Battle Lines: Israel-Gaza

Oil flows will not return to normal until the second half of next year - even if the Strait of Hormuz opens now.That's the grim prognosis of the UAE's most senior oil executive. But even if it does open, Iran is implementing a system of tolls that will have long-term implications, both in the Middle East and further afield. International economic editor Hans van Leeuwen tells Roland Oliphant how the ongoing crisis in the Strait of Hormuz is transforming shipping all over the world. Hans also looks at why India's leader Narendra Modi is in Europe at the moment trying to drum up deals amid fears the Iran war could impact his country's superpower trajectory. Meanwhile, Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu clash over whether to restart active hostilities, Pakistan's army chief heads to Tehran to coax the regime towards a peace deal, and Iran says it will not give up its Uranium. HighlightsHow Iran's Strait of Hormuz toll could spread worldwideWhy the Iran war is throwing India off its superpower trajectoryCONTRIBUTORS:Roland Oliphant, co-host and chief foreign affairs analyst @RolandOliphantHans van Leeuwen, international economics editor @hansvan333 CONTENT REFERENCED:How Trump trampled on Modi's dream of an Indian superpowerhttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2026/05/20/how-trump-trampled-on-modis-dream-of-an-indian-superpower/Iran weaponised world trade and others are following suithttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2026/05/19/iran-weaponised-world-trade-and-others-are-following-suit/Producer: Peter ShevlinExecutive Producers: Venetia Rainey & Louisa Wells► Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor► EMAIL US: Contact the team on 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 has threatened to spread the war beyond the Middle East if Donald Trump starts bombing the country again. Is it an empty threat or should we be worried?Jonathan Hackett, a former US Marine Corps interrogator and special operations intelligence officer, joins the podcast again to discuss the state of Iran's military capabilities, their Mosaic Doctrine and what next for the war with Venetia Rainey, Sophia Yan and Roland Oliphant.They also discuss reports today that the US wanted to install former president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in Ali Khamenei's place, news of secret Israeli bases in the Iraqi desert, and the shady Iran-linked group known as HAYI behind a series of attacks on Jews in London. Plus, as Vladimir Putin visits Xi Jinping in China, Sophia looks at how the energy crisis caused by the war has boosted Moscow by forcing the UK and US to drop sanctions on Russian oil, and Venetia looks at JD Vance's latest comments on peace deal talks. HighlightsIran warns Trump: ‘We'll take war global if you bomb us again'A US Marine on Iran's terror war against the WestCONTRIBUTORS:Venetia Rainey, co-host and executive producer @venetiaraineyRoland Oliphant, co-host and chief foreign affairs analyst @RolandOliphantSophia Yan, co-host and senior foreign correspondent @sophia_yanJonathan Hackett, former US Marine Corps @jonathanhackettCONTENT REFERENCED:Akhtar Makoii: Iran's plan to strike back in second round of warhttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/05/19/iran-plan-strike-back-second-round-war/Badenoch: PM's sanctions U-turn will fund killing of Ukrainian soldiershttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2026/05/20/starmer-eases-sanctions-on-russian-oil/Producer: Peter ShevlinExecutive Producers: Venetia Rainey & Louisa Wells► Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor► EMAIL US: Contact the team on 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 postponed his “scheduled” attack on Iran for now, but who is winning the online war between the two countries?America's military has pumped out videos of air strikes and missile attacks, often spliced in with video game footage and overlaid with high octane music for maximum effect. Meanwhile, Iranian activists have created slick Lego animation videos set to hip hop music. Venetia Rainey chats to information warfare specialist Tal Hagin about which is cutting through more. They also discuss the rise in AI-driven misinformation, anti-Semitism and desensitisation during the Iran war, from the deadly Minab school attack to Benjamin Netanyahu's “extra” finger and rumoured death. Plus, how can Israel deal with the growing Hezbollah drone threat? Lieutenant Colonel Sarit Zehavi, founder of the Alma Center, explains what it's like living in northern Israel at the moment and why a bigger war with Lebanon would be needed to root out the terror group. Highlights America's Call of Duty vs Iran's Lego videos: who is winning the online war?Why Israel wants to go deeper into Lebanon to root out HezbollahCONTRIBUTORS:Venetia Rainey, co-host and executive producer @venetiaraineyTal Hagin, information warfare analyst @talhaginLt Col. Sarit Zehavi, founder Alma Center @ZehaviAlmaProducer: Peter ShevlinExecutive Producers: Venetia Rainey & Louisa Wells► Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor► EMAIL US: Contact the team on 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.

Executions have soared inside Iran, with new Amnesty data today showing more than 2,000 people were given the death penalty in 2025. Roland Oliphant speaks to Iranian journalist in exile Maryam Mazrooei about the “bloodthirsty” regime's latest tactic to scare citizens into silence amid the war with the US and Israel. She also explains why the mood inside the country is increasingly dark amid a growing economic disaster, with mass layoffs and no internet.Plus, the UK has fitted new laser-guided missiles to its Typhoon jets on patrol in the Gulf. Venetia Rainey talks to acting defence editor Tom Cotterill about how they have been designed to talk on Iranian Shahed drones and why they were developed so fast. Tom also talks about his recent trip to the Falklands, where locals dismissed rumours that the US may drop its backing for British sovereignty over the Islands as punishment for not joining Donald Trump's war against Iran. Highlights Gulf gets new laser-guided missiles to help smash Iranian drones‘Bloodthirsty' Iran regime executions hit all-time high as economy freefallsCONTRIBUTORS:Venetia Rainey, co-host and executive producer @venetiaraineyRoland Oliphant, co-host and chief foreign affairs analyst @RolandOliphantTom Cotterill, acting defence editor @TomCotterillXMaryam Mazrooie, journalist @MaryammazrooeiSCONTENT REFERENCED:Trump: There won't be anything left of Iran if it refuses peace dealhttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/05/17/trump-wont-be-anything-left-of-iran-if-refuses-peace-deal/Typhoon jets equipped with cheaper missiles to fend off Iranian attackshttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/05/17/typhoon-jets-new-missiles-iran-attacks/Tom Cotterill: Trump is using us as a pawn, says Falklands chiefhttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/05/10/falkland-islands-trump-is-using-us-as-a-pawn/David Blair: Iran's regime is confident of victory. It may be overplaying its handhttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/05/17/irans-regime-confident-of-victory-it-may-overplaying-hand/Amnesty: Executions surge to highest recorded figure in 44 yearshttps://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2026/05/executions-surge-highest-recorded-figure-44-years/Producer: Peter ShevlinExecutive Producers: Venetia Rainey & Louisa Wells► Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor► EMAIL US: Contact the team on 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 ended his high stakes trip to China claiming Xi Jinping had promised not to arm Iran, wanted the Strait of Hormuz open, and backed his goal of preventing Tehran getting a nuclear weapon. But does any of that amount to a change in Chinese policy, and will it do anything to bring the frozen but still rumbling conflict to a close? Sophia Yan speaks to Andrea Ghiselli, a China-Iran expert who has spent the war in China, about how the conflict is perceived in Beijing. Plus, Roland Oliphant summarises the latest news from the Middle East, including renewed drone strikes in Iraq.Highlights:Trump says that Xi has pledged no military equipment to IranCautious optimism in Lebanon as talks with Israel progressCONTRIBUTORS:Roland Oliphant, co-host and chief foreign affairs analyst @RolandOliphantSophia Yan, senior foreign correspondent, @sophia_yan Andrea Ghiselli, China-ME expert and lecturer at the University of Exeter @AGhiselliChinaProducer: Peter ShevlinExecutive Producers: Venetia Rainey & Louisa Wells► Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor► EMAIL US: Contact the team on 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 two more ships are attacked in the Strait of Hormuz and the ceasefire in Lebanon nears its end, all eyes are on the high-stakes US-China summit in Beijing.Donald Trump and Xi Jinping say they agree that Iran must not have nuclear weapons and that the Strait must be reopened - but what does that mean in practice? Ahmed Aboudouh, Associate Fellow for Middle East and North Africa at Chatham House, joins Roland Oliphant and Sophia Yan and explains how Beijing's complex relationship with Tehran and the Gulf monarchies will inform its approach to the war.Highlights What Beijing really wants from the Iran crisisThe balancing act between Tehran and the Gulf statesCONTRIBUTORS:Roland Oliphant, co-host and chief foreign affairs analyst @RolandOliphantSophia Yan, senior foreign correspondent, @sophia_yan Ahmed Aboudouh, Chatham House @AAboudouhCONTENT REFERENCED:China ‘secretly planning to ship arms to Iran'https://www.telegraph.co.uk/us/news/2026/05/13/china-weapons-deal-iran/China will benefit from the Iran war, regardless of any deal between Trump and Tehranhttps://www.chathamhouse.org/2026/05/china-will-benefit-iran-war-regardless-any-deal-between-trump-and-tehran Producer: Peter ShevlinExecutive Producers: Venetia Rainey & Louisa Wells► Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor► EMAIL US: Contact the team on 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.

