Explore every episode of the podcast Iran: The Latest
| Title | Pub. Date | Duration | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ‘Hegseth is unfit’: US tank commander on Iran war failures, impeachment and running for Senate | 18 Oct 2026 | 00:25:08 | |
The Iran war has stretched the US Congress to breaking point and exposed Pete Hegseth’s leadership of the Pentagon as fundamentally lacking, according to an ex-tank commander who is neither a Republican nor a Democrat. On today’s bonus episode of Iran: the Latest, Venetia Rainey speaks to Todd Achilles, a US veteran of the First Gulf War who is running as an independent for Senate in Idaho. With the November midterm elections just weeks away, Achilles’ battle against Republican stalwart Jim Risch is a window into the problems facing the GOP as Donald Trump’s Iran war leads to rising fuel prices and fertiliser shortages back home. Is this the moment for a rise in independent military veteran candidates such as Achilles? Highlights
CONTRIBUTORS: Venetia Rainey, co-host and executive producer @venetiarainey Todd Achilles, US Senate Idaho candidate @Achilles4Idaho WATCH US ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJnf_DDTfIVAif-vifC6F2aoPB8GIw6dk CONTENT REFERENCED: Green Beret leads ‘double haters’ in mission to blow up midterms US midterm elections 2026: How do they work and what could they mean for Trump? https://www.telegraph.co.uk/us/news/2026/10/16/us-midterm-elections-2026/ Winner Best News and Analysis Podcast - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026 Bronze Best News, Politics and Current Affairs - British Podcast Awards 2026 Nominated Podcast of the Year - Society of Editors News Podcasts Awards 2026 Nominated Podcast of the Year - London Press Club Awards 2026 The Telegraph, Winner Podcast Publisher of the Year 2026 - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026 Producers: Peter Shevlin and Max Bower Researcher and Social Producer: Anna Hindmarsh Studio Operator: Andy Watson Executive 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 battlelines@telegraph.co.uk ► 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. | |||
| Iran’s terror network exposed & how pinpoint IRGC strikes smashed up the Gulf | 16 Oct 2026 | 00:39:33 | |
A new report exposes how pinpoint strikes by Iran and its proxies hit at least 84 Gulf infrastructure targets a total of 135 times, systematically disabling key infrastructure throughout the war. On today’s episode of Iran: the Latest, Sophia Yan speaks to national security editor Rozina Sabur and Iranian terrorism specialist Roger Macmillan about the widening scope of Tehran's hybrid warfare, from the Middle East to Europe. They unpack how the IRGC is weaponising criminal networks to orchestrate hit squads and sabotage operations on Western soil - including a growing number of foiled terror plots targeting military and Jewish sites in the UK. MI5’s boss this week issued a rare warning - but is anyone paying attention? Plus, Houthi ballistic missiles kill five at the presidential palace in the port city of Aden, and how US President Donald Trump is balancing escalating nuclear strike options ahead of the US midterm elections - and why it could make Iran more dangerous. Highlights
CONTRIBUTORS: Sophia Yan, co-host and senior foreign correspondent @sophia_yan Rozina Sabur, national security editor @RozinaSabur Roger Macmillan, former Director of Security at Iran International TV @Rogermacmillan WATCH US ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJnf_DDTfIVAif-vifC6F2aoPB8GIw6dk CONTENT REFERENCED: Iran-backed Houthis on brink of taking Taiz in massive blow to Saudi Arabia https://youtu.be/cSyCHTlh9Vo?si=nWqBqSjpqgOa2Ixp Iran’s precision strikes picked apart Gulf infrastructure, blunting US war plans https://www.reuters.com/investigates/special-report/iran-crisis-infrastructure-attacks/ Iran’s terrifying global campaign of revenge – and how it targets enemies https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/09/27/irans-terrifying-revenge-countries-that-oppose-it/ Teenage assassin sent to Britain by Iranian proxy jailed for 20 years Migrant who ‘planned UK terror attack’ claimed asylum in Germany https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/10/03/israel-anti-semitism-iran-ahmadyan-salehi/ Winner Best News and Analysis Podcast - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026 Bronze Best News, Politics and Current Affairs - British Podcast Awards 2026 Nominated Podcast of the Year - Society of Editors News Podcasts Awards 2026 Nominated Podcast of the Year - London Press Club Awards 2026 The Telegraph, Winner Podcast Publisher of the Year 2026 - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026 Producers: Peter Shevlin and Max Bower Researcher and Social Producer: Anna Hindmarsh Studio Operator: Andy Watson Executive 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 battlelines@telegraph.co.uk ► 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. | |||
| Iran sinks two ships in Strait of Hormuz as Houthis ‘days’ from taking Yemen’s Taiz | 15 Oct 2026 | 00:36:55 | |
Iran has sunk two cargo vessels in under 24 hours in the Strait of Hormuz for the first time since the war began in March. On today’s episode of Iran: the Latest, Venetia Rainey speaks to chief foreign affairs commentator David Blair about why Tehran is expanding its pace of attacks. So far the US has avoided a military response but how long can that last? Meanwhile, news that US President Donald Trump is considering using the GBU-43/B Massive Ordnance Air Blast Bomb - aka the “mother of all bombs”. Plus, the Iran-backed Houthis have encircled Yemen’s Taiz and are on the cusp of taking the strategic city for the first time in the war in what would be a major blow to Saudi Arabia. Maysaa Shuja Al-Deen, a Yemeni senior researcher from the Sana’a Center for Strategic Studies, explains why the Houthis are so desperate to capture Taiz as a stepping-stone to oil-rich Marib and port city Aden and how it could take just “days” to fall. With around a million people trapped inside and news of food and medicine shortages, a humanitarian disaster is looming and Iran’s proxy group is on the brink of a major victory. Highlights
CONTRIBUTORS: Venetia Rainey, co-host and executive producer @venetiarainey David Blair, chief foreign affairs commentator @davidblairdt Maysaa Shuja Al-Deen from the Sana’a Center for Strategic Studies @maysaashujaa WATCH US ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJnf_DDTfIVAif-vifC6F2aoPB8GIw6dk CONTENT REFERENCED: Iran hits six oil tankers in single day Trump lines up ‘mother of all bombs’ to strike Iran https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/10/15/trump-mother-of-all-bombs-strike-iran-moab/ Houthis on brink of taking their biggest scalp https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/10/13/houthis-on-brink-of-seizing-their-biggest-scalp/ Con Coughlin: The Houthis are Europe’s problem https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/10/15/houthis-are-europe-problem/ Winner Best News and Analysis Podcast - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026 Bronze Best News, Politics and Current Affairs - British Podcast Awards 2026 Nominated Podcast of the Year - Society of Editors News Podcasts Awards 2026 Nominated Podcast of the Year - London Press Club Awards 2026 The Telegraph, Winner Podcast Publisher of the Year 2026 - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026 Producers: Peter Shevlin and Max Bower Researcher and Social Producer: Anna Hindmarsh Studio Operator: Andy Watson Executive 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 battlelines@telegraph.co.uk ► 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. | |||
| Iran cornered but still dangerous: ex-general on the IRGC, Yemen’s Houthis and the special forces | 14 Oct 2026 | 00:39:39 | |
The Houthi offensive in Yemen is reaching a critical tipping point as the Iran-backed militants encircle the strategic city of Taiz, threatening to tip the war in their favour. On today’s episode of Iran: the Latest, Roland Oliphant speaks with Lieutenant General Graeme Lamb, former director of UK Special Forces and commander of the British Field Army, about the battle for Taiz and whether the West is underestimating Saudi Arabia’s capability to push them back. As US President Donald Trump scolds the “nasty” Houthis for “bad behaviour”, Lt Gen Lamb unpacks the ways in which the Yemen war folds into Iran’s strategy of global economic warfare and how Russia is helping Tehran keep going. Plus, the importance of civil society resilience in a time of war, why aid cuts don’t make us safer, and how special forces soldiers navigate international humanitarian law in tricky war zones. Highlights
Highlights
CONTRIBUTORS: Roland Oliphant, co-host and chief foreign affairs analyst @RolandOliphant Lt Gen Graeme Lamb, former director of UK Special Forces and commander of the British Field Army WATCH US ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJnf_DDTfIVAif-vifC6F2aoPB8GIw6dk CONTENT REFERENCED: Houthis on brink of taking their biggest scalp https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/10/13/houthis-on-brink-of-seizing-their-biggest-scalp/ Sal Mercogliano: The ayatollahs have been humbled by the power of capitalism Iran hits six oil tankers in single day Diesel crisis to drag on for months, warns IEA https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2026/10/14/diesel-crisis-to-drag-on-for-months-warns-iea/ Winner Best News and Analysis Podcast - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026 Bronze Best News, Politics and Current Affairs - British Podcast Awards 2026 Nominated Podcast of the Year - Society of Editors News Podcasts Awards 2026 Nominated Podcast of the Year - London Press Club Awards 2026 The Telegraph, Winner Podcast Publisher of the Year 2026 - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026 Producers: Peter Shevlin and Max Bower Researcher and Social Producer: Anna Hindmarsh Studio Operator: Andy Watson Executive 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 battlelines@telegraph.co.uk ► 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. | |||
| MI5 warns Iran targeting UK military sites & the war’s looming food price crisis | 13 Oct 2026 | 00:34:35 | |
The closure of the Strait of Hormuz due to the US-Iran war is throttling global fertiliser supply chains, driving up transport costs, and sparking a looming food price crisis. On today’s episode of Iran: the Latest, Roland Oliphant talks to Joseph Glauber from the International Food Policy Research Institute about the nuts and bolts of how the Iran war is impacting food security - and why the worst is yet to come. They discuss how farmers and markets have adapted to the drop off in exports, and why Russian attacks on Black Sea ships and the strengthening ‘super’ El Niño are creating a food time bomb for 2027. Plus, Yemen warns of a “catastrophe” in Taiz amid the Houthi siege, MI5 says Iran is now targeting British military sites showing a “major shift” in its ambitions, and why Donald Trump is wrong to insist that China and Russia aren’t helping Tehran. Highlights
CONTRIBUTORS: Roland Oliphant, co-host and chief foreign affairs analyst @RolandOliphant Joseph Glauber, senior research fellow International Food Policy Research Institute @JoeGlauber1 WATCH US ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJnf_DDTfIVAif-vifC6F2aoPB8GIw6dk CONTENT REFERENCED: MI5 chief: Terrorists plotting AI drone attacks on Britain RAF terror plot ‘highly likely’ to be work of IRGC, Burnham says https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2026/10/12/burnham-highly-likely-irgc-behind-raf-terror-plot/ Cowering MBS faces biggest challenge to Saudi ambitions https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/10/12/cowering-mbs-challenge-to-saudi-ambitions/ The hunger crisis experts warned of is here – and it’s likely to get worse Winner Best News and Analysis Podcast - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026 Bronze Best News, Politics and Current Affairs - British Podcast Awards 2026 Nominated Podcast of the Year - Society of Editors News Podcasts Awards 2026 Nominated Podcast of the Year - London Press Club Awards 2026 The Telegraph, Winner Podcast Publisher of the Year 2026 - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026 Producers: Peter Shevlin and Max Bower Researcher and Social Producer: Anna Hindmarsh Studio Operator: Andy Watson Executive 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 battlelines@telegraph.co.uk ► 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. | |||
| Trump weighs US strikes after Houthi missiles shut Riyadh airport | 12 Oct 2026 | 00:39:09 | |
A brutal wave of Houthi missiles have struck Saudi Arabia’s main Riyadh airport, killing at least 14 in the deadliest attack on a Gulf nation since the US-Iran war began. On today’s episode of Iran: The Latest, Venetia Rainey is joined by Riyadh-based Saudi analyst Salman Al-Ansari to examine the catastrophic attacks on King Khalid International Airport and why Iran’s Houthis are able to cause so much damage. They also discuss what might happen next: will Donald Trump launch US strikes in Yemen? Will a new Arab-led coalition emerge? And why does Saudi Arabia think it has a better chance of defeating the Iranian proxy group now than before? Plus, as Iranian officials threaten to destroy US data centres and other infrastructure in the Gulf if the conflict restarts, Aramco’s CEO warns of severe global crude oil shortages while the Strait of Hormuz remains under attack. Highlights
CONTRIBUTORS: Venetia Rainey, co-host and executive producer @venetiarainey Salman al-Ansari, Saudi analyst @alansari WATCH US ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJnf_DDTfIVAif-vifC6F2aoPB8GIw6dk CONTENT REFERENCED: The Houthi missiles that will make Trump think twice https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/10/12/houthi-missiles-trump-think-twice/ The UAE-backed ‘Giants Brigade’ changing the Saudi-Houthi war https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/10/09/giants-brigade-militia-changing-saudi-houthi-war/ Trump may join Saudi war after Houthi strike on airport kills 12 https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/10/10/saudi-yemen-king-khalid-iran-gulf-war/ Winner Best News and Analysis Podcast - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026 Bronze Best News, Politics and Current Affairs - British Podcast Awards 2026 Nominated Podcast of the Year - Society of Editors News Podcasts Awards 2026 Nominated Podcast of the Year - London Press Club Awards 2026 The Telegraph, Winner Podcast Publisher of the Year 2026 - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026 Producers: Peter Shevlin and Max Bower Researcher and Social Producer: Anna Hindmarsh Studio Operator: Andy Watson Executive 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 battlelines@telegraph.co.uk ► 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. | |||
