Trump demands Iran's unconditional surrender

Summary

Global News Podcast – "Trump Demands Iran's Unconditional Surrender"

Date: March 6, 2026
Host: Charlotte Gallagher, BBC World Service

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Episode Overview

This episode covers the escalating US-Israel war against Iran, President Trump's demands for Iran's surrender, ongoing bombardments in Tehran and other Iranian cities, consequences for civilians, and reverberations throughout the Middle East, especially in Lebanon. Additional stories include Hungary's expulsion of Ukrainian bank staff, controversy over Russian participation in the Paralympics, and Indonesia's impending social media ban for children.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Trump’s Unconditional Surrender Demand on Iran

• Main Point: President Trump has demanded that Iran surrenders unconditionally as the only route to ending the hostilities.
  • He further stated that, post-surrender, Iran should select a new leader acceptable to the US, after which the US and its allies would help rebuild Iran's economy.
  • The demands were broadcast as the US and Israel move into a more intense phase of warfare, with heavy bombardments reported in Tehran and beyond.
• Quote:

  "I'm once again calling on all members of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, the military and the police to lay down their arms. They're only going to be killed. And now is the time to stand up for the Iranian people and help take back your country… Accept immunity. We'll give you immunity, and we'll be giving you really the right side of history, because that's what it is."
  — President Trump (05:49)

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2. Life Under Bombardment in Iran

• Civilian Testimonies:

  • Reports from inside Iran paint a picture of dire conditions, with over 1,200 people killed since operations began.
  • BBC Persian shared harrowing accounts:
    • "The house was shaking for five minutes straight. Last night was the worst night. No, I'm not okay. I barely slept last night because of the constant explosions." (03:10)
    • "They were hitting so hard that all the windows were shaking. It sounded as if it was a dragon." (03:27)

• Lack of Civil Protections:

  • No public shelters; civilians receive no warnings before strikes.
  • Infrastructure severely affected: 3,000 residential units destroyed in Tehran alone.

• Internet Blackout:

  • Communication is extremely limited; citizens sporadically share their experiences online when possible.

• Siavash Ardalan (BBC Persian) on Iranian Sentiment and Media Influence:

  • Few Tehran residents have left the city; some hope the airstrikes may lead to regime change.
  • A pro-Israeli Farsi TV channel assures residents they are not targets and tells them to wait for instructions about public protests. (04:56)

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3. Contradictions in US Messaging

• Commentary by Siavash Ardalan:
  • The US calls for Iranians to rise up but says the US will play a role in picking future leadership—a contradiction that confuses many Iranians.
  • US advises people to stay put for their safety for now, while Iranian state TV warns families that protestors will be seen as enemy agents and shot. (06:32)

  "Even that single clip that you played has two contradictory messages within it that leaves people wondering exactly what President Trump wants them to do."
  — Siavash Ardalan (06:32)

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4. Regional Spillover: Israel, Lebanon, and Beyond

• Israeli Actions:
  • 14th round of Israeli strikes on Iran, claiming air superiority and targeting regime infrastructure. Israelis given vague timelines; military hints at surprises for Iran. (08:07)
• Domestic Impact in Israel:
  • Some restrictions on public life lifted, with people returning to work if near shelters; schools remain closed.
  • Israeli citizens previously stuck abroad are beginning to return via Ben Gurion Airport. (09:10)
• Effects in Lebanon:
  • Hezbollah attacks Israel in support of Iran; southern Beirut heavily bombed by Israel.
  • Lebanese PM Nawaf Salaam makes an international plea for ending Israeli attacks and for humanitarian relief. (10:13)
  • Leena Sinjar (Beirut):
    • Thousands flee southern suburbs—many sleeping in cars or outside under the open sky.
    • Growing criticism within Lebanon towards Hezbollah for escalating conflict without public or governmental input. (12:10)

    "What’s the price? The price is more attacks on Lebanon, more people killed, more people displaced. Economy is already struggling and these people have no clue when they're going to go back to their homes."
    — Leena Sinjar (12:10)