Weeks of American and Israeli airstrikes inflicted grievous losses on Iran's military. Or so we thought. Now, US intelligence assessments suggest that Iran retains 70 percent of the missiles and launch vehicles it had before the war - including most of the sites threatening the Strait of Hormuz. Holly Dagres joins Roland Oliphant and Sophia Yan to unpack the implications. She also explains why Iran's hardliners are unlikely to listen to China's leader Xi Jinping, have stepped up execution of opponents and alleged spies at home, and are nose-diving the economy with a crippling internet black out. This is the latest from Donald Trump's war against Iran – which will overshadow his summit later this week with Xi.Highlights Iran retains 70 percent of its missile arsenalWhy Tehran's hardliners will resist pressure from ChinaCONTRIBUTORS:Roland Oliphant, co-host and chief foreign affairs analyst @RolandOliphantSophia Yan, senior foreign correspondent, @sophia_yan Holly Dagres, Washington Institute, @hdagresProducer: Peter ShevlinExecutive Producers: Venetia Rainey & Louisa Wells► Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor► EMAIL US: Contact the team on 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-Iran ceasefire is on ‘life support,' says Donald Trump. Iran may enrich Uranium to weapons grade if the war resumes, says its government. All this sets the stage for Donald Trump's trip to Beijing this week, where he will ask Xi Jinping for help bringing the war to a satisfactory end.Might the two most powerful men on the planet might find a way to re-open the Strait of Hormuz and end the war? But does China have the leverage to force Iran to act, and would Xi Jinping be willing to use it to help out Donald Trump?Highlights Can China stop the Iran conflict from spiralling further?What will a successful US-China Summit look like for Trump?CONTRIBUTORS:Roland Oliphant, co-host and chief foreign affairs analyst @RolandOliphantAllegra Mendelson, Asia CorrespondentDr Alessandro Arduino, RUSI Associate Fellow, International SecurityCONTENT REFERENCED:Antonia Langford, Putin expands world's largest drone factoryhttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/05/11/putin-expands-worlds-largest-drone-factory/ Benedict Smith, Trump: ceasefire with Iran is on life supporthttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/05/11/iran-us-war-latest-tehran-executes-alleged-cia-mossad-spy/Robert White, UAE ‘carried out secret attacks on Iran'https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/05/12/uae-secret-attacks-on-iran/Producer: Peter ShevlinExecutive Producers: Venetia Rainey & Louisa Wells► Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor► EMAIL US: Contact the team on 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 Donald Trump rejects Iran's rejection of his peace terms, diplomatic efforts to end the war are back where they started. David Blair explains how this leaves Donald Trump with little choice to restart the war - but with little appetite to do so. And with time running out before the US president heads to China for a high-stake summit with Xi Jinping. Memphis Barker explains how Xi Jinping could help Donald Trump to end the war, why he is unlikely to be terribly helpful, and why some fear the US might sell out Taiwan in exchange for Chinese help. Highlights Netanyahu preparing to reengage militarilyCan Xi Jinping help Donald Trump find an off-ramp from the Iran war?CONTRIBUTORS:Roland Oliphant, co-host and chief foreign affairs analyst @RolandOliphantDavid Blair, chief foreign affairs commentator, @davidblairdt Memphis Barker, senior foreign correspondent, @memphisbarkerCONTENT REFERENCED:‘Double-dealing' Pakistan plots windfall from Iran peacemaker rolehttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/05/03/pakistan-takes-centre-stage-in-iran-negotiations/ Trump now has three options. They are all badhttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/05/06/trump-three-options-all-bad/Producer: Peter ShevlinExecutive Producers: Venetia Rainey & Louisa Wells► Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor► EMAIL US: Contact the team on 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 and Iran have traded fire - and blame - in the Strait of Hormuz, is the war about to restart?The ceasefire is looking shakier than ever after America bombed Iranian coastal cities overnight. It said it was a response to Tehran attacking three US destroyers passing through the Strait of Hormuz. Today, Iran has attacked the UAE with drones and missiles. President Donald Trump says the US strikes were just a “love tap”, while Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Aragchi calls it a “reckless military adventure”. Venetia Rainey is joined by Washington bureau chief Arthur MacMillan to discuss the view from the US following a week of U-turns and uncertainty. He explains why he does not have high expectations of a peace deal being struck before Trump goes to China, what the American public make of the war, and why the US may well pull more troops out of Europe. Plus, Jerusalem correspondent Henry Bodkin takes listeners inside a Hezbollah tunnel in a dispatch from southern Lebanon, where he reports on Israel's plan to create a northern buffer zone in the style of Gaza. Highlights ‘Love tap' or ‘reckless adventure'? US and Iran trade fire and blamePlus: a dispatch from inside a Hezbollah tunnel in LebanonCONTRIBUTORS:Venetia Rainey, co-host @venetiaraineyArthur MacMillan, Washington bureau chief @arthurmacmillanHenry Bodkin, Jerusalem correspondent @HenryBodkinCONTENT REFERENCED:Connor Stringer: How Trump's ‘Project Freedom' fell apart in one dayhttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/us/news/2026/05/06/us-iran-trump-military-diplomacy-project-freedom/Henry Bodkin: Inside the tunnels that show Hezbollah doesn't want peace with Israelhttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/05/07/inside-tunnels-show-hezbollah-doesnt-want-peace-with-israel/Producer: Peter ShevlinExecutive Producers: Venetia Rainey & Louisa Wells► Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor► EMAIL US: Contact the team on 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 focus of the US-Iran war rests once again on the Strait of Hormuz, is there any way to get it open again? Since Donald Trump cancelled Project Freedom, Iran's chokehold on the vital waterway is as tight as ever. But James Parkin has some ideas. The former Royal Navy rear admiral was in charge of the task force that broke the last attempted IRGC shut down in 2019, and tells Roland Oliphant that the US could do it again - if it really wanted to. He also explains what it is like fighting the fanatical but talented sailors of the IRGC navy, and why he thinks their claims to have mined the Strait are probably lies. Plus, The Telegraph's foreign correspondent Akhtar Makoii gives the view from Iran amid growing expectations of an imminent peace deal today, and Venetia Rainey looks at why Israel has suddenly bombed Beirut despite a ceasefire. They also discuss the latest news of extensive damage to American bases in the Gulf and the long-term implications. Highlights ‘Trump could reopen Hormuz if he dared, I've done it'Retired Royal Navy rear admiral James Parkin speaks outCONTRIBUTORS:Roland Oliphant, co-host and chief foreign affairs analyst @RolandOliphantVenetia Rainey, co-host @venetiaraineyAkhtar Makoii, foreign correspondent @akhtar_makoiiJames Parkin, retired Royal Navy rear admiral CONTENT REFERENCED:Connor Stringer: How Trump's ‘Project Freedom' fell apart in one dayhttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/us/news/2026/05/06/us-iran-trump-military-diplomacy-project-freedom/Henry Bodkin: US and Iran ‘close' to deal to end warhttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/05/06/us-iran-close-deal-end-war-israel-middle-east-hormuz-strait/Akhtar Makoii: Trump and Mojtaba Khamenei have more in common than they realisehttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/05/06/trump-and-mojtaba-khamenei-have-more-in-common-they-realise/Washington Post: Iran has hit far more U.S. military assets than reported, satellite images showhttps://www.washingtonpost.com/investigations/2026/05/06/iran-us-bases-satellite-images/NBC: Trump's abrupt U-turn on a plan to reopen the Strait of Hormuz came after backlash from allieshttps://www.nbcnews.com/politics/white-house/trumps-abrupt-u-turn-plan-re-open-strait-hormuz-came-backlash-allies-rcna343845Producer: Peter ShevlinExecutive Producers: Venetia Rainey & Louisa Wells► Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor► EMAIL US: Contact the team on 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.