| US veteran midterms revolt as Trump’s Iran war causes $6 diesel spike | 11 Oct 2026 | 00:28:17 | |
US military veterans are turning on Donald Trump and the Republican party as the Iran war drives fuel prices past $6 a gallon ahead of the 2026 US midterm elections. In today’s bonus episode of Iran: the Latest, Venetia Rainey is joined by US reporters Poppy Wood and Ben Smith, who have been speaking to ex-military voters and candidates at the Naval Air Station Oceana in Virginia and key midterm races. They examine why Republican ex-servicemen are increasingly choosing to sit out the vote and how an ex-Green Berets independent candidate is part of a broader veteran movement to challenge both mainstream parties. Plus, leaked audio shows Ken Paxton, a close Trump ally running for a Republican Senate seat in Texas, criticising the war’s economic fallout for Americans, and the latest predictions for who will win what in Congress. Highlights
CONTRIBUTORS: Venetia Rainey, co-host and executive producer @venetiarainey Poppy Wood, US correspondent @poppyeh Benedict Smith, Washington correspondent @bsmithjourno WATCH US ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJnf_DDTfIVAif-vifC6F2aoPB8GIw6dk CONTENT REFERENCED: Veterans turn on Trump over Iran war https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/09/28/veterans-trump-iran-war-midterms-dispatch/ Green Beret leads ‘double haters’ in mission to blow up midterms The Left-wing streamer becoming a toxic liability for Democrats https://www.telegraph.co.uk/us/news/2026/09/25/hasan-piker-controversy-abdul-ed-sayed-us-midterms/ Winner Best News and Analysis Podcast - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026 Bronze Best News, Politics and Current Affairs - British Podcast Awards 2026 Nominated Podcast of the Year - Society of Editors News Podcasts Awards 2026 Nominated Podcast of the Year - London Press Club Awards 2026 The Telegraph, Winner Podcast Publisher of the Year 2026 - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026 Producers: Peter Shevlin and Max Bower Researcher and Social Producer: Anna Hindmarsh Studio Operator: Andy Watson Executive 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 battlelines@telegraph.co.uk ► 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. | |||
| Pentagon prepares 3-day Iran blitz as Houthi missiles kill Riyadh airport pilot | 09 Oct 2026 | 00:25:15 | |
Houthi ballistic missiles have struck Riyadh international airport for the third time in a week, killing three Saudis including a pilot, destroying a plane and prompting major carriers to cancel flights. On today’s episode of Iran: the Latest, Venetia Rainey speaks to Africa correspondent Ben Farmer to discuss why Saudi airports are particularly “painful” targets for the Iran-backed Houthis to be hitting even as they face growing military pressure from government forces within Yemen. Fresh from Djibouti’s Red Sea coastline, Ben shares testimonies from Yemeni refugees about what the war looks like on the ground, Houthi forced recruitment, and why many are more scared of Saudi planes than the militants. Plus, Donald Trump insists no strikes on Iran will take place prior to the US midterms, even as reports reveal the Pentagon has drawn up plans for a three-day campaign targeting the regime’s missile arsenal and command centers. What would a resumption of the war mean for Africa? Highlights
CONTRIBUTORS: Venetia Rainey, co-host and executive producer @venetiarainey Ben Farmer, Africa correspondent @benfarmerDT WATCH US ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJnf_DDTfIVAif-vifC6F2aoPB8GIw6dk CONTENT REFERENCED: ‘The dogs were eating their bodies’: Thousands of Yemenis flee war across the sea The UAE-backed ‘Giants Brigade’ changing the Saudi-Houthi war https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/10/09/giants-brigade-militia-changing-saudi-houthi-war/ Houthis destroy passenger jet at Riyadh airport https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/10/08/houthis-destroy-passenger-jet-riyadh-airport/ Winner Best News and Analysis Podcast - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026 Bronze Best News, Politics and Current Affairs - British Podcast Awards 2026 Nominated Podcast of the Year - Society of Editors News Podcasts Awards 2026 Nominated Podcast of the Year - London Press Club Awards 2026 The Telegraph, Winner Podcast Publisher of the Year 2026 - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026 Producers: Peter Shevlin and Max Bower Researcher and Social Producer: Anna Hindmarsh Studio Operator: Andy Watson Executive 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 battlelines@telegraph.co.uk ► 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. | |||
| Trump readies new Iran strikes as Strait of Hormuz attacks ramp up | 08 Oct 2026 | 00:31:59 | |
Donald Trump is reportedly readying to restart major combat operations against Iran and alongside former war-partner Israel - before the US midterm elections. On today’s episode of Iran: the Latest, Venetia Rainey speaks to Richard Meade, editor-in-chief of Lloyd’s List, about how such an escalation would impact the dangerous and costly shuttle service that has emerged in the Strait of Hormuz to stabilise oil prices. They discuss how growing Iranian attacks on tankers in the key waterway has led to a “violent equilibrium” that is having a global knock-on impact. Is it sustainable? Plus, new figures show more US military aircraft have been damaged or destroyed since the conflict began than previously reported, Yemen’s Houthis down a drone from Saudi Arabia, and UK-Israel crisis talks save Britain's diplomatic presence in Jerusalem. Highlights
CONTRIBUTORS: Venetia Rainey, co-host and executive producer @venetiarainey Richard Meade, editor-in-chief Lloyd’s List @Lloydslisted WATCH US ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJnf_DDTfIVAif-vifC6F2aoPB8GIw6dk CONTENT REFERENCED: Trump ‘preparing for Iran strikes before midterms’ https://www.telegraph.co.uk/us/news/2026/10/07/trump-preparing-for-iran-strikes-before-midterms/ Tom Sharpe: It’s advantage Trump in the Strait of Hormuz https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/10/06/strait-hormuz-oil-crude-iran-war-strikes-red-sea-trump/ Britain and Israel back down over Jerusalem consulate closure Richard Meade: Markets adapt, but disruption still pays https://www.lloydslist.com/LL1158639/The-Daily-View-Markets-adapt-but-disruption-still-pays Ships’ captains paid $100,000 a month to transit Strait of Hormuz https://www.ft.com/content/0d665e5b-d8c8-4f1e-acf5-bba7193b4e6e U.S. Aircraft Combat Losses in Operation Epic Fury: Considerations for Congress https://www.congress.gov/crs-product/IN12692 Winner Best News and Analysis Podcast - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026 Bronze Best News, Politics and Current Affairs - British Podcast Awards 2026 Nominated Podcast of the Year - Society of Editors News Podcasts Awards 2026 Nominated Podcast of the Year - London Press Club Awards 2026 The Telegraph, Winner Podcast Publisher of the Year 2026 - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026 Producers: Peter Shevlin and Max Bower Researcher and Social Producer: Anna Hindmarsh Studio Operator: Andy Watson Executive 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 battlelines@telegraph.co.uk ► 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. | |||
| Houthi strikes shut Yemen airport & how October 7 has changed Israel | 07 Oct 2026 | 00:47:59 | |
Three years on from the October 7 attacks by Hamas, how has Israel been changed by the massacre and ensuing wars in Gaza, Lebanon, Iran and beyond? On today’s episode of Iran: the Latest, Sophia Yan catches up once again with Israeli best friends Adam Ben-Shabbat and Nadim Tali from the Oasis of Peace, a Jewish and Palestinian Israeli village. They discuss the impact of the Iran war, rising racism and anti-Semitism, and the prospects for a two-state solution. Plus, did Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu know October 7 might happen? Venetia Rainey looks at the lack of accountability amid news that the UAE warned Israel, and the growing toll on Palestinians in Gaza. Meanwhile, the Iran-backed Houthi forces in Yemen have fired ballistic missiles and drones at Saudi capital Riyadh and Aden’s international airport, even as they face growing military pressure around the Red Sea. Highlights
CONTRIBUTORS: Venetia Rainey, co-host and executive producer @venetiarainey Roland Oliphant, co-host and chief foreign affairs analyst @RolandOliphant Sophia Yan, co-host and senior foreign correspondent @sophia_yan WATCH US ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJnf_DDTfIVAif-vifC6F2aoPB8GIw6dk CONTENT REFERENCED: Iranians ‘used ChatGPT while spying on journalists’ https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/10/06/iranians-used-chatgpt-while-spying-on-journalists/ This is the story of death and survival in Oct 7’s yellow dumpster https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/10/07/oct7-israel-yellow-dumpster/ Listen to Sophia’s previous conversations with Adam and Nadim >> October 2025: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/10/06/inside-gaza-city-how-hamas-survived-and-what-next/ October 2024: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2024/10/09/israels-oasis-of-peace-one-year-later/ January 2024: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2024/02/14/battle-lines-israel-oasis-of-peace-palestine/ Winner Best News and Analysis Podcast - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026 Bronze winner, Best News, Politics and Current Affairs - British Podcast Awards 2026 Nominated Podcast of the Year - Society of Editors News Podcasts Awards 2026 The Telegraph, Winner Podcast Publisher of the Year 2026 - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026 Producers: Peter Shevlin and Max Bower Researcher and Social Producer: Anna Hindmarsh Studio Operator: Meghan Searle Executive 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 battlelines@telegraph.co.uk ► 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. | |||
| How the Iran war exposed the US Navy’s chronic problems | 06 Oct 2026 | 00:36:48 | |
The US Navy is facing increasingly long deployments as depleted interceptor stockpiles as aircraft carriers struggle to cope with Donald Trump’s eight-month Iran war and other commitments. Is America overstretched at sea? On today’s episode of Iran: the Latest, Roland Oliphant is joined by RUSI naval warfare experts Dr. Sidharth Kaushal and Professor Kevin Rowlands to discuss the chronic problems within the US Navy, from an ageing carrier fleet to the lack of regular maintenance. They discuss why the Strait of Hormuz has been so hard to resolve militarily and how much longer Trump can continue to fight Iran. Plus, in Yemen, the Iran-backed Houthis have fired ballistic missiles at Saudi airports as the Riyadh-backed government forces recapture the key Red Sea port of Mocha as part of a major push. What does this latest news mean for the Bab al-Mandeb chokepoint? Highlights
CONTRIBUTORS: Roland Oliphant, co-host and chief foreign affairs analyst @RolandOliphant Kevin Rowlands, RUSI journal editor @c21st_sailor Dr Sidharth Kaushal, RUSI senior research fellow sea power WATCH US ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJnf_DDTfIVAif-vifC6F2aoPB8GIw6dk CONTENT REFERENCED: Saudi-backed forces run over surrendering Houthis with trucks https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/10/05/saudi-deploys-100-fighter-jets-to-retake-red-sea/ Iran ‘plotted Spider Web-style drone attack on RAF Fairford’ https://www.telegraph.co.uk/us/news/2026/10/05/vance-bombers-fairford-iran-threat/ Tom Sharpe: It’s advantage Trump in the Strait of Hormuz https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/10/06/strait-hormuz-oil-crude-iran-war-strikes-red-sea-trump/ RUSI: The Overstretch Facing the US Navy https://www.rusi.org/explore-our-research/publications/commentary/overstretch-facing-us-navy Winner Best News and Analysis Podcast - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026 Bronze Best News, Politics and Current Affairs - British Podcast Awards 2026 Nominated Podcast of the Year - Society of Editors News Podcasts Awards 2026 The Telegraph, Winner Podcast Publisher of the Year 2026 - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026 Producers: Peter Shevlin and Max Bower Researcher and Social Producer: Anna Hindmarsh Studio Operator: Andy Watson Executive 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 battlelines@telegraph.co.uk ► 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. | |||
| US bombers quit UK base over Iran terror plot & Houthis attack Saudi oil | 05 Oct 2026 | 00:32:22 | |
US heavy bombers have quit the RAF Fairford base amid new details about a suspected Iran terror plot. Is the UK still safe for US assets? On today’s episode of Iran: the Latest news live, Sophia Yan, Roland Oliphant, and Venetia Rainey discuss the hurried withdrawal of American B1, B2s and B52s and why it doesn’t mean a return to all-out war is off the cards for Donald Trump. Meanwhile in Yemen, Saudi Arabia has deployed 100 fighter jets and government forces appear to have retaken control of the Red Sea chokepoint of Bab al-Mandeb. They discuss Operation Dawn of Yemen, a major push to retake territory from the Houthis following their ballistic missile attacks on Saudi Aramco oil facilities. Will Pakistan and Turkey come to Riyadh’s rescue? Plus, why Middle East oil exports are up despite multiple tanker strikes in the Strait of Hormuz, and how the Omani co-pilot who tried to crash a flydubai plane was radicalised. Highlights
CONTRIBUTORS: Venetia Rainey, co-host and executive producer @venetiarainey Roland Oliphant, co-host and chief foreign affairs analyst @RolandOliphant Sophia Yan, co-host and senior foreign correspondent @sophia_yan WATCH US ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJnf_DDTfIVAif-vifC6F2aoPB8GIw6dk CONTENT REFERENCED: Saudi deploys 100 fighter jets to retake Red Sea https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/10/05/saudi-deploys-100-fighter-jets-to-retake-red-sea/ David Blair: America has just handed Britain a humiliating vote of no-confidence US pulls bombers out of RAF Fairford after reports of fresh terror plot Flydubai hijacker’s hateful rants while studying at British university https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/10/03/flydubai-hijackers-hateful-rants-while-at-uk-university/ Australia investigates Flydubai hijacker’s radicalisation https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/10/04/australia-flydubai-co-pilot-radicalised-melbourne/ Winner Best News and Analysis Podcast - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026 Bronze Best News, Politics and Current Affairs - British Podcast Awards 2026 Nominated Podcast of the Year - Society of Editors News Podcasts Awards 2026 The Telegraph, Winner Podcast Publisher of the Year 2026 - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026 Producers: Peter Shevlin and Max Bower Researcher and Social Producer: Anna Hindmarsh Studio Operator: Andy Watson Executive 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 battlelines@telegraph.co.uk ► 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. | |||
