Iran War Escalates, Kurds Stay Out, Global Shipping Crisis
Up First from NPR
NPR
4.6 • 59K Ratings
🗓️ 9 March 2026
⏱️ 15 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
President Trump reversed course on Kurdish fighters entering Iran, and Iraq's Kurdish deputy prime minister tells NPR in his first interview with western media since the war began that the Kurds will not be part of the fight and are not guns for hire.
And the war is strangling the Strait of Hormuz, where hundreds of tankers and container ships are now stranded, raising fears of a global energy crisis.
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Today’s episode of Up First was edited by Hannah Block, Tina Kraja, James Hider, Mohamad ElBardicy and HJ Mai.
It was produced by Ziad Buchh and Ben Abrams.
Our director is Christopher Thomas.
We get engineering support from Neisha Heinis. Our technical director is Carleigh Strange.
(0:00) Introduction
(01:55) Iran War Escalates
(5:17) Kurds Stay Out
(10:52) Global Shipping Crisis
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Israel bombed Iran's oil facilities over the weekend, causing black rain to fall over the capital Tehran. |
| 0:08.0 | A senior Israeli official tells NPR's Daniel Estrin. Israel expects to defeat Iran in about three weeks. |
| 0:14.6 | I'm Michelle Martin. That's Stevenski. And this is up first from NPR News. |
| 0:20.8 | One of the groups that could rise up against Iran's government is ethnic Kurds. Many is up first from NPR News. |
| 0:24.8 | One of the groups that could rise up against Iran's government is ethnic Kurds. |
| 0:26.1 | Many live in Western Iran. |
| 0:28.1 | Others live across the border in Iraq. |
| 0:32.1 | But an Iraqi leader tells NPR they are, quote, not guns for hire. |
| 0:34.2 | So what is their role in the Middle East War? |
| 0:38.1 | Also, the war is blocking traffic through one of the world's most critical shipping lanes. |
| 0:43.4 | Tankers and container ships are not passing through the Strait of Hormuz, and a global energy crisis is growing. |
| 0:45.8 | Stay with us. |
| 0:46.7 | We've got the news you need to start your day. |
| 1:00.4 | This message comes from Wise, the app for international people using money around the globe. |
| 1:05.7 | You can send, spend, and receive in up to 40 currencies with only a few simple taps. |
| 1:12.3 | Be smart. Get Wise. Download the Wise app today or visit wise.com. T's and Cs apply. |
| 1:19.2 | Here's a big question hanging over the U.S. and Israeli war in Iran. How long will this war last? |
| 1:30.9 | That question is becoming urgent as the war begins to affect the global economy. Israel escalated the war over the weekend, bombing oil facilities. The disruption of shipments from multiple nations has sent the price of oil soaring. |
| 1:35.4 | And Iran shows no sign of giving in after choosing a new supreme leader over the weekend. |
| 1:42.6 | A senior Israeli military official spoke with NPR's Daniel Estrin about how Israel views the prospects for ending the war. |
| 1:43.2 | Hey there, Daniel. |
| 1:43.9 | Hi, Steve. |
... |
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