Is America's Operation Epic Fury really over?Secretary of State Marco Rubio says the US's military campaign against the Iranian regime has finished, and there are growing reports of a US-Iran peace deal in the offing. Venetia Rainey and Roland Oliphant break down the top three news stories you need to know today, from why Donald Trump has ended Project Freedom in the Strait of Hormuz to the importance of talks between Iran and China. Plus, did a spat over the Iran war prompt Trump to withdraw 5,000 troops from Germany last week? Berlin correspondent James Rothwell explains the significance of America's significant troop presence in the country and why America's pull-out is fuelling speculation that Nato is well and truly over. Highlights The end of Operation Epic Fury amid growing talks of a peace dealWhy Trump has pulled troops from Germany following Iran war spatCONTRIBUTORS:Venetia Rainey, co-host @venetiaraineyRoland Oliphant, co-host and chief foreign affairs analyst @RolandOliphantJames Rothwell, Berlin correspondent @JamesERothwellCONTENT REFERENCED:David Blair: Trump now has three options. They are all badhttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/05/06/trump-three-options-all-bad/Akhtar Makoii: Trump and Mojtaba Khamenei have more in common than they realisehttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/05/06/trump-and-mojtaba-khamenei-have-more-in-common-they-realise/Donald Tusk: Nato is disintegratinghttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/05/02/donald-tusk-nato-is-disintegrating/Why the US cannot fight another war after Iran without China's helphttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/04/30/us-cannot-fight-another-war-after-iran-without-china-help/Producer: Peter ShevlinExecutive Producers: Venetia Rainey & Louisa Wells► Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor► EMAIL US: Contact the team on 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.

Is the US-Iran war about to restart amid escalating tensions in the Strait of Hormuz?Donald Trump has launched Project Freedom - a US Navy mission to break the Iranian blockade imposed since the beginning of the war. However, while the White House has framed the escort of neutral vessels as a “humanitarian gesture”, Tehran sees it as an escalation. Iran has fired missiles and drones at ships and an oil port in the UAE, and today says it is “just getting started”. Roland Oliphant and chief foreign affairs commentator David Blair discuss the latest updates and why both sides are now likely locked in a downward spiral, putting us “one step” away from renewed all-out fighting. Plus, former US Navy submariner Bryan Clark, director of the Center for Defense Concepts and Technology at the Hudson Institute, explains why America must put more force into the Strait of Hormuz if it wants to win against a patient enemy like Iran. He also talks through Iran's remaining naval capabilities, from midget subs to fast boats. HighlightsWhy Trump's Project Freedom will fail without more forceAn ex-US Navy submariner on what it will take to reopen the Strait of HormuzCONTRIBUTORS:Roland Oliphant, co-host and chief foreign affairs analyst @RolandOliphantDavid Blair, chief foreign affairs commentator @davidblairdtBryan Clark, senior fellow Hudson Institute @clarkdefenseCONTENT REFERENCED:Trump has finally realised he must seize the Strait of Hormuzhttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/05/04/trump-finally-realised-seize-the-strait-of-hormuz/Producer: Peter ShevlinExecutive Producers: Venetia Rainey & Louisa Wells► Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor► EMAIL US: Contact the team on 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.

Within living memory, Tehran ruled an oil-rich great power brimming with intellectuals inspired by British democracy. So how did it become an impoverished rogue state at war with the West?In this special Bank Holiday edition, Ali Ansari, professor of Iranian history at the University of St Andrews, takes Roland Oliphant through Iran's tumultuous modern era: from the 1906 Constitutional Revolution and the 1953 coup, to the 1979 ousting of the shah and the 2026 US assassination of Ali Khamenei.From the blunders of the unlikely "midwife" of the modern Iranian state - Great Britain - to the catastrophic decisions of successive Supreme Leaders after the founding of the Islamic Republic, he charts the course that shaped the country Donald Trump is fighting today. How do the myths overshadow the facts of the CIA's 1953 coup and the Iran-Iraq war? Why is the regime so obsessed with enriching uranium and fighting Israel and America? And is the UK guilty of betraying Iranian dreams of democracy?Plus, how the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company brought association football to Tehran. Highlights Oil, revolution and ayatollahs: how Iran went from great power to rogue state Professor Ali Ansari explains 20th-century Iranian historyCONTRIBUTORS:Roland Oliphant, co-host and chief foreign affairs analyst @RolandOliphantAli Ansari, professor University of St Andrews @aa51_ansariCONTENT REFERENCED:Part 1: ‘Iran thinks it's still a great power': Why the regime won't surrenderhttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/04/03/why-the-iranian-regime-wont-surrender-ali-ansari/Producer: Max BowerExecutive Producers: Venetia Rainey & Louisa Wells► Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor► EMAIL US: Contact the team on 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 faces a critical decision as the Iran war drifts into a stalemate: double down on military force or hope the US blockade will break the deadlock. Amid a deadline today for Trump to get Congress' approval for further military operations under the War Powers Act, new reports suggest the Pentagon has requested the deployment of America's Dark Eagle hypersonic missiles to the Middle East. Venetia Rainey and Roland Oliphant discuss the latest updates from the region. Plus, what is Russia's role in the Iran war? Behnam Ben Taleblu, senior director of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies's Iran program, explains how Moscow has supported Tehran and is using it as a “pawn” in the broader fight against the West. He also analyses the significance of the viral Iranian Lego propaganda videos and Mojtaba Khamanei's latest statement. Highlights US 'could deploy hypersonic missiles' to Middle EastHow Russia is supporting Iran to fight the WestCONTRIBUTORS:Venetia Rainey, co-host @venetiaraineyRoland Oliphant, co-host and chief foreign affairs analyst @RolandOliphantBehnam Ben Taleblu, Foundation for Defense of Democracies @therealBehnamBTCONTENT REFERENCED:US asks to move Dark Eagle hypersonic missiles towards Iranhttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/04/30/us-asks-to-move-dark-eagle-hypersonic-missiles-towards-iran/1,000 targets a day in Iran: How AI is accelerating warhttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/05/01/1000-targets-day-how-ai-accelerating-america-iran-war/Maven: the AI system helping the US bomb Iranhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NdHYDGHN5rQProducer: Peter ShevlinExecutive Producers: Venetia Rainey & Louisa Wells► Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor► EMAIL US: Contact the team on 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 UK is in shock after an Iran-linked Islamist group claimed yet another attack on Jews in London. In the wake of the Golders Green stabbing attack, national security editor Rozina Sabur looks at what we know about the shadowy online group known as Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamia (HAYI) and its links to the Iranian regime. Plus, as Donald Trump weighs whether to take further military action against Iran or in the Strait of Hormuz, Samuel Olsen, chief analyst at risk and intelligence firm Sibylline, explains that the conflict has further indebted the US to China. Why? Beijing's near-total dominance of the supply chain of rare earths and critical minerals, which every bit of modern military kit requires. Trump's upcoming visit to Beijing to meet Xi Jinping is likely to centre on this issue - as well as Taiwan. Elsewhere, Venetia Rainey and Sophia Yan analyse what we learned from Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth's first under-oath testimony on the war and why the ceasefire seems to be holding everywhere apart from Iraq. HighlightsWhy the US cannot rearm post-Iran war without China Rozina Sabur on the Iran-linked group claiming to be behind the Golders Green attackCONTRIBUTORS:Venetia Rainey, co-host @venetiaraineySophia Yan, senior foreign correspondent @sophia_yanSamuel Olsen, chief analyst Sibylline @samolsenxCONTENT REFERENCED:Project Vault: Trump's battle to break China's critical mineral strangleholdhttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/02/09/project-vault-trumps-battle-to-break-chinas-mineral-strangl/China just proved it can cripple the US military in days. Now Trump is furioushttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/10/20/china-just-proved-it-can-cripple-the-us-military-in-days-no/The Iranian sleeper cell bringing terror to Europehttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/03/23/iranian-sleeper-cell-islamic-movement-companions-synagogue/Producer: Peter ShevlinExecutive Producers: Venetia Rainey & Louisa Wells► Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor► EMAIL US: Contact the team on 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.