| Trump uses US border funds for ‘propaganda’ as Republicans turn on Iran war | 04 Oct 2026 | 00:32:24 | |
Republicans are revolting over soaring prices from the Iran war and there is turmoil inside the Pentagon. The polls predict Donald Trump could lose the House and the Senate in the 2026 US midterms - are they right? On today’s bonus episode of Iran: the Latest, Venetia Rainey speaks with Politico’s senior defence correspondent Connor O'Brien and defence reporter Leo Shane III about why the economic fallout from the war is leading GOP candidates to distance themselves from Trump. The president is responding by taking $20 million in Homeland Security funds for personal ads that Democrats have described as “propaganda”. Plus, what we learned from Pete Hegseth’s ‘State of the Force’ address: the White House consolidates power over the US military, the growing Pentagon void from personnel cuts, and news of an Autonomous Warfare Command. Highlights
CONTRIBUTORS: Venetia Rainey, co-host and executive producer @venetiarainey Connor O'Brien, Politico senior defence correspondent @connorobrienNH Leo Shane III, Politico defence reporter @LeoShane WATCH US ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJnf_DDTfIVAif-vifC6F2aoPB8GIw6dk CONTENT REFERENCED: US midterm elections 2026: How do they work and what could they mean for Trump? https://www.telegraph.co.uk/us/news/2026/09/14/us-midterm-elections-2026/ Pete Hegseth vows to rid US army of ‘fatties, trannies and weirdos’ https://www.telegraph.co.uk/us/news/2026/10/01/pete-hegseth-elon-musk-us-military-state-of-address/ Stalled military nominees leave a Pentagon void https://www.politico.com/news/2026/09/23/military-nominees-pentagon-void-01090209 Dems plot to take on Hegseth if they win in November https://www.politico.com/news/2026/09/10/dems-plot-target-hegseth-01069194 Winner Best News and Analysis Podcast - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026 Bronze Best News, Politics and Current Affairs - British Podcast Awards 2026 Nominated Podcast of the Year - Society of Editors News Podcasts Awards 2026 The Telegraph, Winner Podcast Publisher of the Year 2026 - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026 Producers: Peter Shevlin and Max Bower Researcher and Social Producer: Anna Hindmarsh Studio Operator: Andy Watson Executive 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 battlelines@telegraph.co.uk ► 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. | |||
| US deploys third carrier to Iran as Trump admits munitions shortage | 02 Oct 2026 | 00:38:33 | |
The US is sending a third aircraft carrier to Iran even as Donald Trump admits to ammunition shortages as a result of the war. On today’s episode of Iran: the Latest, Sophia Yan speaks with Renad Mansour, deputy director of the MENA Programme and director of the Iraq Initiative at Chatham House, about what this signals about a return to all-out fighting. Renad explains why this is becoming a long-term war of attrition that could last years. Plus, Houthi strikes near Islam’s holiest sites in Saudi Arabia, Iran linked to both the UK RAF Fairford suspected terror plot and the Flydubai Israel plane hijacking, and why the US withdrawal from Iraq could play into Tehran’s hands. Highlights
CONTRIBUTORS: Sophia Yan, co-host and senior foreign correspondent @sophia_yan Renad Mansour, deputy director MENA Programme and director Iraq Initiative Chatham House, @renadmansour WATCH US ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJnf_DDTfIVAif-vifC6F2aoPB8GIw6dk CONTENT REFERENCED: US is running out of weapons, Trump admits https://www.telegraph.co.uk/us/news/2026/10/01/us-running-out-of-weapon-iran-trump-admits/ Iranian arrested over suspected RAF terror plot https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/10/01/iranian-arrested-over-suspected-raf-terror-plot/ Trump: Co-pilot hijacker is linked to Iran https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/10/01/netanyahu-co-pilot-hijacker-is-radical-islamist/ US closes final base in Iraq as Iran eyes chance to fill vacuum https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/09/30/us-closes-final-base-iraq-as-iran-eyes-chance-fill-vacuum/ David Blair: Under more pressure than ever, Iran is failing to save itself https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/10/01/iran-us-war-donald-trump-diplomacy-strait-of-hormuz/ Winner Best News and Analysis Podcast - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026 Bronze Best News, Politics and Current Affairs - British Podcast Awards 2026 Nominated Podcast of the Year - Society of Editors News Podcasts Awards 2026 The Telegraph, Winner Podcast Publisher of the Year 2026 - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026 Producers: Peter Shevlin and Max Bower Researcher and Social Producer: Anna Hindmarsh Studio Operator: Andy Watson Executive 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 battlelines@telegraph.co.uk ► 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. | |||
| Iran-linked network targets Israeli election & the hero pilot who stopped a war | 01 Oct 2026 | 00:36:56 | |
From the UK to Israel, the signs of Iran’s malicious influence across the West are growing. Will the attempted hijack of an Israel-bound flight from Dubai be added to that list? On today’s episode of Iran: the Latest, Venetia Rainey speaks with Jerusalem correspondent Henry Bodkin and Israel-based OSINT specialist Tal Hagin about how the flydubai pilot and passengers fought back to prevent a catastrophic attack that could have sparked a fresh war. As Donald Trump calls the alleged attacker a “terrorist or a whackjob”, they discuss three scenarios for who was behind it, debunked conspiracy theories - and the implications for the Middle East. After OSINT company Golden Owl exposed an Iran-linked influence operation targeting Israeli voters ahead of the election, they break down Plus,, British Prime Minister Andy Burnham says Tehran was likely behind a plot foiled outside the UK’s RAF Fairford airbase, and the US kicks out Iranian negotiators as peace talks stall. Highlights
CONTRIBUTORS: Venetia Rainey, co-host and executive producer @venetiarainey Henry Bodkin, Jerusalem Correspondent @HenryBodkin Tal Hagin, OSINT specialist and director of intelligence network Otus @talhagin WATCH US ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJnf_DDTfIVAif-vifC6F2aoPB8GIw6dk CONTENT REFERENCED: Iranian negotiators kicked out of US by Rubio Burnham: Iran played part in suspected RAF terror plot How the hijacking of a flight to Israel could tear the Gulf apart The hero who stopped Israel’s 9/11 https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/09/30/pilot-stabbed-suspected-hijack-israel-bound-plane/ The Other Face of War: Iranian Regime–Linked Manipulation of Israel’s 2026 Election Debate Winner Best News and Analysis Podcast - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026 Nominated Podcast of the Year - Society of Editors News Podcasts Awards 2026 Nominated Best News, Politics and Current Affairs - British Podcast Awards 2026 The Telegraph, Winner Podcast Publisher of the Year 2026 - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026 Producers: Peter Shevlin and Max Bower Researcher and Social Producer: Anna Hindmarsh Studio Operator: Andy Watson Executive 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 battlelines@telegraph.co.uk ► 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. | |||
| Hijack attack on Israel plane & why the US-Iran war is about to restart | 30 Sep 2026 | 00:38:16 | |
A flight to Israel from the UAE has been diverted and made an emergency landing after the pilot was violently attacked in a suspected hijack attempt. On today’s Iran: the Latest, Roland Oliphant and Venetia Rainey bring you the latest news from this dramatic story after a suspected knife attack by the co-pilot. They look at why Israeli authorities are treating it as a terror incident, reports that the co-pilot was Omani, and the potential security implications for Israel, Iran, Lebanon and the wider region. Plus, is the US-Iran war on the brink of fully restarting? Hamidreza Azizi, senior Iran analyst at the International Crisis Group, explains why despite ongoing peace talks, Iran’s regime is betting it can outlast Trump or force the US into a strategic trap ahead of the November midterms. Hamidreza lays out how the mistrust on the Iranian side is “so deep that it has reached the level of paranoia” and that the current situation means the region may end up in an even bigger war. Highlights
CONTRIBUTORS: Roland Oliphant, co-host and chief foreign affairs analyst @RolandOliphant Venetia Rainey, co-host and executive producer @venetiarainey Hamidreza Azizi, senior Iran analyst International Crisis Group @HamidRezaAz WATCH US ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJnf_DDTfIVAif-vifC6F2aoPB8GIw6dk Winner Best News and Analysis Podcast - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026 Nominated Podcast of the Year - Society of Editors News Podcasts Awards 2026 Nominated Best News, Politics and Current Affairs - British Podcast Awards 2026 The Telegraph, Winner Podcast Publisher of the Year 2026 - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026 Producers: Peter Shevlin and Max Bower Researcher and Social Producer: Anna Hindmarsh Studio Operator: Andy Watson Executive 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 battlelines@telegraph.co.uk ► 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. | |||
| Trump digs in on Iran blockade & how to defeat Yemen’s ‘evil’ Houthis | 29 Sep 2026 | 00:43:14 | |
Donald Trump is digging in on the blockade of Iranian ports, making it clear to negotiators that the US will not budge without major concessions on Iran’s nuclear program. On today’s episode of Iran: the Latest, Roland Oliphant speaks to Michael Knights, a military historian and security consultant who has spent time in Yemen and the wider region, about news of talks to end the war and the rationale behind Trump’s stance on the Strait of Hormuz. They also discuss why the Houthis are winning in Yemen - and how to stop them. Michael explains how a heavily funded, Western-trained Saudi military failed to stop the Iran-backed insurgent force, the importance of the UAE’s absence, and why growing ties between the Houthis and Somalia's Al-Shabaab threaten the Red Sea chokepoint. Plus, confusion reigns after the US says a “foreign actor” was involved in the incident at UK airbase RAF Fairford and Trump says the suspects shouldn’t have been released on bail. Highlights
CONTRIBUTORS: Roland Oliphant, co-host and chief foreign affairs analyst @RolandOliphant Michael Knights, military historian and head of research Horizon Engage @Mikeknightsiraq WATCH US ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJnf_DDTfIVAif-vifC6F2aoPB8GIw6dk CONTENT REFERENCED: RAF base terror plot ‘clearly involved’ foreign actor, claims Rubio RAF plot ‘may have been a dry run’ https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/09/29/raf-fairford-plot-may-have-been-a-dry-run/ Afrah Abdulaziz Al-Zouba: A new terrorist axis has arisen, covering both sides of the Red Sea https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/09/29/a-new-terrorist-axis-has-arisen-red-sea/ Winner Best News and Analysis Podcast - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026 Nominated Podcast of the Year - Society of Editors News Podcasts Awards 2026 Nominated Best News, Politics and Current Affairs - British Podcast Awards 2026 The Telegraph, Winner Podcast Publisher of the Year 2026 - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026 Producers: Peter Shevlin and Max Bower Researcher and Social Producer: Anna Hindmarsh Studio Operator: Andy Watson Executive 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 battlelines@telegraph.co.uk ► 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. | |||
| ‘Bomb plot’ foiled at UK RAF Fairford base housing US Iran bombers | 28 Sep 2026 | 00:38:17 | |
Police in the UK are investigating alleged Iranian links to a suspected bomb plot to attack RAF Fairford, the main base for US bombers during the Iran war. Donald Trump says the suspects intended “big damage”. On today’s episode of Iran: the Latest, Venetia Rainey talks to crime correspondent Will Bolton about the latest news of the massive security breach, including how a local farmer foiled the alleged plot last-minute and led to the arrest of five British men, since released on bail. Plus, Trump rejects Iran’s proposal for a ceasefire, Tehran warns it is ready for a “doomsday war” if bombing resumes after the midterms, eight US Marines are revealed to have been injured by a missile in the Strait of Hormuz, and global diesel supplies dry up. Highlights
CONTRIBUTORS: Venetia Rainey, co-host and executive producer @venetiarainey Roland Oliphant, co-host and chief foreign affairs analyst @RolandOliphant Will Bolton, crime correspondent @WillBoltons WATCH US ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJnf_DDTfIVAif-vifC6F2aoPB8GIw6dk CONTENT REFERENCED: RAF base terror suspects are British nationals https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/09/28/raf-terror-suspects-british-nationals/ Iran’s terrifying global campaign of revenge – and how it targets enemies https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/09/27/irans-terrifying-revenge-countries-that-oppose-it/ Face-to-face with ‘bomb plotters’: Farmer tells of 999 call after stumbling on masked men Why the world is ‘freaking out’ about diesel Lloyd’s List: Iran’s ship attacks show strategy of disruption not discrimination Winner Best News and Analysis Podcast - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026 Nominated Podcast of the Year - Society of Editors News Podcasts Awards 2026 Nominated Best News, Politics and Current Affairs - British Podcast Awards 2026 The Telegraph, Winner Podcast Publisher of the Year 2026 - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026 Producers: Peter Shevlin and Max Bower Researcher and Social Producer: Anna Hindmarsh Studio Operator: Andy Watson Executive 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 battlelines@telegraph.co.uk ► 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. | |||
