Global News Podcast (BBC World Service)

Episode: Inside Tehran: 'My daughter is under the rubble'

Date: March 27, 2026

Host: Celia Hatton

Episode Overview

This episode centers on the continuing US-Israel war with Iran, focusing on the direct impact of airstrikes inside Tehran and the broader regional and global repercussions. The BBC presents an investigative report from inside Tehran, first-hand civilian accounts, expert analysis from Jerusalem, and discussions on related stories: Ukraine's new defense deal with Saudi Arabia, global economic ripple effects, notable scientific whale observations, new guidance on children’s screen time, and Hollywood’s anxiety over industry consolidation. The tone throughout is urgent, empathetic, and global in perspective.

Key Segments and Insights

1. Inside Tehran: Human Costs of the Airstrikes

(Start: 02:02 – 06:39)

• Investigative Report by Nawal Al Magafi utilizes rare access, satellite imagery, and on-the-ground interviews to document the aftermath of ongoing Israeli and US airstrikes in Tehran.
• Over the last month:
  • Israeli strikes: 3,600 munitions dropped; 38 police stations & Basij militia bases hit—many in residential areas.
  • US involvement: Over 9,000 attacks across Iran, both countries denying intentional targeting of civilians.
• Civilian Testimony:
  • A man, Ali, describes devastation in Resaat eastern Tehran:

    “My daughter’s scared of the dark. She cries… She calls out for her child, Mariam.” (Resident Ali, 03:13)

    • His account details being injured, losing friends, and the destruction of homes:

    “Rubble fell on my head, my hands, my back, my legs, and my ears were bleeding. I don’t have anything now.” (Resident Ali, 04:43)

• Impact:
  • Four buildings obliterated; damage within a 65-meter radius.
  • Local mayor:

    “Unfortunately, they destroyed 30 residences. This was no pinpoint attack. They have caused a lot of damage.” (Local Mayor, 05:21)

  • At least 40 civilians reported dead; military targets reportedly evacuated.
  • Use of Mark 80 bombs (2,000 lbs) inferred.
• Political Message:
  • US official calls for Iranians to stay home as strikes “prepare the ground for the Iranian people to overthrow the government”:

    “Stay sheltered. Don’t leave your home. When we are finished, take over your government. It will be yours to take. This will be probably your only chance for generations.” (US Official, 06:23)

  • Conclusion: Iranian civilians are overwhelmingly caught in the crossfire:

    “I just know my friends at the end of the alley are all dead.” (Resident Ali, 06:45)

2. Israel’s Military Calculations & Growing Regional Tensions

(07:16 – 09:23, Jerusalem Correspondent: Yolande Nell)

• Israel’s defense minister promises intensification of strikes on Iran after continued missile launches.

  “The fire continues. Therefore IDF strikes in Iran will intensify and expand to additional targets.” (Yolande Nell, quoting Israeli officials, 07:16)

• Recent attacks include significant damage to Iranian naval and ballistic missile sites.
• Conflicts spill into Lebanon; Israeli airstrikes target Hezbollah strongholds in Beirut.
• Israel expanding its buffer zone in southern Lebanon with escalating ground presence.
• Internal Israeli Politics:
  • Opposition leader Yair Lapid warns of “security disaster” due to overextension and soldier shortages:

    “The government is sending the army into a multi-front war without a strategy...and with far too few soldiers.” (Yolande Nell, 08:56)

3. Ukraine-Saudi Defense Agreement: New Alliances in Drone Warfare

(09:23 – 12:49, with Vitaly Shevchenko, BBC Monitoring, Kyiv)

• Ukraine signs a cooperation pact with Saudi Arabia to share counter-drone and missile expertise.
• Ukrainian experts assist Gulf states battling Iranian drones like Shahed models, paralleling Ukraine’s war with Russia.

  “So clearly they know a thing or two about how to deal with those drones… many of those drones are of the same type…” (Shevchenko, 10:03)

• Ukrainian drone manufacturers ready to scale up production; await political approval.
• Emerging national pride in Ukraine now being a “donor of security.”
• Notable shift as Ukraine transitions from an aid recipient to a contributor.

  “There’s a sense of national pride attached to all this as well.” (Shevchenko, 12:27)

4. Wider Global Effects: Middle East Conflict’s Impact on East Asian Economies

(12:49 – 15:28, with Jake Kwon, Seoul Correspondent)

• South Korea faces a crisis due to a shortage of naphtha (crucial for plastics), linked to disrupted shipments through the Strait of Hormuz.

  “There was a bit of a panic as people wondered whether they should run to the store and stock up on [government-printed waste bags]…” (Jake Kwon, 13:21)

• Government emergency meetings introduce energy conservation and price controls; efforts to diversify supply.
• Japan decides to increase coal-fired power use due to Middle Eastern oil shortages, reversing climate policies.

