World War 3? How Russia and China could be dragged into the Iran conflict

Is this what the start of World War Three looks like?


On the 11th day of the US-Israeli war with Iran, Roland looks at
how the conflict is broadening well beyond Iran’s borders.
President Donald Trump has hinted the war is nearly over, but
ACLED CEO Clionadh Raleigh says it is dangerously close to
dragging in Russia and China given they have already openly
backed Iran. She also talks through what the data says about this
conflict so far, from the high intensity of the military campaign
to the surprisingly low casualty rates. 


Plus, Senior Foreign Correspondent Sophia Yan reports from the
Iraqi side of the Iranian border where she has been speaking to
Iranian Kurdish separatist leaders who say they have thousands of
fighters ready to go. Trump has flip-flopped over whether he
would support the separatist groups as a proxy ground force in
the US-Israel war against Iran. But they say America cannot
topple Tehran’s regime without their help.


CONTRIBUTORS:


Roland Oliphant, Chief Foreign Affairs Analyst and co-host
@RolandOliphant


Sophia Yan, Senior Foreign Correspondent @sophiayan


Clionadh Raleigh, ACLED CEO, @cliona_raleigh


CONTENT REFERENCED:


Trump needs us to win war, says Kurdish opposition commander


https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/03/08/kurdish-militia-leader-trump-needs-us-to-win-iran-war/


Kurds desperate to invade Iran... if they get Trump’s jets


https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/03/08/kurds-desperate-invade-iran-cover-trump-jets/


Producer: Peter Shevlin


Executive Producer: Louisa Wells


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