The Story

The war in Iran has left its people divided. Some openly welcome the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, others mourn, steadfast in their loyalty to the Islamic Republic. The divisions run deep, cutting across generations. Majid Parsa grew up in one such household. He tells his story.

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Read by: Majid Parsa, author of The Ayatollah's Gaze.
Host: Rosie Wright.
Producer: Dave Creasey.
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Photo: Getty Images.
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As the war in the Middle East enters its seventh day, prominent supporters of President Trump have criticised his decision to attack Iran. The political stakes are high for a president who pledged no new wars on the campaign trail. So can he keep the MAGA crowd on his side?

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This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory

Guest: Katy Balls, Washington editor for The Times and The Sunday Times
Host: Manveen Rana
Producer: Julia Webster
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Read more: Iran is Trump’s biggest bet yet. It could define his presidency
Further listening: Iran after the Ayatollah
Clips: Sky, CBS, CNN, ABC, WAAY 31, BBC, Fox, Tucker Carlson, Channel 4, C-SPAN, Associated Press, Boston Globe
Photo: Graphic by Denise Kelly. Getty Images.

This podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

An unusual podcast listener gets in touch.
Four years on from our series exploring the circumstances behind the kidnap and disappearance of British photojournalist John Cantlie by ISIS in Syria, Last Man Standing returns.
As the BBC TV releases a three-part documentary series Hostage, based on reporting from our original series, we bring you the latest for our own podcast.
Find the full Last Man Standing series here.
Hosts: Manveen Rana and Anthony Loyd, special correspondent, The Times.
Producer: Harry Stott.
Executive Producer: Will Roe.
Further reading: Anthony Loyd: my hunt for the forgotten Isis hostage John Cantlie
Watch: Hostage on BBC iPlayer.
Clips: BBC.
This podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When the Mexican government took down a drug lord last week, the Sunday Times was there to document the aftermath. Does this mark a turning point in the war on drugs? Or are things about to get much worse?

A warning that this episode contains descriptions of graphic violence.

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This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory

Guest: Louise Callaghan, Americas correspondent, The Sunday Times.
Host: Rosie Wright.
Producer: Micaela Arneson.
We want to hear from you - email: [email protected]

Read more: A cartel boss is dead, but normal Mexicans always pay the price
Further listening: The town ripped apart by Mexico’s new narcos
Clips: BBC, WMTW, Configo FN, Fox News, Al Jazeera, Noticias Telemundo, Reuters.
This podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Last month, Sir Keir Starmer made it clear that the US would not be permitted to use UK bases to launch strikes against Iran. On Sunday, that position shifted. Not only has the UK now allowed the use of joint bases, it is also intercepting Iranian drones, and sources have told The Times that a British warship may be deployed to Cyprus. As tensions in the Middle East escalate, is Britain being drawn ever deeper into the conflict? And how might this end?

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This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory

Guests:
Michael Evans, defence contributor, The Times
General Sir Patrick Sanders, former Chief of the General Staff and co-host of The General & the Journalist, one of our sister podcasts

Host: Rosie Wright
Producers: Sophie McNulty & Olivia Case
We want to hear from you - email: [email protected]

Read more: Special relationship ‘not what it once was’, as Trump rebukes PM on Iran
Further listening: Iran after the Ayatollah
Clips: The Times, AP, BBC, CNN, The White House, Sky News.
Photo: Getty Images.
This podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.