The Gulf's moment of truth - reshaping the Middle East
The Story
The Times
3.9 • 1.6K Ratings
🗓️ 12 March 2026
⏱️ 29 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
As Iran continues to attack its Gulf neighbours could the strikes turn into a wider war? Who might be drawn in? And with Iran hitting friends as well as foes, how will this war reshape the Middle East and its relationship with the US?
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Guests:
- Michael Stephens, consultant and senior associate fellow at the Royal United Services Institute.
- Hofit Golan, influencer and content creator.
Host: Manveen Rana.
Producers: Olivia Case and Harry Stott.
We want to hear from you - email: thestory@thetimes.com
Read more: Iran latest: Trump says war could end soon as ‘nothing left to target’
Further listening: Iran has a new leader - how long will he last?
Clips: Al Jazeera.
Photo: Getty Images.
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Hello, this is Luke. I would like you to do something for me, please. Ask not what your |
| 0:06.1 | favourite news and current affairs podcast can do for you, but what you can do for your favourite |
| 0:10.2 | news and current affairs podcast. It says here we have our first ever listener audience survey. |
| 0:16.7 | Pause for gasps of wonder. Let us know what you think of this podcast. What makes you listen? |
| 0:22.0 | What makes you turn off? What is the ideal length of episode to the nearest second? Can you even |
| 0:26.5 | tell that Manveen and I coordinate our outfits? Fill out the survey, please. There is a link in |
| 0:31.4 | the description of this episode. Thank you. From the Times and the Sunday Times, this is the story. |
| 0:40.9 | I'm Manvine Rana. |
| 0:45.4 | On the day of the attacks, I was on my way to the airport. |
| 0:49.9 | I heard that the United States had began an offensive attack on Iran, and I checked my flight |
| 0:57.7 | and it said that we're good to go. |
| 0:59.8 | Hoffick Golan is an influencer, living in Dubai. |
| 1:04.0 | And when the war broke out two weeks ago, she was on her way to the airport for a work |
| 1:09.2 | trip. |
| 1:10.3 | I got to the airport, was able to check in, boarded the flight, everything seemed good to go. |
| 1:15.6 | We even pushed back and headed to the runway when the pilot made an announcement. |
| 1:21.6 | Due to the situation in the Middle East, we are not clear to fly, and we have to wait for further details. |
| 1:29.3 | I had very patchy, very limited internet, |
| 1:33.3 | so I wasn't able to really get the news, |
| 1:36.3 | but I was able to chat with one girlfriend of mine |
| 1:39.3 | who was due to fly out three hours before me |
| 1:43.3 | and I said, did you manage to get out? She said, yes, |
... |
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