From the Strait of Hormuz to Lebanon, the Iran war has seen the West's foes adopt asymmetric warfare with growing efficacy. Fresh off the boat from the Omani side of the Strait, Adrian Blomfield joins Venetia Rainey and Roland Oliphant. He explains how being out on the busy, misty and historic waterway helped him to understand why it is almost impossible for the US to counter Iran's so-called “mosquito” fleet of fast boats.Meanwhile, Jerusalem correspondent Henry Bodkin discusses the growing threat posed by Hezbollah as it adopts Ukrainian drone tactics to fight Israeli troops in southern Lebanon. He talks through a particularly worrying video showing the terror group flying a fibre-optic first-person view (FPV) drone at a medivac helicopter. Plus, Venetia and Roland run through the latest updates from today, including Donald Trump's new threat to Iran and bad signs from the Iranian economy. Highlights: Adrian Blomfield on his trip to the Strait of HormuzHenry Bodkin on the growing threat posed by Hezbollah as it adopts Ukrainian drone tacticsCONTRIBUTORS:Venetia Rainey, co-host @venetiaraineyRoland Oliphant, co-host and chief foreign affairs analyst @RolandOliphantAdrian Blomfield, senior foreign correspondent @adrianblomfieldHenry Bodkin, Jerusalem correspondent @HenryBodkinCONTENT REFERENCED:Hezbollah attacks Israeli military helicopter with fibre optic droneshttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/04/28/hezbollah-attack-israeli-idf-helicopter-fibre-optic-drones/Adrian Blomfield: Here in the Strait, Iran's mosquito fleet renders Trump blockade futilehttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/04/28/strait-of-hormuz-irans-mosquito-fleet-winning-blockade/Akhtar Makoii: Iran's cost of living is out of control as Trump's blockade takes holdhttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/04/29/irans-cost-of-living-trump-blockade/Producer: Peter ShevlinExecutive Producers: Venetia Rainey & Louisa Wells► Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor► EMAIL US: Contact the team on 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 regime is facing an existential crisis prompted by the US-Israeli war. Despite taking a military battering and the economy being in ruins, Tehran refuses to surrender to Donald Trump. Historian Arash Azizi takes Roland Oliphant and Sophia Yan inside the clash between the regime establishment and the ultra-hardliners who fear their vision of the Islamic Republic will not survive peace. He explains why the country's powerful, IRGC-linked chief negotiator Mohammad Ghalibaf is increasingly being attacked in Iranian media and the dilemma facing the Islamic Republic as it looks to make a deal without surrendering the anti-American dogmatism that revolutionaries hold so dear. Plus, senior foreign correspondent Adrian Blomfeld reports from the Strait of Hormuz and Sophia and Roland discuss the significance of the UAE pulling out of OPEC. HighlightsArash Azizi on why Iran's hardliners are a “bunch of losers with no power”How the Iranian regime is facing a choice between reform and destruction CONTRIBUTORS:Roland Oliphant, co-host @rolandoliphantSophia Yan, senior foreign correspondent @sophiacyan Arash Azizi, author and historian Yale University @arash_tehran CONTENT REFERENCED:Adrian Blomfield: Here in the Strait, Iran's mosquito fleet renders Trump blockade futilehttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/04/28/strait-of-hormuz-irans-mosquito-fleet-winning-blockade/Robert White, Iona Cleave: Trump ‘unlikely to accept' Iran's Hormuz deal https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/04/28/iran-war-live-trump-peace-talks-hormuz-strikes-lebanon/Producer: Peter ShevlinExecutive Producers: Venetia Rainey & Louisa Wells► Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor► EMAIL US: Contact the team on 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 has severely depleted key munitions in the Iran war - and it's already having global consequences. From delayed deliveries to allies such as Japan, South Korea and Ukraine, to a knockon impact on any future wars - such as a potential conflict with China over Taiwan - new analysis of America's strategic stockpiles do not make for comfortable reading. Venetia Rainey talks to Mark Cancian and Chris Park from the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) about what's running low, why and what impact it will have. Plus, will Donald Trump strike a deal with Iran to open the Strait of Hormuz instead of prioritising a nuclear agreement? That's what Tehran is reportedly proposing today, but as veteran US diplomat David Satterfield explains, that comes with its own problems. With Iran playing the long-game in an asymmetric war, the former ambassador says Trump does not have many good options available. CONTRIBUTORS:Venetia Rainey, co-host @venetiaraineyDavid Satterfield, former US diplomat and director of Baker Institute for Public PolicyMark Cancian, senior fellow CSIS @MarkCancianChris Park, research associate CSIS @chrhsparkCONTENT REFERENCED:Last Rounds? Status of Key Munitions at the Iran War Ceasefirehttps://www.csis.org/analysis/last-rounds-status-key-munitions-iran-war-ceasefireProducer: Elliot LampittExecutive Producers: Venetia Rainey & Louisa Wells► Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor► EMAIL US: Contact the team on 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-Iran ceasefire has limped into its third week, but can stuttering peace talks deliver a deal before war resumes? Roland Oliphant is joined by Sanam Vakil, director of the Middle East and North Africa program at Chatham House, to discuss the latest news and updates, including what Mojtaba Khamanei's reported injuries tell us about the balance of power in Tehran. She also explains why the normally factional Iranian regime is united in its need to end the war, and how Donald Trump's attempt to drive a wedge between “moderates” and “hardliners” is likely to fail.Plus, international economics editor Hans van Leeuwen explains why the world has been watching the wrong oil price - and how the global impact of the war could be worse than we thought. Highlights Why time is not on Trump's side in the Iran warMojtaba Khamenei's injuries and what they say about the Iranian regimeCONTRIBUTORS:Roland Oliphant, co-host and chief foreign affairs analyst @RolandOliphantHans van Leeuwen, International economics editor @hansvan333Sanam Vakil, MENA programme director Chatham House @SanamVakilCONTENT REFERENCED:Hans van Leeuwen: The world is watching the wrong oil priceProducer: Elliot LampittExecutive Producers: Venetia Rainey & Louisa Wells► Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor► EMAIL US: Contact the team on 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 will it take to protect the Strait of Hormuz from Iran's sea mines and fast boats?With Tehran now charging extortionate tolls, attacking commercial ships who do not get permission to transit and reportedly laying around 20 sea mines, the vital waterway has become a living nightmare. President Donald Trump today told the US Navy to fire on any boats laying mines, but with Pentagon estimates that it will take six months to mine-sweep the Strait, is that enough? To discuss the problem, Venetia Rainey is joined by Emma Salisbury, an Associate Fellow at the Royal Navy Strategic Studies Centre. Emma explains how American minesweeping capabilities became so heavily degraded, why Iran's non-conventional navy remains so effective and hard to destroy, and the maritime signs that Trump may be considering a return to all-out war. Plus, senior foreign correspondent Sophia Yan talks through the latest news and updates from the region, including the status of the US-Iran ceasefire, reports that America is running out of munitions, and the Lebanon-Israel peace talks to disarm Hezbollah. Highlights: Why it would take the US six months to minesweep the Strait of Hormuz - in peacetimeSophia Yan on how the Iran war became a game of chickenCONTRIBUTORS:Venetia Rainey, co-host @venetiaraineySophia Yan, senior foreign correspondent @sophia_yanEmma Salisbury, associate fellow Royal Navy Strategic Studies Centre @salisbotCONTENT REFERENCED:The Mine Gap: America Forgot How to Sweep the SeaIranian shadow fleet tankers break through US blockadeTrump has eight days to make up his mind on IranLast Rounds? Status of Key Munitions at the Iran War CeasefireProducer: Peter ShevlinExecutive Producers: Venetia Rainey & Louisa Wells► Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor► EMAIL US: Contact the team on 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.

