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Nowruz is a traditional festival that marks the spring equinox, the rebirth of nature and the start of the new year in Iran and other countries. But this year's Nowruz will be the first many in the country have experienced at war. And across the Gulf, millions of Muslims are marking Eid al-Fitr, the end of Ramadan, under the shadow of war. We'll hear from journalists in Iran and the UAE.Also on th...

It has been a day of turmoil on the world's financial markets after Israel - on Wednesday - struck an Iranian facility in the South Pars gas field, part of the world's biggest natural gas field, which Iran shares with Qatar. That, in turn, prompted Iran to retaliate against energy facilities in Qatar and its other Gulf neighbours sending the price of both gas and oil surging upwards. Also in the p...

Oil and gas prices have risen sharply after fresh strikes hit energy infrastructure in the Middle East, including Qatar's main gas facility. Gas prices jumped by about 25% on wholesale markets in the UK and Europe in early trading, before easing slightly. We've also been hearing from the US defence secretary Pete Hegseth who says the Pentagon will go to Congress to ask for funding for the war as i...

There is "extensive damage" from missile attacks on the Ras Laffan industrial site, Qatar's state-owned petroleum company says. The site was among those listed by Iran in a warning that it would take "decisive action" after its South Pars gas field facilities were reportedly hit by Israeli strikes. Earlier, Israel launched a series of strikes on Lebanon's capital Beirut, as it continues its offens...

Israel bombs the heart of the Lebanese capital as it escalates its offensive against the Iran-backed group Hezbollah. We hear from a former Lebanese health minister in Beirut and ask a former senior Israeli army officer about his country's aims. Also in the programme: anger and delight in African football after its governing body strips Senegal of the Africa Cup of Nations title and hands it to Mo...

Joe Kent, the head of the US National Counterterrorism Centre and a long-time Trump supporter, has announced his resignation from the role. He said he could not in good conscience back the administration's war. The BBC’s US State Department correspondent gives us more details on this development. Also on the programme: At least 100 people are dead after a Pakistani airstrike hit an Afghan hospital...

Israel claims to have killed more senior members of Iran's leadership; we ask what the death of security chief Ali Larijani could mean for the war. Also in the programme: in the Afghan capital Kabul, dozens of people have been killed in an airstrike on a drug treatment centre, which the Taliban government has blamed on Pakistan; why is one of the world's most influential tech billionaires in Rome...

Interviews, news and analysis of the day’s global events.

As the Iran war goes into its third week, which countries will heed President Trump's call to help unblock the flow of global oil? We hear from a former British army officer who served as Nato’s deputy supreme allied commander of Europe. Also on the programme: whistleblowers tell the BBC social media giants have allowed harmful content on feeds to entice users; and a new study finds that babies ex...

US President Donald Trump says he’s not ready to make a deal with Iran because the terms for one aren't good enough yet. We'll hear from Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi who says his country has never even requested a ceasefire with the US and get the latest on the situation in Iran from a BBC Persian journalist. Also on the programme: Ugandan opposition leader Bobi Wine tells us concerns fo...

Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Kuwait all reported attacks overnight, with air defences working to intercept them, though the frequency is much less than in the early days of the conflict. Earlier the Iranians urged the UAE to evacuate the port zones of Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Fujairah. We hear about Iran's strategy. Also in the programme: Pakistan accuses the Afghan Taliban of crossing a red line by laun...

The US president has called on the UK and other allies to join the United States in sending ships to help secure the Strait of Hormuz. His comments come after he said US forces had “obliterated” military targets on Iran’s key Kharg Island - a commercial lifeline for the Iranian regime. Should Western allies send ships to support that effort? We discuss it with Mark Kimmitt, former US Assistant Sec...

The US military has given more details about its strikes last night on Kharg Island, where most of Iran's oil exports are shipped from. It said it had struck more than 90 military sites, including missile storage facilities. Video on social media showed multiple explosions, including at an airfield. Also in the programme: our correspondent has been to a Kurdish Peshmerga mountain base in Iraq; and...

