The UK just proved it hasn’t learned Iran and Ukraine war lessons

The UK just proved it hasn’t learned Iran and Ukraine war lessons

Author: The Telegraph June 30, 2026 Duration: 35:54

As the US and Iran meet in Qatar, the UK has unveiled £15 billion in defence spending - but is it all a giant “fudge” to avoid humiliation by Donald Trump at next week’s Nato summit? 


Announcing the Defence Investment Plan, Prime Minister Keir Starmer boasted it meant the UK is spending 4.2% of GDP on wider security. On today’s episode of Iran: the Latest, Venetia Rainey talks to Ukraine: the Latest host and defence associate editor Dom Nicholls about why the numbers don’t add up. 


Plus, they unpack the UK’s high-stakes gamble on exquisite uncrewed autonomous aircraft and vessels and why the UK is ignoring the vital lesson from wars in Ukraine and Iran: expensive tech cannot replace raw mass.


CONTRIBUTORS:

Venetia Rainey, co-host and executive producer @venetiarainey

Dom Nicholls, Ukraine: the Latest host and defence associate editor @DomNicholls 


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


CONTENT REFERENCED:

Gulf plans to cut the US out of Iran deal

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/06/30/gulf-states-plan-to-cut-the-us-out-of-iran-deal/


Iran says frozen $6bn will soon be returned as part of peace deal

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/06/29/iran-frozen-assets-us-sanctions-peace-deal/


Producer: Max Bower and Rachel Porter

Executive Producers: Venetia Rainey & Louisa Wells

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Highlights


  • Starmer ‘fudges’ defence spending to avoid Trump clash at Nato. Will it work?
  • The plan that proves the UK hasn’t learned the mass drone lesson from Iran and Ukraine



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For those trying to understand the complex and rapidly shifting landscape of the Middle East, Iran: The Latest offers essential context. This Telegraph podcast moves beyond the headlines to examine the military, diplomatic, and strategic forces shaping the ongoing tensions between Iran, the United States, and Israel. Hosted by veteran foreign correspondents Roland Oliphant and Venetia Rainey, each episode synthesizes frontline reporting from the paper's award-winning journalists with insightful conversations. You'll hear from specialists in areas like regional security architecture, covert operations, and geopolitical theory, providing a clearer picture of the stakes involved. The analysis considers historical grievances, economic pressures, and potential flashpoints, from proxy conflicts to direct confrontations. It’s a resource for anyone who wants to grasp not just what is happening, but why it matters and what might come next. By drawing on deep sourcing and expert commentary, this podcast delivers a nuanced perspective that is both timely and thoroughly researched, making sense of a critical and often misunderstood arena of global affairs.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

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