    • Some Lebanese even call for Hezbollah to be banned, but enforcement remains doubtful. (13:19)

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5. International News Briefs

a. Hungary vs. Ukraine – Banking Arrests

• Hungarian authorities detain seven Ukrainians and two armored vans carrying cash and gold on money laundering suspicions; Ukraine accuses Hungary of 'hostage taking' and 'state terrorism.' (16:23)
• Broader context: worsening Hungary-Ukraine relations due to Hungary blocking EU aid to Ukraine, Ukrainian president’s strong language, and energy politics. (17:58)

b. Paralympics Controversy: Russian Participation

• Several countries, including Ukraine, boycott the opening ceremony of the Paralympics due to the Russian flag being flown despite past sanctions and ongoing war.

  "I'm very angry. Many, many leaders of National Paralympic Committee of different countries in the world not agree this decision. Why? Because it’s against the constitution IPC, it is against the United Nations statute, it's against any international lawyer."
  — Valeri Sushkevich, Ukrainian Paralympic Committee President (19:40)

• Nearly a dozen countries join the boycott; the International Paralympic Committee stands by its democratic decision. UK, Austria, and Romania among the governments not sending officials. (21:15)

c. Social Media Child Ban – Indonesia

• Indonesia follows Australia in banning social media access for children under 16 from March 28, including Facebook, YouTube, TikTok, and others.
  • Motivated by risks like online pornography, cyberbullying, and addiction.
  • General public reaction is mixed but largely supportive among parents.
  • The EU and several countries are considering similar measures. (23:06)

  "She says that the government is stepping in, so parents no longer have to, as she said, fight alone against the giants of the algorithm."
  — Mimi Swaby (23:06)

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6. Formula 1: Technical & Geopolitical Turbulence

• Aston Martin’s Engine Troubles:
  • Honda’s new power units are causing severe vibrations, risking drivers’ nerve health. Adrian Newey admits cars may not finish the race (25 laps maximum for Alonso).

  "The engine, the battery, everything in the back of that car is shaking itself so violently… It's more than a small problem. It is absolutely gargantuan and one that they will not be able to rectify massively quickly."
  — Will Buxton (26:12)

• Middle Eastern Conflict Disruptions:
  • Iranian missile assaults threaten F1 logistics; canceled tire tests and rerouted flights complicate the Australian Grand Prix and upcoming races in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia.
  • The World Endurance Championship race in Qatar was canceled due to the conflict. (28:14)

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Memorable Quotes & Key Moments

• "No, I'm not okay. I barely slept last night because of the constant explosions." (03:10, unnamed Iranian civilian)
• "Even that single clip… has two contradictory messages… leaves people wondering exactly what President Trump wants them to do." (06:32, Siavash Ardalan)
• "The price is more attacks on Lebanon, more people killed, more people displaced." (12:10, Leena Sinjar)
• "She says the government is stepping in, so parents no longer have to... fight alone against the giants of the algorithm." (23:06, Mimi Swaby)
• "The engine… is shaking itself so violently… it's more than a small problem." (26:12, Will Buxton)

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Important Timestamps

• [00:33] – Headlines and Trump’s demands on Iran
• [03:10–04:40] – Iranian civilians describe bombardment; conditions in Tehran
• [04:56–06:16] – Discussion of possible regime change, foreign media influence, and confusion over US messaging
• [07:36] – Israel’s 14th airstrike wave; regional retaliations
• [10:13–13:58] – The Lebanon front: civilian exodus, government response, intra-Lebanon tensions over Hezbollah
• [16:23–17:46] – Hungary-Ukraine financial bust-up
• [19:40–21:15] – Paralympics boycott over Russia
• [23:06–24:25] – Indonesia’s upcoming child social media ban and global trend
• [26:12–29:37] – Aston Martin’s F1 crisis; Middle Eastern war impact on sporting events

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Takeaway

This episode features intense international conflict in the Middle East, marked by US and Israeli military escalation, humanitarian crises for civilians, and political-military tensions spilling across borders. The program also examines ramifications for international sport, European diplomatic disputes, and the regulatory battle over children and social media, all woven together with on-the-ground voices illustrating profound upheaval and uncertainty.

