Exclusive: Why Iran's new leader survived & how to reopen the Strait of Hormuz

No one knew how Iran’s new supreme leader survived the 30 bombs
dropped on his father’s compound. Until now. 


The Telegraph’s foreign correspondent Akhtar Makoii has obtained
exclusive audio from an IRGC meeting that explains how Mojtaba
Khamenei escaped the deadly US-Israeli strikes that killed his
father, wife, sister, and other relatives on the first day of the
Iran war. It also sheds new light on why he was chosen as Ali
Khamenei’s successor. 


Plus: how do you reopen the Strait of Hormuz and what can the UK
really do to help Donald Trump? Jack Watling, senior research
fellow for Land Warfare at the Royal United Services Institute,
joins Roland Oliphant and Venetia Rainey to discuss the military
options and why even they might not be enough. 


They also talk about how China might be looking to take advantage
of this conflict and the impact of the Iran war on Indo-Pacific
security. Watling’s new book, Statecraft: The New Rules of Power
in a Divided World, is out this week and is published by
Macmillan. 


CONTRIBUTORS:


Roland Oliphant, co-host and chief foreign affairs analyst
@RolandOliphant


Venetia Rainey, co-host @venetiarainey


Akhtar Makoii, foreign correspondent @akhtar_makoii


Jack Watling, senior research fellow RUSI @Jack_Watling





CONTENT REFERENCED:


Mojtaba Khamenei escaped death by seconds, leaked audio reveals


https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/03/16/exclusive-mojtaba-khamenei-escaped-death-leaked-audio/


Trump wants Britain to send a warship to the Gulf. Starmer has
sent eight sailors


https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/03/15/trump-wants-starmer-warship-gulf-sent-eight-sailors/


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