European leaders have reacted with alarm to a US plan to ease some oil sanctions on Russia. The intention, in Washington, is to tackle surging energy costs caused by the war in the Middle East, in particular the blockage by Iran of tanker traffic in the Strait of Hormuz, through which roughly 20 per cent of the world's oil usually transits. With her country at war with Russia, a Ukrainian MP gives...

The massive bombardment of Iran is continuing with explosions heard across Tehran. Iranian state television reported a major blast near where thousands of Iranians are taking part in a Quds Day rally - an annual march in support of Palestinians and opposing Israel. One person is reported to have been killed. There is also growing criticism in Europe of Washington's decision to ease sanctions on Ru...

As Iran releases the new supreme leader's first statement, we hear from the country's UN ambassador, Ali Bahreini. We also track the expanding Israeli military assault on Lebanon, and ask how the insurance industry is handling the Iranian blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, a major conduit for global oil supplies. Also in the programme: British tourist among those arrested in Dubai for having missil...

Iran's new supreme leader vows to keep blocking Strait of Hormuz in his first statement released by the regime after more attacks on cargo ships in the Gulf in the US-Israeli conflict with Iran, causing another spike in oil prices. Can American naval power keep those shipping lanes open? We'll assess the options and hear what people in America's heartland think about the war. Also in the programme...

Three vessels have been hit by 'unknown projectiles' in the Strait of Hormuz, maritime authorities say. We are joined by Dr Harry Broadman, a former US Assistant Trade Representative to discuss how disruption in the shipping channel might affect global supply chains. Also on today's programme: Chile sees its biggest shift to the hard right in decades with the inauguration of Jose Antonio Kast as p...

Israel has launched more attacks against suspected Hezbollah targets in Lebanon, including an apartment building in the capital Beirut. The Hezbollah militia is an ally of Iran. It comes as the Lebanese health ministry has announced that 570 people have been killed in Lebanon since strikes began on 2nd March as part of the US-Israeli conflict with Iran. Israel's evacuation orders have driven more...

The White House press secretary warns that US combat operations in Iran are intensifying while Iran's defence capabilities are in decline. Also in today's programme: Tehran residents describe intense bombing in the city. With oil prices soaring across the globe we hear from Mark Menezes, CEO of the US Energy Association, who previously served as Deputy Energy Secretary in President Trump's first a...

The US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has insisted America's war aims are clear, at a Pentagon press conference. We'll hear from those inside Iran caught up in the bombardment, and from our correspondent, Tom Bateman, who attended that news conference. Also on the programme: Authorities in the US state of New Mexico have launched a search of a ranch previously owned by the late convicted sex offen...

G7 finance ministers have said they're ready to take measures to support the global energy supply, after meeting to discuss the economic turmoil caused by the US-Israeli war against Iran. Oil prices eased back below 100 US dollars a barrel, after they indicated this could include the release of strategic reserves. But they're still about 40 percent up since the start of the war, which has halted m...

As the US and Israel's war on Iran enters its second week, concerns are rising about surging oil prices. Crude has jumped above $100 a barrel and stock markets slumped over the escalating US-Israeli war with Iran. What are the effects likely to be? Also in the programme: We'll profile Iran's new Supreme Leader, the son of the former cleric; we'll hear how the war is affecting daily life in the Gul...

The United States and Israel have continued their bombardment of Iran for a ninth day. Thick plumes of black smoke were seen in the skies above Tehran as the US and Israel struck an oil refinery and depot in the capital. We'll bring you the latest in the war including from the second front in southern Lebanon. Also in the programme: a high-ranking executive at OpenAI has resigned over the company'...

Iran says it’s chosen a successor to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed last week in US-Israeli airstrikes – but the name has yet to be revealed. Meanwhile Israel and the US continue to strike Iran, with oil depots hit, and Iran carries out more strikes on its Gulf Arab neighbours: we hear from Kuwait. Also in the programme: scientists find a mountain range and huge "blue hole"...