  “Starting next month, Japan will lift restrictions it has been placing on coal power…because Japan depends on the Middle east for most of its energy needs.” (Jake Kwon, 15:03)

5. Political Change: Nepal’s New Prime Minister

(18:04 – 19:34, with Yogata Lamaye, Mumbai Correspondent)

• New Prime Minister: Balendra Shah, 35, a rapper-turned-politician, swept to power in Nepal after youth-led protests toppled the old guard.
• Vows to tackle corruption, unemployment, and deliver social justice.

6. Extraordinary Science: Sperm Whale Birth Cooperation

(01:50, 19:34 – 23:41, Interview with David Gruber, Project SETI)

• Scientists capture rare, coordinated birth among sperm whales in Dominica.

  “There was just a tremendous amount of thrashing… and then amongst these 11 female whales… the small whale emerges and we, we see it.” (David Gruber, 20:02)

• Family pod lifts new calf to breathe, alternating kin and non-kin support— a level of empathy and cooperation previously only seen in humans and some primates.

  “This is one of the most cooperative, empathetic examples of an entry into the world. Maybe only humans would be the one that we can compare this event to.” (Gruber, 22:52)

• Underlines evolutionary heritage and complexity of whale societies.

7. New Guidance and Real-Life Challenges: Kids’ Screen Time

(23:41 – 26:36)

• UK Advice: Under twos should not have screen time alone; under-fives should have a maximum of one hour per day.
• The Montastier family in Manchester tries to cut back on screens; candid parental reflections:

  “Yeah, it does make me feel guilty for doing it… but what are you gonna do? You’re not gonna be always getting out of bed, bouncing with them at 6 o’clock and setting up an art and crafts table.” (Alexis Montastier, 24:59) “Most of the time it is to avoid conflicts, meltdowns and to give yourself a bit of a break.” (Montastier, 25:17)

• Experiment finds that despite intentions, reducing screen time is hard, but awareness and positive moments (like dancing in the mall) offer hope.

8. Hollywood Consolidation Worries: The Paramount-Warner Bros Deal

(26:36 – 30:31, Interview: Eva Longoria with Will Bane)

• Paramount seeks merger with Warner Bros Discovery; would reshape Hollywood, raising concerns over diversity and creative job loss.

  “When there’s intense consolidation of buyers, that’s never good for any industry… less diversity of thought and less diversity of thought leaders.” (Eva Longoria, 27:57)

• Technology (AI) is also a source of anxiety for industry workers.
• Longoria cautions regulators to consider the consequences for the creative sector:

  “When you see a consolidation and you see a massive amount of job loss of creatives…innovation dies, diversity dies.” (Longoria, 28:41)

• On a lighter note, Longoria shares her excitement about the upcoming World Cup and the universal language of football:

  “You can be from anywhere in the world and understand and speak the language of football. And that to me is, is so uniting.” (Longoria, 30:23)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Civilian resilience and grief in Tehran:

  “I just know my friends at the end of the alley are all dead.” (Resident Ali, 06:45)

• US strategic framing:

  “…When we are finished, take over your government. It will be yours to take. This will be probably your only chance for generations.” (US Official, 06:23)

• Whale empathy:

  “The baby was really unable to swim for the first few minutes. They were working as a group to uplift the baby out of the water…” (David Gruber, 21:16)

• Working parent realities:

  “It's on my mind every day, but… most of the time it is to avoid conflicts, meltdowns and to give yourself a bit of a break.” (Alexis Montastier, 15:38/25:17)

• Hollywood’s uncertainty:

  “Innovation dies, diversity dies.” (Eva Longoria, 28:41)

• Hopeful unity:

  “…the global language of the world is football…one of the few things that could unite us.” (Longoria, 30:23)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Tehran Airstrikes & Civilian Testimony: 02:02 – 06:45
• Jerusalem Military Update: 07:16 – 09:23
• Ukraine-Saudi Defense Deal: 09:23 – 12:49
• Korea/Japan Economic Impact: 12:49 – 15:28
• Nepal Election: 18:04 – 19:34
• Sperm Whale Birth: 01:50, 19:34 – 23:41
• Kids’ Screen Time (UK): 23:41 – 26:36
• Hollywood Mega-Merger: 26:36 – 30:31

Summary

The episode offers a deeply humanized, multifaceted look at the ongoing war’s toll in Iran, the military-political chess game in the Middle East, and how even far-off nations feel the conflict’s repercussions. Science, family life, and media industry fears are woven throughout, offering listeners a panoramic view of how global crises intersect with everyday lives and broader themes of empathy, resilience, responsibility, and the search for hope and unity in turbulent times.