/25/iran-attacks-cargo-ship-strait-of-hormuz/Israel suspected of cyber attack on Iranian bankshttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/06/23/israel-behind-cyber-attack-on-iranian-banks/The US-Iran war may have ended, but 6,000 miles away the death toll is risinghttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/global-health/terror-and-security/madagascar-fuel-food-shortages-iran-war-death-toll/Producer: Max Bower and Lucy DichmontExecutive Producers: Venetia Rainey & Louisa Wells► Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor► EMAIL US: Contact the team on [email protected]► GET THE LATEST HEADLINES: Find all our latest Iran coverage here: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/iran-war/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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250
Iran war leaves US facing 'alarming' weapons shortage
President Donald Trump needs more than $65bn in urgent funding for the Pentagon as a result of the Iran war, a stark reminder of the cost to America’s military. Amid a munitions crunch, the defense industrial base is being told to go faster - and the US’ adversaries are taking note.In today’s episode of Iran: The Latest, Venetia Rainey sits down with Dana Stroul, former US Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for the Middle East and now director of research at the Washington Institute. She delivers a blunt assessment of the conflict's fallout, why lopsided sanctions relief has handed Tehran an economic windfall, and how the war has severely strained America’s Gulf alliances. Plus, they discuss new reports that an advanced Iranian "jellyfish" drone formation successfully brought down a US F-15 fighter jet back in April.CONTRIBUTORS:Venetia Rainey, co-host and executive producer @venetiaraineyDana Stroul, former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense Middle East and research director Washington Institute @dstroulWATCH US ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJnf_DDTfIVAif-vifC6F2aoPB8GIw6dkCONTENT REFERENCED:Iran was using ‘jellyfish’ swarm of drones, reports downed F-15 pilothttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/us/news/2026/06/23/f-15-pilot-shot-down-over-iran-saw-jellyfish-swarm-of-drone/Dana Stroul: How the Iran War Will Transform America’s Military Rolehttps://www.foreignaffairs.com/iran/middle-east-power-paradox-dana-stroulProducer: Max Bower and Rachel PorterExecutive Producers: Venetia Rainey & Louisa Wells► Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor► EMAIL US: Contact the team on [email protected]► GET THE LATEST HEADLINES: Find all our latest Iran coverage here: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/iran-war/HighlightsUS facing weapons shortage - can Trump fix it?Did Iran down a US fighter jet with a secret new drone weapon? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Trump’s radical plan for Syria to attack Hezbollah: ‘No one is on board’
The war in Lebanon between Israel and Hezbollah remains a major sticking point in US-Iran peace talks - but Donald Trump has a controversial solution. At the G7 summit, he said he wants Syria to militarily intervene in their neighbour and disarm the Iranian proxy by force. Sophia Yan is joined by Ahmad Sharawi, senior research analyst at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies to discuss why Damascus has flatly rejected the plan. From the dark history of Syria’s occupation of Lebanon to the potential for a proxy war between Turkey and Israel, he outlines how such a move could seriously backfire.Plus, the latest news from the region including the row over Iran letting in nuclear inspectors from the IAEA and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio's high-stakes warnings on the Strait of Hormuz.CONTRIBUTORS:Sophia Yan, senior foreign correspondent @sophia_yan Ahmad Sharawi, senior research analyst FDD @AhmadA_SharawiProducer: Max Bower and Rachel PorterExecutive Producers: Venetia Rainey & Louisa Wells► Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor► EMAIL US: Contact the team on [email protected]► GET THE LATEST HEADLINES: Find all our latest Iran coverage here: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/iran-war/Highlights‘Creative but wrong’: Trump’s plan for Syria to attack HezbollahPlus, a row over Iran letting in nuclear inspectors from the IAEA Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Iran’s stealth Strait of Hormuz toll plan & how Trump’s war reshaped the world
