Americanswers! Why does Trump want to take Iran’s Kharg Island?
Americast
BBC
4.3 • 3.1K Ratings
🗓️ 30 March 2026
⏱️ 32 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Donald Trump has said the US will “conclude” its war in Iran by “blowing up and completely obliterating” key assets in the country, including Kharg Island - Iran’s key oil export terminal - if a deal is not reached. He also suggested in a social media post that “great progress” had been made with Iran’s “new” regime. The president’s rhetoric has raised fears that the war could still escalate and the U.S might actually be prepared to seize Iranian territory.
Justin and Sumi join up for this week’s Americanswers to answer your questions on the war in Iran. They discuss the domestic response to possible U.S involvement in a deadly strike on an Iranian primary school, and accusations that some traders are illegally profiteering from volatility in oil prices.
And, as Donald Trump publicly talks up the role of Pete Hegseth in initiating the war in Iran, is the president looking to shift responsibility for the war onto his defence secretary?
HOSTS: • Justin Webb, Radio 4 presenter • Sumi Somaskanda, BBC chief presenter
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This episode was made by George Dabby with Alix Pickles. The senior producer is George Dabby, and the technical producer was Dafydd Evans. The series producer is Purvee Pattni. The senior news editor is Sam Bonham.
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | BBC Sounds, Music, Radio, podcasts. |
| 0:05.5 | There is a lot to catch up on with the US war with Iran. It continues to be the single |
| 0:10.5 | biggest issue you ask us about. So today we are answering your questions, which include |
| 0:15.3 | what happens next after Trump threatens to seize Iran's Kag Island. Is there a risk of countries like China being dragged into the conflict? |
| 0:24.5 | Was there insider trading after billions of dollars were made predicting the price of oil? |
| 0:30.1 | And is Donald Trump looking to shift responsibility for the war onto his defense secretary? |
| 0:35.3 | Welcome to AmeriCast. |
| 0:39.2 | Ameriast. |
| 0:40.0 | AmeriCast from BBC News. |
| 0:42.4 | You hear that sound? |
| 0:43.5 | Oh, I think when I hear that sound, it reminds me of money. |
| 0:47.2 | We didn't start this war, but under President Trump, we are finishing it. |
| 0:51.5 | This is a big cover up, and this administration is engaged in it. |
| 0:54.8 | This guy has Trump Arrangement Syndrome. |
| 0:57.1 | I have four words for you. |
| 1:00.3 | Turn the volume up. |
| 1:05.7 | Hello, it's Justin in the worldwide headquarters of AmeriCast in London, England. |
| 1:09.7 | Hi, it's Sumi here in Washington, D.C. So No Matt Chorley this week is around the UK, apparently, using as many different modes of transport as possible, which is a very British thing, Sumi. It'd just be a road trip for you, wouldn't it? Unfortunately, yes. I think there's not a whole lot of other options besides planes and cars here. But I'm curious to hear |
| 1:29.0 | what Matt is undertaking. Yeah, okay. Well, we'll doubtless report back if indeed he gets back. |
| 1:35.2 | Let's get to the serious stuff now and start with what's actually going on at the moment, |
| 1:40.4 | or at least what Donald Trump says is going on at the moment. So he's done this |
| 1:44.1 | interview, hasn't he, with the Financial Times, in which he says he wants to take Iran's oil. He |
... |
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