Iran: The Latest

Saudi Arabia claimed that Yemen’s Houthis tried to attack the holy city of Mecca, and the Iran-backed militia claims to have shot down a Saudi F-15 fighter jet over Yemen, as fighting by the Red Sea continues.

On today’s episode of Iran: The Latest, Roland Oliphant speaks with Maziar Bahari, editor of IranWire, to dive into the bleak daily reality inside Iran. They discuss how regime corruption, the mounting costs of war amid a maritime blockade on oil exports, and Donald Trump’s sanctions have plunged Iran into its most severe economic crisis in recent history.

Today also marks four years since Mahsa Amini died in police custody after being arrested in Tehran for not wearing her hijab properly. Bahari reveals how the regime is now quietly backing down on core ideological mandates such as the hijab to survive.

Plus, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth faces impeachment articles over unauthorised strikes on Iran, Israel is about to get a $2.8bn arms package, and China calls on the US and Iran to restart peace talks and reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

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

CONTRIBUTORS:
Roland Oliphant, co-host and chief foreign affairs analyst @RolandOliphant
Maziar Bahari, editor of IranWire @maziarbahari

WATCH US ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJnf_DDTfIVAif-vifC6F2aoPB8GIw6dk

CONTENT REFERENCED:
Iran is trying to break Trump’s stranglehold by hitting him where it hurts https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/09/15/iran-is-trying-to-break-trumps-stranglehold/

US mulls diesel export ban as prices skyrocket https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2026/09/15/us-mulls-diesel-export-ban-as-prices-skyrocket/

Woman, Life, Freedom: How a Protest Movement Changed Iran https://iranwire.com/en/features/133949-woman-life-freedom-how-a-protest-movement-changed-iran/

Winner Best News and Analysis Podcast - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026
Nominated Podcast of the Year - Society of Editors News Podcasts Awards 2026
Nominated Best News, Politics and Current Affairs - British Podcast Awards 2026
The Telegraph, Winner Podcast Publisher of the Year 2026 - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026

Audio Producer: Peter Shevlin
Video Producer: Max Bower
Researcher and Social Producer: Anna Hindmarsh
Studio Operator: Andy Watson
Executive Producer: Venetia Rainey

► Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor
► EMAIL US: Contact the team on battlelines@telegraph.co.uk
► GET THE LATEST HEADLINES: Find all our latest Iran coverage here: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/iran-war/

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Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthis and Saudi Arabia have exchanged further strikes, amid signs that Tehran is ramping up the war against Riyadh to compensate for a stalemate in the Strait of Hormuz.

On today’s episode of Iran: The Latest, Venetia Rainey speaks with Arabist and Yemen expert Dr. Elisabeth Kendall (mistress of Girton College) to explain why the Houthis and Iraqi militias are part of a new Iranian Axis of Resistance. They also discuss how Saudi leader Mohammed Bin Salman (MBS) is facing an existential crisis following devastating pipeline attacks and escalating violence, with missile alerts sounding as far as Jeddah. Following Donald Trump’s refusal to help, Saudi Arabia has called on the UK and Egypt while Iran turns to China. Who will step in?

Plus, how Iran helped the Houthis to evolve into a formidable fighting force and the US pushes back against the IRGC’s fake news about sea mines in the Strait of Hormuz.
Highlights

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

CONTRIBUTORS:
Venetia Rainey, co-host and executive producer @venetiarainey
Elisabeth Kendall, mistress of Girton College, University of Cambridge @Dr_E_Kendall

WATCH US ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJnf_DDTfIVAif-vifC6F2aoPB8GIw6dk

CONTENT REFERENCED:
https://understandingwar.org/research/middle-east/iran-update-september-14-2026/

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2026/09/14/proscribing-houthis-bring-energy-bills-down-burnham/

Winner Best News and Analysis Podcast - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026
Nominated Podcast of the Year - Society of Editors News Podcasts Awards 2026
Nominated Best News, Politics and Current Affairs - British Podcast Awards 2026
The Telegraph, Winner Podcast Publisher of the Year 2026 - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026

Audio Producer: Elliot Lampitt
Video Producer: Max Bower
Researcher and Social Producer: Anna Hindmarsh
Studio Operator: Andy Watson
Executive Producer: Venetia Rainey

► Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor
► EMAIL US: Contact the team on battlelines@telegraph.co.uk
► GET THE LATEST HEADLINES: Find all our latest Iran coverage here: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/iran-war/
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A strike from militants in Iraq has knocked out Saudi Arabia’s vital East-West oil pipeline, as Donald Trump reveals Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels called him asking the US not to get militarily involved.