| Iran offers a truce as China plays the long game | 25 Sep 2026 | 00:38:57 | |
As Chinese leader Xi Jinping concludes his three-day state visit to Washington, Beijing’s incremental support of Tehran threatens to undermine Donald Trump’s pressure campaign. On today’s episode of Iran: the Latest, host Sophia Yan speaks with China military expert Meia Nouwens to break down Beijing’s strategic calculus in the Middle East, how China benefits from the US getting bogged down in a regional war, and preparations for potential future wartime chokepoints in the Strait of Malacca. Plus, Iran-backed Houthi strikes hit Saudi Arabia’s state-owned Aramco facilities, driving up crude oil prices and prompting an emergency meeting amongst Saudi, Turkish, and Pakistani military chiefs. Meanwhile, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi proposes a seven-day truce to Washington, demanding a halt to all hostilities, $12 billion in frozen assets to be released and an end to the US naval blockade – pre-conditions to reopen Hormuz. Highlights
CONTRIBUTORS: Sophia Yan, co-host and senior foreign correspondent @sophia_yan Meia Nouwens, senior fellow and China military expert, International Institute for Strategic Studies, @MeiaNouwens WATCH US ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJnf_DDTfIVAif-vifC6F2aoPB8GIw6dk CONTENT REFERENCED: Miliband warns Iran: Britain will not tolerate intimidation https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/09/25/ed-miliband-iran-foreign-minister-abbas-araghchi/ Iran’s supreme leader is alive, president insists https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/09/25/iran-supreme-leader-alive-mojtaba-khamenei-pezeshkian/ Winner Best News and Analysis Podcast - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026 Nominated Podcast of the Year - Society of Editors News Podcasts Awards 2026 Nominated Best News, Politics and Current Affairs - British Podcast Awards 2026 The Telegraph, Winner Podcast Publisher of the Year 2026 - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026 Audio Producer: Max Bower Video Producer: Peter Shevlin Researcher and Social Producer: Anna Hindmarsh Studio Operator: Andy Watson Executive 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 battlelines@telegraph.co.uk ► 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. | |||
| Iran threatens to expand war to Indian Ocean and inside the diplomatic deadlock at UNGA | 24 Sep 2026 | 00:30:42 | |
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian took to the UN stage in mourning attire to deliver a defiant message to Washington: Tehran will “never bow or bend the knee” to US bullying. On today’s episode of Iran: the Latest, Roland Oliphant speaks to US Correspondent Iona Cleave, who is based in New York, reporting on the ongoing UN General Assembly. Iona shares her insight into what the atmosphere is like in the UN headquarters. They unpack Pezeshkian’s high-stakes address, the escalating diplomatic rhetoric, and why hardline factions in Tehran are already moving to impeach Iran's foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, for holding talks with the US. Meanwhile, an advisor to Mojtaba Khamenei threatens to expand the conflict into the Indian Ocean as new US secondary sanctions force regional airlines in Georgia, Azerbaijan, and Oman to halt flights into Iran. Plus, as Xi Jinping arrives in Washington for a high-stakes summit with Donald Trump, secret customs data reveals China is fuelling Tehran's missile program with illicit dual-use component shipments. Highlights
CONTRIBUTORS: Roland Oliphant, co-host and chief foreign affairs analyst @RolandOliphant Iona Cleave, US correspondent @cleaveiona WATCH US ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJnf_DDTfIVAif-vifC6F2aoPB8GIw6dk CONTENT REFERENCED: Americans walk out of Iranian president’s UN speech https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/09/23/americans-storm-out-iranian-president-un-speech-gaza-israel/?recomm_id=106ef4bb-f257-4fa3-89da-68cbbdb00767 Zelensky lashes out at EU https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/09/23/kremlin-accuses-burnham-of-stoking-anti-russian-sentiment/?recomm_id=106ef4bb-f257-4fa3-89da-68cbbdb00767 Trump rolls out the red carpet for Xi https://www.telegraph.co.uk/us/news/2026/09/23/trump-rolls-out-red-carpet-for-xi-jinping-in-washinghton-dc/?recomm_id=fd4833ca-a0e2-4b41-b42a-fe28efe2b5cc Winner Best News and Analysis Podcast - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026 Nominated Podcast of the Year - Society of Editors News Podcasts Awards 2026 Nominated Best News, Politics and Current Affairs - British Podcast Awards 2026 The Telegraph, Winner Podcast Publisher of the Year 2026 - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026 Audio Producer: Peter Shevlin Video Producer: Max Bower Researcher and Social Producer: Anna Hindmarsh Studio Operator: Andy Watson Executive 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 battlelines@telegraph.co.uk ► 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. | |||
| Iran vows 'crushing blows' against US as China’s secret nuclear expansion revealed | 23 Sep 2026 | 00:34:01 | |
Donald Trump has told reporters at the UN General Assembly he faces a critical decision: strike a deal with Tehran or "annihilate the Islamic Republic," while Masoud Pezeshkian insists Iran’s nuclear program will proceed. On today’s episode of Iran: The Latest Sophia Yan and Roland Oliphant examine the escalating military picture across the Red Sea and the high-stakes diplomacy in New York. As Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian takes the UN stage, Iranian forces warn they are prepared to deliver "crushing blows" against US threats. Meanwhile, AP reports reveal Iranian Revolutionary Guard advisers are directly guiding Houthi forces on the ground in Yemen. Plus, as Chinese leader Xi Jinping is set to arrive in Washington today for a high-profile state visit, geospatial intelligence analyst Renny Babiarz breaks down a Telegraph investigation into Xi’s secret expansion of seven nuclear weapons sites across China and what Beijing's ‘breathtaking’ nuclear breakout means for global security. Highlights
CONTRIBUTORS: Roland Oliphant, co-host and chief foreign affairs analyst @RolandOliphant Sophia Yan, co-host and senior foreign correspondent @sophia_yan Renny Babiarz, geospatial intelligence analyst and vice president at AllSourceAnalysis @RennyBabiarz WATCH US ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJnf_DDTfIVAif-vifC6F2aoPB8GIw6dk CONTENT REFERENCED: Revealed: Xi's nuclear weapons expansion at seven secret sites https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/china-secret-nuclear-weapon-sites-xi/ Trump is making a fool of himself over Iran https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/09/22/trump-making-fool-of-himself-over-iran/ Winner Best News and Analysis Podcast - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026 Nominated Podcast of the Year - Society of Editors News Podcasts Awards 2026 Nominated Best News, Politics and Current Affairs - British Podcast Awards 2026 The Telegraph, Winner Podcast Publisher of the Year 2026 - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026 Audio Producer: Peter Shevlin Video Producer: Max Bower Researcher and Social Producer: Anna Hindmarsh Studio Operator: Andy Watson Executive 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 battlelines@telegraph.co.uk ► 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. | |||
| Iran offers Strait of Hormuz deal as Trump calls off Houthi strikes at last minute | 22 Sep 2026 | 00:36:06 | |
Donald Trump told the UN General Assembly that he is deciding between a fresh agreement with Iran and driving the regime “into hell”, after Tehran reportedly offered a seven-day deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz if the US lifts its blockade. On today’s episode of Iran: the Latest, Venetia Rainey looks at apparent growing momentum towards a deal as world leaders from across the Middle East gather in New York. After Trump vowed once again to stop Iran from getting nuclear weapons, former nuclear weapons inspector David Albright breaks down how Tehran is using the lull in fighting to rebuild and fortify key capabilities at Parchin and Pickaxe Mountain. Plus, Britain is sending a single RAF Voyager refuelling aircraft to assist Saudi Arabia in its fight against the Houthis after Trump reportedly cancelled planned air strikes on Yemen’s Iran-backed militants at the last minute. Highlights
CONTRIBUTORS: Venetia Rainey, co-host and executive producer @venetiarainey David Albright, president Institute for Science and International Security @DAVIDHALBRIGHT1 WATCH US ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJnf_DDTfIVAif-vifC6F2aoPB8GIw6dk CONTENT REFERENCED: Burnham sends RAF to help defend Saudi Arabia https://www.telegraph.co.uk/us/news/2026/09/21/trump-to-challenge-burnham-uk-defence-spending/ David Blair: Burnham is walking into the lion’s den with nothing to offer Trump https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/09/21/burnham-nothing-to-offer-trump-special-relationship/ Saudi Arabia turns to UK for help as Houthi offensive threatens Suez Canal https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/09/15/saudi-arabia-turns-uk-help-houthi-offensive-suez-canal/ Winner Best News and Analysis Podcast - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026 Nominated Podcast of the Year - Society of Editors News Podcasts Awards 2026 Nominated Best News, Politics and Current Affairs - British Podcast Awards 2026 The Telegraph, Winner Podcast Publisher of the Year 2026 - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026 Audio Producer: Max Bower Video Producer: Peter Shevlin Researcher and Social Producer: Anna Hindmarsh Studio Operator: Andy Watson Executive 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 battlelines@telegraph.co.uk ► 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. | |||
| Houthis strike Riyadh jet-fuel depot as Turkey, Pakistan vow Saudi Arabia support | 21 Sep 2026 | 00:30:27 | |
A Houthi ballistic missile struck an Aramco jet-fuel depot near Riyadh’s international airport, a major escalation in the war between Yemen’s Iran-backed militants and Saudi Arabia. On today’s episode of Iran: the Latest, Venetia Rainey speaks to Bahraini analyst Ahmed Khuzaie about Turkey and Pakistan’s vows of military support for Saudi Arabia under the Mecca Defence Pact after Donald Trump refused to provide US assistance. They also discuss the dilemma for Egypt as the rise of Iranian-backed Islamist factions in Sudan’s civil war threatens to pile additional pressure on the Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandeb Strait. Plus, what Gulf leaders at the UN General Assembly want from Trump as he weighs whether to restart the war, and new satellite images show Iran rapidly rebuilding and fortifying a nuclear-linked facility at Parchin. Highlights
CONTRIBUTORS: Venetia Rainey, co-host and executive producer @venetiarainey Ahmed Khuzaie, Bahraini analyst @AhmedAlkhuzaie WATCH US ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJnf_DDTfIVAif-vifC6F2aoPB8GIw6dk CONTENT REFERENCED: Saudi Arabia confirms Houthi missile attack on capital Pakistan hints at joining war on Houthis https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/09/18/iran-saudi-arabia-mecca-joint-defence-gulf/ Trump considering ‘blowing up entire nation’ of Iran https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/09/20/trump-considering-blowing-up-iran/ Satellite images show Iran rapidly rebuilding nuclear facility ISIS: Iran is Rapidly Reconstructing Taleghan 2 https://isis-online.org/isis-reports/iran-is-rapidly-reconstructing-taleghan-2 Winner Best News and Analysis Podcast - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026 Nominated Podcast of the Year - Society of Editors News Podcasts Awards 2026 Nominated Best News, Politics and Current Affairs - British Podcast Awards 2026 The Telegraph, Winner Podcast Publisher of the Year 2026 - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026 Audio Producer: Max Bower Video Producer: Peter Shevlin Researcher and Social Producer: Anna Hindmarsh Studio Operator: Andy Watson Executive 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 battlelines@telegraph.co.uk ► 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. | |||
| Trump threatens to ‘annihilate’ Iran as China upgrades Djibouti military base | 18 Sep 2026 | 00:42:14 | |
Donald Trump has once again threatened to "annihilate" the Iranian regime, saying he faces a major decision on how to proceed with the Iran war but will consult with his Gulf allies at the UN General Assembly next week first. On today’s episode of Iran: the Latest, Roland Oliphant speaks to former Royal Navy commander Tom Sharpe about whether Trump will execute his strike threat given Washington appears to lack the risk appetite for further military escalation. They unpack how the US and Saudi Arabia are smuggling millions of barrels of oil out of the Strait of Hormuz to keep prices down, and what it says about the crippled Iranian military’s inability to police the narrow waterway. Plus, satellite imagery reveals China is upgrading its military base in Djibouti near the Bab al-Mandeb strait, Yemen’s Houthis claim their first fatality in this round of strikes on Saudi Arabia, and what a looming US naval drawdown in the Gulf means for Western security. Highlights
CONTRIBUTORS: Roland Oliphant, co-host and chief foreign affairs analyst @RolandOliphant Tom Sharpe, former Royal Navy commander @TomSharpe134 WATCH US ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJnf_DDTfIVAif-vifC6F2aoPB8GIw6dk CONTENT REFERENCED: Daniel DePetris: Iran is proving it can push America out of the Middle East https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/09/18/iran-war-proving-push-america-out-middle-east/ Pentagon exposes mass US aircraft losses and base damage from Iran war CSIS: China Upgrades Its Military Base in Djibouti https://features.csis.org/hiddenreach/china-djibouti-base-upgrade/ Winner Best News and Analysis Podcast - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026 Nominated Podcast of the Year - Society of Editors News Podcasts Awards 2026 Nominated Best News, Politics and Current Affairs - British Podcast Awards 2026 The Telegraph, Winner Podcast Publisher of the Year 2026 - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026 Audio Producer: David Dargahi Video Producer: Max Bower Researcher and Social Producer: Anna Hindmarsh Studio Operator: Andy Watson Executive 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 battlelines@telegraph.co.uk ► 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. | |||