Instead of peace talks today, the US-Iran ceasefire is on the brink of collapsing and the Strait of Hormuz is heating up. Despite the two-week deadline expiring today, JD Vance never boarded a plane to Pakistan for negotiations and neither did anyone from Iran. Instead, Donald Trump has extended the ceasefire indefinitely and the IRGC has today attacked several more international ships.Is the war about to restart? Venetia Rainey and Roland Oliphant are joined by chief foreign affairs commentator David Blair and foreign correspondent Akhtar Makoii to discuss the latest news, decode the signals from each side and explain what might happen next. Plus, Roland chats to Richard Mead, editor-in-chief of the maritime industry bible Lloyd's List, about the wider implications of the Strait of Hormuz being in “utter chaos”, how ships are increasingly going dark to avoid detection, and China's role in everything. HighlightsDavid Blair and Akhtar Makoii discuss whether the Iran war will restartWhy the Strait of Hormuz being in “utter chaos” matters for everyoneCONTRIBUTORS:Venetia Rainey, co-host @venetiaraineyRoland Oliphant, co-host and chief foreign affairs analyst @RolandOliphantDavid Blair, chief foreign affairs commentator @davidblairdtAkhtar Makoii, foreign correspondent @akhtar_makoiiCONTENT REFERENCED:Connor Stringer: ‘It's all a giant clusterf---': Inside Trump's floundering Iran peace processAkhtar Makoii: Iran's real negotiator is staring Trump down from the shadowsDavid Blair: Trump's flip-flopping will only embolden Iran to harden its demandsHormuz chaos shows Iran is too fractured to speak with one voiceProducer: Peter ShevlinExecutive Producers: Venetia Rainey & Louisa Wells► Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor► EMAIL US: Contact the team on 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.

Can the US and Iran strike a last-minute nuclear deal to end the war?With the two-week ceasefire deadline expiring on Wednesday, peace talks are tentatively set to go ahead in Pakistan between US Vice President JD Vance and an Iranian delegation led by Mohammad Ghalibaf. Donald Trump has threatened to resume bombing if negotiations fail, but a major stumbling block remains: Iran's nuclear programme. Washington wants Tehran to end all advanced uranium enrichment and give up its 450kg of “nuclear dust” that is currently buried under rubble. Rafael Grossi, director-general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, tells foreign editor Louis Emanuel that without proper verification on the ground, any agreement will be an “illusion”. Meanwhile, senior foreign correspondent Memphis Barker explains how the "ghost" of the previous Iran nuclear agreement - Barack Obama's 2015 JCPOA - looms large over everything. Can Trump strike a better deal now than the one he tore up in 2018?Plus, Roland Oliphant runs through the latest updates and news from across the region, including what is going on in the Strait of Hormuz and some clarity on when the ceasefire actually ends. Highlights:Rafael Grossi, head of the IAEA, on why a nuclear deal with Iran is tricky but doableWhy the ghost of Obama's 2015 Iran nuclear deal looms over peace talksCONTRIBUTORS:Roland Oliphant, co-host and chief foreign affairs analyst @RolandOliphantMemphis Barker, senior foreign correspondent @memphisbarkerLouis Emanuel, foreign editor @louisjemanuelRafael Grossi, director general IAEA @rafaelmgrossiCONTENT REFERENCED:Exclusive interview: World faces new nuclear arms raceWhy Obama's Iran nuclear deal looms large over Trump's negotiationsProducer: Peter ShevlinExecutive Producer: Louisa Wells► Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor► EMAIL US: Contact the team on 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.

Will the weekend showdown in the Strait of Hormuz collapse the US-Iran ceasefire?After Iran opened and then closed the Strait, attacked an Indian tanker and turned around ships, Donald Trump ordered the seizure of a sanctioned Iranian vessel that was attempting to pass through the US blockade. What followed was a new first for the war: shots fired at the Iranian container ship's engine and the whole vessel taken into custody. Retired Royal Navy commodore Steve Prest looks at how such seizures normally happen, the tricky question of what will happen to the vessel now and the long-term prospects of the Strait of Hormuz being reopened for global trade. Plus, with the deadline for ceasefire talks in Pakistan fast approaching, Venetia Rainey looks at the signs today that talks may go ahead on Tuesday despite Iranian denials. She also explains the latest updates from Lebanon, where Hezbollah killed two Israeli soldiers over the weekend. CONTRIBUTORS:Venetia Rainey, co-host @venetiaraineySteve Prest, ex-Royal Navy commodore @fightingsailorCONTENT REFERENCED:Akhtar Makoii: Hormuz chaos shows Iran is too fractured to speak with one voice‘Vacate your engine room': US Navy warns Iran ship before firingYou're firing, let me turn back: Panicked sailor pleads with Iranian attackersIsraeli soldier smashes Jesus statue in face with sledgehammerTimes of Israel: 26 years later, IDF restores its south Lebanon security zone — with key changesProducer: Peter ShevlinExecutive Producer: Louisa Wells► Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor► EMAIL US: Contact the team on 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.