On today’s episode of Iran: The Latest, Roland Oliphant talks to chief foreign affairs commentator David Blair to break down how Saudi Arabia has been left in a tricky place amid a lack of allies to help it deal with the lightning Houthi offensive to seize control of the Red Sea. As oil prices continue to rise and Houthis bomb a Saudi air base, the latest news suggests the war is escalating across the Middle East with unintended consequences.

Plus, a deadly IRGC gun battle with Baluchi militants, a rogue Iranian hardline faction reportedly launched strikes on ships in the Strait of Hormuz to sabotage summer peace talks, and a US Air Force pilot describes how he was downed behind enemy lines back in April.

Highlights

Iraq-based strikes close key Saudi East-West oil pipeline
Trump says Houthis ‘asked US not to bomb them’

CONTRIBUTORS:
Roland Oliphant, co-host and chief foreign affairs analyst @RolandOliphant
David Blair, chief foreign affairs commentator @davidblairdt

WATCH US ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJnf_DDTfIVAif-vifC6F2aoPB8GIw6dk

CONTENT REFERENCED:

IRGC soldiers gunned down in street clashes in Iran
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/09/14/irgc-soldiers-gunned-down-in-street-clashes-in-iran/

Houthis give Trump yet another Middle East headache
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/09/12/houthis-give-trump-yet-another-middle-east-headache/

Tom Sharpe: The Houthis are back and it’s a problem for everyone, not just the US
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/09/12/houthis-red-sea-perim-chokepoint-oil-shipping-war/

The shock Houthi mission to strangle global oil
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/09/12/the-shock-houthi-mission-to-strangle-global-oil/

How Iran’s hard-liners blew us the US peace deal
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/09/13/world/middleeast/iran-hard-liners-sabotaged-peace-deal.html

US airman tells of 50 hours behind enemy lines with broken back
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/09/14/us-airman-tells-of-50-hours-behind-enemy-lines-broken-back/

Winner Best News and Analysis Podcast - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026
Nominated Podcast of the Year - Society of Editors News Podcasts Awards 2026
Nominated Best News, Politics and Current Affairs - British Podcast Awards 2026
The Telegraph, Winner Podcast Publisher of the Year 2026 - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026

Audio Producer: Max Bower
Video Producer: Peter Shevlin
Researcher and Social Producer: Anna Hindmarsh
Studio Operator: Andy Watson
Executive Producer: Venetia Rainey

► Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor
► EMAIL US: Contact the team on battlelines@telegraph.co.uk
► GET THE LATEST HEADLINES: Find all our latest Iran coverage here: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/iran-war/

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

Donald Trump has admitted the US-Iran war will last beyond the November midterm elections - some think it will last well into 2029 - with Republicans now facing the possibility of losing the House and the Senate as oil prices surge towards $110/barrel.

On today’s bonus episode of Iran: the Latest, Venetia Rainey chats to Washington correspondents Connor Stringer and Benedict Smith about Trump’s spectacular gamble to convince Republicans the Iran war is not a big deal at the Republican Midterms Convention.

From threatening strikes on Iran’s Pickaxe Mountain nuclear site to offering voters an unprecedented $5,000 cash dividend if they vote Republican, his speech was “vintage Trump”.
Plus, is Iran interfering in the US midterms to boost the Democrats?

Highlights
Trump insists economic pain ‘worth it’ to stop Iran from getting nuclear weapon
Inside the colourful Republican Midterms Convention

CONTRIBUTORS:
Venetia Rainey, co-host and executive producer @venetiarainey
Connor Stringer, chief Washington correspondent @connorstringer
Benedict Smith, Washington correspondent @bsmithjourno

WATCH US ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJnf_DDTfIVAif-vifC6F2aoPB8GIw6dk

CONTENT REFERENCED:
The answer to Trump’s midterm woes? Make the campaign all about him
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/us/politics/2026/09/10/trump-republican-midterms-convention-address-analysis/