| Pentagon admits mass US aircraft losses and base damage from Iran war | 17 Sep 2026 | 00:34:21 | |
A landmark Pentagon report has exposed the devastating cost of the Iran war for the US military: 59 aircraft damaged or destroyed, bases struck across the Middle East, and critical missile stockpiles depleted for up to 5 years. On today’s episode of Iran: the Latest, Venetia Rainey speaks to former Defense and State Department insider Kori Schake, now a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute. She unpicks how the report lays bare the underpreparedness of Donald Trump’s administration for Iran’s precision missile attacks on key US assets. They also discuss how the toll of the war has created a critical window of vulnerability that China could exploit in the Pacific if it wanted to seize Taiwan. Plus, Anthropic’s new threat report reveals how Iran and the Houthis are using Claude AI to finetune weapons and target the US Navy, Trump goes behind Saudi Arabia’s back to make a secret deal with the Yemeni militants over the Red Sea, and will Pete Hegseth be impeached? PIC CREDIT: CBS Highlights
CONTRIBUTORS: Venetia Rainey, co-host and executive producer @venetiarainey Kori Schake, director of Foreign and Defense Policy Studies at the American Enterprise Institute @KoriSchake WATCH US ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJnf_DDTfIVAif-vifC6F2aoPB8GIw6dk CONTENT REFERENCED: Houthis claim to have shot down Saudi fighter jet https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/09/16/houthis-claim-downing-of-saudi-fighter-jet/ Akhtar Makoii: Four ways the Houthis became a major military power US committed war crimes in Iran school strike, say UN experts https://www.telegraph.co.uk/us/news/2026/09/17/us-committed-war-crimes-iran-school-strike-experts/ CBS: New photos show widespread damage at U.S. positions caused by Iranian missile, drone attacks https://www.cbsnews.com/news/new-photos-damage-u-s-kuwait-saudi-arabia-iran-drone-missile-attacks/ LEAD INSPECTOR GENERAL REPORT ON OPERATION EPIC FURY https://media.defense.gov/2026/Sep/09/2003993626/-1/-1/1/OEF_Q3_JUN2026_FINAL_508%20SECURE.PDF Anthropic: Detecting and countering misuse of AI - September 2026 Winner Best News and Analysis Podcast - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026 Nominated Podcast of the Year - Society of Editors News Podcasts Awards 2026 Nominated Best News, Politics and Current Affairs - British Podcast Awards 2026 The Telegraph, Winner Podcast Publisher of the Year 2026 - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026 Audio Producer: Peter Shevlin Video Producer: Max Bower Researcher and Social Producer: Anna Hindmarsh Studio Operator: Andy Watson Executive 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 battlelines@telegraph.co.uk ► 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. | |||
| Inside Iran’s spiralling economy as Yemen’s Houthis target Mecca and down Saudi jet | 16 Sep 2026 | 00:33:51 | |
Saudi Arabia claimed that Yemen’s Houthis tried to attack the holy city of Mecca, and the Iran-backed militia claims to have shot down a Saudi F-15 fighter jet over Yemen, as fighting by the Red Sea continues. On today’s episode of Iran: The Latest, Roland Oliphant speaks with Maziar Bahari, editor of IranWire, to dive into the bleak daily reality inside Iran. They discuss how regime corruption, the mounting costs of war amid a maritime blockade on oil exports, and Donald Trump’s sanctions have plunged Iran into its most severe economic crisis in recent history. Today also marks four years since Mahsa Amini died in police custody after being arrested in Tehran for not wearing her hijab properly. Bahari reveals how the regime is now quietly backing down on core ideological mandates such as the hijab to survive. Plus, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth faces impeachment articles over unauthorised strikes on Iran, Israel is about to get a $2.8bn arms package, and China calls on the US and Iran to restart peace talks and reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Highlights
CONTRIBUTORS: Roland Oliphant, co-host and chief foreign affairs analyst @RolandOliphant Maziar Bahari, editor of IranWire @maziarbahari WATCH US ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJnf_DDTfIVAif-vifC6F2aoPB8GIw6dk CONTENT REFERENCED: Iran is trying to break Trump’s stranglehold by hitting him where it hurts https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/09/15/iran-is-trying-to-break-trumps-stranglehold/ US mulls diesel export ban as prices skyrocket https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2026/09/15/us-mulls-diesel-export-ban-as-prices-skyrocket/ Woman, Life, Freedom: How a Protest Movement Changed Iran https://iranwire.com/en/features/133949-woman-life-freedom-how-a-protest-movement-changed-iran/ Winner Best News and Analysis Podcast - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026 Nominated Podcast of the Year - Society of Editors News Podcasts Awards 2026 Nominated Best News, Politics and Current Affairs - British Podcast Awards 2026 The Telegraph, Winner Podcast Publisher of the Year 2026 - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026 Audio Producer: Peter Shevlin Video Producer: Max Bower Researcher and Social Producer: Anna Hindmarsh Studio Operator: Andy Watson Executive 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 battlelines@telegraph.co.uk ► 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. | |||
| Houthi blitz threatens Suez Canal as Saudi Arabia turns to UK for help | 15 Sep 2026 | 00:33:30 | |
Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthis and Saudi Arabia have exchanged further strikes, amid signs that Tehran is ramping up the war against Riyadh to compensate for a stalemate in the Strait of Hormuz. On today’s episode of Iran: The Latest, Venetia Rainey speaks with Arabist and Yemen expert Dr. Elisabeth Kendall (mistress of Girton College) to explain why the Houthis and Iraqi militias are part of a new Iranian Axis of Resistance. They also discuss how Saudi leader Mohammed Bin Salman (MBS) is facing an existential crisis following devastating pipeline attacks and escalating violence, with missile alerts sounding as far as Jeddah. Following Donald Trump’s refusal to help, Saudi Arabia has called on the UK and Egypt while Iran turns to China. Who will step in? Plus, how Iran helped the Houthis to evolve into a formidable fighting force and the US pushes back against the IRGC’s fake news about sea mines in the Strait of Hormuz. Highlights
CONTRIBUTORS: Venetia Rainey, co-host and executive producer @venetiarainey Elisabeth Kendall, mistress of Girton College, University of Cambridge @Dr_E_Kendall WATCH US ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJnf_DDTfIVAif-vifC6F2aoPB8GIw6dk CONTENT REFERENCED: https://understandingwar.org/research/middle-east/iran-update-september-14-2026/ https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2026/09/14/proscribing-houthis-bring-energy-bills-down-burnham/ Winner Best News and Analysis Podcast - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026 Nominated Podcast of the Year - Society of Editors News Podcasts Awards 2026 Nominated Best News, Politics and Current Affairs - British Podcast Awards 2026 The Telegraph, Winner Podcast Publisher of the Year 2026 - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026 Audio Producer: Elliot Lampitt Video Producer: Max Bower Researcher and Social Producer: Anna Hindmarsh Studio Operator: Andy Watson Executive 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 battlelines@telegraph.co.uk ► 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. | |||
| Strikes close key Saudi oil pipeline after Houthis ask Trump not to bomb them | 14 Sep 2026 | 00:28:13 | |
A strike from militants in Iraq has knocked out Saudi Arabia’s vital East-West oil pipeline, as Donald Trump reveals Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels called him asking the US not to get militarily involved. On today’s episode of Iran: The Latest, Roland Oliphant talks to chief foreign affairs commentator David Blair to break down how Saudi Arabia has been left in a tricky place amid a lack of allies to help it deal with the lightning Houthi offensive to seize control of the Red Sea. As oil prices continue to rise and Houthis bomb a Saudi air base, the latest news suggests the war is escalating across the Middle East with unintended consequences. Plus, a deadly IRGC gun battle with Baluchi militants, a rogue Iranian hardline faction reportedly launched strikes on ships in the Strait of Hormuz to sabotage summer peace talks, and a US Air Force pilot describes how he was downed behind enemy lines back in April. Highlights
CONTRIBUTORS: Roland Oliphant, co-host and chief foreign affairs analyst @RolandOliphant David Blair, chief foreign affairs commentator @davidblairdt WATCH US ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJnf_DDTfIVAif-vifC6F2aoPB8GIw6dk CONTENT REFERENCED: IRGC soldiers gunned down in street clashes in Iran https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/09/14/irgc-soldiers-gunned-down-in-street-clashes-in-iran/ Houthis give Trump yet another Middle East headache Tom Sharpe: The Houthis are back and it’s a problem for everyone, not just the US https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/09/12/houthis-red-sea-perim-chokepoint-oil-shipping-war/ The shock Houthi mission to strangle global oil https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/09/12/the-shock-houthi-mission-to-strangle-global-oil/ How Iran’s hard-liners blew us the US peace deal https://www.nytimes.com/2026/09/13/world/middleeast/iran-hard-liners-sabotaged-peace-deal.html US airman tells of 50 hours behind enemy lines with broken back https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/09/14/us-airman-tells-of-50-hours-behind-enemy-lines-broken-back/ Winner Best News and Analysis Podcast - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026 Nominated Podcast of the Year - Society of Editors News Podcasts Awards 2026 Nominated Best News, Politics and Current Affairs - British Podcast Awards 2026 The Telegraph, Winner Podcast Publisher of the Year 2026 - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026 Audio Producer: Max Bower Video Producer: Peter Shevlin Researcher and Social Producer: Anna Hindmarsh Studio Operator: Andy Watson Executive 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 battlelines@telegraph.co.uk ► 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. | |||
| US fears Iran war could drag into 2029. Trump insists it’s ‘worth it’ | 13 Sep 2026 | 00:26:57 | |
Donald Trump has admitted the US-Iran war will last beyond the November midterm elections - some think it will last well into 2029 - with Republicans now facing the possibility of losing the House and the Senate as oil prices surge towards $110/barrel. On today’s bonus episode of Iran: the Latest, Venetia Rainey chats to Washington correspondents Connor Stringer and Benedict Smith about Trump’s spectacular gamble to convince Republicans the Iran war is not a big deal at the Republican Midterms Convention. From threatening strikes on Iran’s Pickaxe Mountain nuclear site to offering voters an unprecedented $5,000 cash dividend if they vote Republican, his speech was “vintage Trump”. Plus, is Iran interfering in the US midterms to boost the Democrats? Highlights
CONTRIBUTORS: Venetia Rainey, co-host and executive producer @venetiarainey Connor Stringer, chief Washington correspondent @connorstringer Benedict Smith, Washington correspondent @bsmithjourno WATCH US ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJnf_DDTfIVAif-vifC6F2aoPB8GIw6dk CONTENT REFERENCED: The answer to Trump’s midterm woes? Make the campaign all about him ‘Common sense’ Democrat praises Trump at Republican midterm convention Trump: I’ll give $5,000 to every American if we win midterms Rubio and Vance ‘think Iran war could last beyond the end of Trump’s term’ https://www.telegraph.co.uk/us/news/2026/09/10/white-house-iran-war-trump-term/ Trump makes his last stand https://www.telegraph.co.uk/us/politics/2026/09/11/republican-party-convention-midterms-trump-last-stand/ Trump’s Top Advisers Confront Possibility That Iran War Lasts Through End of Term https://www.wsj.com/world/middle-east/trumps-top-advisers-confront-possibility-that-iran-war-lasts-through-end-of-term-5f4e23d7 Silver Bulletin: https://www.natesilver.net/p/trump-approval-ratings-nate-silver-bulletin Race to the White House: https://www.racetothewh.com/ Winner Best News and Analysis Podcast - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026 Nominated Podcast of the Year - Society of Editors News Podcasts Awards 2026 Nominated Best News, Politics and Current Affairs - British Podcast Awards 2026 The Telegraph, Winner Podcast Publisher of the Year 2026 - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026 Audio Producer: Max Bower Video Producer: Peter Shevlin Researcher and Social Producer: Anna Hindmarsh Studio Operator: Andy Watson Executive 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 battlelines@telegraph.co.uk ► 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. | |||
| US Gen Ben Hodges: Trump’s Houthi Red Sea crisis, Pentagon chaos and 9/11’s legacy | 11 Sep 2026 | 00:38:37 | |
“The inability or unwillingness of the Trump administration to connect the dots on what is going on, from the Persian Gulf to the Red Sea, is a reflection of the lack of really good deep strategic thinking.” On today’s episode of Iran: the Latest, Venetia Rainey is joined once again by former Commanding General of US Army Europe, Gen Ben Hodges, to discuss the US-Iran war as it nears the 200-day mark. The Iran-backed Houthis have seized Yemen’s entire Red Sea coastline including the strategic Perim Island, giving them control of the vital Bab al-Mandeb Strait. And despite pleas from Saudi Arabia’s Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) to intervene as oil prices surge toward $110/barrel, Donald Trump has refused to launch strikes, offering up intelligence assistance instead. Gen Hodges analyses the strategic drift that has marked the war, the Pentagon and US policy in the Middle East. Plus, why mass lie-detector tests and personnel purges signal China-style paranoia inside the Pentagon, what news of damage to US fighter jets in Jordan says about US military preparedness, and the hard lessons from the Iraq and Afghanistan wars 25 years on from the 9/11 attacks. Highlights