Is Iran giving up its enriched uranium?US President Donald Trump says Tehran has agreed to hand over all of its “nuclear dust” - a potentially huge concession in the war. Venetia Rainey and Roland Oliphant discuss why this would be so significant and what might have been offered to Iran in return. They also discuss what this means for US-Iran peace talks and the latest updates from the Strait of Hormuz after Tehran said it was “completely open”. Plus, as the separate Israel-Lebanon ceasefire comes into force today, The Telegraph's Jerusalem correspondent Henry Bodkin and AP's Beirut correspondent Kareem Chehayeb look at the prospect of it lasting. Kareem explains why disarming Hezbollah is desirable for many Lebanese but difficult, while Henry analyses why Israelis are feeling dejected and pessimistic about all fronts of the war. CONTRIBUTORS:Venetia Rainey, co-host @venetiaraineyRoland Oliphant, co-host and chief foreign affairs analyst @RolandOliphantHenry Bodkin, Jerusalem correspondent @HenryBodkinKareem Chehayeb, AP Beirut correspondent @chehayebkCONTENT REFERENCED:Lebanon can't expel one Iranian. So how will it disarm Hezbollah?Lebanon peace deal in full – and how it could unravelProducer: Peter ShevlinExecutive Producer: Louisa Wells► Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor► EMAIL US: Contact the team on 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, Donald Trump wrangles the leaders of Israel and Lebanon into their first direct talks in decades. Ending the fighting in Lebanon would bring the White House's “grand bargain” peace deal with Iran itself a step closer. But on the ground, Israel's offensive against Hezbollah rages unabated. While the ceasefire In Iran itself is holding, the war is remaking the political map of Europe.James Crisp, the Telegraph's Europe editor, explains how the conflict has turned Donald Trump from populist inspiration to an electoral kiss of death for the European right, and asks whether Iran's attempts to manipulate Western voters with Lego propaganda videos is paying off.CONTRIBUTORS:Roland Oliphant, co-host and chief foreign affairs analyst @RolandOliphantJames Crisp, Europe editor, CONTENT REFERENCED: Starmer and Macron to cut Trump out of Hormuz patrolsMeloni-Trump love-in falls apart as a political affair comes to an endHow Trump's ‘toxic' Iran war broke the European RightProducer: Peter ShevlinExecutive Producer: Louisa Wells► Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor► EMAIL US: Contact the team on 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.

With a tenuous ceasefire hanging in the balance, Vice President of the United States JD Vance has come out offering a ‘grand bargain' with Iran, signalling a possible reset of ties with the Islamic Republic. Is this a shift in position? Or is it postponing the inevitable reckoning? The Telegraph's Chief Foreign Affairs Commentator David Blair gives us his take on the chances of diplomacy breaking the deadlock.Plus, Venetia Rainey talks to former Mossad analyst Sima Shine and asks what role Israel played in launching the war in the first place, and whether Netanyahu would prefer the ceasefire to fail?CONTRIBUTORS:Sophie O'Sullivan, cover-hostDavid Blair, Chief Foreign Affairs Commentator @davidblairdtVenetia Rainey, co-hostSima Shine, a senior researcher at Israel's Institute for National Security StudiesProducer: Peter ShevlinExecutive Producer: Louisa Wells► Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor► EMAIL US: Contact the team on 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.

America's naval blockade of Iran is meant to choke Tehran into lifting its own restrictions on the Strait of Hormuz, but will it work and can it be enforced? Former Royal Navy Commander Tom Sharpe joins Roland Oliphant to explain the operational challenges. The first day of the maritime siege has drawn vocal condemnation from Beijing, in the latest sign of growing Chinese involvement in the crisis. Chinese officials were key to persuading Iran to accept the ceasefire. There are claims that Chinese weapons are on their way to re-stock Iranian air defences. Telegraph Asia Correspondent Allegra Mendelson explains China's role in Iran, what it wants from the war, and what would happen if an American warship dared to board a Chinese freighter. CONTRIBUTORS:Roland Oliphant, co-host and chief foreign affairs analyst @RolandOliphantTom Sharpe, former Royal Navy Commander and Telegraph columnist @TomSharpe134Allegra Mendelson, Asia correspondent @amendelson_ CONTENT REFERENCED:Connor Stringer and Allegra Menedelson: How China helped seal Trump's 11th hour Iran truceTom Sharpe: Trump's blockade on a blockade is possible That doesn't mean its a good idea Producer: Peter ShevlinExecutive Producer: Louisa Wells► Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor► EMAIL US: Contact the team on 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.

Could Donald Trump's naval blockade break Iran's grip on the Strait of Hormuz?As the shaky ceasefire between the US, Israel and Iran continues to hold despite failed peace talks over the weekend, Washington is trying a new tack to end the war: barring Iran's use of its ports. With the US Navy enforcing a blockade of the Strait as of today, Venetia Rainey and Roland Oliphant are joined by senior foreign correspondent Adrian Blomfield in Oman to discuss whether it could work. Adrian also looks at the reasons behind the failure of US-Iran peace talks in Islamabad, Pakistan over the weekend and why there are still hopes that something positive will come of it. Plus, Venetia and Roland discuss the latest news updates from the region, including talks between Lebanon and Israel and Trump's spat with the Pope. CONTRIBUTORS:Venetia Rainey, co-host @venetiaraineyRoland Oliphant, co-host and chief foreign affairs analyst @RolandOliphantAdrian Blomfield, senior foreign correspondent @adrianblomfieldCONTENT REFERENCED:Connor Stringer: 21 hours, a dozen calls to Trump and no deal – how the peace talks fell apartAdrian Blomfield: The strategic deadlock now facing Trump and IranBattle Lines: How MAGA Catholics won the White HouseProducer: Peter ShevlinExecutive Producer: Louisa Wells► Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor► EMAIL US: Contact the team on 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.

