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Iran: The Latest — News
Iran: The Latest

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.

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.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Copyright: © Copyright 2023. All rights reserved.

Latest Episodes:

Inside Hamas leader's secret Gaza tunnel & North Korea doubles nukes Jun 09, 2025

Show notes

On today’s episode, we confront the brutal realities of two of the world’s most controversial flashpoints.

First, our man on the ground, Jerusalem correspondent Henry Bodkin, joins Israeli troops in Gaza for a rare and eye-opening embed. He takes us inside the tunnel where Hamas leader Mohammed Sinwar was allegedly hiding before an Israeli airstrike on May 13th — one that struck the entrance of the European Hospital, sparking outrage and headlines around the world. We cut through the noise and get straight to what really happened.

Then, we turn to the pariah state of North Korea. Despite suffocating sanctions, Pyongyang is now in its strongest strategic position in decades, doubling its nuclear arsenal and quietly amassing the world’s fourth largest military. How did that happen — and why isn't the West doing more about it? Our new Asia correspondent Allegra Mendelson explains all.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2025/06/08/inside-khan-younis-tunnel-gaza-european-hospital-sinwar/

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2025/06/08/hamas-last-man-standing-faces-fight-keep-control-gaza/

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2025/06/07/west-tried-make-north-korea-pariah-but-now-never-stronger/

https://linktr.ee/BattleLines

Contact us with feedback or ideas:

battlelines@telegraph.co.uk

@venetiarainey

@RolandOliphant

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Can the UK afford to defend itself from Russia? Jun 06, 2025

Show notes

Lord George Robertson, former Nato Secretary General and lead author of the UK's new Strategic Defence Review, talks to Roland about what it will take for Britain to be warfighting ready.

His message is a vital clarion call for the British government and general public to wake up to the very real threat posed by Russia and the scale of change that needs to be undertaken: "This is not business as usual."

But with President Donald Trump's call for spending 5% of GDP on defence likely to be adopted by Nato later this month, is a commitment of 2.5% and an ambition of 3% by 2034 enough? And are ordinary British people ready for the sacrifices involved in creating a credible deterrence to protect the UK?

https://linktr.ee/BattleLines

Contact us with feedback or ideas:

battlelines@telegraph.co.uk

@venetiarainey

@RolandOliphant

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Britain put on war footing Jun 02, 2025

Show notes

After nearly a year of waiting, the UK's Strategic Defence Review has been published.

If that means nothing to you - don’t worry, we explain it all on today’s show. The SDR was intended to be a root-and-branch review of the UK Armed Forces that would provide a road map to keep the country safe for decades to come - especially in the face of the growing threat of Russia.

But already there are questions over funding and how to boost recruitment. Venetia chats to Lord Richard Dannatt, former chief of the army, about what the review is missing, and Alistair Carns, minister for people and veterans at the Ministry of Defence.

Plus Roland Oliphant goes through the report's highlights and the outstanding questions.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/06/02/strategic-defence-review-royal-navy/

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/06/01/strategic-defence-review-lord-robertson-fiona-hill-barrons/

https://linktr.ee/BattleLines

Contact us with feedback or ideas:

battlelines@telegraph.co.uk

@venetiarainey

@RolandOliphant

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

'Trump is enthralled by Putin' & farewell Elon Musk May 30, 2025

Show notes

Today’s episode has it all — political drama, military build-ups, and yes, Elon Musk with a chainsaw.

We kick off with Musk’s big exit from his headline-hogging political role. He endorsed Trump, handed out millions to get out the vote, ran DOGE and even made time for a little on-stage lumberjacking. But now? He’s out. We’re playing some of his highlights.

Then we’re off to Washington, where things are heating up in more serious ways. Fiona Hill, Russia expert and former Trump adviser, gives US reporter Cameron Henderson a rare glimpse into how Putin plays the game — and why a peaceful end to the war in Ukraine still feels a long way off.

And if that’s not enough international intrigue for you, we’re off to Poland, where the country’s been rearming at a record pace. Why? Our Berlin correspondent James Rothwell is in Warsaw and will explain all. Plus, Trump’s making waves again — this time in Poland’s crucial presidential election runoff.

Read Cameron Henderson's full interview with Fiona Hill: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/us/politics/2025/05/25/fiona-hill-interview-trump-terrified-putin-seen-firsthand/

https://linktr.ee/BattleLines

Contact us with feedback or ideas:

battlelines@telegraph.co.uk

@venetiarainey

@RolandOliphant

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Gardening in war May 26, 2025

Show notes

In this special episode of Battle Lines, we’re joined by Lally Snow — a seasoned war reporter and photographer who has spent years covering conflict zones around the world. From the frontlines of Afghanistan to other war-torn regions, Lally has witnessed the brutal realities of war. But amidst the chaos, she discovered something unexpected: people tending to gardens.

Her fascination with this quiet act of resilience led to her 2018 book, War Gardens, where she explored how individuals in the midst of conflict use gardening as a form of solace and survival. Now, years later, Lally returns to some of the same places and people to see how their stories — and their gardens — have endured.