CONTRIBUTORS: Venetia Rainey, co-host and executive producer @venetiarainey Gen Ben Hodges, former Commanding General US Army Europe @general_ben WATCH US ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJnf_DDTfIVAif-vifC6F2aoPB8GIw6dk CONTENT REFERENCED: Trump refuses MBS pleas to stop Houthis’ rapid advance https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/09/11/trump-refuses-mbs-pleas-to-stop-houthis-rapid-advance/ Rubio and Vance ‘think Iran war could last beyond the end of Trump’s term’ https://www.telegraph.co.uk/us/news/2026/09/10/white-house-iran-war-trump-term/ Pentagon forces staff to take lie detector tests over Iran war leaks https://www.telegraph.co.uk/us/news/2026/09/05/pentagon-lie-detection-polygraph-tests-military-iran-leaks/ RUSI UK Security in a Post Aid World: https://www.rusi.org/explore-our-research/projects/uk-security-post-aid-world Winner Best News and Analysis Podcast - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026 Nominated Podcast of the Year - Society of Editors News Podcasts Awards 2026 Nominated Best News, Politics and Current Affairs - British Podcast Awards 2026 The Telegraph, Winner Podcast Publisher of the Year 2026 - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026 Audio Producer: Peter Shevlin Video Producer: Max Bower Researcher and Social Producer: Anna Hindmarsh Studio Operator: Andy Watson Executive 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 battlelines@telegraph.co.uk ► 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. | |||
| Iran’s Houthis seize key Red Sea port as $100 oil threatens global economy | 10 Sep 2026 | 00:36:07 | |
The Iran-backed Houthis have seized the strategic Red Sea port city of al-Mokha - apparently at the direction of the IRGC - as fighting in Yemen and Saudi Arabia escalates. On today’s episode of Iran: the Latest, Sophia Yan speaks to Jerusalem correspondent Henry Bodkin about the pressure the war is putting on the Bab al-Mandeb and Strait of Hormuz as oil prices pass the $100/barrel threshold for a second day. US President Donald Trump is clearly feeling the pressure, claiming the war will end following November’s midterm elections, and promising $5,000 cash payouts if Republicans retain Congress. Plus, news that Iranian missile strikes damaged multiple US F-15 fighter jets in Jordan, Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu denies being warned about Hamas’s October 7 attack by the UAE, and MSF’S Charlene Silvin shares her first-hand experiences of wartime destruction in south Lebanon. Highlights
CONTRIBUTORS: Sophia Yan, senior foreign correspondent, @sophia_yan Henry Bodkin, Jerusalem correspondent @HenryBodkin Charlene Silvin, MSF Project Coordinator in Lebanon WATCH US ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJnf_DDTfIVAif-vifC6F2aoPB8GIw6dk CONTENT REFERENCED: Trump: I’ll give $5,000 to every American if we win midterms https://www.telegraph.co.uk/us/politics/2026/09/10/trump-convention-speech-promise-5000-dollars-midterms-win/ Revealed: Netanyahu Received an Explicit Warning Days Before Oct. 7. He Didn't Brief Israel's Security Chiefs Winner Best News and Analysis Podcast - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026 Nominated Podcast of the Year - Society of Editors News Podcasts Awards 2026 Nominated Best News, Politics and Current Affairs - British Podcast Awards 2026 The Telegraph, Winner Podcast Publisher of the Year 2026 - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026 Audio Producer: Peter Shevlin Video Producer: Max Bower Researcher and Social Producer: Lucy Hadlow Executive 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 battlelines@telegraph.co.uk ► 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. | |||
| Iran captures US submarine drone & how Russia supercharges Iran’s weapons | 09 Sep 2026 | 00:40:11 | |
Iran claims to capture an advanced US Navy submarine drone in the Strait of Hormuz. How significant is it? On today’s episode of Iran: the Latest, Roland Oliphant talks to Nikolay Kozhanov, former attaché at the Russian embassy in Tehran and now at the Gulf Studies Center of Qatar University, about the escalating US-Iran missile attacks and how Moscow is helping Tehran. He explains that Iran will get as much as possible out of whatever equipment they capture to get around US sanctions. From advanced missile technology to specialised hardware for electronic jamming, Nikolay also explains how Vladimir Putin is fuelling the war to help drain the US military and distract from Ukraine. Plus, the US has destroyed five Iranian oil tankers near Kharg Island after the IRGC fired ballistic missiles at a Navy warship twice this week. Is this Iran’s new military doctrine in full swing? Highlights
CONTRIBUTORS: Roland Oliphant, co-host and chief foreign affairs analyst @RolandOliphant Nikolay Kozhanov, Gulf Studies Center of Qatar University @KozhanovNikolay WATCH US ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJnf_DDTfIVAif-vifC6F2aoPB8GIw6dk CONTENT REFERENCED: Iran fires new electro-optical missiles https://www.telegraph.co.uk/us/news/2026/09/09/us-forces-destroy-five-iranian-oil-carriers/ UK gas prices hit four-year high as US-Iran conflict escalates https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2026/09/09/uk-gas-prices-hit-four-year-high-as-oil-tops-100/ Winner Best News and Analysis Podcast - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026 Nominated Podcast of the Year - Society of Editors News Podcasts Awards 2026 Nominated Best News, Politics and Current Affairs - British Podcast Awards 2026 The Telegraph, Winner Podcast Publisher of the Year 2026 - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026 Audio Producer: Peter Shevlin Video Producer: Max Bower Researcher and Social Producer: Lucy Hadlow Studio Operator: Andy Watson Executive 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 battlelines@telegraph.co.uk ► 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. | |||
| Iran uses new missile to target US warships as UK sanctions Israel settlements | 08 Sep 2026 | 00:40:47 | |
Iran claims to have targeted US warships with a new ballistic missile for the first time in the war and has warned that its new military doctrine involves pre-emptive strikes. On today’s episode of Iran: the Latest, Venetia Rainey speaks to journalist and author David Patrikarakos about the signal the IRGC is sending Donald Trump by revealing the use of its upgraded Qassem Basir missiles. They discuss the possible consequences of the worsening economic conditions inside Iran as oil and petrol prices rise, and why the regime is not as fractured as some Western observers think. Plus, the war in Yemen heats up after Houthi rebels launched a massive wave of strikes on energy sites in Saudi Arabia, and the UK’s Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband announces sanctions against West Bank settlements, accusing Israel of ethnic cleansing. With France and Canada unveiling similar measures, how will Trump respond? Highlights
CONTRIBUTORS: Venetia Rainey, co-host and executive producer @venetiarainey David Patrikarakos, author and journalist @dpatrikarakos WATCH US ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJnf_DDTfIVAif-vifC6F2aoPB8GIw6dk CONTENT REFERENCED: Iran’s former president proposes referendum on ending war Houthis launch wave of attacks on Saudi Arabia https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/09/08/houthis-launch-wave-of-attacks-on-saudi-arabia/ Miliband accuses Israeli settlers of ‘ethnic cleansing’ The desert deaths that symbolise five crushing years of Taliban rule https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/08/15/desert-deaths-symbolise-five-crushing-years-taliban-rule/ Winner Best News and Analysis Podcast - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026 Nominated Podcast of the Year - Society of Editors News Podcasts Awards 2026 Nominated Best News, Politics and Current Affairs - British Podcast Awards 2026 The Telegraph, Winner Podcast Publisher of the Year 2026 - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026 Audio Producer: Max Bower Video Producer: Peter Shevlin Researcher and Social Producer: Lucy Hadlow Studio Operator: Andy Watson Executive 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 battlelines@telegraph.co.uk ► 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. | |||
| US sinks Iranian ship as battle for the Strait of Hormuz heats up | 07 Sep 2026 | 00:28:47 | |
The US Navy struck three Iranian vessels, sinking one and disabling two, after fresh attacks by Tehran on American warships near the Strait of Hormuz. On today’s episode of Iran: the Latest, Roland Oliphant and Venetia Rainey discuss news of the escalating battle for the Strait of Hormuz, which has become the epicentre of the US-Iran war. Donald Trump’s administration insists millions of barrels of oil are getting out and it’s not a war but merely “small potatoes”, but missile strikes continue and Oman and Iran are negotiating a separate deal. What’s going on? Plus, the US admits a nuclear deal with Iran may never happen, and violence flares in Lebanon amid an explosion of Israeli air strikes and in Yemen as the Houthis push towards the Bab al-Mandeb strait. Highlights
CONTRIBUTORS: Venetia Rainey, co-host and executive producer @venetiarainey Roland Oliphant, co-host and chief foreign affairs analyst @RolandOliphant WATCH US ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJnf_DDTfIVAif-vifC6F2aoPB8GIw6dk CONTENT REFERENCED: US destroys Iranian oil tankers after IRGC fires at warships Sheba Intelligence: Government Counteroffensive Disrupts Houthi Bid to Cut Taiz Off from Yemen’s Western Coast https://shebaintelligence.uk/government-counteroffensive-disrupts-houthi-bid-to-cut-taiz-off-from-yemens-western-coast Winner Best News and Analysis Podcast - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026 Nominated Podcast of the Year - Society of Editors News Podcasts Awards 2026 Nominated Best News, Politics and Current Affairs - British Podcast Awards 2026 The Telegraph, Winner Podcast Publisher of the Year 2026 - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026 Audio Producer: Peter Shevlin Video Producer: Max Bower Researcher and Social Producer: Lucy Hadlow Studio Operator: Andy Watson Executive 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 battlelines@telegraph.co.uk ► 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. | |||
| Trump facing midterms nightmare as approval ratings plunge over Iran war | 06 Sep 2026 | 00:29:19 | |
Donald Trump’s approval rating has plummeted to a record low as the military and economic toll of the US-Iran war collides with the upcoming 2026 midterm elections - and the pressure is on. On today’s episode of Iran: the Latest, Venetia Rainey speaks to US correspondents Ben Smith and Poppy Wood to examine how the conflict in the Middle East is threatening Trump’s control of Congress and driving inflation at American gas pumps. With oil prices surging past $90 a barrel due to sustained disruption in the Strait of Hormuz, Republican candidates from Texas to Maine are increasingly worried. Plus, amid a growing mutiny inside the Pentagon over the Iran war, could Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth be on the chopping block if the midterms go badly for Trump? Highlights
CONTRIBUTORS: Venetia Rainey, co-host and executive producer @venetiarainey Ben Smith, Washington correspondent @bsmithjourno Poppy Wood, US correspondent @poppyeh WATCH US ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJnf_DDTfIVAif-vifC6F2aoPB8GIw6dk CONTENT REFERENCED: Out with the old: Democrats replace stalwarts with young blood https://www.telegraph.co.uk/us/politics/2026/08/15/elderly-democrats-forced-retire/ US army secretary to step down after tension with Hegseth https://www.telegraph.co.uk/us/politics/2026/08/21/us-army-secretary-step-down-hegseth/ Winner Best News and Analysis Podcast - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026 Nominated Podcast of the Year - Society of Editors News Podcasts Awards 2026 Nominated Best News, Politics and Current Affairs - British Podcast Awards 2026 The Telegraph, Winner Podcast Publisher of the Year 2026 - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026 Audio Producer: Max Bower Video Producer: Peter Shevlin Researcher and Social Producer: Anna Hindmarsh and Lucy Hadlow Studio Operator: Andy Watson Executive 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 battlelines@telegraph.co.uk ► 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. | |||
| US Navy drained by Iran war as Hegseth-Pentagon turmoil grows | 04 Sep 2026 | 00:38:46 | |
US Vice President JD Vance has said there will be an investigation into a deadly strike on a wedding in southern Iran after an American precision-guided glide bomb appears increasingly likely to have been the culprit. On today’s episode of Iran: the Latest, Venetia Rainey speaks to former naval officer Bryan Clark about how accurate the bombs are and what might have gone wrong. They also discuss the growing strain on the US Navy by the Iran war following a record deployment by the USS Abraham Lincoln and warnings from top admirals that the blockade is depleting destroyers and leaving Taiwan vulnerable to China. Bryan lays out what it will mean for the US presence in the Middle East in the coming months as they seek to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and bring down oil prices. Plus, why Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth is facing growing calls to resign amid growing turmoil in the Pentagon, and how Argentina’s Javier Milei is exploiting Donald Trump’s anger with the UK to make moves on the Falklands. Highlights
CONTRIBUTORS: Venetia Rainey, co-host and executive producer @venetiarainey Bryan Clark, senior fellow at Hudson Institute @clarkdefense WATCH US ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJnf_DDTfIVAif-vifC6F2aoPB8GIw6dk CONTENT REFERENCED: My night out with US sailors in Thailand’s ‘Sin City’ ‘It’s a fever dream’: 5,000 US sailors hit Thai sex tourism hotspot Milei: Argentina ‘will prevail’ over declining Britain https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/09/04/argentina-sanctions-oil-fields-falklands/ Winner Best News and Analysis Podcast - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026 Nominated Podcast of the Year - Society of Editors News Podcasts Awards 2026 Nominated Best News, Politics and Current Affairs - British Podcast Awards 2026 The Telegraph, Winner Podcast Publisher of the Year 2026 - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026 Audio Producer: Max Bower Video Producer: Peter Shevlin Researcher and Social Producer: Lucy Hadlow Studio Operator: Andy Watson Executive 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 battlelines@telegraph.co.uk ► 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. | |||