Can the US and Iran broker a peace deal while Israel and Hezbollah continue fighting?All eyes are on Pakistan this weekend as US Vice President JD Vance flies to Islamabad to meet with Tehran's negotiating team, led by Parliament speaker Mohammad Ghalibaf. But with disagreement over whether the ceasefire applies to Lebanon and the Strait of Hormuz still closed, it's not clear what progress will be made. Meanwhile, Donald Trump is pressuring Nato to come up with a solution to the Strait - and fast. Venetia Rainey talks through the latest updates and news from across the region today. Plus, could this ceasefire be a tactical pause to allow US forces to regroup? If you want to know America's real intentions in the coming weeks, just watch the cargo and refuelling planes, says ex-British Army officer Robert Campbell. He also reflects on his experiences serving in the Israeli army in southern Lebanon during the 1990s and explains why there is “no quick fix” to get rid of Hezbollah. CONTRIBUTORS:Venetia Rainey, co-host @venetiaraineyRobert Campbell, former British Army officer CONTENT REFERENCED:https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2026/04/10/why-the-tehran-tollbooth-will-never-work/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/04/09/netanyahu-fails-to-deliver-new-reality-promised-israel-iran/Producer: Max BowerExecutive Producer: Louisa WellsListen to Iran: The Latest: YOUTUBE | APPLE PODCASTS | SPOTIFY | AMAZON Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Will Israel's war to eliminate Hezbollah in Lebanon collapse the fragile US-Iran ceasefire?Tehran has accused Israel of violating the terms of its deal with Donald Trump by launching a massive military operation against its Lebanese proxy on Wednesday afternoon, killing more than 250 people with strikes on more than 100 targets in the space of 10 minutes. Today, Hezbollah has responded by firing a barrage of rockets at northern Israel. Iran and Europe want Lebanon to be included in the ceasefire, but Israel and the US say it's a separate theatre of the war. Venetia Rainey talks through the latest updates and what it could mean for the upcoming peace talks in Pakistan. Plus, as Keir Starmer tours the Gulf, countries in the normally stable region are reeling from more than 40 days of war. Qatar-based IISS research fellow Sascha Bruchmann and Bahraini political consultant Ahmed Alkhuzaie discuss the Gulf's scepticism of the ceasefire, why a counter-force in the Strait of Hormuz is essential, and how Ukraine is helping tackle the Iranian drone threat. CONTRIBUTORS:Venetia Rainey, co-host @venetiaraineyAhmed Alkhuzaie, Bahraini political consultant @AhmedAlkhuzaieSascha Bruchmann, IISS research fellow Producer: Max BowerExecutive Producer: Louisa WellsListen to Iran: The Latest: YOUTUBE | APPLE PODCASTS | SPOTIFY | AMAZON Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Is this the end of the Iran war? Donald Trump has announced a two-week ceasefire deal after 40 days of fighting, with peace talks mediated by Pakistan set to go ahead this Friday. Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth today said the US had achieved a “historic and overwhelming victory on the battlefield”.But many questions remain unanswered. Will the ceasefire turn into a lasting peace? What guarantees and concessions have been offered by each side? Will the Strait of Hormuz ever be fully open again? And why is Israel still attacking Lebanon? Venetia Rainey is joined by chief foreign affairs commentator David Blair and foreign correspondent Akhtar Makoii to discuss the latest news and what it could mean for the region in the weeks and months ahead. CONTRIBUTORS:Venetia Rainey, co-host @venetiaraineyDavid Blair, chief foreign affairs commentator @davidblairdtAkhtar Makoii, foreign correspondent @akhtar_makoiiCONTENT REFERENCED:David Blair: Trump's ceasefire threatens to hand Iran a critical advantageAkhtar Makoii: Trump will never be able to wipe out my civilisationNew York Times: How Trump Took the U.S. to War With IranProducer: Max BowerExecutive Producer: Louisa Wells► Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor► EMAIL US: Contact the team on battlelines@telegraph.co.uk ► GET THE LATEST HEADLINES: Find all our latest Iran coverage here: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/iran-war/Listen to Iran: The Latest: YOUTUBE | APPLE PODCASTS | SPOTIFY | AMAZON Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What will happen after Donald Trump's midnight deadline for Iran to strike a deal? The US president has issued a series of increasingly hardline threats to Tehran to force it sue for peace and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, from the complete demolition of all of its bridges and power plants to destroying its entire civilisation.Venetia Rainey is joined by senior foreign correspondent Sophia Yan to discuss Trump's latest ultimatum, the frantic peace talks underway to avoid further escalation, and the possible impact on Iranians of such a widespread campaign of destruction. Plus, they discuss China's fuel shipments to the Iranian regime, the fallout from the latest attacks on the Gulf, and how Israel's invasion of southern Lebanon is heightening sectarian tensions among local communities.CONTRIBUTORS:Venetia Rainey, co-host @venetiaraineySophia Yan, senior foreign correspondent @sophia_yanCONTENT REFERENCED:Akhtar Makoii: How Trump is turning Iran into a full military dictatorshipAdrian Blomfield: Ceasefire remains unlikely while both Iran and the US think they're winningProducer: Max BowerExecutive Producer: Louisa Wells► Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor► EMAIL US: Contact the team on 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 did America manage to rescue two airmen after their plane was shot down over Iran?In this bonus bank holiday episode, Venetia Rainey is joined by Jack Murphy, ex-US special forces who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, including as a Green Beret. He is now a journalist and military commentator and hosts The Team House national security podcast. He broke the story that the weapons systems officer (WSO) from the downed F-15E had been rescued alive after 36 hours stranded behind enemy lines.Jack provides a unique insight into the dramatic double rescue mission - already being described as the most complex in American military history. He explains the initial search and rescue (CSAR) efforts, what the WSO would have been doing to survive on the ground, and why the US abandoned and blew up two multimillion-dollar aircraft at a remote desert airstrip.Plus: what role is AI playing in the Iran war and beyond, in battlefields from Ukraine to Gaza? The US military increasingly relies on an AI decision support system called Maven to help with targeting, intelligence assessments and troop deployments. Israel and Ukraine use similar technology. Proponents of artificial intelligence argue it makes warfare faster and more efficient - giving the West a key battlefield advantage in a time of rising conflict. But critics say there are concerns over safety and low accuracy, and worry humans are increasingly being left out of the loop. Some of these concerns come from industry insiders such as AI company Anthropic, which is in a dispute with the Pentagon over the use of its system Claude for autonomous weapons. Venetia Rainey is joined by Adam Wishart, the filmmaker behind new Channel 4 documentary, Click to Kill: the AI War Machine, and Heidy Khlaaf, chief AI scientist at the AI Now Institute and previously at OpenAI. CONTRIBUTORS:Venetia Rainey, co-host @venetiaraineyJack Murphy, ex-special forces and host The Team House @JackMurphyRGRHeidy Khlaaf, chief AI scientist AI Now Institute @HeidyKhlaafAdam Wishart, director Click to Kill: the AI War Machine @adam_wishartCONTENT REFERENCED:Click to Kill: the AI War Machine on Channel 4 Producer: Rachel PorterExecutive Producer: Louisa Wells► Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor► EMAIL US: Contact the team on 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.

Why hasn't the Iranian regime surrendered yet?The Islamic Republic is at the centre of a war sending shock waves around the world, and despite being pummelled by the US and Israel, it remains defiant. The explanation lies in the country's ancient history and myths, which still permeate modern Iranian politics today. For this special Easter edition, Ali Ansari, professor of Iranian history at the University of St Andrews, joins Roland Oliphant to take us all the way back to the empire of Cyrus the Great and the legendary heroes of Persian literature on a quest for the origins of the country.Who are Iranians? Why do they think of themselves as a great power that can rival the West? And how has their long history shaped the regime at war with Donald Trump today?Ansari explains how Iran is not as Islamic as the ayatollahs make out, why Iran adopted Shia rather than Sunni Islam, and how history and myth are used by both the regime and its opponents. Plus, perhaps most importantly, why the ancient Persians loved a drink.CONTRIBUTORS:Roland Oliphant, co-host and chief foreign affairs analyst @RolandOliphantAli Ansari, professor University of St Andrews @aa51_ansariPic credit: The Elisha Whittelsey Collection, The Elisha Whittelsey Fund, 1949Producer: Rachel PorterExecutive Producer: Louisa Wells► Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor► EMAIL US: Contact the team on 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.

Could US amphibious troops re-open the Strait of Hormuz? In his first major speech on the Iran war, Donald Trump said America is on course to finish its military campaign in the next three weeks. But to do so, he will have to find solutions to both the Strait, and Iran's remaining stockpile of enriched uranium.To discuss, Roland Oliphant is joined from Saudi Arabia by Andrew Milburn, a former US Marine Corps colonel and ex-deputy Commander of Special Operations Command Central (CENTCOM), the headquarters responsible for all American special operations in the Middle East.He explains what operations the Marines could undertake in the Strait, why a potential plan to seize Iran's uranium is do-able but dangerous, and why some in the Gulf are worried there could be a premature ceasefire. CONTRIBUTORS:Roland Oliphant, co-host and chief foreign affairs analyst @RolandOliphantAndrew Milburn, former US Marine Corps colonel and co-host of Eyes-On @andymilburn8Producer: Peter ShevlinExecutive Producer: Louisa Wells► Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor► EMAIL US: Contact the team on 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.

Could the UAE help solve the Strait of Hormuz stalemate caused by the Iran war?The US is growing increasingly angry with its allies for refusing to help fully reopen the blocked waterway, which has led to soaring oil prices and dire economic warnings. From President Donald Trump threatening to pull out of Nato (a Telegraph exclusive) to Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth lambasting the UK, Washington's ire is palpable. Venetia Rainey runs through the latest updates from the Middle East, including Trump's claim ahead of his big speech tonight that Iran has asked for a ceasefire, and a potentially game-changing report that the UAE is pushing for a coalition to help reopen the Strait by force. Plus, Roland Oliphant and senior foreign correspondent Sophia Yan speak to Iranian-American analyst and author of the Iranist newsletter, Holly Dagres. She explains why there haven't been more protests and how the Islamic Republic is becoming a “zombie regime”. CONTRIBUTORS:Venetia Rainey, co-host @venetiaraineyRoland Oliphant, co-host and chief foreign affairs analyst @RolandOliphantSophia Yan, senior foreign correspondent @sophia_yanHolly Dagres, Washington Institute analyst @hdagresCONTENT REFERENCED:Roland Oliphant: The four outcomes if Trump surrenders the Strait of Hormuz to IranTrump interview: I am strongly considering pulling out of NatoIona Cleave: Iranian fortress at the centre of the battle for HormuzAkhtar Makoii: How Iran plans to fight US troops if Trump invadesProducer: Peter ShevlinExecutive Producer: Louisa Wells► Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor► EMAIL US: Contact the team on 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.