Tune in as Lally shares her unique perspective on conflict, resilience, and the human instinct to create beauty in the darkest of times.

https://linktr.ee/BattleLines

Contact us with feedback or ideas:

battlelines@telegraph.co.uk

@venetiarainey

@RolandOliphant

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Inside Trump’s new Star Wars program, plus HIMARS dispatch May 23, 2025

Show notes

In today’s episode, we explore Donald Trump’s bold new vision for a space-based missile defence system — a futuristic project dubbed the Golden Dome. Announced in the Oval Office with his defence secretary Pete Hegseth, Trump claims the system will protect the U.S. from missile attacks launched from anywhere on Earth — or even from space.

Featuring cutting-edge technologies deployed across land, sea, and orbit, the Golden Dome is billed as the most advanced missile shield ever imagined. But is it real science or just science fiction? What would it cost — and would it actually work? To help us unpack the reality behind the rhetoric, we speak to Julia Cournoyer, from Chatham House’s International Security Programme.

Plus, Venetia Rainey goes to Sweden’s Gotland island to see the British and American armies conduct the first ever simultaneous live fire drill with HIMARS and MLRS. She asks if Donald Trump’s hostile attitude towards European security is affecting military cooperation on the ground.

Read Venetia's dispatch here: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2025/05/26/trump-withdraw-troops-from-europe-army-has-other-ideas/

Contact us with feedback or ideas:

battlelines@telegraph.co.uk

@venetiarainey

@RolandOliphant

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Israel's new offensive to seize "all" of Gaza May 19, 2025

Show notes

As Israel launches a new offensive in Gaza, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declares the goal is full control of the Strip, a move that could signal the war’s final phase. We speak to The Telegraph’s David Blair about what this means for Israel’s military strategy, international support, and the deepening humanitarian crisis.

Plus: Britain and the EU sign a new trade and defence pact that could open the door to billions in European defence funding — and as centrists outperform expectations in European elections, questions rise over whether the populist wave is finally losing steam.

https://linktr.ee/BattleLines

Contact us with feedback or ideas:

battlelines@telegraph.co.uk

@venetiarainey

@RolandOliphant

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Has Trump brought peace to the Middle East? May 16, 2025

Show notes

This week, Donald Trump completed his first official trip abroad, a bling-filled tour of Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the UAE that was punctuated by lots of his favourite things: lucrative deals.

He also announced he would be lifting sanctions on Syria and that a deal with Iran is close.

It was a trip designed to focus on positive headlines, alliances, and good vibes - a rare narrative in the Middle East these days.

Venetia talks to Saudi policy analyst Dr Najah Al-Otaibi about how the trip went down in the Gulf, some of the deal highlights, and why Trump has such a close 'bromance' with Saudi leader Mohammed Bin Salman.

There was one area where things weren't so positive - the Gaza war, which is set to intensify in the coming weeks despite growing warnings of famine amid an Israeli aid blockade.

Jonathan Crickx, Unicef's chief of communications in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, shares his insights and experiences from his recent trip to the Strip.

Contact us with feedback or ideas:

battlelines@telegraph.co.uk

@venetiarainey

@RolandOliphant

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Who won India and Pakistan's four-day war? May 12, 2025

Show notes

After four days of airstrikes and artillery duels, India and Pakistan have called a truce. But how long will the peace last, who won, and what lessons have their generals learned?

Roland Oliphant talks to Dr Chietigj Bajpaee, senior research fellow for South Asia at Chatham House, about the real war, the propaganda war and the role of China and the US.

Plus, chief foreign commentator David Blair discusses the bromance between Russian leader Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping on display in Moscow last week, and asks whether the US's wedge policy to drive the two countries apart is working.

https://linktr.ee/BattleLines

Contact us with feedback or ideas:

battlelines@telegraph.co.uk

@venetiarainey

@RolandOliphant

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Trump edition: How MAGA Catholics won the White House May 08, 2025

Show notes

Amid the election of the first ever American Pope, Robert Prevost, who will be known as Pope Leo XIV, Roland Oliphant looks at the rise of a new force in American politics: MAGA Catholics.

Vice President JD Vance, First Lady Melania Trump, and of course Steve Bannon - Trump’s first term chief of staff - are among the best known names in Washington. Tim Stanley, The Telegraph’s “weapons-grade Catholic” sketch-writer, joins from Rome to discuss what unites Catholics and the MAGA movement, how much influence they wield in Washington, and whether they can influence the choice of the next Pope.

Plus, as Donald Trump prepares to go to the Middle East for the first official foreign trip of his second term, program director at the Institute for Global Affairs at Eurasia Group Jonathan Guyer explains what is on the agenda and what may actually be achieved.

Rob Crilly's interview with Marjorie Taylor Greene: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/us/politics/2025/05/08/marjorie-taylor-greene-trump-needs-to-focus-on-america/

Contact us with feedback or ideas:

battlelines@telegraph.co.uk

@venetiarainey

@RolandOliphant

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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