| Iran hostage crisis: 'My mum was in Evin prison when Israel bombed it' | 03 Sep 2026 | 00:42:07 | |
What’s it like to be taken hostage by the Iranian regime and imprisoned for months on end in Evin, Tehran’s most notorious prison, amid an unprecedented war with the US and Israel? On today’s episode of Iran: the Latest, Roland Oliphant speaks to Joe Bennett, son of Lindsay Foreman, who has been detained since January 2025 with her husband Craig Foreman while on a round-the-world motorcycle tour. The British couple were this year sentenced to 10 years in prison over charges of espionage, which they deny and the British government has called “appalling” and “unjustifiable”. Bennett discusses the harrowing conditions faced by his mum and their gruelling hunger strike protest. He shares the “chilling” moment he was on the phone with Lindsay while Israel conducted air strikes on Evin prison, saying he had “never heard screams like it”. He also blames the UK for not doing more to support his mother and other British hostages before her such as Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe and Anoosheh Ashoori. Plus: Iran has launched a further wave of strikes on US bases in Kuwait and the UAE, and Donald Trump has suggested the Strait of Hormuz should be renamed the 'Trump Strait'. Highlights
CONTRIBUTORS: Roland Oliphant, co-host and chief foreign affairs analyst @RolandOliphant Joe Bennett, son of Iran detainee Lindsay Foreman WATCH US ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJnf_DDTfIVAif-vifC6F2aoPB8GIw6dk CONTENT REFERENCED: Joe Bennett: Starmer is allowing my mother to languish in Iranian jail https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/01/02/starmer-allowing-my-mother-to-languish-in-iranian-jail/ In Iran’s most notorious prison, I survived the very worst of human nature https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/07/08/mahvash-sabet-open-wide-the-doors/ Winner Best News and Analysis Podcast - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026 Nominated Podcast of the Year - Society of Editors News Podcasts Awards 2026 Nominated Best News, Politics and Current Affairs - British Podcast Awards 2026 The Telegraph, Winner Podcast Publisher of the Year 2026 - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026 Audio Producer: Peter Shevlin Video Producer: Max Bower Researcher and Social Producer: Anna Hindmarsh Studio Operator: Andy Watson Executive 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 battlelines@telegraph.co.uk ► 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. | |||
| US strikes IRGC bases & what the Iran war means for China invading Taiwan | 02 Sep 2026 | 00:49:52 | |
Donald Trump has ordered the deadliest attacks against Iranian targets since July, striking IRGC air defense systems, radars, telecommunications - and reportedly a wedding party. On today’s episode of Iran: the Latest, Venetia Rainey and Roland Oliphant look at the fresh round of deadly escalating violence, including Iran’s retaliatory missile and drone barrage targeting US positions in Jordan, Iraq and the UAE, as well as killing sailors in the Strait of Hormuz. Plus, SOAS’s China Institute director Steve Tsang breaks down Beijing’s calculated gamble on the Iran war, how China is building a new world order around itself, and why Xi Jinping is kicking himself that the PLA isn’t ready to invade Taiwan at this opportune moment. Highlights
CONTRIBUTORS: Venetia Rainey, co-host and executive producer @venetiarainey Roland Oliphant, co-host and chief foreign affairs analyst @RolandOliphant Steve Tsang, director SOAS China Institute WATCH US ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJnf_DDTfIVAif-vifC6F2aoPB8GIw6dk CONTENT REFERENCED: Iran attacks US bases after claiming American missiles hit wedding party https://www.telegraph.co.uk/us/news/2026/09/02/us-strikes-iran-airport/ Russia secretly helped Iran build missiles to target US warships Steve Tsang and Olivia Cheung: China's Global Strategy under Xi Jinping https://global.oup.com/academic/product/chinas-global-strategy-under-xi-jinping-9780197828816 Winner Best News and Analysis Podcast - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026 Nominated Podcast of the Year - Society of Editors News Podcasts Awards 2026 Nominated Best News, Politics and Current Affairs - British Podcast Awards 2026 The Telegraph, Winner Podcast Publisher of the Year 2026 - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026 Audio Producer: Peter Shevlin Video Producer: Max Bower Researcher and Social Producer: Anna Hindmarsh and Lucy Hadlow Studio Operator: Andy Watson Executive 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 battlelines@telegraph.co.uk ► 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. | |||
| Trump vows to hit Iran ‘hard’ despite US military war warning | 01 Sep 2026 | 00:34:10 | |
For the first time in over a month, fighting has erupted in the Strait of Hormuz after US forces struck Iranian sea mine-equipped rocket launchers on Larak Island. Iran retaliated by targeting US bases in Jordan, prompting Donald Trump to vow to hit Iran “hard”. On today's episode of Iran: The Latest, Venetia Rainey and Roland Oliphant unpack the details of the violence and why Trump has posted an AI video of an attack on Kharg Island. They also discuss why President Masoud Pezeshkian is calling for a return to the Memorandum of Understanding peace deal amid growing pressure on Iran’s economy from the US blockade. Plus, a leaked report shows top military commanders have warned Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth that the war is unsustainable, as US Army Secretary Dan Driscoll abruptly resigns amid growing chaos in the Pentagon. Picture credit: Trump / Truth Social - note, this image was AI generated Highlights
CONTRIBUTORS: Venetia Rainey, co-host and executive producer @venetiarainey Roland Oliphant, co-host and chief foreign affairs analyst @RolandOliphant WATCH US ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJnf_DDTfIVAif-vifC6F2aoPB8GIw6dk CONTENT REFERENCED: US strikes Iran for first time in a month https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/08/30/pete-hegseth-told-not-to-extend-iran-war/ Trump posts AI video of Kharg Island being ‘blown to smithereens’ Washington Post: Military leaders warn Hegseth against extending Iran war operations Winner Best News and Analysis Podcast - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026 Nominated Podcast of the Year - Society of Editors News Podcasts Awards 2026 Nominated Best News, Politics and Current Affairs - British Podcast Awards 2026 The Telegraph, Winner Podcast Publisher of the Year 2026 - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026 Audio Producer: Max Bower Video Producer: Peter Shevlin Researcher and Social Producer: Anna Hindmarsh Studio Operator: Andy Watson Executive 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 battlelines@telegraph.co.uk ► 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. | |||
| Simon Sebag-Montefiore on the Iran war: Trump’s mistakes, Israel’s overreach and the end of the ‘Middle East’ | 30 Aug 2026 | 00:41:14 | |
"Israel is in a situation of kind of spectacular military virtuosity, but also strategic impoverishment. You cannot kill everybody." On today’s bank holiday bonus episode of Iran: the Latest, Venetia Rainey speaks to historian Simon Sebag-Montefiore to get a historian’s view of the US-Israel-Iran war. Simon argues that Donald Trump’s biggest mistake was not stopping after 2025’s Operation Midnight Hammer, and that Benjamin Netanyahu is leading his country into a potential intra-Jewish civil war. Plus, why the Iranian regime is a Mahdist-praetorian oligarchy, how the geopolitical concept of "the Middle East" became obsolete, and which dictators from the region’s modern history haunt him. Simon Sebag Montefiore’s new book, The Cauldron: The Making of the Modern Middle East, is out now. Highlights
CONTRIBUTORS: Venetia Rainey, co-host and executive producer @venetiarainey Simon Sebag-Montefiore, historian and author @simonmontefiore WATCH US ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJnf_DDTfIVAif-vifC6F2aoPB8GIw6dk CONTENT REFERENCED: Simon Sebag Montefiore: Appeasing radical activists will make the West ungovernable https://www.telegraph.co.uk/books/authors/simon-sebag-montefiore-the-cauldron-interview/ Simon Sebag Montefiore: Starmer’s foreign policy risks rewarding aggressive extremists https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2024/09/07/montefiore-starmers-foreign-policy-rewards-extremists/ Winner Best News and Analysis Podcast - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026 Nominated Podcast of the Year - Society of Editors News Podcasts Awards 2026 Nominated Best News, Politics and Current Affairs - British Podcast Awards 2026 The Telegraph, Winner Podcast Publisher of the Year 2026 - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026 Audio Producer: Joleen Goffin Video Producer: Max Bower Researcher and Social Producer: Anna Hindmarsh Studio Operator: Andy Watson Executive 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 battlelines@telegraph.co.uk ► 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. | |||
| Hegseth in the firing line after six months of war | 28 Aug 2026 | 00:27:14 | |
Six months into the Iran conflict, the war has devolved into an economic ‘quagmire’ as the US shifts strategy from kinetic strikes to prolonged blockade tactics under "Operation Economic Outcast". On today’s episode of Iran: The Latest, Henry Bodkin speaks with Chief Washington Correspondent Connor Stringer to discuss why Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth could be in the firing line for a post-midterm cabinet purge as Trump desperately seeks a scapegoat for his low approval ratings and Iran war stalemate. They analyse how outgoing Mossad chief Dedi Barnea is pushing for total regime collapse in Tehran, and why Benjamin Netanyahu is openly defying Trump on Gaza peace terms. Plus, they dissect CIA Director John Ratcliffe’s flight to Moscow, Mark Carney’s trade counter-attacks and the growing friction over prospective British sanctions in the West Bank. Highlights
CONTRIBUTORS: Henry Bodkin, Jerusalem correspondent @HenryBodkin Connor Stringer, chief Washington correspondent @connorstringer WATCH US ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJnf_DDTfIVAif-vifC6F2aoPB8GIw6dk Winner Best News and Analysis Podcast - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026 Nominated Podcast of the Year - Society of Editors News Podcasts Awards 2026 Nominated Best News, Politics and Current Affairs - British Podcast Awards 2026 The Telegraph, Winner Podcast Publisher of the Year 2026 - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026 Audio Producer: David Dargahi Video Producer: Max Bower Researcher and Social Producer: Anna Hindmarsh Studio Operator: Andy Watson Executive 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 battlelines@telegraph.co.uk ► 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. | |||
| ‘We’re going to see a reckoning’ of the global order: Middle East scholar’s verdict | 27 Aug 2026 | 00:39:10 | |
On today’s episode of Iran: The Latest, Sophia Yan is joined by Middle East scholar Vali Nasr to assess the state of the conflict as it hits the six-month mark. They discuss why Washington’s security umbrella in the Gulf is collapsing, how US naval exhaustion is forcing warships to retreat to Asia, and why China stands to emerge as the ultimate winner of the war. Plus, why Israel and Turkey could be heading toward a new frontline in Syria, and what will come of the diplomatic flurry occurring between Gulf countries, as the Qatari Prime Minister makes his way to Tehran for further talks? Highlights
CONTRIBUTORS: Sophia Yan, senior foreign correspondent, @sophia_yan Vali Nasr, scholar in Middle Eastern studies, Professor at Johns Hopkins-SAIS @vali_nasr WATCH US ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJnf_DDTfIVAif-vifC6F2aoPB8GIw6dk CONTENT REFERENCED: Winner Best News and Analysis Podcast - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026 Nominated Podcast of the Year - Society of Editors News Podcasts Awards 2026 Nominated Best News, Politics and Current Affairs - British Podcast Awards 2026 The Telegraph, Winner Podcast Publisher of the Year 2026 - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026 Audio Producer: David Dargahi Video Producer: Max Bower Researcher and Social Producer: Anna Hindmarsh Studio Operator: Andy Watson Executive 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 battlelines@telegraph.co.uk ► 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. | |||
| CIA Chief's secret Moscow flight - Has the US tried to bargain with Putin over Iran? | 26 Aug 2026 | 00:30:07 | |
As the US-Iran war approaches the six-month mark, CIA Director John Ratcliffe makes a secret eight-hour flight to Moscow to meet with Russian officials. On today’s episode of Iran: The Latest, Roland Oliphant and senior foreign correspondent Adrian Blomfield analyze whether Donald Trump offering Vladimir Putin a trade-off on Ukraine to sever Moscow’s backing of Tehran, or issuing a direct intelligence warning against Russian regional escalation. Meanwhile, China has hit back against Scott Bessent’s ‘Operation Economic Outcast’ sanctions, calling them “illegal” and pledging to protect commerce. Plus, Tehran has issued a $10M assassination bounty targeting Donald Trump's son Barron, while questions mount over whether Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei is dead or incapacitated while the regime rules via a "phantom" leadership. Highlights
CONTRIBUTORS: Roland Oliphant, co-host and chief foreign affairs analyst @RolandOliphant Adrian Blomfield, senior foreign correspondent @adrianblomfield WATCH US ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJnf_DDTfIVAif-vifC6F2aoPB8GIw6dk Winner Best News and Analysis Podcast - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026 Nominated Podcast of the Year - Society of Editors News Podcasts Awards 2026 Nominated Best News, Politics and Current Affairs - British Podcast Awards 2026 The Telegraph, Winner Podcast Publisher of the Year 2026 - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026 Audio Producer: David Dargahi Video Producer: Max Bower Researcher and Social Producer: Anna Hindmarsh Studio Operator: Andy Watson Executive 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 battlelines@telegraph.co.uk ► 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. | |||
| US vows "Economic Warfare" as the UK prepares for infrastructure blackouts | 25 Aug 2026 | 00:19:18 | |
