Israel holds off attacking Iranian gas infrastructure
Global News Podcast
BBC
4.3 • 8.3K Ratings
🗓️ 20 March 2026
⏱️ 25 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
The Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, has said Israel will hold off future attacks on Iranian gas fields after being asked to do so by President Trump. An Israeli attack on Iran's South Pars gas field on Wednesday, followed by Iranian attacks on Qatari gas installations caused steep rises in the price of gas and oil. Also, we get the view from Iran from our BBC Persian correspondent. We hear how life has changed in Jerusalem's Old City now that its most sacred Christian, Muslim and Jewish sites are closed to the public. And we talk to the scientist behind a new documentary about microplastics - and fertility.
The Global News Podcast brings you the breaking news you need to hear, as it happens. Listen for the latest headlines and current affairs from around the world. Politics, economics, climate, business, technology, health – we cover it all with expert analysis and insight. Get the news that matters, delivered twice a day on weekdays and daily at weekends, plus special bonus episodes reacting to urgent breaking stories. Follow or subscribe now and never miss a moment. Get in touch: globalpodcast@bbc.co.uk
Transcript
Click on a timestamp to play from that location
| 0:00.0 | This is the Global News Podcasts. |
| 0:05.0 | This is the Global News podcast from the BBC World Service. |
| 0:11.0 | Hello, I'm on criticise and in the early hours of Friday the 20th of March, these are our main stories. |
| 0:17.5 | Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says Israel will hold off attacking Iranian gas infrastructure at the request of President Trump. |
| 0:25.2 | The strikes and retaliation from Iran have caused steep rises in the prices of gas and oil. |
| 0:32.8 | Also in this podcast, we find out how life has changed in Jerusalem's old city. |
| 0:38.5 | Now that its most sacred Christian, Muslim and Jewish sites are closed to the public. And... |
| 0:43.3 | I feel it's just the start of this journey to, you know, to make people aware of all the |
| 0:50.5 | various sources of toxins in their environment that are affecting their reproductive health. |
| 0:55.5 | We hear from the scientists behind a new documentary about microplastics and fertility. |
| 1:06.2 | It's been an alliance which has stood firm on the global stage, first during the war in Gaza |
| 1:11.6 | and more recently against Iran. But are we starting to see some cracks in the relationship |
| 1:17.2 | between the US and Israel? Donald Trump was quick to distance himself after reports suggested |
| 1:22.7 | that Washington knew about the Israeli attack on Iran's largest gas field, which led to retaliatory |
| 1:28.8 | strikes across the Gulf. |
| 1:30.8 | I told him, don't do that. |
| 1:32.5 | We're independent, we get along great. |
| 1:35.2 | It's coordinated, but on occasion he'll do something and if I don't like it. |
| 1:39.5 | And so we're not doing that anymore. |
| 1:42.1 | Benjamin Netanyahu has now backed up the U.S. President's assertion, but insist the |
| 1:46.5 | allies are still working together to achieve their goals at lightning speed. |
| 1:51.5 | Israel acted alone against the Slauya gas compound. |
... |
Please login to see the full transcript.
Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from BBC, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.
Generated transcripts are the property of BBC and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.
Copyright © Tapesearch 2026.