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Transcript

[Charlotte Gallagher]

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[Host/Presenter]

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[Tim Franks]

The house was shaking for five minutes straight. Last night was the worst night. No, I'm not okay. I barely slept last night because of the constant explosions.

[Mimi Swaby]

I woke up to the sound of

[Host/Presenter]

explosions at 5am and haven't been able

[Mimi Swaby]

to sleep ever since. It was terrible.

[Host/Presenter]

They were heating so hard that all the windows were shaking.

[Mimi Swaby]

It sounded as it was a dragon.

[Host/Presenter]

Siavash Ardalan from BBC Persian has been telling Tim Franks more.

[Sivash Ardalan]

Well, in terms of the latest news update today, IDF released an image of the Supreme Leader's compound in Tehran having been hit for its second time this morning. Last night the Iranian capital saw very, very intense bombardment, if not the most intense over the past week, just a few hours after US Defense Secretary said that the attacks on Iran will see a dramatic surge. So the residents of Tehran have been feeling that nonstop sounds of explosion. Some didn't have water, some didn't have electricity, some didn't have even the possibility to make phone calls. And the Internet is down. So every now and then when there is some connectivity, we get some messages or the Iranians themselves post on social media their experiences and those that manage to do that talk about how traumatizing these loud sounds of explosions are. And today the Iranian government spokesman said that 3,000 residential units have been destroyed

[Charlotte Gallagher]

during this past week in Tehran. I mean, we've heard in the past days that, look, you know, people don't get a warning of when the strikes are going to be. There aren't any public shelters for them to go to. Is this a city that is, that is emptying?

[Sivash Ardalan]

Unlike the 12 Day War last year, not many residents of Tehran have left the city. They feel that the attacks is not intended for them. One reason is that unlike last year, many people are hoping that these attacks might bring about something good, might bring about regime change. And what's also different is that you have a surrogate tv, a pro Israeli surrogate TV channel that is broadcasting programs to Iran in Farsi. And people look at that and that's conveying the message of IDF and Israeli governments. We're not targeting you. Just stay put and then we'll tell you when to come out in the streets.

[Charlotte Gallagher]

Well, we've heard Civash in Washington, President Trump calling on Iranian officials in country as well as diplomats abroad to, to switch sides, to defect. Let's hear what he's had to say.

[Host/Presenter]

And I'm once again calling on all members of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, the military and the police to lay down their arms. They're only going to be killed. And now is the time to stand up for the Iranian people and help take back your country. You're going to have a chance after

[Advertisement Voice]

all these years to take back your country.

[Host/Presenter]

Accept immunity. We'll give you immunity, and we'll be giving you really the right side of history, because that's what it is.

[Charlotte Gallagher]

President Trump also has said that he wants to have a role in picking Iran's next supreme leader. I realize it's a country of 90 million people, so impossible question, but what do you think? Those sorts of messages, how do they play?

[Sivash Ardalan]

Even that single clip that you played has two contradictory messages within it that leaves people wondering exactly what President Trump wants them to do. On one hand he says go out in the street and overthrow the regime. And on the other hand, he says he wants to have a say in picking the supreme leader of that same regime. The initial message to Iranian protesters and those who are opposed to the government was, let us pave the way for you. Let us get rid of this. And that was what was said yesterday's US Secretary of defense's press conference. And then when asked, well, are you going to announce a particular date? When is the right time for people to go out? The US Defense secretary said, just stay put. Right now, there are bombs falling all over the place, but either we will tell you or President Trump will tell you, or you yourself can decide when you want to go out in the street. While at the same time on Iran's state tv, families of protesters are being directly warned that if they go out in the street with the intention of carrying out protests, they will be seen as agents of the enemy and they will be shot.

