Is Iran Capable of Hitting the UK?
Newscast
BBC
4.3 • 6.6K Ratings
🗓️ 22 March 2026
⏱️ 29 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Today, Laura, Paddy and Henry discuss whether Iranian missiles could feasibly strike the UK, as Israel has claimed.
The Israeli Defence Force said Iranian missiles ‘can reach London, Paris or Berlin.’
The claim was prompted by an attempted but unsuccessful missile strike on the UK-US Diego Garcia base.
Sir Richard Shirreff, a former senior Nato commander has told Paddy we should take the the claim seriously, but cabinet minister Steve Reed told Laura there is "no assessment to substantiate" it.
We also look at whether the government might consider profit caps on energy companies, as has been suggested by a government advisor.
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Newscast brings you daily analysis of the latest political news stories from the BBC. The presenter was Laura Kuenssberg, Paddy O’Connell. It was made by Chris Flynn with Chloe Scannapieco. The social producer was Grace Braddock. The technical producer was Mike Regaard. The assistant editor is Chris Gray. The senior news editor is Sam Bonham.
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | BBC Sounds, Music, Radio, podcasts. |
| 0:05.9 | So overnight, Donald Trump has taken to Truth Social with ultimatum to Iran. |
| 0:12.4 | And there's a second big story this morning, too, that will have been staring out at you |
| 0:16.2 | on the front of some of your newspaper headlines that's been reported across the internet as well. |
| 0:21.6 | The Israeli military has said on the record that the Diego Garcia attempted missile strikes by |
| 0:28.2 | Iran shows that Iranian missiles could strike Europe, London, Paris or Berlin. Is that true? |
| 0:35.2 | We will try to have a calm conversation about that on this episode of Newscast. |
| 0:39.8 | Newscast from the BBC. |
| 0:42.1 | Fat boy sliver me in the classroom doing our violin lessons. |
| 0:45.0 | I was the tattle tail in the class. |
| 0:46.3 | Can I have an apology, please? |
| 0:47.7 | I trust almost nobody. |
| 0:49.3 | That daddy has to sometimes do strong language. |
| 0:51.8 | Next time in Moscow. |
| 0:53.4 | I feel delulu with no salulu. Take me down to Downey Street. Let's go have a tour. Blimey. Hello, it's Laura in the studio. Hello, it's Paddy in the studio. And hello, it's Henry at Home. So happy that you said Henry at Home, not Henry Z. Because I heard you say yesterday on the radio, Henry Z. And I thought that was cool too, Paddy O.C. Yes, because Henry was hosting the Today program. That's the sort of company we're mixing. I know. And I was clucking like a proud ante as I listened to it. Anyway, we digress. Well, we don't really. Henry, were you pleased to host breakfast radio? It was a great privilege and the highlight, of course, was talking to you, Paddy. |
| 1:29.4 | Although Z rather than Z is an Americanism. |
| 1:35.5 | Yes, I didn't feel like I should upbraid you on air yesterday, but we can do it now. |
| 1:39.7 | Yes. |
| 1:40.8 | Henry Zed just doesn't have the same ring. |
| 1:43.3 | Ah, the Young prince takes on the king |
| 1:44.9 | It was a matter of time |
| 1:46.1 | Anyway sorry we're being terribly self-indulgent |
... |
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