After one month of the US-Iran war, who is winning and who is losing?Roland Oliphant and Venetia Rainey step back to examine how much of US President Donald Trump's original war goals have been achieved, from destroying Iran's missiles, navy and regional proxies to regime change and preventing the development of nuclear weapons. They also look at the role of Israel, the impact of attacks on the Gulf and the global economic shock caused by Iran's closure of the vital waterway, the Strait of Hormuz. Plus, they discuss the depletion of global munition stocks after a month of air strikes, how the conflict has further frayed the Western alliance and what all that means for Ukraine and Russia. If you've been struggling to keep up with the latest news from the Middle East conflict, this is an update and analysis of everything you need to know from March 2026. CONTRIBUTORS:Roland Oliphant, co-host and chief foreign affairs analyst @RolandOliphantVenetia Rainey, co-host @venetiaraineyCONTENT REFERENCED:Why tens of millions face hunger and poverty in wake of Trump's Iran warAmerican troops forced to withdraw from Middle East basesRUSI: Over 11,000 munitions in 16 Days of the Iran War: ‘Command of the Reload' Governs EnduranceProducer: Peter ShevlinExecutive Producer: Louisa Wells► Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor► EMAIL US: Contact the team on 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.

Is the US about to invade Iran? Warship USS Tripoli has arrived in the Middle East with thousands of fresh troops, and the USS Boxer is not far behind - but Iran has vowed to “rain fire” on any American troops who set foot on its territory. Meanwhile, Trump is said to be considering taking Kharg Island and has been claiming regime change has already happened. Venetia Rainey and Roland Oliphant discuss all the latest updates, along with the impact on the price of oil and Israel expanding its offensive in southern Lebanon.Yemen expert and University of Cambridge mistress Elisabeth Kendall explains why the Houthis joining the war is so significant and how they could turn things into a “nightmare”. Plus, a glimpse into daily life on the ground in Tehran. Norwegian Refugee Council's Iran director, Martje van Raamsdonk, joins from the Iranian capital to talk about how bombing has intensified in recent days, prompting residents to tape up their windows, and growing fears and uncertainty amid talks of a US invasion. CONTRIBUTORS:Roland Oliphant, co-host and chief foreign affairs analyst @RolandOliphantVenetia Rainey, co-host @venetiaraineyElisabeth Kendall, president of Girton College, @Dr_E_KendallMartje van Raamsdonk, Norwegian Refugee Council's Iran directorCONTENT REFERENCED:Trump needs troops to seize the Strait of Hormuz. These are his options‘Gate of Tears' could be a strait too far for Trump's militaryProducer: Peter ShevlinExecutive Producer: Louisa Wells► Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor► EMAIL US: Contact the team on 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 blockade of the Strait of Hormuz has already pushed up oil prices. But is a bigger global economic disruption yet to come? And how long will it last?The Telegraph's World Economy Editor Ambrose Evans-Pritchard joins Roland Oliphant to explain why the Iran conflict is sending shock waves around the world - and not just in the oil market. From fertiliser to helium to sulphur, the block on shipping through the Strait carries other key commodities used by the tech industry, hospitals and farmers. Ambrose explains how the war will almost certainly cause a global food shock in 2027. They also discuss how Russia and China are benefitting from the Iran war and why the Houthis in Yemen remain the dog that hasn't barked - but could make things even worse than they are now.Plus, Roland Oliphant and senior foreign correspondent Sohia Yan analyse the latest news from the Iran war, including Donald Trump's ongoing attempts at peace talks with Tehran, the US Navy's first ever use of unmanned surface boats and why AP is now calling Israel's attack on Lebanon an invasion. CONTRIBUTORS:Roland Oliphant, co-host and chief foreign affairs analyst @RolandOliphantSophia Yan, senior foreign correspondent @sophia_yanAmbrose Evans-Pritchard, world economy editor CONTENT REFERENCED:Roland Oliphant: Trump needs troops to seize the Strait of Hormuz. These are his optionsAmbrose Evans-Pritchard: China has already won the Gulf WarAmbrose Evans-Pritchard: The longer Trump's war drags on, the worse the coming global food crisisProducer: Peter ShevlinExecutive Producer: Louisa Wells► Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor► EMAIL US: Contact the team on 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.

Will Israel's assassination of the IRGC's naval chief lead to the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz?Hosts Roland Oliphant and Venetia Rainey analyse the latest news from the Iran war, from the killing of navy commander Alireza Tangsiri to Donald Trump's claim that Tehran is “begging” for a deal. With thousands of US troops en route to the Middle East, the stakes are high. Among them are the 82nd Airborne Division; acting Defence Editor Tom Cotterill explains what sort of missions this elite group of paratroopers might be able to execute.Plus, former UK ambassador to Iran Sir Richard Dalton gives his insights into why striking a deal with the regime will be so difficult and how he thinks the war is based on a lie around Tehran's nuclear capabilities. CONTRIBUTORS:Venetia Rainey, co-host @venetiaraineyRoland Oliphant, co-host and chief foreign affairs analyst @RolandOliphantTom Cotterill, acting Defence Editor @TomCotterillXSir Richard Dalton, UK's former ambassador to IranCONTENT REFERENCED:What 2,000 US paratroopers could do in Iranhttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/03/25/what-2000-us-paratroopers-could-do-iran-war-america-trump/Trump denies it – but two wars are becoming onehttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/03/26/converging-wars-leave-europe-panicked-and-putin-emboldened/Producer: Peter ShevlinExecutive Producer: Louisa Wells► Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor► EMAIL US: Contact the team on 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 set out a 15-point Iran peace plan, but is he serious about ending the war?With news that another 2,000 elite American troops are en route to the Middle East, Tehran has its doubts - particularly as they've been here twice before with Trump. The Telegraph's senior foreign correspondent Sophia Yan joins Venetia Rainey to talk through how realistic the proposal is and how it's being viewed in Iran. They also discuss Turkey's role as a potential mediator and the impact of the conflict on China. From the Telegraph's US bureau, editor Lottie Tiplady-Bishop explains why Vice President JD Vance is now involved in peace negotiations and how boots on the ground is a red line for Trump's MAGA base. Plus, how is the Iran war being viewed by ordinary Americans? Reporter Natasha Leake takes the temperature on the streets of Washington DC.CONTRIBUTORS:Venetia Rainey, co-host @venetiaraineySophia Yan, senior foreign correspondent @sophia_yanLottie Tiplady-Bishop, associate US news editor @lottietipbishopNatasha Leake, US reporter @NatashaLeakeCONTENT REFERENCED:Trump hands Iran 15-point plan to end warhttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/03/25/donald-trump-iran-war-15-point-plan-nuclear-missile/‘Where the hell is JD Vance?': Why Trump's VP is missing in actionhttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/us/politics/2026/03/10/jd-vance-trump-iran-war-missing/JD Vance met with Trump security official who quit over Iran warhttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/us/politics/2026/03/18/jd-vance-met-joe-kent-quit-iran/Donald Trump said he would be the president of peacehttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/03/20/trump-promised-peace-then-he-started-war/Producer: Peter ShevlinExecutive Producer: Louisa Wells► Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor► EMAIL US: Contact the team on 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.