[Host/Presenter]

Sivash Ardalan from BBC Persian. In retaliation to the ongoing strikes, Iran is still hitting other countries in the region. Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain have all said they thwarted attacks. On Thursday, sirens warning of Iranian missiles went off repeatedly in Israel. Visiting the site of one such attack in the southern Israeli city of Bathsheba, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that Israel was on the way to completing all of its missions. I got more from our Middle east correspondent in Jerusalem, Joe Lannell.

[Joe Lannell]

Israel said overnight that it had carried out its 14th round of strikes by its warplanes. In Iran, the Israeli military chief of staff talking about there being synchronized action with US Forces saying in the initial stage of attacks, air superiority had been achieved. There have been these military successes. He was talking about missile launches and launch sites having been really targeted. Initially, he said that now they're going on to dismantle regime infrastructure. In terms of time frames, we haven't really heard anything new from the Israelis. A couple of days ago, there were military sources saying that the Israeli Air Force was preparing for one to two weeks of intense bombing. I've not seen the same report since. Of course, earlier in the week we had those suggestions that this could go on for four to five weeks. But, you know, I think they're keeping it quite vague at the moment to keep their options open and they're saying that they are going to be additional surprises for the Iranians. So it's also a case of kind of keeping their strategy to themselves.

[Host/Presenter]

And for people in Israel, what's life like at the moment?

[Joe Lannell]

I mean, it's interesting because, you know, we're not really a week into this and yet yesterday Israeli restrictions on public life, some of them were lifted so that people could go back to their workplaces as long as they stayed close to an air raid shelter through the day. Yesterday, you know, people were sent running to those air raid shelters with warning sirens going off. Lots of people have apps on their phones, but they're also sounded in many locations, including in Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank. Schools are not going back yet in Israel, but I've just been to the shopping mall to see how things were this morning. And it's just striking to see people, you know, going back to some kind of normalcy. There was also the first flights from for Israelis because about 100,000 Israelis were stuck abroad with the start of strikes on Saturday, unable to return. Yesterday we saw the first flights coming back into Israel's Ben Gurion Airport with some suggestions that they could start to see flights going out of that airport as soon as this weekend.

[Host/Presenter]

That was Yolande Nell in Jerusalem. The conflict has drawn in Israel's neighbour Lebanon after the militant group Hezbollah launched missiles in support of its base back at Iran. There have been more strikes on the southern suburbs of Beirut. On Friday, following a night of heavy attacks in the capital, the Lebanese Prime Minister, Nawaf Salaam, called for international help today. We appeal to you, friends of Lebanon, to support us in this endeavor and in demanding loud and clear that Israel ends military attacks on the population displacement

[Sivash Ardalan]

and it's equally crucial that the infrastructure

[Host/Presenter]

of Lebanon be spared. In addition, every assistance you may be able to extend to us in providing relief to the population is precious to us and we will remain grateful to your support. Earlier, Israel warned hundreds of thousands of people to leave their homes to avoid the bombing. I heard more from our correspondent Leena Sinjar who's in Beirut.

[Leena Sinjar]

Thousands have fled the southern suburb of Dahye and its surrounding areas after warning from the Israelis that they're going to strike the area. And close to midnight they were pounding these areas with airstrikes. And the families who fled cramped in the streets with huge line of traffic. Some fled to the north of the country, some went to shelters, others with relatives, hotels. But there are thousands who are stranded in the streets sleeping in their cars or got their mattresses and blankets to sleep under open sky in public squares. It's really a terrible scene that the Lebanese are living yet again within the course of 15 months.

[Host/Presenter]

And as you said there, Leena, people have gone through this before. What is the mood like?

[Leena Sinjar]

I think this is the first time that we hear more and more voices critical of Hezbollah, even among the Hezbollah community. This is Hezbollah dragged Lebanon into the war defending Iran in 2024. Hezbollah also launched missile in support of Gaza. But there was a ceasefire that was reached. And throughout the cease fire, Israel continued to target Lebanon without any response from Hezbollah, only to come on the early hours of Monday to fire rockets into Israel. In what they said in retaliation for the assassination of Iran is supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei. And what's the price? The price is more attacks on Lebanon, more people killed, more people displaced. Economy is already struggling and these people have no clue when they're going to go back to their homes. So this is really Hezbollah, an open ended conflict with Israel without any strategy and without even consulting the government.

