Iran: The Latest

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 Trump threatens to ‘annihilate’ Iran as China upgrades Djibouti military base Inside the Strait of Hormuz dark route: ship-to-ship transfers and US escorts 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 https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/09/17/pentagon-exposes-mass-us-aircraft-losses-and-base-damage-fr/ 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.

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 Pentagon exposes mass US aircraft losses and base damage from Iran war Trump makes secret deal with the Houthis over the Red Sea 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 https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/09/17/four-ways-houthis-major-military-power-yemen-iran-weapons/ 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 https://www-cdn.anthropic.com/e50be2e51e7695dc4b1366a37a245a597377d3b5/Anthropic-Detecting-and-countering-091026.pdf 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.

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 Why the Iranian regime is relaxing its hijab enforcement laws in order to survive Yemen’s Houthis target Mecca and down Saudi jet 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.

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 Iran activates Yemen Houthi ‘ace card’ amid Strait of Hormuz stalemate Saudi Arabia turns to UK for help after ‘shocking’ Trump-Houthi call 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.

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 Iraq-based strikes close key Saudi East-West oil pipeline Trump says Houthis ‘asked US not to bomb them’ 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 https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/09/12/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.

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 Trump insists economic pain ‘worth it’ to stop Iran from getting nuclear weapon Inside the colourful Republican Midterms Convention 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 https://www.telegraph.co.uk/us/politics/2026/09/10/trump-republican-midterms-convention-address-analysis/ ‘Common sense’ Democrat praises Trump at Republican midterm convention https://www.telegraph.co.uk/us/politics/2026/09/10/democrat-john-fetterman-praises-trump-republican-convention/ 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/ 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.

“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 Trump refuses Saudi plea for strikes as Houthis seize Red Sea US Gen Ben Hodges on the US-Iran war, Pentagon chaos and 9/11 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.

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 Iran’s Houthis seize key Red Sea port as $100 oil threatens global economy MSF’S Charlene Silvin on wartime destruction in south Lebanon 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 https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/israel-security/2026-09-08/ty-article-magazine/.highlight/netanyahu-got-an-explicit-warning-before-oct-7-he-didnt-brief-security-chiefs/000001a0-7a3b-d7d5-a9fc-7eff3d0f0000 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 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 US blitzes Iranian oil tankers off Kharg Island How Russia supercharges Iran’s weapons 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 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 Iran uses new ballistic missile to target US warships UK sanctions Israel’s West Bank settlements 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 https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/09/07/iran-former-president-proposes-referendum-end-war-rouhani/ 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’ https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2026/09/08/ed-miliband-accuses-israeli-settlers-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.

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 US sinks Iranian ship as battle for the Strait of Hormuz heats up Violence flares up in Lebanon and Yemen 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 https://www.telegraph.co.uk/us/news/2026/09/05/us-destroys-iranian-oil-tankers-after-irgc-fires-at-warship/ 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.

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 Donald Trump’s approval rating plummets to a record low Could Pete Hegseth be on the chopping block if the midterms go badly? 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 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 US Navy drained by Iran war as Hegseth-Pentagon turmoil grows JD Vance vows investigation into deadly wedding strike in southern Iran 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’ https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/09/03/my-night-out-with-us-sailors-in-thailands-sin-city/ ‘It’s a fever dream’: 5,000 US sailors hit Thai sex tourism hotspot https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/09/02/us-sailors-descend-thai-party-town-after-eight-months-sea/ 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.

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 'My mum was in Evin prison when Israel bombed it' Joe Bennett on his mother Lindsay Foreman’s experience being held hostage by Iran 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.

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 US strikes hit IRGC bases & Iran-Russia supersonic missile deal exposed Why Xi Jinping is kicking himself that the PLA isn’t ready to invade Taiwan 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 https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/09/02/russia-helps-iran-build-c340l-supersonic-cruise-missiles/ 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.

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 Trump threatens Iran oil hub after US Jordan base attacked US military warns war unsustainable amid growing Pentagon chaos 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’ https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/08/31/donald-trump-ai-video-kharg-island-iran-middle-east/ Washington Post: Military leaders warn Hegseth against extending Iran war operations https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2026/08/30/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.

"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 Trump’s mistakes, Israel’s overreach and the end of the ‘Middle East’ Historian and author Simon Sebag-Montefiore on the Iran war 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.

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 Six Months of War: The Iran Quagmire & Operation Economic Outcast Trump Isolated? Netanyahu Defiance, Carney Tariffs, and UK West Bank Sanctions 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.

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 Diplomatic Flurry: What will come of recent Iran, Oman, and Qatar negotiations? Great-Power Shift: How China wins from US exhaustion 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.

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 6 months of war: Has Trump settled into a long-game strategy? Phantom Leader: Is Mojtaba Khamenei Dead or Incapacitated? 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.