Should Donald Trump 'Make Iran Great Again'?

Should Donald Trump 'Make Iran Great Again'?

Author: Global January 13, 2026 Duration: 36:33

"Iranian Patriots, KEEP PROTESTING - TAKE OVER YOUR INSTITUTIONS!!! ... HELP IS ON ITS WAY. MIGA!!!"

It was a characteristically Trumpian post from the American president on Truth Social (where else?) today which led to more fevered speculation that the US might be about to step in to topple the Iranian regime.

Protests across Iran are into their third week, and evidence of the slaughter of Iranian civilians is becoming clearer and clearer. One Iranian official told Reuters that some 2,000 protestors and security forces have now died in street clashes. Iranian media more critical of the regime says that police there have killed more than 12,000 demonstrators.

Donald Trump has already threatened to step in if the bloodshed doesn't stop - has he now made his mind up? And could America intervene without very messy, and unpredictable, consequences?

Jon and Lewis speak to Ali Hamedani, a British-Iranian journalist who is speaking to Iranians inside the country and was himself detained by the security forces in Iran, about the mood of the Iranian people and what happens next.

The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK Beyond Business Ownership - https://grp.hsbc/BeyondBusinessOwnership


Every weekday afternoon, Emily Maitlis, Jon Sopel, and Lewis Goodall gather to make sense of the noise. Their The News Agents isn't a simple bulletin; it's a conversation between three of the UK's most experienced journalists who have seen the machinery of government and media from the inside. This daily podcast from Global focuses on the forces shaping our world, dissecting the headlines from Westminster and beyond with a sharp eye for what really matters. You'll hear them pull apart political strategies, question the official narrative, and trace the connections between today's breaking story and its deeper roots. What sets this show apart is their collective tone-a blend of genuine expertise, natural scepticism, and the occasional necessary laugh at the absurdities of the news cycle. They provide context where others just provide clips, aiming to answer the persistent "why" behind the "what." Tuning into this podcast feels like getting a direct, unfiltered briefing from colleagues who know the landscape intimately, making the complex flow of daily events not just comprehensible but genuinely engaging. It’s analysis designed for anyone who wants to move past the soundbites.
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