Iran shut down a British power plant for four days in an unprecedented cyber attack, in what can be described as the most serious incident of its kind. On today’s episode of Iran: The Latest, Roland Oliphant is joined in the studio by Telegraph National Security Editor Rozina Sabur to unpack her major exclusive on the Iranian cyber attack that disabled a British power plant. They discuss why the government tried to keep the breach quiet, how Iranian proxies are targeting Western infrastructure, and parliament’s preparation to warn the public to prepare for future nationwide blackout scenarios. Plus, Washington has launched "Operation Economic Outcast," a sweeping financial blockade aiming to choke off Iran’s remaining oil trade and throttle its regime. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced the key measures of the campaign, including secondary sanctions against buyers of Iranian crude. Highlights
CONTRIBUTORS: Roland Oliphant, co-host and chief foreign affairs analyst @RolandOliphant Rozina Sabur, national security editor @rozinasabur WATCH US ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJnf_DDTfIVAif-vifC6F2aoPB8GIw6dk CONTENT REFERENCED: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/08/22/iranian-hackers-shut-down-uk-power-plant/ Winner Best News and Analysis Podcast - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026 Nominated Podcast of the Year - Society of Editors News Podcasts Awards 2026 Nominated Best News, Politics and Current Affairs - British Podcast Awards 2026 The Telegraph, Winner Podcast Publisher of the Year 2026 - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026 Audio Producer: David Dargahi Video Producer: Max Bower Researcher and Social Producer: Anna Hindmarsh Studio Operator: Andy Watson Executive 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 battlelines@telegraph.co.uk ► 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. | |||
| Trump to unleash ‘Economic D Day’ on Iran as blockade bites | 24 Aug 2026 | 00:24:39 | |
With the US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent set to announce the ‘greatest financial offensive ever’ against Iran, Roland sits down with the Telegraph’s chief foreign affairs commentator David Blair to discuss where the Iranian regime goes next and who might blink first. Meanwhile the Trump administration’s blockade of Iranian ports has seen oil exports dwindle to near zero, with David adding that it may only be a matter of time before the regime goes bankrupt. The pair also discuss the Iranian cyber attack that shut down a UK power plant for several days and the scheduled meeting between Israel and Syria following a strike on a Syrian airbase last week. CONTRIBUTORS: Roland Oliphant, co-host and chief foreign affairs analyst @RolandOliphant David Blair, chief foreign affairs commentator @davidblairdt WATCH US ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJnf_DDTfIVAif-vifC6F2aoPB8GIw6dk CONTENT REFERENCED: Iranian hackers shut down UK power plant Winner Best News and Analysis Podcast - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026 Nominated Podcast of the Year - Society of Editors News Podcasts Awards 2026 Nominated Best News, Politics and Current Affairs - British Podcast Awards 2026 The Telegraph, Winner Podcast Publisher of the Year 2026 - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026 Audio Producer: David Dargahi Video Producer: Max Bower Researcher and Social Producer: Anna Hindmarsh Studio Operator: Andy Watson Executive 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 battlelines@telegraph.co.uk ► 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. | |||
| ‘Bloodbath’: Why Trump could lose the House over the Iran war | 23 Aug 2026 | 00:26:58 | |
As the Strait of Hormuz closure pushes US petrol prices past $4 a gallon and Donald Trump’s approval ratings hit rock bottom, the Republicans are increasingly worried the Iran war could create a “bloodbath” in the midterms. In this bonus episode of Iran: The Latest, Venetia Rainey is joined by chief Washington correspondent Connor Stringer to look at five ways the Middle East conflict is actively reshaping domestic US politics, from the economy to splits in the Democrats and Republicans to record spending pro-Israel lobby group AIPAC. Could Trump lose the House of Representatives because of the war? Plus, how the November US midterm elections work, what’s a Super PAC, and the key primary races you need to know about. Highlights
CONTRIBUTORS: Venetia Rainey, co-host and executive producer @venetiarainey Connor Stringer, chief Washington correspondent @connorstringer WATCH US ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJnf_DDTfIVAif-vifC6F2aoPB8GIw6dk Winner Best News and Analysis Podcast - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026 Nominated Podcast of the Year - Society of Editors News Podcasts Awards 2026 Nominated Best News, Politics and Current Affairs - British Podcast Awards 2026 The Telegraph, Winner Podcast Publisher of the Year 2026 - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026 Audio Producer: Joleen Goffin and David Dargahi Video Producer: Max Bower Researcher and Social Producer: Anna Hindmarsh Studio Operator: Andy Watson Executive 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 battlelines@telegraph.co.uk ► 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. | |||
| ‘No way out’: How Trump trapped US in Iran war as world stands by | 21 Aug 2026 | 00:42:23 | |
‘If there were a university delivering degrees in strategic malpractice, Donald Trump would without a doubt graduate summa cum laude.’ On today’s episode of Iran: the Latest, Roland Oliphant gets a damning assessment of the US-Iran war from one of America’s most seasoned Middle East diplomats, Aaron David Miller. A former State Department analyst and negotiator across six Republican and Democratic administrations and now a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, Miller delivers a blunt verdict on Washington’s strategic failures. As the Middle East conflict hits the six-month mark and the Strait of Hormuz remains officially closed, he explains why he can see no clear exit options for Trump. Despite Washington unleashing an "economic D-Day" and the "toughest sanctions in history," Tehran shows no sign of backing down. Plus, why Secretary of State Marco Rubio is MIA and how a “serious retrenchment” of US forces in the Gulf is likely, amid news that some bases may not be fully rebuilt after the war. Highlights
CONTRIBUTORS: Roland Oliphant, co-host and chief foreign affairs analyst @RolandOliphant Aaron David Miller, senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace @aarondmiller2 WATCH US ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJnf_DDTfIVAif-vifC6F2aoPB8GIw6dk Winner Best News and Analysis Podcast - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026 Nominated Podcast of the Year - Society of Editors News Podcasts Awards 2026 Nominated Best News, Politics and Current Affairs - British Podcast Awards 2026 The Telegraph, Winner Podcast Publisher of the Year 2026 - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026 Audio Producer: David Dargahi Video Producer: Max Bower Researcher and Social Producer: Anna Hindmarsh Studio Operator: Andy Watson Executive 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 battlelines@telegraph.co.uk ► 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. | |||
| Trump vows 'economic D-Day' as US jets escort oil tankers through Hormuz | 20 Aug 2026 | 00:35:40 | |
Donald Trump has vowed an ‘economic D-Day’ to crush Iran, amid news that the US military is stealthily getting oil out of the Strait of Hormuz despite Tehran’s attacks. Will US jets escorting tankers stop oil prices from rising further? In today’s episode of Iran: The Latest, Roland Oliphant talks to Matthew Savill, director of Military Sciences at the UK’s Royal United Services Institute (RUSI), to dissect the reality of Iran’s diminishing maritime leverage in the war, and how effective economic pressure will be on the Iranian regime. Plus, Britain’s diminishing minehunting capabilities in the Middle East, why Iran views the UK as the ‘Little Satan’, and what it’s like to be attacked by Iranian-backed militias in Iraq. Highlights
CONTRIBUTORS: Roland Oliphant, co-host and chief foreign affairs analyst @RolandOliphant Matthew Savill, RUSI director of Military Sciences, @MTSavill WATCH US ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJnf_DDTfIVAif-vifC6F2aoPB8GIw6dk CONTENT REFERENCED: Trump declares ‘economic D-Day’ against Iran https://www.telegraph.co.uk/us/news/2026/08/20/trump-declares-economic-d-day-iran-sanctions/ Winner Best News and Analysis Podcast - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026 Nominated Podcast of the Year - Society of Editors News Podcasts Awards 2026 Nominated Best News, Politics and Current Affairs - British Podcast Awards 2026 The Telegraph, Winner Podcast Publisher of the Year 2026 - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026 Audio Producer: David Dargahi Video Producer: Max Bower Researcher and Social Producer: Anna Hindmarsh Studio Operator: Andy Watson Executive 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 battlelines@telegraph.co.uk ► 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. | |||
| UAE cuts Iran’s economic lifeline after ‘ballistic missile strikes’ | 19 Aug 2026 | 00:40:11 | |
The UAE has dealt Iran a major blow by cutting off trade ties after accusing Tehran of firing two ballistic missiles towards the Gulf state. The missiles eventually landed outside territorial waters, but Abu Dhabi’s swift response could close down Iran’s key economic escape route. On today’s episode of Iran: The Latest, Sophia Yan unpacks the latest news from the Middle East war with Mahsa Alimardani, associate director of Technology Threats & Opportunities program at digital human rights group WITNESS. They discuss Iran’s state-backed cyber attacks against the West, how the Internet blackout has affected Iran’s economy and the unsophisticated AI around Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei. Plus, a new Iranian draft law that would criminalise speaking to foreign media, and news reports that Iran is assessing potential strikes against US military assets in Europe. Highlights
CHAPTERS 00:00:00 - UAE Imposes Trade Embargo Following Iranian Missile Attack 00:01:11 - Trump Denies Iran Talks as Hormuz Blockade Escalates 00:03:06 - Ground Reality: 90 Million Iranians Face Internal Warfare 00:06:04 - Khamenei Disappears: AI Deepfakes Fuel Regime Crisis 00:08:58 - US-Israel-Iran Conflict Drives Unprecedented AI Information War 00:11:50 - Regime Weapons-Grade Propaganda Targets US Political Divide 00:14:15 - White SIM Cards: How Elite Insiders Profit Off Internet Blackouts 00:22:27 - US DOJ Charges 17 Iranian Hackers Over Mass Cyber Theft 00:24:57 - Tehran Criminalizes Media Contact Under Zionist Law 00:33:50 - Regime Insider Warning: Iran Prepares Strikes on US Bases in Europe CONTRIBUTORS: Sophia Yan, co-host and senior foreign correspondent @sophia_yan Mahsa Alimardani, associate director of Technology Threats & Opportunities program at WITNESS @mahsaalimardani WATCH US ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJnf_DDTfIVAif-vifC6F2aoPB8GIw6dk CONTENT REFERENCED: US-Iran talks have stopped, says Trump https://www.telegraph.co.uk/us/news/2026/08/18/us-iran-talks-have-stopped-says-trump/ Winner Best News and Analysis Podcast - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026 Nominated Podcast of the Year - Society of Editors News Podcasts Awards 2026 Nominated Best News, Politics and Current Affairs - British Podcast Awards 2026 The Telegraph, Winner Podcast Publisher of the Year 2026 - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026 Audio Producer: David Dargahi Video Producer: Max Bower Researcher and Social Producer: Anna Hindmarsh Studio Operator: Andy Watson Executive 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 battlelines@telegraph.co.uk ► 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. | |||
| Iran strikes ship in Strait of Hormuz after Trump threatens to bomb Oman | 18 Aug 2026 | 00:28:31 | |
Iran has attacked another vessel in the Strait of Hormuz, just a day after Donald Trump threatened to bomb US ally Oman if it “gets in the way” of comatose US negotiations with Tehran. On today’s episode of Iran: The Latest, Venetia Rainey is joined by chief Washington correspondent Connor Stringer to discuss Trump’s escalating frustration over the lack of a Strait of Hormuz deal and why he is hoping Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent might have a solution to the war as oil prices start to rise again. Plus, a secret backchannel between Washington and the IRGC via Iraqi Kurdistan, why Trump hasn’t endorsed Netanyahu ahead of the Israeli election, and Yemen’s government fights back against Iranian proxy group the Houthis. Highlights
CHAPTERS 00:00 - Iran strikes ship in Strait of Hormuz 01:58 - Trump threatens to bomb US ally Oman 04:35 - Oil spikes to $90 as US treasury yield surges 06:05 - Secret US backchannel to IRGC exposed 09:55 - US launches economic siege as Iran strategy shifts 11:50 - Iran vows Strait of Hormuz stays blocked 15:15 - Yemen army launches 130+ strikes on Houthis 16:45 - Trump sends Kushner and Blair to disarm Hamas 23:20 - UN Security Council declared "not fit for purpose" 25:20 - Trump's bid to replace UN chief with FIFA boss CONTRIBUTORS: Venetia Rainey, co-host and executive producer @venetiarainey Connor Stringer, chief Washington correspondent @connorstringer WATCH US ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJnf_DDTfIVAif-vifC6F2aoPB8GIw6dk CONTENT REFERENCED: Trump threatens to bomb Oman over Iran deal https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/08/17/trump-threatens-to-bomb-oman-over-iran-deal/ Trump orders Bessent to cripple Iran’s economy https://www.telegraph.co.uk/us/politics/2026/08/12/trump-scott-bessent-end-iran-war/ Ukraine: the Latest: https://linktr.ee/UkraineTheLatest Axios: Inside Trump's secret backchannel to Iran's Revolutionary Guard https://www.axios.com/2026/08/16/iran-backchannel-trump-gabbard-barzani-war Winner Best News and Analysis Podcast - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026 Nominated Podcast of the Year - Society of Editors News Podcasts Awards 2026 Nominated Best News, Politics and Current Affairs - British Podcast Awards 2026 The Telegraph, Winner Podcast Publisher of the Year 2026 - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026 Audio Producer: Joleen Goffin Video Producer: Max Bower Researcher and Social Producer: Anna Hindmarsh Studio Operator: Andy Watson Executive 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 battlelines@telegraph.co.uk ► GET THE LATEST HEADLINES: Find all our latest Iran coverage here: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/iran-us-war/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||