Iran has unveiled a plan to impose stealth fees on the Strait of Hormuz, using an insurance loophole to keep exacting tolls out of the key waterway post-war. Telegraph senior foreign correspondent Adrian Blomfield joins Roland Oliphant to break down how the conflict has permanently disrupted the global balance of power, from disrupting the US pivot to Asia to breaking US-Israeli ties. Plus, they take a moment to consider how the past four months will reverberate in the years to come and ask: what would Herodotus, the first historian of a Persian war, make of it all? HighlightsIran’s secret plan to keep control of the Strait of HormuzHow Trump’s greatest foreign policy failure reshaped the worldWATCH US ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJnf_DDTfIVAif-vifC6F2aoPB8GIw6dkCONTRIBUTORS:Roland Oliphant, co-host and chief foreign affairs analyst @RolandOliphantAdrian Blomfield, senior foreign correspondent @adrianblomfield CONTENT REFERENCED:How Trump’s greatest foreign policy failure has reshaped the worldhttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/06/22/trumps-greatest-foreign-policy-failure-reshaped-world/ Has the US-Israel relationship changed forever?https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/06/20/has-the-us-israel-relationship-changed-forever/ Producers: Max Bower and Elliot LampittExecutive Producers: Venetia Rainey & Louisa Wells► Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor► EMAIL US: Contact the team on [email protected]► GET THE LATEST HEADLINES: Find all our latest Iran coverage here: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/iran-war/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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US lifts Iran oil sanctions & how Trump lost his final European allies
As Vice President JD Vance and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi lock down a 60-day roadmap to end the war, Tehran has walked away with immediate waivers on its oil and petrochemical exports. Venetia Rainey and Roland Oliphant go behind the scenes at the high-stakes negotiations in Switzerland, including nuclear negotiations and the rumors of an Iranian walkout.Meanwhile, the fallout from Washington’s fury with his closest European allies over their Iran war “betrayal” has ramped up after Donald Trump publicly rebuked Italy’s Giorgia Meloni over her refusal to help him. They also analyse the resignation of British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and how his indecision over allowing the US to use UK bases to strike Iran was indicative of his premiership’s failings.Plus, how the Iranian football team’s gritty 0-0 World Cup draw against Belgium turned into a propaganda stunt for the regime to invoke the ghosts of the schoolchildren killed in Minab at the start of the war.HighlightsUS and Iran set up Hormuz crisis hotline as oil sanctions liftedHow Trump lost his final European allies, from Meloni to StarmerWATCH US ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJnf_DDTfIVAif-vifC6F2aoPB8GIw6dkCONTRIBUTORS:Venetia Rainey, co-host and executive producer @venetiaraineyRoland Oliphant, co-host and chief foreign affairs analyst @RolandOliphantCONTENT REFERENCED:Iranian leader criticises his negotiators in secret lettershttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/06/22/iran-us-war-mojtaba-khamenei-mahmoud-nabavian-middle-east/Inside the Hezbollah tunnels where peace will be made or brokenhttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/06/21/inside-hezbollah-tunnels-where-peace-will-be-made/Trump tears into Meloni over G7 picture rowhttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/06/20/donald-trump-berates-giorgia-meloni-g7-picture-row/Producer: Max BowerExecutive Producers: Venetia Rainey & Louisa Wells► Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor► EMAIL US: Contact the team on [email protected]► GET THE LATEST HEADLINES: Find all our latest Iran coverage here: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/iran-war/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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‘Wake up’: US forces Israel into Hezbollah ceasefire after stark warning
