As Washington plays down disruption, how safe is the Strait of Hormuz?

We assess the situation in the Strait of Hormuz as the US secretary of defense, Pete Hegseth, downplays the disruption. Plus: Joanna Dudley and Rufus Didwiszus look ahead to their arts projects around the world.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Iran’s new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, has reportedly vowed that Iran will continue blocking the Strait of Hormuz. Plus: Tira Shubart sends us a letter from Oaxaca. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We assess the scale of the global conflict as the US rattles South Korea by redeploying its missiles to the Middle East. Plus: Taiwan issues penalties for pedestrians crossing the road.    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We explore whether expectations of a swift popular uprising inside Iran are proving to be unfounded. Plus: why China and North Korea are resuming their train service after a six-year suspension. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Are expectations of a swift popular uprising inside Iran proving to be as unfounded as US president Donald Trump’s description of the war on Iran as a “short-term excursion”? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

France hosts a G7 finance meeting as the war in the Middle East fuels fears for the global economy. Plus: can rappers make good world leaders?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Iran’s war with the US and Israel continues to escalate as Venezuela appears to normalise relations with the Trump administration. Plus: Madrid’s week of art and design, and Paris’s week of fashion.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Russia and Ukraine are jockeying for position as the US-Israeli war on Iran continues. Russia could benefit from a rise in oil prices while Ukraine is selling its drone-fighting services to Gulf nations. Stephen Dalziel and Elisabeth Braw explore the conflict’s indirect consequences.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We hear from Washington as the Senate votes on an Iran war powers resolution, while shades of the Iraq War and fear of upsetting Trump divides Europe. Plus: where will Europe find its energy now?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We assess whether the US could lose interest in ending Russia’s full-scale war in Ukraine with operations against Iran taking centre stage.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.