Can the US really take control of Iran's oil?

Can the US really take control of Iran's oil?

Author: BBC World Service March 30, 2026 Duration: 28:05

President Trump says the US is in serious discussions with what he described as a new and more reasonable regime to end military operations in Iran. Also: Russia comes to the aid of Cuba by sending more than 700,000 barrels of oil to the communist island. Thieves in Italy make off with paintings by Renoir, Cezanne and Matisse - worth millions of dollars - after breaking into a museum near the city of Parma in a matter of minutes. As General Min Aung Hlaing is set to become Myanmar's next president, we ask if it will be business as usual? One of the biggest manhunts in Australian history comes to an end as the man wanted for killing two police is shot dead. Researchers in Italy find that those who stay up late at night are more likely to be depressed, anxious and irritable. And an incredibly rare bronze-age shield is returned to Scotland for the first time in more than 230 years.


Staying informed means navigating a constant stream of events, and the Global News Podcast from the BBC World Service provides a grounded, thorough digest of that flow. This isn't just a headline service; it's a twice-daily briefing that situates you within the day's most pressing stories, particularly focusing on complex, unfolding situations. Right now, that means dedicated coverage from across the Middle East, including Iran, Israel, Lebanon, and the Gulf states, offering clarity on regional dynamics and their global implications. Alongside that essential regional focus, the podcast consistently pulls back for a wider lens, bringing reports and context from every corner of the world. What you'll hear is the BBC's signature blend of on-the-ground reporting and measured expert analysis, all designed to build understanding rather than just summarize events. For a reliable, in-depth audio briefing that updates each weekday morning and evening, this podcast delivers a comprehensive picture of our world as it happens.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Global News Podcast
Podcast Episodes
Trump considering 'winding down' Iran military campaign [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 30:13
President Trump posted on social media that the US was getting very close to meeting its objectives in Iran. Earlier he told reporters he didn't want a ceasefire. The BBC's US partner, CBS, has reported that US military…
Iran renews attacks on Gulf countries [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:06
Tehran has fired missiles and drones at its Gulf neighbours causing blazes at a Kuwait refinery and a Bahrain warehouse. Israel has launched more air attacks against Iran. Powerful explosions were reported in the capital…
Israel holds off attacking Iranian gas infrastructure [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 24:25
The Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, has said Israel will hold off future attacks on Iranian gas fields after being asked to do so by President Trump. An Israeli attack on Iran's South Pars gas field on Wednes…
Oil and gas prices surge after energy plant strikes [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 28:29
Energy prices have surged after strikes on key gas facilities in Qatar and Iran, as the Middle East war continues to escalate. Iran has targeted Qatar's Ras Laffan complex in response to the bombing of Iranian facilities…
Iran attacks energy facilities in the Gulf [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 27:21
Qatar's state-owned petroleum company says an Iranian ballistic missile attack on its main gas complex at Ras Laffan has caused widespread destruction. Several Gulf states were attacked by Iran after its largest gas fiel…
Israel's third top-level assassination in two days [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 28:05
Iran's Intelligence Minister Esmail Khatib has been killed in an overnight Israeli strike. It comes just a day after Israel assasinated Ali Larijani and another senior Iranian commander, and as thousands of mourners gath…
Deadly Israeli strikes hit central Beirut [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 28:10
Israel has launched a series of deadly strikes in central Beirut and ordered mass evacuations in southern Lebanon, as it ramps up its air and ground offensive against the Iran-backed group Hezbollah. About a million peop…
Israel says it's killed Iran's top security chief [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 27:51
Israel's foreign minister said Iranians were "safer" without Ali Larijani and Basij paramilitary force commander Gholamreza Soleimani, after the Israeli military said it had killed both of them in strikes. Hours after th…
US allies reject Trump's call for help in Strait of Hormuz [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 28:58
The US President has repeated his call for other nations, particularly Nato allies, to help secure the Strait of Hormuz. Donald Trump says he has been surprised more world leaders were not "eager" to be involved in secur…
Germany and UK tell Trump this is 'not Nato's war' [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 28:56
Germany and Britain say the war against Iran has nothing to do with Nato and the alliance won't be taking part in any effort to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. But the UK Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, said London was workin…