Is Donald Trump’s US-Iran peace deal already falling apart?Less than a day after the historic MoU was signed to end the war, fighting has been ongoing in Lebanon, with Hezbollah killing four Israeli soldiers and Benjamin Netanyahu unleashing a punishing wave of air strikes across southern Lebanon. A new ceasefire has today been agreed - but can it hold?Sophia Yan and Venetia Rainey discuss the latest news and the significance of US Vice President JD Vance’s stark warning to Israel to “wake up and smell reality”. Plus, New York Times journalist Yeganeh Torbati, co-author of Stolen Revolution, joins to discuss why Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei is distancing himself from Trump's deal, and how the IRGC is using this diplomatic breathing room to prepare for a potential resumption of the war down the line. HighlightsUS forces Israel into Hezbollah ceasefire after stark warningIs Donald Trump’s US-Iran peace deal already falling apart?CONTRIBUTORS:Sophia Yan, senior foreign correspondent, @sophia_yan Yeganeh Torbati, NYT journalist and co-author Stolen Revolution @yjtorbati Producer: Max BowerExecutive Producers: Louisa Wells & Venetia RaineyWATCH US ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJnf_DDTfIVAif-vifC6F2aoPB8GIw6dkCONTENT REFERENCED: Vance tells Israel: You can’t kill your way out of problemshttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/us/news/2026/06/18/jd-vance-israel-friends/Stolen Revolution: Betrayal & Hope in Modern Iranhttps://www.penguin.co.uk/books/457807/stolen-revolution-by-torbati-bozorgmehr-sharafedin-and-yeganeh/9780241744017 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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4-2 to Iran: Trump’s peace deal proves the US lost the war
Donald Trump has signed a peace deal with Iran, but his critics are saying it’s a humiliation.Roland Oliphant and David Blair go through the US-Iran deal line by line and give each side a score, from $300bn in payments to Iran to the reopening Strait of Hormuz to a ban on nuclear weapons. Among those critical of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) is former vice president Mike Pence, who has called Trump an appeaser and accused him of handing a “lifeline” to the Iranian regime - is he right?Highlights4-2 to Tehran - the US-Iran peace deal guttedHow the MoU proves the US lost the warCONTRIBUTORS:Roland Oliphant, co-host and chief foreign affairs analyst @RolandOliphantDavid Blair, chief foreign affairs commentator @davidblairdtCONTENT REFERENCED:How Trump’s ‘Operation Epic Disaster’ turned the world against Americahttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/us/news/2026/06/18/iran-war-trump-us-credibility/David Blair: Trump’s extraordinary deal is a survival plan for Iranhttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/06/17/iran-deal-survival-plan-for-islamic-republic/Producer: Peter ShevlinExecutive Producers: Venetia Rainey & Louisa Wells► Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor► EMAIL US: Contact the team on [email protected]► GET THE LATEST HEADLINES: Find all our latest Iran coverage here: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/iran-war/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Why Trump is throwing Israel under the bus over the Iran war
As details of the US-Iran 14-point peace deal leaks, Trump and other world leaders at the G7 summit today are singing its praises - but is it any good?Venetia Rainey breaks down the proposed timeline in the Memorandum of Understanding that will see the war officially end, the Strait of Hormuz open up, sanctions on Iran lifted and something unspecified happen to Tehran’s enriched uranium. One country is particularly unhappy: Israel. So how will Benjamin Netanyahu respond? Global health security editor Paul Nuki joins from Tel Aviv to deliver a blunt realpolitik assessment on why Trump is trying to make Israel the lightning rod for the fallout from his unpopular war. CONTRIBUTORS:Venetia Rainey, co-Host and Executive Producer @venetiaraineyPaul Nuki, Global Health Security Editor @PaulNukiCONTENT REFERENCED:The 14-point Iran deal in full – and how it favours Tehranhttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/06/17/the-14-point-iran-deal-in-full-how-it-favours-tehran/War of broken promises leaves Israel weakened and despondenthttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/06/16/broken-promises-israel-weakened-iran-trump/IDF soldier ‘just wanted to kill’ my sonhttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/06/14/idf-soldier-just-wanted-to-kill-my-son/Producer: Peter ShevlinExecutive Producers: Venetia Rainey & Louisa Wells► Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor► EMAIL US: Contact the team on [email protected]► GET THE LATEST HEADLINES: Find all our latest Iran coverage here: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/iran-war/HIGHLIGHTSWhy Trump is throwing Israel under the bus over Iran war‘Iran had its foot on the world’s throat. This deal is a way out’ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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'Mini exodus' in Strait of Hormuz as Vance insists peace deal is ‘good for US’