‘Common sense’ Democrat praises Trump at Republican midterm convention
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/us/politics/2026/09/10/democrat-john-fetterman-praises-trump-republican-convention/

Trump: I’ll give $5,000 to every American if we win midterms
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/us/politics/2026/09/10/trump-convention-speech-promise-5000-dollars-midterms-win/

Rubio and Vance ‘think Iran war could last beyond the end of Trump’s term’
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/us/news/2026/09/10/white-house-iran-war-trump-term/

Trump makes his last stand
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/us/politics/2026/09/11/republican-party-convention-midterms-trump-last-stand/

Trump’s Top Advisers Confront Possibility That Iran War Lasts Through End of Term
https://www.wsj.com/world/middle-east/trumps-top-advisers-confront-possibility-that-iran-war-lasts-through-end-of-term-5f4e23d7

Silver Bulletin: https://www.natesilver.net/p/trump-approval-ratings-nate-silver-bulletin

Race to the White House: https://www.racetothewh.com/

Winner Best News and Analysis Podcast - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026
Nominated Podcast of the Year - Society of Editors News Podcasts Awards 2026
Nominated Best News, Politics and Current Affairs - British Podcast Awards 2026
The Telegraph, Winner Podcast Publisher of the Year 2026 - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026

Audio Producer: Max Bower
Video Producer: Peter Shevlin
Researcher and Social Producer: Anna Hindmarsh
Studio Operator: Andy Watson
Executive Producer: Venetia Rainey

► Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor
► EMAIL US: Contact the team on battlelines@telegraph.co.uk
► GET THE LATEST HEADLINES: Find all our latest Iran coverage here: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/iran-war/

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

“The inability or unwillingness of the Trump administration to connect the dots on what is going on, from the Persian Gulf to the Red Sea, is a reflection of the lack of really good deep strategic thinking.”

On today’s episode of Iran: the Latest, Venetia Rainey is joined once again by former Commanding General of US Army Europe, Gen Ben Hodges, to discuss the US-Iran war as it nears the 200-day mark.

The Iran-backed Houthis have seized Yemen’s entire Red Sea coastline including the strategic Perim Island, giving them control of the vital Bab al-Mandeb Strait. And despite pleas from Saudi Arabia’s Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) to intervene as oil prices surge toward $110/barrel, Donald Trump has refused to launch strikes, offering up intelligence assistance instead.

Gen Hodges analyses the strategic drift that has marked the war, the Pentagon and US policy in the Middle East.
Plus, why mass lie-detector tests and personnel purges signal China-style paranoia inside the Pentagon, what news of damage to US fighter jets in Jordan says about US military preparedness, and the hard lessons from the Iraq and Afghanistan wars 25 years on from the 9/11 attacks.

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

CONTRIBUTORS:
Venetia Rainey, co-host and executive producer @venetiarainey
Gen Ben Hodges, former Commanding General US Army Europe @general_ben

WATCH US ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJnf_DDTfIVAif-vifC6F2aoPB8GIw6dk

CONTENT REFERENCED:
Trump refuses MBS pleas to stop Houthis’ rapid advance
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/09/11/trump-refuses-mbs-pleas-to-stop-houthis-rapid-advance/

Rubio and Vance ‘think Iran war could last beyond the end of Trump’s term’
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/us/news/2026/09/10/white-house-iran-war-trump-term/

Pentagon forces staff to take lie detector tests over Iran war leaks
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/us/news/2026/09/05/pentagon-lie-detection-polygraph-tests-military-iran-leaks/

RUSI UK Security in a Post Aid World: https://www.rusi.org/explore-our-research/projects/uk-security-post-aid-world

Winner Best News and Analysis Podcast - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026
Nominated Podcast of the Year - Society of Editors News Podcasts Awards 2026
Nominated Best News, Politics and Current Affairs - British Podcast Awards 2026
The Telegraph, Winner Podcast Publisher of the Year 2026 - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026

Audio Producer: Peter Shevlin
Video Producer: Max Bower
Researcher and Social Producer: Anna Hindmarsh
Studio Operator: Andy Watson
Executive Producer: Venetia Rainey

► Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor
► EMAIL US: Contact the team on battlelines@telegraph.co.uk
► GET THE LATEST HEADLINES: Find all our latest Iran coverage here: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/iran-war/

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