[Host/Presenter]

And are people saying, look, this is to do with Iran and Israel, this is nothing to do with us. Why have you dragged us into it?

[Leena Sinjar]

That's more and more what you hear from people. But some have even gone further in criticizing Hezbollah and saying that they are treason now because they are acting on behalf of Iran, neglecting the interests of the country, neglecting the safety of the people. So they are even calling of banning Hezbollah completely. Now. The government have banned its military and security activities, but Hezbollah is not responding. They continue with launching rockets on Israel. And now there are more voices saying, well, should we even, you know, ban the group? But will the government be able to implement this? That's really difficult to answer now.

[Host/Presenter]

And we've got more on this story with Lena and Oliver Conway on our YouTube channel. Search for BBC News on YouTube and you'll find the global news podcast in the podcast section. There's a new story available every weekday still to come in this podcast how bad vibrations are hitting a Formula One team hard.

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[Host/Presenter]

Next to a story that could come from the pages of a spy thriller, seven Ukrainians and two bank vans carrying millions of dollars in cash and gold have been detained in Hungary on suspicion of money laundering. Ukraine's foreign minister has accused Budapest of taking them hostage. Vitaly Shevchenko from BBC Monitoring is following the story.

[Tim Franks]

These two vans yesterday were traveling from Austria to Ukraine, transiting through Hungary as part of what the Ukrainian officials are saying, regular services which, well, they were stopped by the Hungarians. Now, predictably, this caused outrage in Ukraine. The Ukrainian Foreign Minister, Andriy Szebiha accused Hungary of state terrorism, racketeering, hostage taking and stealing the money. Hungary has a different view of what's going on. This morning the Hungarian Tax Service confirmed the detention of those two vans and seven staff members of the Ukrainian bank, or Shad bank and said that the operation was carried out on suspicion of money laundering. Now the Foreign Minister of Hungary, Petr Sierto, said that he wants Answers from Ukraine. What's going on? Why so many millions are being transported across Hungary? In those two vans, there were $40 million, 35 million euros and 9 kilograms of gold. And Hungary says they were being transported to what Budapest calls the Ukrainian war mafia, presumably meaning the Ukrainian government.

[Host/Presenter]

Because the context of this is really important, because Orban, the Viktor Orban, the leader of Hungary, he's Russia's strongest ally in the eu, and relations between Hungary and Ukraine have been quite strained, haven't they?

[Tim Franks]

They're going from bad to worse. Charlotte. Just yesterday, the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelensky, he was giving a news conference and he sounded really unhappy at Hungary, which had blocked a massive 90 billion euro loan to Ukraine and blocked new EU sanctions on Russia. So Volodymyr Zelensky said, well, I'm prepared to give the address of a certain person in the EU who's blocking all this and let my armed forces speak to this address in their own language. Now, Viktor Orban took this as a threat against him, and he said, now this is unacceptable. And he is prepared to unblock the flow of Russian oil to Hungary by force. And this charge is, I think, what it's about. Russian oil flows to Hungary, which have been blocked since January.

[Host/Presenter]

That's Vitaly Shevchenko. And Hungary has now said it will expel the seven Ukrainians who'd been detained after the success of the Winter Olympics in Italy, it's the turn of the Paralympians to show their sporting prowess. But the Games are already proving controversial as Ukraine and a number of other European countries will boycott the opening ceremony later in protest at Russian athletes being allowed to compete under their own FL flag. It's the first time in 12 years that a Russian flag will be held aloft at the Paralympics. Valeri Sushkevich is the president of the Ukrainian Paralympic Committee and a member of the Ukrainian Parliament. He's been speaking to the BBC's Tim Franks.

[Tim Franks]

I'm very angry. Many, many leaders of National Paralympic Committee of different countries in the world not agree this decision. Why? Because it's against the constitution ipc, it is against the United nations statute, it's against any international lawyer.