It’s become the crux of the US-Iran peace deal: is the Strait of Hormuz open or closed, free or with tolls? Roland Oliphant speaks to Richard Meade, editor in chief of Lloyd’s List, explains the lingering uncertainties left from Donald Trump’s Middle East war keeping shipping executives up at night and placing ordinary sailors in danger. Plus: as JD Vance insists the deal is “good for the American people”, Roland looks at the latest news, including the UK and France saying they are ready to help protect freedom of navigation in Hormuz and the politicisation of shipping from Iran to Russia. HighlightsWhy Trump's peace deal hinges on the Strait of HormuzMini exodus' of ships as Vance insists peace deal is ‘good for US’Producer: Peter ShevlinExecutive Producers: Venetia Rainey & Louisa Wells► Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor► EMAIL US: Contact the team on [email protected]► GET THE LATEST HEADLINES: Find all our latest Iran coverage here: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/iran-war/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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242
Trump’s peace deal: is the US paying Iran to reopen Hormuz?
Donald Trump has declared the Iran war over, telling oil tankers to "start their engines" as Tehran reopens the Strait of Hormuz and the US lifts its naval blockade. So why are so many people unhappy with the ‘peace deal’?Roland Oliphant and Venetia Rainey dive into the latest news of what we know today about the Memorandum of Understanding - and what we don’t. They discuss the problems raised by the outline of the deal so far - from an agreement on nuclear weapons to the war in Lebanon - and why Israeli military leaders are calling it a "strategic failure”.Highlights: Trump’s peace deal: is the US paying Iran to reopen Hormuz?Plus: why both Israelis and Iranians are furiousCONTRIBUTORS:Venetia Rainey, co-host and executive producer @venetiaraineyRoland Oliphant, co-host and chief foreign affairs analyst @RolandOliphantCONTENT REFERENCED:WATCH US ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJnf_DDTfIVAif-vifC6F2aoPB8GIw6dkThe winners and losers of the Iran warhttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/06/14/winners-losers-iran-war-usa-trump-middle-east/After 106 days of war, how Donald Trump and Iran finally agreed a dealhttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/us/news/2026/06/15/how-trump-iran-agreed-war-nuclear-strait-hormuz-deal/Thirteen thousand air strikes - for what?https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/06/15/us-launched-13000-air-strikes-on-iran-for-what/WATCH THE FULL EPISODE ON YOUTUBE: https://youtu.be/-3VEIOK3-SUProducer: Peter ShevlinExecutive Producers: Venetia Rainey & Louisa Wells► Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor► EMAIL US: Contact the team on [email protected]► GET THE LATEST HEADLINES: Find all our latest Iran coverage here: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/iran-war/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
Iran: The Latest is The Telegraph’s defence, security and foreign affairs news podcast providing deep-dive analysis on the ongoing conflict between the US, Israel and Iran. Veteran foreign correspondents Roland Oliphant and Venetia Rainey bring you the latest updates from The Telegraph’s award-winning journalists, plus exclusive interviews with world-class experts in military strategy, international relations, and Middle East policy.From attacks on the Gulf to Hezbollah in Lebanon to the Houthis in Yemen to the threat of nuclear escalation, stay informed with the best of The Telegraph’s Middle East coverage in one place. As the geopolitical landscape shifts, subscribe for essential updates on the security shifts defining our global future.Every Wednesday on Battle Lines: Global Health Security they’re joined by Arthur Scott-Geddes to look at the intersection between health and security, from bioweapons to warzone diseases to
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