Iran: The Latest

The Telegraph
  • 4.4 (96)
  • NEWS COMMENTARY

Iran: The Latest is The Telegraph’s defence, security and foreign affairs news podcast providing deep-dive analysis on the ongoing conflict between the US, Israel and Iran.  Veteran foreign correspondents Roland Oliphant and Venetia Rainey bring you the latest updates from The Telegraph’s award-winning journalists, plus exclusive interviews with world-class experts in military strategy, international relations, and Middle East policy. From attacks on the Gulf to Hezbollah in Lebanon to the Houthis in Yemen to the threat of nuclear escalation, stay informed with the best of The Telegraph’s Middle East coverage in one place. As the geopolitical landscape shifts, subscribe for essential updates on the security shifts defining our global future. Every Wednesday on Battle Lines: Global Health Security they’re joined by Arthur Scott-Geddes to look at the intersection between health and security, from bioweapons to warzone diseases to frontline medicine. You can watch these episodes here. Battle Lines, a defence podcast with a wider scope and created by David Knowles, previously lived on this feed.  Don’t forget to follow and leave a review to stay updated on the latest in global conflict and foreign affairs. Battle Lines: Global Health Security is supported by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  1. Inside the 'Easter Miracle': How the US rescued two airmen from Iran

    11 HR AGO

    Inside the 'Easter Miracle': How the US rescued two airmen from Iran

    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 @venetiarainey Jack Murphy, ex-special forces and host The Team House @JackMurphyRGR Heidy Khlaaf, chief AI scientist AI Now Institute @HeidyKhlaaf Adam Wishart, director Click to Kill: the AI War Machine @adam_wishart CONTENT REFERENCED: Click to Kill: the AI War Machine on Channel 4  Producer: Rachel Porter Executive 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.

    1 hr
  2. ‘Iran thinks it’s still a great power’: Why the regime won’t surrender

    3 DAYS AGO

    ‘Iran thinks it’s still a great power’: Why the regime won’t surrender

    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 @RolandOliphant Ali Ansari, professor University of St Andrews @aa51_ansari Pic credit: The Elisha Whittelsey Collection, The Elisha Whittelsey Fund, 1949 Producer: Rachel Porter Executive 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.

    40 min
  3. 'We’ve trained for this': How US Marines could seize Iran’s uranium and open the Strait of Hormuz

    4 DAYS AGO

    'We’ve trained for this': How US Marines could seize Iran’s uranium and open the Strait of Hormuz

    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 @RolandOliphant Andrew Milburn, former US Marine Corps colonel and co-host of Eyes-On @andymilburn8 Producer: Peter Shevlin Executive 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.

    36 min
  4. Iran's 'zombie regime' & UAE ‘to help force open’ Strait of Hormuz

    5 DAYS AGO

    Iran's 'zombie regime' & UAE ‘to help force open’ Strait of Hormuz

    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 @venetiarainey Roland Oliphant, co-host and chief foreign affairs analyst @RolandOliphant Sophia Yan, senior foreign correspondent @sophia_yan Holly Dagres, Washington Institute analyst @hdagres CONTENT REFERENCED: Roland Oliphant: The four outcomes if Trump surrenders the Strait of Hormuz to Iran Trump interview: I am strongly considering pulling out of Nato Iona Cleave: Iranian fortress at the centre of the battle for Hormuz Akhtar Makoii: How Iran plans to fight US troops if Trump invades Producer: Peter Shevlin Executive 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.

    40 min
  5. One month of Iran-US war: Assassinations, missiles and the Strait of Hormuz

    6 DAYS AGO

    One month of Iran-US war: Assassinations, missiles and the Strait of Hormuz

    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 @RolandOliphant Venetia Rainey, co-host @venetiarainey CONTENT REFERENCED: Why tens of millions face hunger and poverty in wake of Trump’s Iran war American troops forced to withdraw from Middle East bases RUSI: Over 11,000 munitions in 16 Days of the Iran War: ‘Command of the Reload’ Governs Endurance Producer: Peter Shevlin Executive 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.

    41 min
  6. Iran vows to ‘rain fire’ on US troops, the Houthi ‘nightmare’ & on the ground in Tehran

    30 MAR

    Iran vows to ‘rain fire’ on US troops, the Houthi ‘nightmare’ & on the ground in Tehran

    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 @RolandOliphant Venetia Rainey, co-host @venetiarainey Elisabeth Kendall, president of Girton College, @Dr_E_Kendall Martje van Raamsdonk, Norwegian Refugee Council’s Iran director CONTENT 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 military Producer: Peter Shevlin Executive 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.

    37 min
  7. ‘A full spectrum crisis’: how the Iran war went global

    27 MAR

    ‘A full spectrum crisis’: how the Iran war went global

    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 @RolandOliphant Sophia Yan, senior foreign correspondent @sophia_yan Ambrose Evans-Pritchard, world economy editor  CONTENT REFERENCED: Roland Oliphant: Trump needs troops to seize the Strait of Hormuz. These are his options Ambrose Evans-Pritchard: China has already won the Gulf War Ambrose Evans-Pritchard: The longer Trump’s war drags on, the worse the coming global food crisis Producer: Peter Shevlin Executive 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.

    34 min
  8. Iran navy chief killed & why the war 'was based on a lie'

    26 MAR

    Iran navy chief killed & why the war 'was based on a lie'

    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 @venetiarainey Roland Oliphant, co-host and chief foreign affairs analyst @RolandOliphant Tom Cotterill, acting Defence Editor @TomCotterillX Sir Richard Dalton, UK’s former ambassador to Iran CONTENT REFERENCED: What 2,000 US paratroopers could do in Iran https://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 one https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/03/26/converging-wars-leave-europe-panicked-and-putin-emboldened/ Producer: Peter Shevlin Executive 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.

    38 min
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About

Iran: The Latest is The Telegraph’s defence, security and foreign affairs news podcast providing deep-dive analysis on the ongoing conflict between the US, Israel and Iran.  Veteran foreign correspondents Roland Oliphant and Venetia Rainey bring you the latest updates from The Telegraph’s award-winning journalists, plus exclusive interviews with world-class experts in military strategy, international relations, and Middle East policy. From attacks on the Gulf to Hezbollah in Lebanon to the Houthis in Yemen to the threat of nuclear escalation, stay informed with the best of The Telegraph’s Middle East coverage in one place. As the geopolitical landscape shifts, subscribe for essential updates on the security shifts defining our global future. Every Wednesday on Battle Lines: Global Health Security they’re joined by Arthur Scott-Geddes to look at the intersection between health and security, from bioweapons to warzone diseases to frontline medicine. You can watch these episodes here. Battle Lines, a defence podcast with a wider scope and created by David Knowles, previously lived on this feed.  Don’t forget to follow and leave a review to stay updated on the latest in global conflict and foreign affairs. Battle Lines: Global Health Security is supported by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Information

  • Channel
    The Telegraph
  • Creator
    The Telegraph
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    283
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2026. All rights reserved.
  • Show Website
    Iran: The Latest
  • Provider
    Telegraph Media Group Holdings Limited

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