[Charlotte Gallagher]

You say that it's against the constitution of the ipc, the International Paralympic Committee. And yet when the IPC General assembly met, they voted to lift the partial suspension of Russia and Belarus. So their argument is it was a decision taken democratically.

[Tim Franks]

I was on this General assembly exactly after General Assembly President, National Paralympic Committee of Russia, very open. Say thank you very much, President Putin for your influence on delegate. It's terrible.

[Charlotte Gallagher]

Do you think that actually maybe you and others should go further and boycott the games altogether?

[Tim Franks]

No, I don't want. I never agree that Putin can stop participants. My country, my atlas. Or maybe atlas in other countries in the world. International sport.

[Host/Presenter]

Our diplomatic correspondent James Landale, who's in Kyiv, told me more about the background to this row.

[James Landale]

Initially, the Russians were excluded because of doping bans. Then because of their full scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the decision was made last September to allow these athletes to participate. Six Russians, four Belarusians. And not surprisingly, the Ukrainians are furious about it. President Zelensky yesterday described it as an unprincipled decision. His foreign minister describes it as sports watching, war crimes. And the point the Ukrainian officials make is they say, look, 650 Ukrainian athletes and coaches have died, have been killed since the Russian invasion four years ago. And they say, look, you know, people say politics and sports don't mix well in Ukraine they do. So that's why they're leading this boycott. The IPC says seven countries are taking part in the boycott. European Baltics mainly. The Ukrainians say actually other governments are also boycotting, pointing out that the uk, Austria and Romania are not sending any officials or ministers to the opening ceremony to try and make that point. The IPCC says it's disappointed, saying that it was a democratic decision taken last September. Russian officials accused the Ukrainians of politicizing sport. But the key thing is that here in Ukraine, it's really being felt they cannot really quite believe that a Russian flag is going to be flown at an international sporting event. And the question of course now is, is this the beginning of Russia, its exile from international events? You know, is this the first of, of many?

[Host/Presenter]

That was James Landau reporting from Kyiv. Restricting social media to younger audiences has become a hot topic across the world. Australia has already introduced a ban for under 16s, and now Indonesia says it'll also take action over platforms it deems as high risk. I heard more from affairs reporter Mimi Swaby.

[Mimi Swaby]

Indonesia says it is going to ban social media access for children under 16, saying this is due to threats of online pornography, cyberbullying, online fraud, as well as Internet addiction. So Indonesia's communications minister said that all these accounts for children under 16 on high risk platforms, so this includes Facebook, YouTube, tick tock and other very commonly used platforms, would start being deactivated on March 28. She says that the government is stepping in, so parents longer have to, as she said, fight alone against the giants of the algorithm. So a joint effort to have better child protection policies.

[Host/Presenter]

And what's been the reaction to the announcement?

[Mimi Swaby]

It's been quite a mixed reaction, as you can imagine. Users under 16 have vented their frustration, their anger, saying it takes away their freedom. But in this mixed reaction, we're seeing actually more support, especially from parents and the public more generally, as well as government support, citing basically, they're kind of relieved that the government are taking stronger actions. One thing to point out here is that Indonesia has quite a young population. It's thought about a quarter of the population under 16. So this is many people that are going to be affected. The population of Indonesia is about 280 million people, so mixed reactions, but largely a lot of people are in favour of it.

[Host/Presenter]

So Australia have already banned it. Indonesia are going to do it now. Are there any other countries that are thinking about it?

[Mimi Swaby]

There are. This is a growing global concern. So Indiga is just the latest to say it's going to ban it. Just this week, the European Union expert group began work on a comparable, very similar ban. And France, Denmark, Spain and Greece, they're all pushing for similar action in the uk. Here, they have begun the government become a public consultation on a ban again for under 16s, and this is where young people and their parents or guardians can comment on basically the proposal for this ban before the government decide what to do. India as well, on the other side of the world, are also considering their own ban on preventing teenagers under 16s again from accessing social media. So lots of different countries, and it really is a growing consensus that actually social media is potentially doing more harm than good, especially for the younger audiences. That under 16 age group, that is deemed a high risk on platforms, like I said, such as YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, all these kind of different platforms that many of us are so used to going on to now out of habit.

[Host/Presenter]

That was Mimi Swaby. And there was no immediate response from the affected platforms. The new Formula one motor racing season has got underway with the first practice runs for the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne. The race itself takes place on Sunday. But there's a problem with Aston Martin. They're well off the pace and they'd complained earlier that the Honda engines they were using vibrated so so badly that drivers feared they'd suffered permanent nerve damage resulting from fears of further Iranian missile attacks. Sean Lay spoke to the motoring journalist Will Buxton. So, firstly, what's wrong with Aston Martin's cars?

[Will Buxton]

Formula one has undergone one of the biggest changes in its history over the winter. And that is in terms of the aerodynamics of the cars, but also critically in terms of the engines in the back of them and the power delivery. They ultimately going to have about 50% coming from the engine, 50% from the battery, and that means a wholesale redesign of the power units, as we call them, in the back of the cars. Some engine manufacturers have been on the front foot with this, notably Mercedes. Honda have struggled when there's been a change in engine regulation, massively when we brought in the hybrid units and they appear to be massively behind the ball this time as well. We thought it was just an issue in terms of overall performance, but it was. It appears that the engine, the battery, everything in the back of that car is shaking itself so violently that it's not just shaking the the engine and the battery to pieces, but it's also creating unbearable vibrations for the drivers in the cockpit to the tune that Adrian Newey, you know, the greatest designer in Formula One history and now Aston Martin's team principal, has had to admit this weekend in Australia that they probably can't even do 25 laps without causing their drivers serious nerve issues. It's more than a small problem. It is absolutely gargantuan and one that they will not be able to rectify massively quickly. So, in other words, for the Australian

[Charlotte Gallagher]

Grand Prix this weekend, they are not expected to do that well.

[Will Buxton]

Well, they're not expected to see the checkered flag. They will not be able to do more than 25 laps for Fernando Alonso. Lance Stroll is experiencing such terrible issues in the car, they don't think he'll do more than 15. There's another practical problem, isn't it, that more generally that everybody is facing a

[Charlotte Gallagher]

matter of three or four days before

[Will Buxton]

they're supposed to be competing in Melbourne, and that's the fact that Bahrain is under assault from Iranian missiles and that a lot of flights from the sports

[Charlotte Gallagher]

winter quarters just aren't taking off.

[Will Buxton]

Yeah, there was supposed to be a tire test in Bahrain that's been cancelled for obvious reasons. The biggest potential disruptor is the fact that so many of the flights for those based in Europe, usually fly through the uae, which also we know is having its problems at the moment, certainly to get to and from Australia. I know a lot of colleagues were either on the way to the UAE or were due to fly to the UAE to transit over to Australia. They had to completely change their flights to fly via America in order to get to Australia. In terms of the team freight, I think it's important to Remember in this that the teams have multiple sets of their freight which are set off in a sort of a beautiful ballet around the world. So the set that goes to one race won't be flown to the next race. There'll already be a second set being flown to the that second race and a third set being flown to the third. And the cars themselves have to go from race to race. But the garage setups, the pit wall setups, all of those things, they've got multiple sets of those. The difficulty, though, comes when we get into April, when Formula One is due to race in Saudi Arabia and Bahrain. Formula One themselves have said that they are working with local authorities. They are obviously, you know, watching the unfolding situation, which is, you know, rapidly developing on a day to day basis. But the World Endurance Championship, which was due to race in Qatar in just a matter of weeks time, that event has been cancelled. And that's an FIA event, just like Formula One.

[Host/Presenter]

That was the motoring journalist Will Buxton. And that's all from us for now. If you want to get in touch, you can email [e-mail]. you can also find us on XBC World Service. Use the hashtag Global newspod. And don't forget our sister podcast, the Global Story. This edition of the Global News Podcast was mixed by Mark Pickett and the producers were Judy Frankel and Stephen Jensen. The editor is Karen Martin. I'm Charlotte Gallagher. Until next time. Goodbye.